My visit to Sea Links Golf and Country Club Mui Ne was just after sunrise, and the coastal air was tranquil, with just a gentle onshore breeze, which was fortunate as the undulating course is sufficiently challenging without having to contend with challenging coastal winds. That afternoon, while relaxing at The Anam Mui Ne Resort, I watched in awe as kite surfers harnessed the lively offshore wind that was whipping the coastal waters into turbulent white-topped waves that were perfect for this thrilling sport.
Watching the kite surfers made me appreciate that my visit to the coastal Vietnamese course was correctly timed in the morning, and had I been there in the afternoon, I would have had the adventurous challenge of strong winds, which would surely have affected my appreciation of a round of golf here.
Driving on the 8th hole Sea Links Golf and Country Club, Mui Ne
Sea Links Golf Club Mui Ne is arguably one of the finest linksstyled courses in Vietnam. By local standards, it’s already a classic course and one that should be included on any Vietnam golf itinerary. The golf course is located in Mui Ne, a developing coastal tourism strip just north of Phan Thiet in southeast Vietnam, and an inviting seaside holiday proposition. Mui Ne is a destination that remains unknown to all but intrepid travellers. Other Vietnamese destinations are better known because most have direct air access from around the region, but this could all change in the coming years if a planned airport is opened.
COASTAL DUNES AND FISH SAUCE
Like many Asian destinations, adventurous backpackers tend to identify favourable beaches first, pioneering them for international hotel and resort brands. Neighbouring Phan Thiet is connected to the national rail grid and has appealed as a holiday location for a few decades.
Most Vietnamese know the city of Phan Thiet as home to some of the best nouc mam, or fish sauce, in Vietnam. Nouc mam is the essential ingredient in many Vietnamese dishes, and it’s also used as a dipping sauce to accompany these delicacies. The fishing fleet seeks shelter in tidal rivers along the coast, and in parts of the city, the pungent aroma of the fermenting fish sauce permeates the air.
The city of 350,000 residents adjoins the coastal resort strip of Mui Ne that extends northward from Phan Thiet. Sea Links overlooks the beaches of Mui Ne that front what the Vietnamese call the East Sea or what you and I would refer to as the South China Sea. This resort precinct is backed by colourful rolling sand dunes that are a tourist attraction for most visitors.
Relax by the pool set in tropical gardens at The Anam Mui Ne
Saigon Bar, The Anam Mui Ne
MAGNETIC RESORT
On my most recent visit to this part of Vietnam, I was attracted to The Anam Resort, as I had read a lot about it and the awards that it has already won. My decision to check in here was sealed after I discovered it was just a few kilometres from Sea Links.
While this locally owned resort only opened in 2023, it was recently recognised as the Best New Resort in Asia. The Anam Mui Ne is a delightful 73-room, five-star resort with superb facilities including pools, an immediate beachfront, fitness centre, spa, two bars, and two restaurants.
Beachfront, Anam Resort, Vietnam
While new, The Anam’s architect has skillfully crafted French colonial Indochine elements into creating a timeless property that reminded me of a boutique version of grand regional heritage hotels such as Singapore’s Raffles and the Eastern and Oriental in Penang.
A dominant feature throughout the public areas and the rooms are the replica patterned ceramic floor tiles, heritage light fixtures, and solid wooden features that transport guests back to the golden era of travel in Indochina.
When combined with the latest technology, The Anam is definitely a property to add to any ‘mustvisit’ list in Asia. Golfers will fall in love with the beachfront location, two pools, two restaurants, golf packages, and a spa offering very soothing therapies.
The Lang Viet Restaurant and Bar, located beside the beach, has divided its mostly Vietnamese menu into dishes from northern, central, and southern Vietnam, and staff are happy to guide guests through the culinary delights of each. Indochine is the resort’s breakfast and all-day dining restaurant, where the breakfast offerings are almost beyond compare in the region. Saigon Bar is one of those bars in which you just want to pull up a rattan lounge chair beneath a slowly moving ceiling fan, and enjoy a Beer Saigon while reflecting on just how grand life can be.
