Last updated: 22 October 2026 · By the GoGolfVietnam team in Da Nang
A Ho Chi Minh City golf trip from Hong Kong starts with a nonstop flight of just under three hours: Cathay Pacific’s 08:40 departure lands before lunch, in time for an afternoon round. HKSAR passports need a USD 25 Vietnamese e-visa. Christmas, New Year, Lunar New Year and Easter 2027 all fall in Ho Chi Minh City’s dry season.
Quick Answer
- Flights: about 38 nonstop flights a week on Cathay Pacific (three a day), Vietnam Airlines, VietJet and United; about 2 h 55 min.
- Entry: e-visa required, USD 25 single entry, up to 90 days.
- When: December to April is dry; Lunar New Year, Easter and Ching Ming 2027 all land in it.
- Courses: Tan Son Nhat sits beside the airport; three more are about an hour from District 1.
- Green fees: about HK$760–1,150 a round at Vinpearl Golf Léman, caddie and cart included.
Flights from Hong Kong: the two that matter for golfers
Cathay Pacific carries most of the traffic between Chek Lap Kok and Tan Son Nhat. For golf, two of its flights do the work: CX767 out at 08:40 and CX764 home at 19:45, which give you a round on both your first and last day. These are the nonstop flights for the week of 26 October to 1 November 2026, checked on 22 October 2026.
| Airline | From Hong Kong | Home from Ho Chi Minh City (local time) | Golf bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathay Pacific | 08:40, 16:45, 22:45 daily | 07:15, 11:45, 19:45 daily | Counts in checked allowance; excess charged as overweight |
| Vietnam Airlines | 18:40, daily except Fridays | 13:40, daily except Fridays | Depends on fare; confirm when booking |
| VietJet | 19:50 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun | 15:10 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun | Depends on fare; add weight when booking |
| United Airlines | 21:15 daily | 06:00 daily | Confirm with the airline |
Schedules: FlightsFrom route data for Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City and back, checked 22 October 2026. Cathay Pacific golf bag rule as compiled for our Hanoi from Hong Kong guide (October 2026). Winter timetables can change.
One surprise for budget flyers: HK Express did not appear on this route in the schedule we checked, so the low-cost option is VietJet, with golf weight bought at booking. If you are bringing your own clubs and want to play on day one, the Cathay morning flight is the practical choice.
E-visa, time difference and the ride into town
Hong Kong residents travelling to Ho Chi Minh City need a Vietnamese e-visa, applied for online at the official government portal, evisa.gov.vn, before departure. A single entry costs USD 25 (about HK$195) and covers up to 90 days; official processing takes about three working days, so apply at least a week ahead, more before public holidays. Choose Tan Son Nhat International Airport as your port of entry.
If you would rather skip the visa entirely, Phu Quoc allows direct arrivals from Hong Kong 30 days visa-free; our visa-free Phu Quoc golf weekend from Hong Kong covers that option.
Vietnam is one hour behind Hong Kong. Tan Son Nhat is 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. Allow 40 minutes or more in rush hour.
Hong Kong’s 2027 holidays against Ho Chi Minh City’s seasons
Ho Chi Minh City has a dry season from about December to April and a wet season from about May to November. Here is how Hong Kong’s 2027 general holidays line up:
| Hong Kong holiday | Dates | Ho Chi Minh City | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas 2026 | 25–27 Dec (Fri–Sun) | Dry season begins | Three days; book tee times by November |
| New Year | 1–3 Jan (Fri–Sun) | Dry, coolest | Three days, two rounds |
| Lunar New Year | 6–9 Feb (Sat–Tue) | Dry | Vietnam’s Tet too: holiday rates, book early |
| Easter | 26–29 Mar (Fri–Mon) | Dry, getting hot | Four days; tee off by 7am |
| Ching Ming | 3–5 Apr (Sat–Mon) | End of dry season, hottest | Early tee times only |
| Buddha’s Birthday | 13 May (Thu) | Rainy season | Take Friday off for four days; morning rounds |
| National Day and Chung Yeung | 1–3 and 8–10 Oct | Wettest weeks | Better spent in Hanoi |
| Christmas 2027 | 25–27 Dec (Sat–Mon) | Dry season begins | Most popular; book early |
Holidays: HKSAR Government 2027 general holidays (Sing Tao Daily, 15 May 2026).
Weighing Hanoi against Ho Chi Minh City for a particular month? Our month-by-month guide to choosing between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City sets the two side by side.
Heat and rain: choosing your tee time
Daytime temperatures sit between about 25 and 35°C all year. December to February is the most comfortable stretch, with highs of 26–32°C and the lowest humidity. March and April stay dry but reach 35–38°C, so tee off at 6.30–7am. In the wet season, storms usually arrive around 3–4pm and pass within 30–60 minutes, so morning rounds still work; only September and October bring longer spells of rain.
