Last updated: 21 October 2026 · By the GoGolfVietnam team in Da Nang
A Ho Chi Minh City golf trip from Taiwan takes about three and a half hours from Taoyuan, or three from Kaohsiung, with five morning departures from Taipei that land in time for an afternoon round. Taiwan passports need a USD 25 Vietnamese e-visa. Taiwan’s 2027 New Year, Lunar New Year and 228 long weekends all fall in the dry season.
Quick Answer
- Flights: about 59 nonstop flights a week from Taoyuan on EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, Vietnam Airlines and VietJet; Kaohsiung has Vietnam Airlines and VietJet.
- Entry: e-visa required, USD 25 single entry, up to 90 days.
- When: December to April is dry; Taiwan’s 2027 New Year, Lunar New Year, 228 and Tomb Sweeping breaks all land in it.
- Courses: Tan Son Nhat is beside the airport; three more are about an hour from District 1.
- Green fees: about NT$3,160–4,770 a round at Vinpearl Golf Léman, caddie and cart included.
Direct flights from Taipei and Kaohsiung
Taiwan is well served: five flights leave Taoyuan between 07:30 and 09:10 every morning, and the return options run from late morning to the early hours. These are the nonstop flights for the week of 26 October to 8 November 2026, checked on 21 October 2026.
| Airline | From | Outbound (Taiwan time) | Return from SGN (Vietnam time) | Golf bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVA Air | Taoyuan | 07:40, 09:10, 19:30 daily | 01:55, 12:45, 15:35 daily | Counts in checked allowance; hard case required |
| China Airlines | Taoyuan | 07:30, 13:35 daily | 11:00, 17:15 daily | Counts in checked allowance; hard case required |
| Starlux | Taoyuan | 07:40 daily; 14:00 except Thursdays | 11:40, 18:00 daily | Confirm with the airline before booking |
| Vietnam Airlines | Taoyuan, Kaohsiung | TPE 07:45 daily; KHH 07:30 daily, 13:15 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun | TPE route 16:45 daily | One set up to 23 kg free on most fares |
| VietJet | Taoyuan, Kaohsiung | TPE 19:00 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun; KHH 12:45 Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun | TPE route 13:35 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun | Add checked weight when you book |
Schedules: FlightsFrom route data for Taipei and Kaohsiung to Ho Chi Minh City and back, checked 21 October 2026. Golf bag rules: airline websites, as compiled for our Hanoi from Taiwan guide (October 2026). Timetables change by season.
The golfer’s combination is an early flight out and EVA Air’s 01:55 red-eye home. You get a full final day, a round in the morning and dinner in District 1, then land at Taoyuan early the next morning. If you would rather sleep, Starlux at 18:00 or China Airlines at 17:15 still leaves time for a morning round.
The e-visa, the time difference and the airport
Taiwanese visitors to Ho Chi Minh City need a Vietnamese e-visa, applied for online at the official portal, evisa.gov.vn, before you fly. A single entry costs USD 25 (about NT$810) and allows up to 90 days; choose Tan Son Nhat International Airport as your port of entry and apply two to three weeks ahead, earlier before Lunar New Year. Unofficial agency sites often charge several times the government fee.
Vietnam is one hour behind Taiwan. Tan Son Nhat sits inside the city: Google Maps measured about 25 minutes and 7.7 km from the terminal to Ben Thanh Market in District 1 on a weekday evening in October 2026, and you should allow 40 minutes or more at rush hour.
Taiwan’s 2027 long weekends and Ho Chi Minh City weather
Ho Chi Minh City has a dry season from about December to April and a wet season from about May to November, when storms usually arrive mid-afternoon and clear within an hour or two. Taiwan’s Directorate-General of Personnel Administration published the 2027 calendar on 30 September 2026:
| Taiwan 2027 break | Dates | Days | Ho Chi Minh City | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year | 1–3 Jan | 3 | Dry, coolest | Three days, two rounds |
| Lunar New Year | 4–10 Feb | 7 | Dry | Vietnam’s Tet too: holiday rates, book early |
| 228 Peace Memorial Day | 27 Feb–1 Mar | 3 | Dry, warming | Tee off before 7am |
| Children’s Day and Tomb Sweeping | 3–6 Apr | 4 | End of dry season, hottest | Four days, all early tee times |
| Labour Day | 30 Apr–2 May | 3 | Rains begin | Vietnam’s own 30 April–1 May holiday fills courses |
| National Day | 9–11 Oct | 3 | Wettest weeks | We would not choose it |
| Retrocession Day | 23–25 Oct | 3 | Late wet season | Morning rounds work |
| Constitution Day | 24–26 Dec | 3 | Dry season starts | Popular; book in November |
Dragon Boat (9 June) and Mid-Autumn (15 September) are single days in 2027. If you are weighing north against south for a particular month, our month-by-month comparison of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City covers both.
