It's the comparison every Australian golfer planning their first — or second, or fifth — Asia golf trip eventually faces: Da Nang or Phuket? Both cities have legitimate claims to being the finest golf destination in Southeast Asia. Both offer world-class courses, excellent resort accommodation, and an off-course experience that far exceeds what the green fees alone would suggest. But they are also meaningfully different in character, culture, pace, and the type of golf experience they deliver. This guide gives you the honest head-to-head so you can make the call that fits your trip.
The Golf: Courses and Quality
Da Nang
Da Nang's golf story is built on extraordinary concentration. Within 50 kilometres — a 30–45 minute drive from the city's beachfront hotels — you have access to six world-class courses: Hoiana Shores (Robert Trent Jones Jr.), Montgomerie Links (Colin Montgomerie), BRG Danang Golf Resort (Greg Norman), Danang Golf Club (Greg Norman, Asian Tour venue), Ba Na Hills Golf Club (Luke Donald, altitude course), and Laguna Lang Co (Nick Faldo). The average quality across this cluster is arguably unmatched in Southeast Asia, and the presence of multiple links-style and dune courses gives Da Nang a character genuinely distinct from tropical parkland golf.
If course variety and designer pedigree are your primary criteria, Da Nang wins. The presence of three separate Greg Norman and Robert Trent Jones Jr. designs within one destination is exceptional even by global standards.
Phuket
Phuket's courses are fewer — eight or so operating 18-hole layouts — but include Blue Canyon's Canyon Course (one of Asia's most celebrated layouts and former European Tour venue), Red Mountain (carved from a tin mine, visually spectacular), and Loch Palm (reliable, well-maintained, excellent value). The terrain is different from Da Nang: predominantly hilly and forested rather than coastal and sandy. Phuket golf has a lush, jungle-island character that contrasts with Da Nang's more open, links-influenced layouts.
The ceiling is slightly lower in Phuket — no single course quite matches the drama of Hoiana Shores or the tournament pedigree of Danang Golf Club — but the average quality is high across the board.
Cost and Value
Green Fees
Both destinations offer exceptional value by Australian standards, but Vietnam runs slightly cheaper. Premium Da Nang courses — Hoiana Shores, BRG Danang, Danang Golf Club — typically range from USD $100–$180 per round. Phuket's top courses (Blue Canyon, Red Mountain) come in at USD $110–$160. At the mid-tier level, Da Nang has more options in the USD $70–$100 bracket.
Accommodation
Both cities have excellent hotel options across price points. Phuket has a more established luxury resort scene — five-star beach resorts are more numerous and, during peak season, can command premium pricing. Da Nang's hotel infrastructure has grown rapidly but remains slightly more affordable at the luxury end. A comparable five-star beachfront property in Da Nang will often run 15–25% less than an equivalent property in Phuket during December–February.
Food, Drink, and Lifestyle Costs
Vietnam is materially cheaper for everyday expenses. A post-round meal at a Vietnamese restaurant — and the food in Da Nang is extraordinary — costs a fraction of an equivalent Thai meal in Phuket's tourist zones. Beer, taxis, and incidental spending all skew lower in Vietnam. For budget-conscious groups, Da Nang represents noticeably better overall value.
Culture and Off-Course Experience
Da Nang and Hoi An
Da Nang's greatest cultural asset is its proximity to Hoi An Ancient Town — a UNESCO World Heritage Site 20 minutes south of the city. Hoi An is one of the most captivating destinations in Southeast Asia: a preserved 15th-century trading port with yellow-walled shophouses, silk lanterns, French colonial architecture, and a food scene that has earned international recognition. An evening in Hoi An — wandering the lantern-lit streets, eating bánh mì from a street cart, watching the riverside come alive — is the kind of experience that makes the flight from Australia feel inconsequential. Da Nang itself offers excellent beaches (My Khe is long, clean, and uncrowded) and the remarkable Ba Na Hills complex (accessible via the world's longest non-stop cable car).
Phuket
Phuket's off-course experience is more resort-oriented than culturally immersive. The island offers beautiful beaches — particularly on the west coast — along with a well-established nightlife scene centred on Patong, excellent Thai food, day-boat trips to Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga Bay, and the charms of Old Phuket Town with its Sino-Portuguese heritage architecture. It's an excellent destination for groups who want relaxation and entertainment alongside golf; less so for travellers primarily seeking cultural depth.
Weather: When You're Going Matters
Both destinations have seasonal constraints, and your travel dates may be the deciding factor:
- Da Nang: Best November–April. The October–November period sees the tail of the wet season with higher rain probability. February–April is ideal — warm, dry, and clear.
- Phuket: Best November–April. The southwest monsoon (May–October) affects Phuket more significantly than Da Nang's equivalent period, as the Andaman coast bears the brunt of monsoon rains directly.
If you're travelling in June, July, or August — perhaps on school holidays — neither destination is at its best. Vietnam is drier than Phuket in this period, making Da Nang marginally the better choice for a wet-season trip. Cambodia (Siem Reap) is also worth considering for school-holiday periods.
Travel Logistics from Australia
Both destinations are roughly comparable in flight time from Australia's east coast — approximately 7–10 hours depending on connection. Phuket has slightly simpler air access (more airlines, more connection options via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok) while Da Nang requires routing through Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or Bangkok. Flight prices are broadly similar. Da Nang airport is modern and compact; Phuket airport is larger and occasionally chaotic during peak season.
The Verdict — Which Should You Choose?
There is no wrong answer. Both Da Nang and Phuket deliver exceptional golf holiday experiences for Australian travellers. But here's how to decide:
- Choose Da Nang if: Golf course quality and variety is your primary objective; you're travelling with non-golfers who want a cultural counterpoint; budget is a consideration; you want a destination that still feels somewhat off the tourist trail.
- Choose Phuket if: You want an island resort experience with beaches as prominent as fairways; your group includes non-golfers who prioritise beach time; you want a broader range of accommodation styles; you've been to Da Nang already and want something different.
And if you can't decide — ASEAN Links Golf runs multi-destination tours that combine both. Five nights in Da Nang, three nights in Phuket, golf at six or seven courses, and all logistics handled from departure to return. Golf. Explore. Asia.