Last updated: 21 October 2026 · Written by the GoGolfVietnam team in Da Nang
A Phu Quoc golf trip from Australia means one connection: through Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, roughly 12 to 14 hours from Sydney or Melbourne. Route it via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and you land on the island on an international flight, which qualifies for Phu Quoc’s 30-day visa exemption. Better still, the Australian summer is the island’s dry season.
Quick Answer
- Nonstop flights: none from Australia to Phu Quoc (PQC).
- Easiest visa route: via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, landing directly on the island, with no visa needed for stays of up to 30 days on Phu Quoc.
- Via Ho Chi Minh City: you clear immigration there, so you need Vietnam’s USD 25 e-visa (about AUD 36).
- Best months: December to March, which covers Christmas, the summer school holidays and Australia Day.
- Golf: two 18-hole courses on the north coast; five to seven days is the right length.
Three ways to fly from Australia to Phu Quoc
Every route has one change of plane. Which hub suits you depends on your home airport, how much you care about the visa, and whether you want a night in Saigon on the way.
| Route | Airlines | Second leg | Typical total from Sydney | Visa on arrival in Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Via Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) | Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, Jetstar nonstop to SGN (about 8h50 from Sydney) | Domestic flight SGN–PQC, about 1 hour | About 12–13 hours | E-visa needed: you enter Vietnam at SGN |
| B. Via Singapore (SIN) | Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Scoot, Jetstar to SIN (about 8 hours) | Scoot, VietJet or Sun PhuQuoc Airways, about 2 hours, roughly three flights a day | About 12–14 hours | 30-day Phu Quoc exemption: you enter at PQC |
| C. Via Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia X to KUL (about 8.5 hours) | AirAsia or Sun PhuQuoc Airways, 1h35–1h50, about 36 flights a week | About 12–14 hours | 30-day Phu Quoc exemption: you enter at PQC |
Second-leg schedules from FlightsFrom and DirectFlights (checked 21 October 2026); Sun PhuQuoc Airways began daily Kuala Lumpur flights on 1 September 2026 (Routes Online). Sydney–Ho Chi Minh City flight time from Vietnam Airlines. Totals include a typical connection and vary with the timetable.
From Perth, all three hubs are closer, and Singapore or Kuala Lumpur put Phu Quoc within a long day of travel. From the east coast, an overnight departure to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur usually lets you sleep on the long leg, connect in the morning and reach the island the same day.
The visa question, answered by route
Phu Quoc’s visa exemption is a rule that lets foreign visitors who enter Vietnam directly at Phu Quoc stay on the island for up to 30 days without a visa, whatever their nationality. It applies to the island only. Australians are not on Vietnam’s nationwide visa-exemption list, so the route you fly decides whether you need paperwork.
- Via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur (routes B and C): you land at Phu Quoc on an international flight and pass immigration there, so the 30-day island exemption applies. Phu Quoc International Airport’s own visa guide and a May 2026 Dan Tri report both describe the exemption as applying to direct entry.
- Via Ho Chi Minh City (route A): you pass immigration at Tan Son Nhat before the domestic hop, so you need an e-visa: USD 25 single entry, valid for up to 90 days, from the official government portal. A 2025 proposal to extend the island exemption to travellers connecting through other Vietnamese airports had not been adopted, according to Thanh Nien.
- Leaving the island: if you plan to fly on to Saigon or Da Nang during the trip, you need an e-visa even if you arrived visa-free.
Rules change, and airlines check documents at your first departure point. Check the current position before you fly; if there is any chance you will leave the island, the USD 25 e-visa is cheap insurance.
Golf clubs on a two-leg trip
The connection matters more for your clubs than for you. If both flights are on one booking, the bag is normally checked through to Phu Quoc. If you buy the legs separately, for example a full-service flight to Singapore and a low-cost hop to the island, you collect the bag, re-check it and pay the second airline’s sports equipment fee.
Low-cost carriers on the second leg sell golf bags as checked baggage, so add one when you book rather than at the airport. Scoot through Singapore and AirAsia through Kuala Lumpur can usually sell the whole journey on one booking, which keeps it simple. Our guide to airline-by-airline golf bag fees for flights into Vietnam sets out the fine print for each carrier.
Why the Australian summer is Phu Quoc’s best season
The timing works almost perfectly. Phu Quoc’s driest months are December to March, with January and February averaging under 30 mm of rain, exactly when Australians take their long summer break. By contrast, the Australian winter falls in the island’s wet season.
| Australian calendar | 2026–27 dates | Phu Quoc that month |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas and New Year | 25 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 | December: about 59 mm of rain over 6 days; dry season returns |
| Summer school holidays | Mid-December to late January (varies by state) | January: about 28 mm over 5 days; one of the two driest months |
| Australia Day | Tuesday 26 January 2027 | Dry, highs around 31°C |
| Tet (Lunar New Year in Vietnam) | Saturday 6 February 2027 | Dry, but the island’s busiest week |
| Easter long weekend | 26–29 March 2027 | March: about 61 mm over 7 days; hotter middays |
| Winter school holidays | Late June to July | Wet season: around 380–420 mm a month |
Rainfall averages from our Phu Quoc weather guide (Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology data); Australian dates from the Fair Work Ombudsman 2027 public holidays list.
Two cautions. Christmas, New Year and Tet are the busiest weeks of the year on the island, so book flights, rooms and tee times early. And March, although dry, is hotter, so take the first tee time of the day. For the full picture, see how dry each Phu Quoc month really is. Our Tet golf guide for Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh City covers the Lunar New Year week in detail.
