Last updated: 14 October 2026
Golf in Da Lat is the answer to a question many visitors to southern Vietnam ask after their first round in the heat: is there anywhere cooler to play? The city sits on the Lam Vien plateau at about 1,500 metres, and its three courses could hardly be more different: a historic layout above the lake in town, a long course beside Tuyen Lam Lake in the pine hills, and a big modern course near the airport. This guide covers all three, with real drive times, where to stay, the weather and how many days to give it.
Quick Answer
Golf in Da Lat means three courses: Dalat Palace in town, about 10 minutes from the central hotels; SAM Tuyen Lam by the lake, 25–30 minutes away; and The Dalat at 1200, about 15 minutes from Lien Khuong airport. Temperatures sit around 18–21°C on average, so it is Vietnam’s cool-weather golf escape. Three or four days covers all three.
Why play golf in Da Lat?
Most golf in Vietnam is played in tropical heat. Da Lat is the exception. At around 1,500 metres above sea level, the city’s average temperature is about 18–21°C, rarely above 30°C, according to VinWonders’ Da Lat weather guide (July 2025). For golfers coming from Ho Chi Minh City or the beaches of Nha Trang, that means you can tee off at nine or ten in the morning in comfort rather than racing the sun at dawn.
It is also a different kind of golf. Pine forest, rolling hills and lakes replace the coastal links and resort fairways of the lowlands, and the town itself, with its French-era villas and lakeside promenade, is a pleasant place to spend the evenings. The trade-off is access: Da Lat is a flight or a long mountain drive from anywhere else, so it works best as its own stop of three or four nights.
The three Da Lat golf courses at a glance
| Course | Character | Length / par | From the town centre | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalat Palace Golf Club | Historic hill course above Xuan Huong Lake, bentgrass | 6,596 yards, par 72 | About 10 minutes | Everyone; the classic Da Lat round |
| SAM Tuyen Lam Golf Club | Long lakeside course in pine hills, resort on site | Over 7,200 yards, par 72 | About 25–30 minutes | Low handicappers; stay-and-play |
| The Dalat at 1200 Country Club | Big modern layout near the airport | Over 7,500 yards, par 73 | About 45 minutes; 15 from the airport | Arrival or departure day |
Drive times from central hotels are from Google Maps (checked 7 October 2026); the 1200 times are from the club. Course facts come from each club. Caddies and carts are compulsory at all three and included in our packages. Full details are on our Dalat Palace Golf Club, SAM Tuyen Lam Golf Club and The Dalat at 1200 Country Club course pages.
Dalat Palace Golf Club: the classic round in town
If you play one course in Da Lat, it should be this one. Dalat Palace sits on the rolling ground just north of Xuan Huong Lake, close enough that central hotels are about 8–12 minutes away by car. The club was rebuilt in 1994, and its bentgrass surfaces are unusual in Vietnam, where most courses use warm-climate grasses. Bentgrass gives a tight, true surface that rewards crisp iron play.
At 6,596 yards from the back tees and par 72, it is not long, but 72 bunkers and the hilly routing keep it honest, and pine trees frame many of the holes. The villa-style clubhouse and the views back over the city make it the round most visitors remember.
SAM Tuyen Lam Golf Club: the lake and the long game
South of town, around Tuyen Lam Lake, SAM Tuyen Lam is the longer and more demanding course, at over 7,200 yards and par 72. Pine hills and the lake set the scene, and the extra length makes it the better test for low handicappers. From the central hotels it is about 25–30 minutes by road (Google Maps measured 23 minutes from the town centre and 32 from a hillside villa resort).
What sets SAM apart is that you can sleep at the course. There is resort accommodation inside the SAM area, so a round needs no transfer at all. Our three-day stay-and-play at SAM Tuyen Lam is built around exactly that, with the course on your doorstep and town half an hour away when you want it.
The Dalat at 1200: the airport course
The Dalat at 1200 takes its name from its altitude and sits on the plateau near Lien Khuong airport, about 15 minutes from the terminal and around 45 minutes from the town centre. Designed by Kyi Hla Han and opened in 2015, it is the biggest of the three: par 73 and over 7,500 yards from the tips.
Its location decides how most visitors use it. Rather than driving out and back from town, play it on the day you arrive (with a morning flight) or the day you leave (with an evening one). That turns travel time into a fourth round.
Which Da Lat course should you play?
| Your trip | Play | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One round only | Dalat Palace | Closest to town and the most characterful |
| Two rounds | Dalat Palace + SAM Tuyen Lam | Two very different courses, both easy from town |
| All three | Add The Dalat at 1200 on arrival or departure day | It sits next to the airport, so no extra drive |
| Stay at the course | SAM Tuyen Lam | Resort accommodation inside the SAM area |
| Longest test | SAM Tuyen Lam or The Dalat at 1200 | Both over 7,200 yards from the back |
Where to stay: town centre or at the course?
