Hoiana Shores Golf Club

Plenty of courses claim a coastal setting, but Hoiana Shores makes the sea part of the round. Central Vietnam has a quality of sunshine that feels different from anywhere else, sharp and golden, bouncing off the pale sandy waste areas that frame so many of the holes. The fairways run firm underfoot, the kind of ground that rewards a low, running approach rather than a high, soft one, and the sea breeze arrives early and stays all day.

Jones Jr.'s routing makes intelligent use of a site that was once, remarkably, a network of abandoned fish farms. The environmental rehabilitation that transformed this coastal terrain into a championship links is one of the more extraordinary stories in modern golf course design. Coastal dunes have been sculpted, native vegetation restored and the whole layout carries an authenticity that is hard to manufacture.

The front nine introduces the challenge gradually. Fairways are generous enough to encourage ambition, but the rough is unforgiving and the wind makes club selection a constant puzzle. The greens are undulating and quick, demanding precise approach play and careful reading. Attack the pins too aggressively and the slopes will punish you. Play too conservatively and the wind will do the same.

The back nine builds towards one of the most dramatic closing stretches in Asian golf. Hole 16, named Cửa Đại, is a par-4 that runs along the beach and offers one of the most talked-about risk-reward decisions on the course. From the championship tees it plays 390 yards, a genuine test of driving accuracy with the ocean pressing in from one side. From the forward tees, at just 285 yards, the green becomes drivable and birdie suddenly feels very possible. It is a classic risk-reward hole, and from the forward tees especially, the temptation to go for it is very real.

The clubhouse is well matched to the quality of the golf. The pro shop is well stocked, the locker rooms are properly appointed, and two distinct dining spaces, the 1552 Bistro and the more relaxed Shores Café, give you options depending on how long you want to linger after the round.

Dining at Hoiana is one of the genuine pleasures of staying here. The 1552 Bistro at the golf clubhouse is the natural home for post-round drinks and a meal, with a menu that draws on both international and Vietnamese flavours and a terrace that looks out over the course. After four hours in the Vietnamese sun, a cold beer and a plate of fresh local seafood here is exactly what you need.

Shores Café keeps things relaxed and easy, ideal for a coffee before an early tee time or a light lunch between rounds. The wider resort brings considerably more variety. Aroma celebrates authentic Vietnamese cuisine with a confidence that comes from proximity to one of the country's great culinary regions. Central Vietnam has its own distinct food culture, shaped by the imperial heritage of nearby Hue and the trading history of Hoi An, and the best meals here reflect that.

The resort's dining portfolio spans everything from casual beachside eating to more formal evening menus, so whether the group wants to dress up for dinner or keep it simple after a long day on the course, the options are there.

Hoiana Shores is one of the standout modern golf resorts in Asia and an easy one to recommend if you want championship golf with a proper beach break built in. Robert Trent Jones Jr.'s only Vietnamese design is widely recognised as one of Vietnam's leading courses, and the closing stretch alone, with Cửa Đại, Cham and the Serpent delivering three consecutive moments of real drama, is worth the journey.

Pair that with a resort that offers genuine accommodation choice, a beachfront setting, authentic Vietnamese food and Hoi An on your doorstep, and you have a golf holiday that delivers on every level.