To understand what makes Angkor Golf Resort worth flying to Siem Reap for, it helps to understand what surrounds it. The Angkor Archaeological Park — one of the largest pre-industrial cities ever built, containing the greatest concentration of temple architecture in the world — extends for hundreds of square kilometres through the jungle a few kilometres from the golf course. Playing here is not playing near history. It is playing inside it.
Angkor Golf Resort itself is a well-designed 18-hole championship layout that holds its own as golf independent of its setting. The combination of the two — quality golf design in proximity to one of the ancient world's most extraordinary surviving monuments — produces something unique in global golf travel.
The Course: Layout and Playing Character
Angkor Golf Resort plays as a parkland design on relatively flat terrain. Mature trees line most fairways, creating definition off the tee and penalising the drive that misses its intended landing zone. The fairways themselves are in consistently good condition during the dry season — the Cambodian groundskeeping standard at Angkor reflects the resort's international market and the expectations of the golfers it receives from across Asia and beyond.
The course measures approximately 6,800 yards from the championship tees and plays to a par of 72. From the forward tees, it shortens to a length that is accessible to higher-handicap players while retaining the same strategic demands. The layout is balanced — not overwhelmingly demanding, but with enough variety and well-positioned hazards to keep the round genuinely interesting across all 18 holes.
Water features on several holes, primarily on the back nine, and the greens — while not as sophisticated in their contouring as some of the top Vietnam courses — are consistent and well-maintained. Reading them requires attention to the subtle influences of the surrounding terrain and the grain, which can run toward the light in the tropical morning conditions.
Best Holes
The par-3s at Angkor Golf Resort are the course's most memorable holes. Several feature tee shots over water to narrow green complexes with bunker protection on both flanks — demanding accurate carry distances and well-judged wind allowances in the light morning breeze. These holes photograph beautifully and play with enough difficulty to generate genuine competition within a group.
The par-5s offer legitimate birdie opportunities for players who drive the ball consistently, with generous fairways on the second-shot landing area and approach angles that open up from the correct position. The closing par-5 — reachable in two for longer hitters — has the kind of go-or-lay-up decision that finishes a competitive round with appropriate drama.
The Caddie Culture at Angkor
The caddies at Angkor Golf Resort are a consistent highlight. Most have worked at the resort for several seasons and bring an attentive, warm approach to their role that reflects the Cambodian hospitality culture generally. They carry bags efficiently, maintain pace of play naturally, and offer green-reading advice with a confidence that comes from familiarity with the course across changing conditions and pin positions.
The caddie programme at Angkor is important to the local community, and the resort takes this aspect of its operation seriously. Tipping is expected and appropriate — the standard of USD $5-10 per round reflects the service level and contributes meaningfully to the caddie's income.
The Angkor Wat Dimension
The sunrise visit to Angkor Wat — built in the 12th century and still the largest religious monument ever constructed — is scheduled into the ASEAN Links Cambodia itinerary as a dedicated day rather than an early-morning rush. The experience requires arriving at the main reflecting pool before 5am, watching the sky transition above the five towers as the sun rises behind the temple complex, and then spending the broader morning exploring the Angkor site before returning to Siem Reap.
Golf the following day at Angkor Golf Resort carries a particular meaning after the Angkor Wat visit — you play with an awareness of what exists just beyond the tree line, in a landscape that has been continuously inhabited for over a thousand years. It is one of the experiences that most consistently appears in the feedback from ASEAN Links guests as something they did not expect and will not forget.
Angkor Golf Resort features on the Cambodia Kingdom and Courses tour (Feb 22 – Mar 1, 2027, AUD $3,490) and the Grand ASEAN Tour 2027. Contact the team on WhatsApp (+84 70 327 1844) or at aseanlinksgolf@gmail.com.