Last updated: 21 October 2026
By the GoGolfVietnam team, a Vietnam-based golf tour operator.
Is Phu Quoc a good winter-sun golf trip from the UK? Yes. Its dry season runs through the British winter: in January the island averages about 31°C and 248 hours of sunshine, against 9°C and 44 hours in London. UK passports enter Vietnam visa-free for 45 days, and Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop from Heathrow with a one-hour hop to the island.
Quick answer
- Season: December to March is dry and sunny, the same months the UK is darkest.
- Visa: none needed for up to 45 days on a British passport.
- Flights: Heathrow to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi nonstop on Vietnam Airlines, then about an hour to Phu Quoc.
- Golf bag: one set up to 23 kg free on most Vietnam Airlines fares.
- Golf: two 18-hole courses 9 minutes apart; plan 7–10 days with four or five rounds.
Why Phu Quoc works as a winter-sun golf trip
Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island, in the Gulf of Thailand, and its dry season lines up almost exactly with the British winter. From December to March the island has its lowest rainfall and most sunshine, while London has its shortest, greyest days. The comparison below uses long-term averages from official climate data.
| Month | Phu Quoc: high / sunshine / rain | London: high / sunshine / rain |
|---|---|---|
| November | 31°C / 210 h / 164 mm | 12°C / 59 h / 66 mm |
| December | 30°C / 240 h / 59 mm | 9°C / 50 h / 59 mm |
| January | 31°C / 248 h / 28 mm | 9°C / 44 h / 60 mm |
| February | 31°C / 232 h / 27 mm | 9°C / 66 h / 45 mm |
| March | 32°C / 257 h / 61 mm | 12°C / 110 h / 39 mm |
| April | 33°C / 246 h / 148 mm | 15°C / 153 h / 44 mm |
Phu Quoc figures: Vietnam Building Code climate data (Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology). London figures: Met Office 1991–2020 averages for Kew Gardens (temperature and rain) and Greenwich Park (sunshine). Highs are rounded.
January and February are the standout months: about five times the sunshine of London and less rain. December is nearly as good; March is hotter but still dry. For the month-by-month detail on the courses, see which months give Phu Quoc its driest fairways.
Getting there from London
There is no nonstop flight from the UK to Phu Quoc, but there is a nonstop to Vietnam. Vietnam Airlines flies its Boeing 787s from Heathrow Terminal 4 to Ho Chi Minh City and to Hanoi, and its UK website sells through fares from London to Phu Quoc. Ho Chi Minh City is the better gateway: the island is only about 70 minutes away and flights run all day.
| Route from London | Long-haul flight | Connection to Phu Quoc | Golf bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow → Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Airlines nonstop | 12 h 10–12 h 40; Tue, Thu, Sat (Nov 2026) | About 1 h 10; more than 20 flights a day | One set up to 23 kg free on most fares |
| Heathrow → Hanoi, Vietnam Airlines nonstop | 11 h 20–11 h 55; four times a week | About 2 h 10; around 13 flights a day | One set up to 23 kg free on most fares |
| London → Singapore, one stop | Long-haul to Singapore | About 1 h 40–2 h; Scoot, VietJet, Sun PhuQuoc Airways | Depends on each airline; book both legs |
| London → Bangkok, one stop | Long-haul to Bangkok | About 1 h 25; Thai VietJet, Sun PhuQuoc Airways, about 3 a day | Depends on each airline; book both legs |
Schedules: FlightsFrom route data for early November 2026, checked 21 October 2026; London–Ho Chi Minh City and London–Hanoi frequencies also published by Vietnam Airlines. Golf bag rule: Vietnam Airlines golf equipment page, checked 21 October 2026. Schedules change by season, so confirm when you book.
The golf bag is the hidden saving. On international itineraries, Vietnam Airlines carries one golf set of up to 23 kg free in every booking class except G, and it does not count towards your normal checked allowance. Routing through another hub usually means paying for the bag on at least one leg. Our airline-by-airline golf bag rules for Vietnam cover the other carriers.