Courses near District 1
Most Hong Kong golfers stay in District 1, close to restaurants and the riverside. Drive times below are from Ben Thanh Market on Google Maps, measured on the evening of 21 October 2026; allow extra in daytime traffic.
| Course | Drive | Best slot | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tan Son Nhat Golf Course | About 32 min | Arrival afternoon or departure morning | 36 flat city holes with plenty of water |
| Vietnam Golf & Country Club | About 43 min | Day 2, early | Vietnam’s first 36-hole club; narrow West, sandier East |
| Long Thanh Golf Club | About 1 h 4 min | A whole morning | Hill and lake courses, 36 holes |
| Vinpearl Golf Léman | About 1 h 8 min | A quiet weekday | Parkland at Cu Chi with a published rate card |
| The Bluffs Ho Tram | About 2 h | An extra day and a night by the sea | Dune links on the coast |
Three- and four-day plans on the real timetable
| 3 days, 2 nights (New Year, Ching Ming) | 4 days, 3 nights (Easter, Lunar New Year) | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | CX767 at 08:40, land about 10.30am; 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, a full morning |
| Day 3 | Free morning; CX764 home at 19:45 | Vietnam Golf & Country Club; dinner in Cho Lon |
| Day 4 | – | Tan Son Nhat or Léman early; CX764 at 19:45 |
To add a night by the sea, swap a city round for The Bluffs and stay at Ho Tram. If you would rather not book each course yourself, the four-day Ho Chi Minh City golf package with three rounds includes courses, hotel and transfers and follows a similar order.
Cho Lon after golf
District 5’s Cho Lon is Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown, where Cantonese and Teochew assembly halls and temples still stand and Chinese shop signs are common. It is a short drive from District 1 and an easy evening out after a round.
Bring clubs or rent?
On Cathay with enough checked allowance, bring your own for three rounds or more. On VietJet, where golf weight costs extra, renting for one or two rounds can make more sense. Vinpearl Golf Léman’s 2026 rate card lists a rental set at VND 950,000 (about HK$280) and shoes at VND 250,000 (about HK$75), with umbrellas free.
What it costs in Hong Kong dollars
A round at Vinpearl Golf Léman costs VND 2,550,000–3,850,000 on its 2026 rate card, about HK$760–1,150, with caddie and shared cart included. The Bluffs starts at about HK$1,750 on a weekday. Tip your caddie 300,000–500,000 VND (about HK$90–150) in cash, and add HK$195 for the e-visa. Figures use 26,080 dong to the US dollar (Vietcombank, 17 October 2026) and the HK$7.8 peg.
Airfares move daily, so we do not quote them. For every course and the full-trip picture, see how Ho Chi Minh City green fees and tips add up.
Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc or Hanoi?
All three are a short nonstop flight from Hong Kong. Ho Chi Minh City has the most courses and flights and the liveliest evenings, but needs an e-visa. Phu Quoc has two courses and visa-free direct arrivals. Hanoi is best in spring and autumn and colder than Hong Kong in winter. Between December and April, head south; keep the October long weekends for Hanoi.
GoGolfVietnam, a local golf tour operator based in Da Nang, plans tee times, airport transfers and hotels around your flight times. For three- to five-day options, see our Ho Chi Minh City golf breaks for a Hong Kong long weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do Hong Kong residents need a visa for Ho Chi Minh City?›
Yes. HKSAR passport holders need a Vietnamese e-visa, applied for before departure at the government portal evisa.gov.vn. A single entry costs USD 25 (about HK$195) and allows up to 90 days; processing takes about three working days.
2. How long is the flight from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City?›
About 2 hours 55 minutes nonstop. Vietnam is one hour behind Hong Kong, so Cathay Pacific’s 08:40 departure lands at around 10.30am local time.
3. Which airline is best for golf clubs from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City?›
Cathay Pacific counts your golf bag in the normal checked allowance, so if your fare includes enough weight there is nothing extra to pay. On Vietnam Airlines and VietJet it depends on the fare. HK Express had no nonstop Ho Chi Minh City flight in the late-October 2026 schedule we checked.
4. Can I play golf in Ho Chi Minh City over Chinese New Year?›
Yes. Hong Kong’s 2027 Lunar New Year holiday, 6–9 February, falls in Ho Chi Minh City’s dry season. Vietnam celebrates Tet at the same time, so expect holiday rates and book 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. It is the easiest round to fit on your arrival or departure day.
6. How much does a round cost in Hong Kong dollars?›
At Vinpearl Golf Léman, which publishes its 2026 rates, 18 holes cost VND 2,550,000–3,850,000, about HK$760–1,150, with caddie and shared cart included. Budget HK$90–150 for the caddie tip.
Sources, checked 22 October 2026: FlightsFrom HKG–SGN and SGN–HKG route data; Cathay Pacific baggage rules (October 2026); Vietnam e-visa portal evisa.gov.vn; HKSAR Government 2027 general holidays (Sing Tao Daily, 15 May 2026); Vinpearl Golf Léman 2026 rate card; Vietcombank selling rate (17 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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