Golf, sightseeing and stunning hotels in the Far East

A holiday in Asia allows golfers to tee off in some amazing places during their stay. Golf expert Peter Ellegard offers five suggestions.

Malaysia

Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Spanning 400 acres of tropical landscape fronted by a sweeping, golden beach, this lavish hideaway encompasses its own 18-hole championship golf course.

The Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club course is laced by wetlands and lakes and bounded by two rivers and the South China Sea, with towering Mount Kinabalu as a backdrop.

Hydrotherapy spa treatments help ease golfers’ aching muscles. The resort also offers horse-riding on the beach and has its own nature reserve.

Cambodia

Angkor Golf Resort, Siem Reap

Six-time Major Championship winner Sir Nick Faldo designed a challenging but fair test for golfers of all abilities, featuring wide fairways, large bunkers and undulating greens.

Enjoy golf and sightseeing on the same day as it lies just 10 minutes away from Siep Reap town centre and the stunning Angkor Wat temple complex.

There is no on-site hotel, but nearby five-star properties nearby include the elegant Angkor Wat Palace Resort & Spa and the Park Hyatt Siem Reap.

Thailand

Chiangmai Highlands Golf & Spa Resort, Chiang Mai

Thailand’s “Rose of the North”, Chiang Mai, is a popular gateway to the Golden Triangle region. Its dozen golf courses also make it a golfing haven.

Pick of the bunch is the 27-hole Chiangmai Highlands, beautifully draped over tree-lined foothills east of the city and exquisitely manicured. Impeccably-dressed female caddies help golfers avoid the many water hazards.

The resort has 19 villas but stay centrally in Chiang Mai’s old town to fully experience its history, culture and nightlife. Among options are boutique hotel Rachamanka, a Relais & Chateau member with serene gardens, and tranquil retreat Tamarind Village.

Bali

Bali National Golf Club, Nusa Dua

The Indonesian holiday island’s most prestigious golf club, Bali National weaves through three distinct playing environments in the Nusa Dua tourism complex, from creeks and canyons filled with verdant vegetation and tropical birds to a mature grove with sculpted fairways, finishing with an island green on the 17th hole and a lake-fringed 18th.

Seven luxury villas come with private butler service. Nusa Dua hotel options include the Melia Bali and Grand Hyatt, or 30 minutes away at Seminyak beachside hotels such as the Oberoi Bali.

Vietnam

Laguna Lang Co, Lang Co Bay, central Vietnam

The central region of fast-rising golf destination Vietnam is called the Vietnam Golf Coast for its top-notch courses.

Laguna Lang Co, just north of Danang, was the country’s first integrated golf resort and features two stylish, luxury hotels by Banyan Tree and Angsana lining a spectacular beach.

The Faldo-designed course has holes laid out through rice paddy fields, alongside the beach, and carved from jungle, flanked by huge boulders.

Alternatively, stay south of Danang close to the area’s four other golf facilities by the UNESCO-listed ancient port of Hoi An in properties including the Four Seasons Resort Nam Hai and Fusion Maia.


Fast Facts

Find out more at Classic Collection and Sovereign Luxury Travel.  You can book these hotels with our Silver Travel Advisors, call 0800 412 5678. You’ll be playing on superb courses in remarkable countries.

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Peter Ellegard

Award-winning travel writer & photographer

One Response

  1. The only time I’ve tried playing golf abroad was in Gambia where the greens are called browns due to the lack of rain. Half way round our caddy asked if we wanted something to smoke – I don’t think he meant Benson and Hedges!

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