Da Nang vs Ho Chi Minh City: Which Golf Trip Wins?
Vietnam's two golf capitals could not be less alike. Da Nang strings five championship courses along one beach road between the mountains and Hoi An's lantern lit old town. Ho Chi Minh City is nine million people of energy with its golf scattered to the edges and its masterpiece, The Bluffs, two hours down the coast. We have priced both at June 2026 rates and the verdict is clearer than you might expect.
Photograph: BRG Danang Golf Resort, via Google
The verdict
Da Nang, for almost every traveling golfer. No destination in Southeast Asia concentrates this much quality this conveniently: Hoiana Shores, the Robert Trent Jones Jr links that sits at or near the top of Vietnam's rankings, BRG Danang's Norman dunes course, Montgomerie Links between the city and Hoi An, Luke Donald's mountain spectacular at Ba Na Hills and Nick Faldo's Laguna Lang Co up the coast, all within about 40 minutes of a beachfront base. The golf is cheaper than the south, the logistics are effortless, and the evenings belong to Hoi An.
Ho Chi Minh City takes the decision only in two cases: when golf shares the trip with business or a longer Vietnam itinerary, its airport and hotel depth are unmatched, and when The Bluffs Ho Tram, the Greg Norman dunescape that put Vietnamese golf on the world map and staged the 2015 Ho Tram Open, is the round the trip is built around. Even then, our honest play is both: fly into one, out of the other, and let the country's two hour domestic hops do the work.
Head to head
| What matters | Da Nang and Central Vietnam | Ho Chi Minh City and the south |
|---|---|---|
| The marquee round | Hoiana Shores, RTJ Jr links 10 minutes from Hoi An; listed VND 4.0 to 5.0 million for international visitors, about $155 to $190 | The Bluffs Ho Tram, Greg Norman, 2015 Ho Tram Open host; listed VND 5.4 to 6.0 million, about $210 to $235 |
| The supporting cast | BRG Danang (VND 3.75 to 5.65m), Montgomerie Links (about 4.0m), Ba Na Hills (3.3 to 4.25m), Laguna Lang Co (2.8 to 3.3m) | Long Thanh (2.3 to 3.3m), Vietnam Golf and Country Club (2.3 to 3.5m), Tan Son Nhat in the city (2.35 to 3.6m), Song Be (2.35 to 3.25m) |
| Course to hotel logistics | Five championship courses within about 40 minutes of one beach base | Spread to the edges; The Bluffs is 2 to 2.5 hours away and worth its own night |
| Beyond the golf | Hoi An old town, My Khe beach, the Marble Mountains, Hue up the coast | The full metropolis: food, nightlife, history, plus the Grand Ho Tram casino resort beside The Bluffs |
| Best season | February to August; heavy rain October and November | November to April dry season; summer brings short afternoon storms |
| Getting there | Da Nang International, 15 to 30 minutes from most courses | Tan Son Nhat International, the country's main gateway |
Rates verified June 2026 from published Vietnamese tee time platform price lists; exchange conversions are approximate. Always confirm directly before booking. Check tee times · Check hotel rates.
Who should pick which
Pick Da Nang if...
The trip is about golf first. A week here plays five different answers to the question of what a great modern course looks like, links, dunes, mountain, lagoon, without ever changing hotels, and the green fee total for all five runs less than three rounds at Western resort prices. Couples and mixed groups get Hoi An, the most charming town in Vietnam, as the nightly reward, and traveling parties with a nongolfer lose none of the holiday. This is also the pick for first timers to Asian golf: caddies, conditioning and service here are the regional standard setters.
Pick Ho Chi Minh City if...
Work, family or a wider itinerary anchors you in the south, or the Bluffs pilgrimage is the point. The smart structure is two nights at Ho Tram, the Norman course at dawn, the casino resort in the evening, wrapped around city days where Tan Son Nhat's tee sheet sits 20 minutes from downtown hotels and Long Thanh or the Vietnam Golf and Country Club fill a morning for under $135. It is a grittier, more urban golf trip, and for the golfer who has already done the beach resort circuit, that is exactly its appeal.
Either way, see our Vietnam green fee guide for the full national price map, the Da Nang destination guide and central Vietnam rankings for course depth, our profiles of The Bluffs Ho Tram, BRG Danang, Montgomerie Links and Laguna Lang Co, and the 7 day Vietnam itinerary that strings both cities together.
Plan your Vietnam golf trip
Five courses off one beach road, or the Bluffs pilgrimage with a city wrapped around it, or both ends of the country in one itinerary: tell us roughly when and who is traveling, and one concierge prices it to the head, with no obligation.
Da Nang vs Ho Chi Minh City questions
Is Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City better for a golf trip?
For a pure golf trip, Da Nang wins comfortably: five championship courses within about 40 minutes of a beach base, including Hoiana Shores, BRG Danang, Montgomerie Links, Ba Na Hills and Laguna Lang Co, with Hoi An's old town for the evenings. Ho Chi Minh City wins when the trip is business plus golf, or when The Bluffs Ho Tram, the country's most celebrated course, is the single non negotiable round.
What do green fees cost in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City in 2026?
June 2026 public rates, including caddie and shared cart, put Da Nang's marquee courses at roughly VND 3.5 to 5.65 million, about $135 to $215, with booking platforms discounting heavily midweek. Around Ho Chi Minh City, The Bluffs Ho Tram lists at about VND 5.4 to 6 million, roughly $210 to $235, while Long Thanh, Vietnam Golf and Country Club and Tan Son Nhat run VND 2.3 to 3.6 million. Always confirm directly before booking.
How far is The Bluffs Ho Tram from Ho Chi Minh City?
Roughly two to two and a half hours by road southeast of the city on the coast at Ho Tram, where the course shares a strip with the Grand Ho Tram integrated resort. Most golfers stay a night rather than day trip it, which effectively makes the Bluffs leg its own mini trip inside a Ho Chi Minh City visit.
When is the best season for golf in each city?
Da Nang and central Vietnam are at their best from roughly February to August, with the heavy rain arriving in October and November. The south around Ho Chi Minh City runs on a different calendar: the dry season from November to April is prime, while May to October brings short, predictable afternoon downpours that morning tee times largely dodge. A two stop Vietnam trip can chase good weather almost year round.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Fees verified June 2026 against published platform price lists. Last reviewed June 2026.