Two courses, one island: how many days?
Phu Quoc has two 18-hole courses, both on the north coast and both designed by IMG. Vinpearl Golf opened in 2015 at Bai Dai: a par-72 forest course of about 7,040 yards, five minutes from the resorts, with an island-style green at the par-3 3rd. Eschuri Vung Bau is newer, a full 18 holes since 2025, at 7,508 yards; its back nine moves from forest to dunes, the 14th and 15th run along the beach, and floodlights allow night golf.
With only two courses, this is not a golf marathon destination. Five to seven days suits most Australians: three or four rounds, alternating the two courses, with the rest of the time for the beach and the family. Golfers who want six rounds in six days on different courses are better served by Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City. For courses, bases and timing, see golf in Phu Quoc (2026 guide).
Where to stay with the family
Stay on the north coast near the courses. The resorts around Bai Dai are about five minutes from Vinpearl Golf and ten from Eschuri, and VinWonders, the Safari and Grand World are on the same stretch for anyone not playing. If the family wants the southern beaches too, split the stay: golf nights in the north, a couple of nights south at the end. Our guide to which part of the island to sleep in for golf and family days compares each area by drive time, and the things to do in Phu Quoc for non-golfers guide plans the non-golf days.
A 7-day plan from Australia
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| 1 | Overnight flight to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, morning connection, land on Phu Quoc around midday; check in on the north coast |
| 2 | Round 1 at Vinpearl Golf, early tee time; afternoon at the pool or VinWonders |
| 3 | Round 2 at Eschuri Vung Bau |
| 4 | Rest day: the south of the island, Sunset Town and the Hon Thom cable car |
| 5 | Round 3 at Vinpearl Golf, or a cooler evening round under the lights at Eschuri |
| 6 | Round 4 at Eschuri; farewell dinner |
| 7 | Transfer to the airport (about 45–50 minutes from Bai Dai) and fly home via the same hub |
Shorter on time? Our four-day, two-course island package that slots into a longer trip covers the golf core, and you can add beach nights either side. If you fly route A, two nights in Ho Chi Minh City on the way in add three city courses to the trip; our Saigon guide for Australian golfers explains that half.
What it costs in AUD
Flights are the largest and most variable cost, so we do not quote them here: they swing widely between the Christmas peak and March. On the ground, green fees on Phu Quoc run from about USD 96 to USD 199, roughly AUD 140–290, with caddie and cart included; the e-visa, if your route needs it, is about AUD 36. Conversions use AUD 1 = USD 0.69 (1 October 2026).
Our Phu Quoc golf cost guide breaks down caddie tips, transfers and a four-day budget. When your dates are set, browse Phu Quoc golf holidays timed to Australian school breaks to see packages with tee times, transfers and resort nights in one quote.
Phu Quoc, Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City from Australia?
Each wins in a different month. Phu Quoc is the pick for December and January: dry, warm and resort-based, with the visa-free route via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Da Nang has more courses but is still drying out from its rainy season in December, and it also needs a connection from Australia, as our Da Nang golf trip from Australia guide explains. Ho Chi Minh City is the only one with nonstop flights and a choice of courses close to town, but no beach.
Our honest view: for a summer-holiday trip with a family, Phu Quoc. For a golf-first week with the mates in February or March, Da Nang. For the shortest travel day, Ho Chi Minh City. The Phu Quoc vs Da Nang comparison goes deeper on the two beach options.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there direct flights from Australia to Phu Quoc?›
No. Every route has one connection, usually through Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Expect about 12 to 14 hours in total from Sydney or Melbourne, less from Perth.
2. Do Australians need a visa for Phu Quoc?›
Not if you enter Vietnam directly at Phu Quoc, for example on a flight from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur: the island’s exemption allows stays of up to 30 days on Phu Quoc. If you connect through Ho Chi Minh City or leave the island, you need Vietnam’s USD 25 e-visa. Check the current rules before you fly.
3. Is Phu Quoc good for golf in December?›
Yes. December starts Phu Quoc’s dry season, with about 59 mm of rain over six days on average, and January and February are drier still. Christmas and New Year are busy, so book early.
4. How many golf courses are on Phu Quoc?›
Two 18-hole courses, both on the north coast: Vinpearl Golf and Eschuri Vung Bau. Three or four rounds alternating between them suits a five- to seven-day trip.
5. Can I take golf clubs via Singapore to Phu Quoc?›
Yes. If both flights are on one booking, the bag is normally checked through to Phu Quoc. On separate tickets you re-check it in Singapore and pay the second airline’s sports equipment fee.
6. What is the time difference between Sydney and Phu Quoc?›
Phu Quoc is 4 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne during Australian daylight saving and 3 hours behind in winter. It is 1 hour behind Perth.
Sources: Phu Quoc International Airport (Sun Airport) visa guide; Dan Tri, 8 May 2026; Thanh Nien, 24 April 2025; Vietnam e-visa portal fees; FlightsFrom SIN–PQC and DirectFlights KUL–PQC (checked 21 October 2026); Routes Online on Sun PhuQuoc Airways (September 2026); Vietnam Airlines Australia route pages; Fair Work Ombudsman 2027 public holidays; exchange-rates.org AUD/USD (1 October 2026); GoGolfVietnam course reviews and Phu Quoc weather guide.
GoGolfVietnam, a local golf tour operator based in Da Nang, books tee times, transfers and resort stays on Phu Quoc and across Vietnam.
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