Vietnam - As Good As It Gets

Boasting some of the purest golfing terrain that Asia has to offer, two of Vietnam’s newest courses are set to make a name for themselves on the international stage, says Alex Jenkins

Need to Know
Danang Golf Club, Dunes Course
Yardage: 7,160. Par: 72.
Designed by Greg Norman.
Green Fees: US$78-98 including caddie andtaxes.
CartFee: US$15(per person).
Contact: www.dananggolfclub.com

Montgomerie Links Vietnam
Yardage: 7,063. Par:72.
Designed by Colin Montgomerie.
Green Fees: US$73-93 including taxes.
Cart Fee: US$30 (per cart).
Contact: www.montgomerielinks.com

The Place to Stay
Visitors are now spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodations in Danang, but why come all this way and not stay in arguably the finest resort in Vietnam? The Nam Hai (pictured), an oceanfront property just minutes from the two courses, opened in 2006 and has earned rave reviews ever since. Sprawled over 35 hectares, this splendid spa retreat, which like the Montgomerie Links Vietnam is owned by IndoChina Capital, offers 60 elegant villas and a further 40 pool villas each within landscaped gardens with unobstructed views of the South China Sea and the nearby Cham Islands. If you’re travelling with a loved one, this is the place to stay. Rates from US$600.
Visit www.thenamhai.com.

 

Faldo Joins the Party
The Nick Faldo-designed Laguna Hue, an 18-hole layout about a 45-minute drive from Danang, is set to open its doors in early 2012, thereby adding to the playing options in the immediate area. Described by the six-time major champion as a “real hidden gem”, the course will incorporate sand dunes, rice-paddy fields, exposed rock formations and dramatic coastline. The course will be Faldo’s second in Vietnam, following Ocean Dunes Golf Club, a four-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City at Phan Thiet in the south of the country.

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Written by Alex Jenkins

Photography by Tom Harack

Click here to see the published article.

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