Tee off in the tropics alongside palm-fringed beaches and the ocean at these dazzling golf courses in Hawaii, Thailand, Indonesia, Fiji and Mexico.
Kapalua Plantation Course – Hawaii
Kapalua Resort is nestled in one of Hawaii’s largest nature preserves on the island of Maui, and features two 18-hole golf courses, white sandy beaches and award-winning accommodations. There are the Kapalua Villas located throughout the resort, the five-star Ritz-Carlton Maui, and Montage Kapalua Bay, a collection of ocean-view rooms overlooking the bay.
The resort’s iconic Coore and Crenshaw-designed Plantation Course is a links-style layout built upon a former pineapple plantation, bordered by beaches and the West Maui Mountains. The Sentry Tournament of Champions on the PGA Tour is played here each January. Golf doesn’t get more beautiful than this. The Bay Course is also a beautiful layout, played through towering palms and hibiscus. It has hosted multiple PGA and LPGA Tour events and is famous for having the only hole to play over the Pacific Ocean in Maui.
Laguna Golf Phuket – Thailand
Laguna Phuket is located on a 3km stretch of pristine beach by the Andaman Sea, just a 25-minute drive from Phuket International Airport. It’s a resort complex made up of six world-class hotels with premium facilities including luxury spas and exceptional dining options. It’s also home to an award-winning 18-hole golf course.
Laguna Golf Phuket is a stunning par-71 layout set within the Laguna Phuket Resort. It’s in a beautiful location blessed with pleasant breezes from the Andaman Sea and several scenic lagoons. The front nine has some tight driving holes that are lined with lush tropical foliage, while the back nine is carved out of coconut groves.
Bali National Golf Club – Indonesia
Bali National Golf Club is only 20 minutes from Ngurah Rai Airport in the south of Bali. It’s a picturesque 18-hole course located in the middle of the Nusa Dua tourism complex which sits alongside three miles of white sandy beaches. The opening nine holes are tested and played along tropical ravines with views of Mount Agung and the Indian Ocean. The back nine features contoured fairways fringed with palms with the ocean lapping either side of the 17th fairway giving way to a large pond by the clubhouse on the 18th.
The Bali National Golf Villas are located within the complex and provide luxurious accommodation overlooking the final holes. Each villa can accommodate up to six guests, with a private beach and a swimming pool for the ultimate tropical golf getaway.
Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course – Fiji
Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, on Fiji’s Coral Coast, is blessed with lush tropical landscapes and beachfront greens with views of coral reefs and the rolling surf breaks of the Pacific Ocean. It’s a par 72 championship golf course with five tee positions on each hole, providing an enjoyable challenge for players of all skill levels. Opened in 2009, Fijian former world number one Vijay Singh has since made a few improvements and it’s now the regular host of the Fiji Open.
The golf club has partnered with several world-class resorts including the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay, Yatule Beach Resort & Spa and Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa.
Punta Mita Pacifico Course – Mexico
The Punta Mita Pacifico Course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and sits alongside the Punta Mita Bahia Course, also designed by the Golden Bear. Both are part of the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, set on the private peninsula of Banderas Bay on Mexico‘s Pacific coast. This five-star resort features over 170 luxurious rooms, a spa, three swimming pools, tennis courts, two private beaches and four restaurants.
Bahia features panoramic views of the bay and Punta Mita’s famed El Faro surf spot, as well as stunning lakes and water features. Plan ahead to play the famed ‘Tail of the Whale’, the world’s only natural island green that has to be played at low tide. Pacifico offers incredible views across the Sierra Madre Mountains, the bay and the Pacific for a perfect tropical golf experience.