Courses near District 1, and which day to play them
Most Taiwanese golfers stay in District 1, where dinner is a walk away. These drive times are from Ben Thanh Market on Google Maps, measured on the evening of 21 October 2026; daytime traffic adds time.
| Course | From District 1 | Best day | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tan Son Nhat Golf Course | About 32 min; 22 min from the terminal | Arrival afternoon or departure morning | 36 flat city holes, plenty of water |
| Vietnam Golf & Country Club | About 43 min | Day 2, early | Vietnam’s first 36-hole club; tight West, sandy East |
| Long Thanh Golf Club | About 1 h 4 min | A full morning mid-trip | 36 holes on hill and lake courses |
| Vinpearl Golf Léman | About 1 h 8 min | A quiet weekday | Parkland course at Cu Chi with a published rate card |
| The Bluffs Ho Tram | About 2 h | An extra day with a night by the sea | Dune links on the coast |
Three- and four-day plans that follow the real timetable
| 3 days, 2 nights (New Year, 228) | 4 days, 3 nights (Tomb Sweeping, Lunar New Year) | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 07:30 China Airlines or 07:40 EVA, land about 10am; afternoon at Tan Son Nhat | Morning flight; afternoon at Tan Son Nhat |
| Day 2 | Vietnam Golf & Country Club, early; evening in District 1 | Long Thanh, full morning |
| Day 3 | Free morning; 17:15 China Airlines or 18:00 Starlux home | Vietnam Golf & Country Club; dinner in Cho Lon |
| Day 4 | – | Tan Son Nhat or Léman early; 18:00 Starlux, or the 01:55 EVA red-eye after dinner |
For a night by the sea, swap a city round for The Bluffs and stay at Ho Tram. If you would rather not book each tee time yourself, our three-round Ho Chi Minh City package over four days follows much the same order, with hotel and transfers included.
Bring your clubs or rent?
For three rounds or more on Vietnam Airlines, EVA or China Airlines, bringing your own clubs usually makes sense. For one or two rounds on a fare without checked baggage, rent. Vinpearl Golf Léman’s 2026 rate card lists a rental set at VND 950,000 (about NT$1,180) and shoes at VND 250,000 (about NT$310), with umbrellas free. Reserve rental clubs with the tee time, especially left-handed or women’s sets.
What it costs in New Taiwan dollars
A round at Vinpearl Golf Léman costs VND 2,550,000–3,850,000 on its 2026 rate card, about NT$3,160–4,770, with caddie and shared cart included. The Bluffs starts at about NT$7,250 on a weekday. Tip the caddie 300,000–500,000 VND (about NT$370–620) in cash, and add NT$810 for the e-visa. Conversions use 26,080 dong to the US dollar (Vietcombank, 17 October 2026) and NT$32.338 to the dollar (Taipei close, 16 October 2026).
Airfares change daily, so we do not quote them. Course by course, with extras and full-trip totals, see what each Ho Chi Minh City course charges, including tips.
Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc or Hanoi?
All three have nonstop flights from Taiwan. Ho Chi Minh City has the most courses, the most flights and the best city evenings, but needs an e-visa. Phu Quoc has two courses and lets Taiwanese visitors in visa-free for 30 days; see the visa-free Phu Quoc option from Taipei. Hanoi is at its best in spring and autumn and needs the same e-visa. A simple rule: go south between January and April, and save Taiwan’s October long weekends for Hanoi.
GoGolfVietnam, a local golf tour operator based in Da Nang, arranges tee times, airport transfers and hotels around your flights. For three- to five-day options, see our Ho Chi Minh City golf holidays from Taiwan and elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do Taiwanese travellers need a visa for Ho Chi Minh City?›
Yes. Taiwan passport holders need a Vietnamese e-visa before departure, applied for at the government portal evisa.gov.vn. A single-entry e-visa costs USD 25 (about NT$810) and allows stays of up to 90 days.
2. How long is the flight from Taipei to Ho Chi Minh City?›
About 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes nonstop from Taoyuan, and about 3 hours from Kaohsiung. Vietnam is one hour behind Taiwan, so a 7.30am departure lands around 10am local time.
3. Which airline is best for golf bags from Taiwan to Vietnam?›
Vietnam Airlines carries one golf set up to 23 kg free on most fares. EVA Air and China Airlines count the bag in your normal checked allowance and require a hard case. On VietJet, add weight when you book; check Starlux’s rules before booking.
4. Can I play golf in Ho Chi Minh City over Lunar New Year?›
Yes. Taiwan’s 2027 Lunar New Year break, 4–10 February, falls in Ho Chi Minh City’s dry season. Vietnam celebrates Tet at the same time, so expect holiday rates and book tee times early.
5. Which golf course is closest to District 1?›
Tan Son Nhat Golf Course, beside the airport: about 32 minutes from Ben Thanh Market and about 22 minutes from the terminal, which makes it the natural arrival-day or departure-day round.
6. Is Phu Quoc easier than Ho Chi Minh City for Taiwanese golfers?›
For paperwork, yes: Phu Quoc offers Taiwanese visitors 30 days visa-free, while Ho Chi Minh City needs an e-visa. Ho Chi Minh City has far more courses and flights, so it suits golfers who want to play three or four different rounds.
Sources, checked 21 October 2026: FlightsFrom TPE–SGN, KHH–SGN and SGN–TPE route data; EVA Air, China Airlines and Vietnam Airlines baggage rules (October 2026); Vietnam e-visa portal evisa.gov.vn; Directorate-General of Personnel Administration 2027 calendar (via Business Next, 20 October 2026); Vinpearl Golf Léman 2026 rate card; Vietcombank selling rate (17 October 2026); Taipei foreign exchange close (16 October 2026); Google Maps (21 October 2026).
GoGolfVietnam is a Vietnam-based golf tour operator arranging tee times, transfers and hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam.
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