Be honest about jet lag. Vietnam is seven hours ahead of the UK in winter. The 11:00 Heathrow departure lands in Ho Chi Minh City at about 06:10–06:40 the next morning, and most people feel the time change for two or three days. Plan day two as travel and rest, not a tee time.
Visa: 45 days, no paperwork
British passport holders can enter Vietnam without a visa and stay for up to 45 days. The exemption comes from Government Resolution 44/NQ-CP of 7 March 2025 and applies from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028, whatever the purpose of your trip. That covers a winter golf trip of any normal length, with no e-visa form and no fee. Check that your passport has at least six months’ validity.
Phu Quoc also has its own 30-day visa exemption for foreign visitors who fly straight into the island from abroad, which helps travellers on other passports routing through Singapore or Bangkok. On a British passport, you will not need it.
Two courses, and how to pace a 7–10 day trip
Phu Quoc has two 18-hole courses, and that shapes the trip. Vinpearl Golf is a forest course designed by IMG and opened in 2015, five minutes from the Bai Dai resorts. Eschuri Vung Bau, also by IMG and opened in 2024, starts in the forest and brings two holes, the 14th and 15th, right onto the beach; it also offers night golf. The two courses are about 9 minutes apart by car (Google Maps, 21 October 2026).
This is not a golf marathon destination, and that is the point. Four rounds in seven days, or five in ten, leaves time for the beach, the cable car to Hon Thom and long lunches. Golfers who want a new course every day should look at a longer Vietnam itinerary; golfers who want sun, good courses and rest will find Phu Quoc easy. Our course-by-course guide to Phu Quoc golf goes deeper.
Christmas, February half-term and Easter
School holiday dates vary by council; the dates below are typical for 2026–27 (for example, Croydon and Luton councils).
| UK school holiday | Typical dates (2026–27) | Phu Quoc then | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas | 21 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 | Dry season, peak demand | Highest rates and busiest tee sheets; book flights by early autumn |
| February half-term | 15–19 February 2027 | Driest month, about 27 mm of rain | Falls just after Tet (Vietnam’s Lunar New Year holiday, 4–10 February 2027) |
| Easter | 26 March – 9 April 2027 | Hotter, showers return in April | Vinpearl Golf’s cheaper low-season rates start in April |
Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks of the year on the island, so book flights and tee times by early autumn. February half-term is the sweet spot: the driest month, and just after the Tet holiday crowds. Easter is warmer, and Vinpearl Golf’s lower April–October green fees begin during the Easter holidays.
Where to stay: golf-only or with the family
Both courses are on the north-west coast, so the resorts around Bai Dai put you minutes from the first tee. Families do well there too: VinWonders and the Safari park are next to the golf, so non-golfers have plenty to do while you play. Our guide to which part of Phu Quoc to stay in for golf compares the north coast, Duong Dong and the south. From the airport, the drive is about 45 minutes to Vinpearl Golf and 40 minutes to Eschuri (Google Maps, 21 October 2026).
A 7-day and a 10-day plan
The seven-day plan keeps it simple: one island, four rounds, no second internal flight.
| Day | 7 days: golf and beach |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fly Heathrow 11:00; overnight flight to Ho Chi Minh City |
| 2 | Land about 06:30; morning flight to Phu Quoc; about 45 minutes to the north-coast resorts; rest |
| 3 | Round 1: Vinpearl Golf, early tee time |
| 4 | Round 2: Eschuri Vung Bau; afternoon on the beach |
| 5 | Free day: Hon Thom cable car or the south coast |
| 6 | Round 3: Vinpearl Golf; round 4 the next morning if you want it |
| 7 | Fly home via Ho Chi Minh City |
The ten-day plan uses the Ho Chi Minh City gateway as a city stop, which also breaks up the jet lag:
| Days | 10 days: Phu Quoc plus a second stop |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Fly into Ho Chi Minh City; two nights in District 1 and one round near the city |
| 3–8 | Phu Quoc: four rounds across both courses, two beach days |
| 9–10 | Fly Phu Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City, connect to the London flight |
From February, you could swap the city for Da Nang and Hoi An instead, once the central coast has dried out.
