Golf in Langkawi
A jungle island in the Andaman Sea where one of the most scenic golf courses in Asia hides in the rainforest. Langkawi pairs a small, characterful golf scene with beaches, duty free shopping and the kind of luxury resorts that make a long haul golf escape worth the flight. The courses that matter, the seasons, the costs and how to plan it.
Photograph: The Els Club Teluk Datai, via Google, contributor Riho Taring
Why golf in Langkawi
Langkawi is the rainforest island of Malaysian golf. An archipelago off the northwest coast near the Thai border, it is greener, wilder and quieter than the mainland resort belt, and its golf reflects that. The headline draw is the Ernie Els designed course at Teluk Datai, carved through ancient rainforest down to the Andaman Sea and regularly rated among the most beautiful and best courses in Asia. It is not a big golf destination by numbers, with just three courses, but the quality and the setting punch well above the island's size.
The golf comes wrapped in one of Southeast Asia's most relaxed luxury escapes. Langkawi is a duty free island of jungle clad mountains, mangrove tours, cable cars and long beaches, with a clutch of world class resorts and easy connections through Kuala Lumpur and direct regional flights. For golfers it works best as a calm, scenic break, a couple of memorable rounds folded into a wider holiday rather than the dawn to dusk schedule of a buddies trip.
The areas
The northwest, Teluk Datai
The lush northwest corner of the island, where the rainforest meets the Andaman Sea, home to the Els Club at Teluk Datai and the most exclusive resorts. The scenic heart of a Langkawi golf trip.
The interior, Gunung Raya
The green center of the island around the foot of Gunung Raya, Langkawi's highest mountain, where the Gunung Raya Golf Resort spreads across former plantation land with mountain views on every hole.
Pantai Cenang and the south
The lively beach strip of Pantai Cenang and the southern coast, the island's main hub for hotels, dining and nightlife, with the newer 99 East course and the easiest access to the airport and ferries.
The courses that matter
The Els Club Teluk Datai
An Ernie Els designed par 72 of about 6,750 yards carved through ancient rainforest down to the Andaman Sea, the Rainforest Course is regularly rated among Asia's most scenic and has featured in Golf Digest's world ranking. The headline round of any Langkawi trip.
Gunung Raya Golf Resort
A par 72 spread across former rubber plantation land at the foot of Gunung Raya, the island's highest peak, with wide fairways, mature trees and mountain views on every hole. The most accessible and best value of the island's courses.
99 East Golf Club
The newest course on the island, a varied layout mixing tight, undulating jungle holes with open, links style ground near the coast. A good change of pace and handy for golfers based on the southern beach strip.
Beyond the island
For a longer trip, Langkawi pairs with the mainland courses around Penang and the wider Malaysian golf scene, reached by a short flight or ferry, adding depth to an itinerary built around the island's three courses.
Designers and yardage verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| November to April | Dry season, warm and sunny, lower humidity, least rain | Prime season, the ideal window for a Langkawi golf trip |
| May and October | Warm, more humid, building or easing rains either side of the wet season | Good value shoulder months with a weather eye on showers |
| June to September | Wetter, monsoon influenced, hot and humid with afternoon downpours | The cheapest golf, with rain likely but mornings often playable |
Langkawi is tropical and warm year round; the dry season from November to April is the time to plan a golf trip, with morning tee times the most reliable in any season.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Els Club Teluk Datai green fee | Around US$200 to $250 | The premium rainforest round, often a resort guest rate |
| Gunung Raya green fee | Around US$100 | The best value round on the island |
| A week, all in | Around £2,500 to £6,000 per person | Flights, a resort and several rounds, depending on the hotel |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Langkawi has its own international airport with direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and a number of regional cities, plus seasonal long haul connections, and there are regular ferries from the mainland at Kuala Perlis and Penang. Most golfers route through Kuala Lumpur. On the island a hire car or pre booked transfers are the easiest way to reach the courses, with Teluk Datai in the far northwest around forty five minutes from the southern beach strip and Gunung Raya more central.
Where to stay
For the golf, the luxury resorts of the northwest coast around Teluk Datai put the island's best course on the doorstep and are the most refined base. For a livelier, better value trip, the hotels along Pantai Cenang in the south offer the widest choice of dining and nightlife and easy access to the airport and the 99 East course. A central or southern base keeps all three courses within an easy transfer. Let one planner match the resort to the group and line up the tee times.
Plan your Langkawi golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Langkawi golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Langkawi?
The dry season from November to April is the prime time, with the warmest, sunniest and least humid conditions and the lowest chance of rain. May to October is the wetter monsoon influenced season, hotter and more humid with frequent afternoon downpours, though golf is still playable and prices are lower.
How many golf courses are there in Langkawi?
Langkawi has three golf courses: The Els Club Teluk Datai, an Ernie Els designed rainforest course at the northwest tip of the island, Gunung Raya Golf Resort, set at the foot of the island's highest mountain, and 99 East Golf Club, the newest, with open beachfront and jungle holes. All three are open to visitors.
How much does a golf trip to Langkawi cost in 2026?
Langkawi is good value by world standards. Indicative 2026 green fees run from around US$100 at Gunung Raya to US$200 to $250 at the Els Club at Teluk Datai. A week with flights, a resort and several rounds typically lands between £2,500 and £6,000 per head. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Asian golf openings, resort access and the best tropical tee times. Every other week.