Bali vs Vietnam for Golf
Two of Southeast Asia's most tempting golf escapes, and two very different trips. Bali offers a small set of spectacular clifftop and mountain courses wrapped in the region's finest beach and resort scene. Vietnam answers with the deepest roster of championship golf in the area, led by the world class coast around Danang. Here is the honest head to head, verdict first.
Photograph: Danang golf coast, via Google
The verdict
For the golf itself, Vietnam wins, and it is not especially close. The Danang and Hoi An coast in the center of the country is the densest cluster of championship golf in Southeast Asia, with the Greg Norman designed Danang Golf Club, the Nick Faldo links at Laguna Lang Co, the Robert Trent Jones II layout at Hoiana Shores, Montgomerie Links and the mountaintop Ba Na Hills all within a short drive, and the country holds dozens more from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang and Hanoi. A serious golfer can play a different great course every day for a week and never repeat a style. Add well established golf packages, caddies and value, and Vietnam is one of the world's best pure golf destinations.
Bali wins for the golfer who wants fewer, more spectacular rounds inside the best all round holiday in the region. Its courses are few but memorable: New Kuta riding the cliffs of the Bukit peninsula, Bali National at Nusa Dua, and the otherworldly mountain course at Handara set in a volcanic crater. Around the golf sits a beach, dining, spa and culture scene that Vietnam cannot match for couples and mixed groups. Pick Vietnam for depth, quality and a golf first trip, Bali for two or three knockout rounds folded into a luxury island escape.
Head to head
| Bali | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature courses | New Kuta, Bali National, Handara | Danang Golf Club, Laguna Lang Co, Hoiana Shores, Ba Na Hills, The Bluffs Ho Tram |
| Depth of golf | A small field of around four to five notable courses | Dozens nationwide; the Danang region alone has six plus world class layouts |
| Style of golf | Clifftop, mountain crater and resort parkland, all dramatic settings | Coastal links, championship resort courses, and a spectacular mountaintop course |
| Best base | Bukit peninsula and Nusa Dua in the south of the island | Danang and Hoi An on the central coast, with hubs near Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi |
| Green fees, 2026 | Good value; Bali National sits at the premium end (indicative; confirm) | Good value with strong package deals; marquee Danang courses premium (indicative; confirm) |
| Off course | The region's best beaches, dining, spas and culture | Great food, beaches, history and UNESCO Hoi An, lighter on luxury resort breadth |
| Best for | Couples and mixed groups wanting a luxury island holiday with a few elite rounds | Golf first buddies and society trips wanting many high quality rounds |
| Season | Dry season April to October; plays year round | Central coast best February to August; wettest September to December |
Course designers and facts verified June 2026 from course and operator listings; fees and packages vary by season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Bali if
You want a small number of spectacular rounds inside a luxury island holiday. Bali gives you the clifftop drama of New Kuta on the Bukit peninsula, the resort polish of Bali National and the surreal mountain golf at Handara, all set among the best beaches, dining, spas and culture in the region. It suits couples and mixed groups where not everyone plays, or golfers who want two or three knockout rounds rather than a packed golf schedule. The complete holiday, with golf as a highlight rather than the whole point.
Pick Vietnam if
You want depth, quality and as much great golf as you can fit in. Vietnam, and the Danang coast in particular, hands you a cluster of championship courses by the biggest names in design, plus more across the country, so a week can mean seven different elite rounds. It suits buddies and society trips, golf first travellers and anyone who values strong package deals, caddies and variety. Pair the golf with the food, beaches and history of central Vietnam and you have one of the best value golf trips on earth.
Plan your Southeast Asia golf trip
Bali's clifftop drama and resort luxury, Vietnam's deep roster of championship coast, or a twin centre that takes in both. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge builds the tee times, the hotels and the route, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Bali vs Vietnam questions
Is Bali or Vietnam better for a golf trip?
For the golf itself, Vietnam wins. The Danang and Hoi An coast alone holds a cluster of world class courses by Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Robert Trent Jones II and others, and the country has dozens more, so a dedicated golfer can play a different great course every day for a week. Bali counters with spectacular clifftop and mountain courses and an unmatched all round holiday, but it has only a handful of layouts. Choose Vietnam for depth and pure golf, Bali for fewer rounds wrapped in the best resort and beach experience in the region.
How many golf courses are there in Bali and Vietnam?
Bali has a small, high quality field of around four to five notable courses, led by the clifftop New Kuta, the resort Bali National at Nusa Dua and the mountain course at Handara. Vietnam has dozens across the country, with the Danang and Hoi An region the densest cluster of championship courses in Southeast Asia, plus more around Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Hanoi. Vietnam is the far deeper golf destination.
Is golf cheaper in Bali or Vietnam?
Both are good value by Western standards, and the two are broadly comparable on green fees, with Vietnam's marquee Danang courses and Bali's Bali National sitting at the premium end. Vietnam often works out better value over a full trip because golf packages, caddies and multi round deals are well established. Accommodation in both ranges from affordable to ultra luxury. Fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Bali and Vietnam?
Bali plays year round, with the dry season from April to October the most reliable. Central Vietnam around Danang is best from February to August, with the wettest months from September to December. Both are tropical, so expect heat and humidity and book early tee times. For a combined or either or trip, the February to August window suits both. Always check the local forecast before travelling.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and designers verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.