Golfers can stay onsite at Sea Links Golf & Country Club in Mui Ne
LINKS COURSE
It was hard to drag myself away from The Anam, but there was a golf course to visit. Getting up early isn’t difficult in Vietnam, as the sun rises before 6am. Getting to bed after a long night at the Saigon Bar was the difficulty. However, I did manage to arise, admire the sun rising along the beach, and head to Sea Links to take in the elevated links course overlooking the Mui Ne strip and The Anam below.
The prospect of being on one of the region’s most challenging courses was, quite simply, challenging. The course is also most picturesque, so if your game isn’t up to par, you can seek comfort in the coastal vistas and mature tropical landscaping of the course.
Opened in July 2008, the par 72 championship course of 7,617 m was designed by Ronald Fream and has been a course that most local golfers aspire to play. The course is built on the rolling dunes that back Mui Ne and offers some fine coastal views.
Sea Links is best described as challenging but fair, and while the fairways offer a roller-coaster game, they are mostly wide to accommodate those who misjudge their drive. The most interesting stretch of holes is seven to nine. Driving from the tee of the signature 456-m-long seventh hole requires accuracy as the undulating fairway slopes right and wayward balls are destined for the rough. It’s best to play this par four hole safely with a drive just to the left of centre and onto the higher side of the fairway. The other complication is that the pin is mostly concealed from the back tee. Approach shots onto the green require precision too, as the pin is well guarded all around by bunkers. All golfers should seek the advice of their caddy.
The clubhouse locker rooms are excellent, and the small pro shop has all the basics that holidaying golfers need. The adjourning restaurant has settings overlooking the course with sea breeze seating on the verandah or in the airconditioned interior. Vietnamese, international and Asian delicacies are served on the clubhouse menu. On-course accommodation (a hotel and villas) is available, but it isn’t on the beach, and it is my suggestion to play here and relax in The Anam.
EXPLORING THE REGION
Central Vietnam is slowly coming onto the radar for travellers seeking quiet and less-developed beachside holiday destinations. Phan Thiet is home to a colourful fishing fleet, and some fish sauce manufacturers allow visitors to see the sauce being processed. Extensive sand dunes frame the palm-lined Mui Ne beach, where, in parts, fishermen in their traditional circular boats made from woven rattan, provide a unique sight.
Other tourist sights in the region include the ancient Po Sah Inu Cham Towers at Binh Thuan near Mui Ne and the colourful sand dunes where a range of adventure activities are offered. Resorts, cafés, restaurants, and chill-out bars are evidence that intrepid travellers have already discovered Mui Ne, but it’s still less crowded than most regional beach resorts.
Coloured sands form a backdrop to the tourist resort of Mui Ne
Kite surfing off Mui Ne
Getting There
Fly into Ho Chi Minh City on AirAsia (www.airasia.com) and from here, drive or catch the train to Binh Thuan for Phan Thiet. Phan Thiet is 175 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, the gateway airport for Malaysians. The Anam Resort can arrange transfers to and from Ho Chi Minh City, with the journey along an expressway taking about three hours. Watch this space as plans are unfolding for the military airport at Mui Ne to also accommodate commercial aircraft.
Po Sah Inu Cham Towers Binh Thuan near Mui Ne
Where to Stay The
127-room The Anam Mui Ne (www.theanam. com) opened in 2023 to offer discerning travellers luxurious Indochine-style accommodation along the Mui Ne beachfront. Some suites have their own private plunge pool, and the food and beverage facilities here offer superb local dishes and chilled beverages. Golfers can relax after their game beside one of two pools, the beachfront, or in the resort spa.
Fishing boats at sunrise along the Vietnam Coast
Contacts
Sea Links Golf and Country Club (www.sealinksvietnam. com).
