Best Gia Lai Golf Courses for 2026/2027

Gia Lai is one of Vietnam’s least-explored golf destinations, and that is precisely the point for golfers who want to go somewhere new. The province sits on the Central Highlands plateau, at elevations between 700 and 800 metres, with pine forests, red basalt soil, rubber and coffee plantations, and landscapes that look nothing like coastal Vietnam. Golf arrived here relatively recently with FLC Gia Lai Golf Club and Luxury Resort, a development built across the Dak Doa pine forests and near the Glar pink grass hills, which are among the most photographed natural landscapes in the province.

Gia Lai’s capital, Pleiku, is about 550 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City and 200 kilometres inland from Quy Nhon on the coast. Pleiku airport handles domestic flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so access is straightforward even though the province feels remote. The Central Highlands region is known within Vietnam for its coffee culture (Gia Lai is one of the country’s major robusta growing areas), its ethnic minority communities (Jarai and Bahnar groups), and Bien Ho (Sea Lake), a volcanic crater lake near Pleiku.

Gia Lai suits adventurous golfers who have covered the main Vietnam golf cities and want something different, travelers who are interested in highland culture and coffee country, and golfers building a broader itinerary that connects the Central Highlands with the coast at Quy Nhon or further south to Da Lat.

Best golf courses in Gia Lai

Gia Lai has one golf facility, which keeps the planning simple. Your decision is whether the destination fits into your wider Vietnam itinerary.

1. FLC Gia Lai Golf Club and Luxury Resort

According to publicly available sources, FLC Gia Lai Golf Club and Luxury Resort is located in Dak Doa district, built across pine forest terrain and near the Glar pink grass hills. The facility is part of the FLC group’s resort portfolio, which includes golf developments in Ha Long, Quang Binh, Sam Son, Ha Tinh, and Quy Nhon. The resort complex includes a hotel, villas, and leisure facilities alongside the golf course.

The highland setting gives the course a character that differs from FLC’s coastal properties. Instead of links-style wind and sand dune terrain, golfers here play through pine forests with the cooler temperatures and cleaner air that come with altitude. The Dak Doa area has an average temperature of around 22 to 25 degrees Celsius year-round, which makes it one of the more comfortable playing environments in Vietnam, similar in climate to Da Lat.

This course suits golfers who enjoy highland golf in a pine forest setting, travelers who want to explore the Central Highlands beyond the usual tourist routes, and FLC loyalty guests who are working through the group’s portfolio of Vietnamese courses.

Which course should you play?

With a single facility, the question is whether Gia Lai fits your trip. If you are flying to Pleiku for Central Highlands travel and want a round of golf alongside coffee plantation visits and crater lake sightseeing, FLC Gia Lai makes a practical add-on. If you want a multi-course golf circuit, you are better served by combining Gia Lai with nearby Quy Nhon (about 3 hours by road), which has the 36-hole FLC Quy Nhon Golf Links, or continuing south to Da Lat for three additional courses at altitude.

Best time to play golf in Gia Lai

The Central Highlands have a tropical highland climate with two distinct seasons. Vietnam’s official tourism information describes the dry season as running from November to April and the wet season from May to October.

November to March. The best window for a Gia Lai golf trip. The dry season means clear skies, comfortable temperatures, and the Glar pink grass hills are at their most photogenic from November to December when the grass turns pink and purple. Mornings can be cool at altitude, but conditions warm up quickly.

April to May. The transition into the wet season. Still playable, with increasing afternoon showers. Temperatures remain comfortable and the landscape is green.

June to September. The wettest period. Afternoon rain is common, and some days can see heavy downpours. Morning tee times are essential. The golf course remains playable, but plan with flexibility and expect some interruptions.

October. Transition back to dry. Rain begins to taper off, and by late October conditions improve significantly.

Gia Lai golf holidays and package tours

Gia Lai works best as part of a multi-day Central Highlands itinerary rather than a standalone golf trip. Pleiku has domestic flights from Hanoi (about 1.5 hours) and Ho Chi Minh City (about 1 hour), and the road connection to Quy Nhon on the coast makes combined itineraries practical.

A typical Gia Lai visit includes accommodation at the FLC resort or in Pleiku, transfers from the airport, a tee time at FLC Gia Lai, and at least one non-golf excursion such as Bien Ho crater lake, a coffee plantation visit, or the Glar pink grass hills.

Since Gia Lai does not yet have pre-built golf packages on the site, the best approach is to build a custom trip through GolfLux’s trip planner. For broader Vietnam itinerary ideas, the Vietnam Golf Holidays page covers multi-destination options.

Gia Lai suits couples and travelers who are as interested in the destination as the golf. The province has a slower pace than coastal Vietnam, and the combination of coffee culture, ethnic minority villages, and highland scenery gives the non-golf hours a distinct character.

Golf with coffee country and highland travel in Gia Lai

This is where Gia Lai becomes more than a single course on a map. The province is one of Vietnam’s largest coffee producing regions, and the red basalt soil that grows robusta beans is visible across the plateau. Visiting a coffee plantation and tasting locally roasted coffee is a practical half-day activity that pairs naturally with a morning round of golf.

Bien Ho (T’nung Lake or Sea Lake) is a volcanic crater lake about 7 kilometres north of Pleiku. It sits at roughly 800 metres elevation, surrounded by pine forest, and is one of the most recognizable natural landmarks in the Central Highlands. The Glar pink grass hills in Dak Doa, near the FLC golf development, turn shades of pink and purple from late October through December, drawing photographers and domestic tourists. Outside that narrow window, the hills are green and quiet.

The Jarai and Bahnar ethnic minority communities in Gia Lai have distinct architecture (notably the tall communal rong houses), weaving traditions, and gong music that has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. Villages near Pleiku are accessible for half-day visits.

Book tee times in Gia Lai

Booking tee times in Gia Lai is best handled together with accommodation and transfers, especially for international travelers arriving through Pleiku airport. Because this is a single-facility destination in a province that sees relatively few international tourists, advance booking is recommended to confirm availability and coordinate logistics.

When booking, confirm:

• Your preferred date and tee time
• Morning versus afternoon preference
• Whether you need club rental
• Cart and caddie arrangements
• Airport transfers from Pleiku
• Whether your trip continues to Quy Nhon, Da Lat, or Ho Chi Minh City
• Non-golf excursions (Bien Ho, coffee plantation, Glar hills)

Morning tee times are the safer choice year-round, particularly during the wet season from June to September. If you are combining Gia Lai with a drive to Quy Nhon, schedule the golf first and the road transfer afterward, so you are not arriving tired from a long drive on the day of your round. The road between Pleiku and Quy Nhon crosses the An Khe Pass, which is scenic but not fast, so allow a full three hours and enjoy the landscape rather than rushing.