Vietnam Travel Guide for Golf Travellers

Entry and visas

Australians arrange an e-visa online before travel: up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, through the official government portal. Processing takes a few working days; apply one to two weeks ahead and carry the printed approval. Your passport needs six months' validity and two blank pages. Several other nationalities, including British, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Nordic passport holders, currently enter visa-free for up to 45 days (until March 2028). Full detail, including 2026 entry formalities, is in our visa guide.

Money

The currency is the Vietnamese dong, and the exchange rate makes millionaires of us all: mentally drop three zeros to think in thousands. Cards work at hotels, courses and restaurants; cash rules the street, the market, the caddie tip. ATMs are everywhere in the cities and resort belts. Tipping is customary for caddies (roughly VND 300,000–500,000 a round) and appreciated for good restaurant service; our caddie and tipping guide sets out the norms.

Getting around

Domestic flights are the backbone of multi-region trips: Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City are an hour apart, and Cam Ranh, Hue and Phu Quoc connect easily. For everything shorter, private cars with drivers are inexpensive and the natural choice for golf groups with clubs; ride-hailing apps serve the cities well for independent outings. Trains run the scenic coast if you have hours to enjoy them. We handle all of it on packaged trips: airport to airport, clubs included.

Weather and when to come

Vietnam runs three climates: the central coast is driest February to August, the north is cool and dry October to April, the south is driest December to April. Somewhere in the country is in prime golf condition every month of the year. The full regional breakdown is in our best-time guide.

Language and communication

Vietnamese is the official language, and English coverage is excellent across the tourism and golf economy: resorts, courses, restaurants and our own team operate fluently in it. A few words open doors: xin chào (hello), cảm ơn (thank you). Buy a local SIM or eSIM on arrival; data is cheap and keeps you connected from taxi to tee.

Health and safety

Vietnam is one of Asia's safest destinations for visitors: street crime against tourists is rare, and solo travellers report comfortable experiences across the country. The genuine health basics: travel insurance with golf covered, sunscreen discipline, bottled or filtered water, and sensible caution with ice at very casual vendors. Pharmacies in the cities are well stocked; carry prescriptions in original packaging.

Etiquette and culture

Vietnamese manners are warm and forgiving of visitors. Dress modestly at temples and pagodosas: shoulders covered, shoes off where indicated. Public displays of anger achieve nothing; a smile and patience achieve everything. On the golf course, international etiquette applies, plus the local layer: caddies are professionals: treat the relationship accordingly and the rounds take care of themselves.

Food and drink

Eat boldly: Vietnam's street food is among the world's best and, at busy counters with high turnover, among its safest. Phở for breakfast is a national habit worth adopting; every region contributes its own noodle, roll and grill. Bottled beer is cheap and cold; the coffee, whether hot and thick or iced with condensed milk, is a genuine highlight: our food guide for golfers maps the must-eats.

Building your first itinerary

The classic first trip is the central coast: fly into Da Nang, base between the beach and Hoi An, play four or five rounds across the belt, and surrender the evenings to the food. Ten days allows a northern or southern add-on; two weeks stitches regions together. Wherever you start, the pattern is the same: one round a day, the country for the rest of it. Our golf holidays are built exactly that way.

Common questions

How much cash should we carry?

Less than you think: a few million dong covers a week of tips, street food and incidentals for most travellers, with cards handling the big-ticket items. ATMs are ubiquitous; withdraw in the cities before heading to the smaller coastal stops.

Is the tap water safe?

Stick to bottled or filtered water, which is what every hotel, course and restaurant serves anyway. Ice at reputable venues is factory-made and safe.

What about the time difference?

Vietnam runs GMT+7: three hours behind Australia's east coast, or four during daylight saving. Jet lag is minimal by long-haul standards, which is part of why a golf week here feels so efficient.

Phones, Wi-Fi and staying connected

Every hotel and course runs good Wi-Fi, and a local SIM or eSIM with a data bundle costs little: buy at the airport on arrival. Coverage is strong along the entire tourist and golf corridor. Download your maps offline before heading to the mountain courses, and keep our team's number saved once your trip is booked.