What it costs in pounds
On the course, 2026 visitor rates at Vinpearl Golf run from VND 2,500,000 in the low season to VND 4,500,000 at weekends in the peak months, about £72–129, with caddie and shared cart included. Eschuri’s reference rate is VND 4,800,000–5,200,000, about £138–149. Add a caddie tip of VND 300,000–500,000 (about £9–14) per round, in cash.
Pounds use £1 = USD 1.3379 (20 October 2026) and VND 26,080 to the dollar (Vietcombank selling rate, 17 October 2026). We do not quote airfares, which change daily; Christmas fares rise fastest. Our four-day Phu Quoc package that we extend into a winter week starts from USD 699 (about £522 per person, flights not included) and covers rounds, transfers and hotel. For longer stays and two-centre trips, see Phu Quoc golf holidays built around a UK winter escape.
Phu Quoc or Da Nang for a UK winter trip?
Da Nang has more golf, with six courses within about an hour, and suits golfers who want variety. But central Vietnam is in its rainy season from roughly October to December, so it is a better choice from February to August. Phu Quoc is dry from December, with two courses and a more relaxed, beach-first rhythm. For a Christmas or January trip, choose Phu Quoc; for Easter, either works.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do UK citizens need a visa for Vietnam?›
No, not for a holiday of up to 45 days. Under Government Resolution 44/NQ-CP of 7 March 2025, British passport holders can enter Vietnam visa-free for up to 45 days, and the exemption runs from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. Your passport should have at least six months’ validity.
2. Is Phu Quoc sunny in January?›
Yes. January averages about 248 hours of sunshine, a daily high of about 31°C and only around 28 mm of rain over roughly five rainy days, according to Vietnam’s national building climate data. London averages about 44 hours of sunshine in January.
3. How long is the flight from London to Phu Quoc?›
There is no nonstop flight. Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop from Heathrow to Ho Chi Minh City in about 12 hours 10 to 12 hours 40 minutes, and the connection to Phu Quoc takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. Including the connection, plan on about 16–18 hours from Heathrow to the island.
4. How many golf courses does Phu Quoc have?›
Two 18-hole courses: Vinpearl Golf Phu Quoc and Eschuri Vung Bau. Both are on the north-west coast, about 9 minutes apart by car, so a week of golf means playing each course two or three times.
5. Is Vietnam good for winter sun golf?›
Phu Quoc and the south are. Their dry season runs from about December to March, exactly when the UK is coldest and darkest. Central Vietnam, including Da Nang, is wetter from about October to December, so the south is the better pick before February.
6. Can I take my golf clubs free on Vietnam Airlines from London?›
On most fares, yes. Vietnam Airlines carries one golf set up to 23 kg free on international itineraries in all booking classes except G, and the golf set does not count towards your normal baggage allowance.
Sources, checked 21 October 2026: Government Resolution 44/NQ-CP of 7 March 2025 (via Vietnam Lawyers’ journal, 10 March 2025); Vietnam Airlines golf equipment and UK flight pages; FlightsFrom route data (LHR–SGN, LHR–HAN, SGN–PQC, HAN–PQC, SIN–PQC, BKK–PQC, early November 2026); Vietnam Building Code climate data; Met Office 1991–2020 averages (Kew Gardens, Greenwich Park); Croydon and Luton council term dates 2026–27; Google Maps (21 October 2026); Vinpearl Golf Phu Quoc 2026 rate sheet; Pound Sterling Live GBP/USD (20 October 2026); Vietcombank selling rate (17 October 2026).
GoGolfVietnam is a Vietnam-based golf tour operator arranging tee times, transfers and hotels for golf trips to Phu Quoc and the rest of Vietnam.
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