Possibly the country’s leading golfing facility, with 36 fiendishly difficult but ultimately satisfying holes. The first 36 hole facility in Vietnam and the closest course to the capital, Vietnam Golf & Country Club has a fair claim to being the country’s premier golfing facility. The original West course, open since late 1995 and twice host to the Vietnam Open, is a tough proposition. Indeed, you must have a single figure handicap to be allowed to play from the the gold tees, and even from the men’s tees you could be in for a long afternoon. The fairways are narrow, hemmed in by numerous trees that become a hindrance as soon as you veer slightly off line. The greens are softly contoured and in excellent condition, meaning a soft touch is required to master their speed. However, as excellent as the West course is, it is the the Lee Trevino-designed East course that really gets the juices flowing, and if you only have time for one round at this club then go for this course, which has been overshadowing its illustrious neighbour since 1997 and hosted the Vietnam Masters in 2008. The fairways are more generous than on the West course, but that doesn’t mean it is any easier thanks to the clever positioning of bunkers (110 of them!) and several water hazards, not to mention the serious slopes you will encounter on the Bermuda greens. The opening hole of each nine is a par-5 that is reachable in two for the biggest hitters; it is advised to take advantage of such opportunities as they don’t come around that often. Playing gung-ho golf is suicidal here, even for the professionals, so your best bet is to hit straight and try to avoid any long putts, as the greens are tough to read. Back at the clubhouse, you’ll definitely have earned some time in the Turkish stream room or the Finnish sauna before relaxing with a drink in one of the two restaurants as you watch others finishing their rounds. Overall, Vietnam Golf & Country Club offers a golfing experience you won’t soon forget.