There are two sensible bases. The town centre, around Xuan Huong Lake, puts you about 10 minutes from Dalat Palace and 25–30 minutes from SAM, with restaurants, the night market and the French-quarter streets on foot. The choice runs from grand heritage hotels to restored villa resorts on the hillsides, and it suits golfers playing two or three courses or travelling with non-golfers.
The SAM Tuyen Lam area is quieter: lakeside resort accommodation in the pines inside the SAM area, so golf days need no transfer. It suits a golf-first trip built around SAM, or the last nights of a longer stay. For a mixed trip, start in town and finish by the lake.
Getting there: Lien Khuong airport and the road
Most golfers fly into Lien Khuong (DLI), about 27 km from the town centre and Dalat Palace, with direct domestic flights from Ho Chi Minh City and other Vietnamese cities. The Dalat at 1200 is the closest course to the airport, about 15 minutes away. We arrange private transfers with room for golf bags; if you are bringing your own clubs, check your airline’s golf bag allowance for the domestic leg too.
Weather and the best time to play
Da Lat is mild all year, which is its great advantage. The dry season runs from about November to April, with sunny, cool days; the rainy season from about May to October brings heavier rain, often in the early afternoon (VinWonders, July 2025; VnExpress). Mornings can be fresh, so pack a light layer even in the dry months.
| Months | Season | For golfers |
|---|---|---|
| November–April | Dry season | The most settled weather; the busiest period for visitors |
| May–October | Rainy season | Play in the morning; afternoon showers are common |
A month-by-month guide to golf in Da Lat is coming soon.
How many days do you need?
| Trip length | What fits | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 nights | One or two rounds at Dalat Palace or SAM | A short add-on to a Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Trang trip |
| 3 nights | Dalat Palace and SAM Tuyen Lam, with a free morning | The classic Da Lat golf trip |
| 4 nights | All three courses, with 1200 on arrival or departure day | Golfers who want to play everything |
Our four-day Da Lat golf package with rounds at Dalat Palace and SAM Tuyen Lam follows the three-night shape: arrive, two rounds and a free morning before the flight. For all three courses, there is a five-day version in the same collection.
Da Lat with Nha Trang or Ho Chi Minh City
Da Lat pairs naturally with the coast. The road from Nha Trang climbs the Khanh Le Pass and takes roughly 3.5–4.5 hours (Local Vietnam, April 2026), so a beach-and-highlands trip of a week or more works well: start with the courses around Nha Trang, then drive up for cooler golf. Our guide to golf in Nha Trang with drive times for every course covers the coastal half.
From Ho Chi Minh City, a short domestic flight is the easy option, so Da Lat makes a good cool-weather break after a few rounds in the south. If you are planning the Saigon side, see when the weather is best for golf in Ho Chi Minh City. Both are at their driest from about December to April, so a combined winter trip works well.
Da Lat for non-golfers
Da Lat is one of Vietnam’s easiest towns for a non-golfing partner. The walk around Xuan Huong Lake, the French-era villas and railway station, waterfalls such as Datanla on the edge of town, flower gardens and the busy night market fill the days easily. Because Dalat Palace is only minutes from the centre, the golfer can be back for lunch.
Planning your Da Lat golf trip
Golf in Da Lat is the cool-weather side of Vietnam: three very different courses within an hour of each other, bentgrass in town, a long lakeside test and a big course by the airport. Give it three or four nights, play Dalat Palace and SAM Tuyen Lam, and add The Dalat at 1200 on your travel day. To compare dates and hotels, see our Da Lat golf packages for two or three courses. GoGolfVietnam, a local golf tour operator based in Da Nang, arranges the tee times, transfers and hotels as one plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many golf courses are in Da Lat?›
Three: Dalat Palace Golf Club in town, SAM Tuyen Lam Golf Club beside Tuyen Lam Lake and The Dalat at 1200 Country Club near Lien Khuong airport.
2. Which is the best golf course in Da Lat?›
For most visitors, Dalat Palace: a characterful bentgrass course minutes from town. SAM Tuyen Lam is the longer test, and The Dalat at 1200 is the biggest course, best played on a travel day.
3. How far is Dalat Palace Golf Club from the city centre?›
About 8–12 minutes by car from the central hotels (Google Maps, October 2026). It sits just north of Xuan Huong Lake.
4. Is Da Lat good for golf all year?›
Yes. At about 1,500 metres the city averages around 18–21°C. November to April is the dry season; from May to October, play in the morning to avoid afternoon rain.
5. Where should golfers stay in Da Lat?›
In the town centre around Xuan Huong Lake for Dalat Palace and an easy evening, or at the SAM Tuyen Lam area to sleep at the course.
6. How far is The Dalat at 1200 from the airport?›
About 15 minutes from Lien Khuong airport, and around 45 minutes from the town centre.
7. Can I combine Da Lat golf with Nha Trang?›
Yes. The drive over the Khanh Le Pass takes roughly 3.5–4.5 hours, so a week split between Nha Trang’s coastal courses and Da Lat’s highland ones works well.
GoGolfVietnam, a local golf tour operator based in Da Nang, arranges tee times, transfers and hotels across Vietnam, including Da Lat.
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