An Giang (VNA) - A day at the beach, time with the family or half a day on the golf course once felt like competing choices on the same holiday. Night golf is beginning to change that equation in Phu Quoc, allowing golfers to keep their daytime plans intact, tee off as the sun goes down and still enjoy the island’s nightlife after the final putt.
Across the global sporting landscape, night golf is steadily gaining ground. In the Republic of Korea, nearly half of the country’s golf courses were operating after dark as of May 2026. According to data from booking platform XGOLF, reservations for rounds in June 2026 starting after 4pm rose by 119% year on year.
In Dubai, meanwhile, floodlit rounds at the Faldo Course at Emirates Golf Club have long become part of the city’s luxury leisure scene.
The shift reflects a growing desire for greater flexibility. Tee times no longer have to compete with working hours, daytime sightseeing or family activities, but can instead extend the day’s itinerary into the evening.
In Phu Quoc, a resort destination where days are often filled with beach trips and family activities, night golf fits naturally into the rhythm of a holiday.
Golfers can spend the day with their families rather than setting aside several hours exclusively for a round. As evening approaches, they can head to the course in cooler temperatures and watch the landscape shift from sunset to floodlight.
One place offering the experience is Eschuri Vung Bau Golf. Alongside a lighting system designed for play after dark, the course also makes use of its forest-and-sea setting to create a round with markedly different moods.
Much of its appeal begins with the terrain itself. Designed by golf-course architect Steven McFarlane of IMG, Eschuri Vung Bau has been conceived as a journey from forest to sea.
From holes one to nine, golfers play through a landscape shaded by mature trees. These large canopies offer relief from the tropical heat while also acting as natural hazards that demand careful course management.
The character of the course changes on the back nine. From holes 10 to 18, the landscape gradually opens towards the Gulf of Thailand, with long stretches of natural sand and more exposed sea breezes coming into play.
With the right timing, golfers can reach the signature 14th hole as the sun is setting. Standing on a green overlooking the sea and lining up a putt as the sun drops towards the horizon can become one of the defining moments of the round.
The challenge continues immediately afterwards at the 15th, a risk-and-reward hole that forces players to choose between a safer route and a more ambitious shot in pursuit of an advantage.
One of the most common concerns about night golf is visibility. Reduced light can make it harder to read greens, judge distances and track the ball.
To address this, Eschuri Vung Bau Golf has become the first course in Vietnam to use Tackle Ball lighting technology.
Its high-powered LED system is carefully configured in terms of angle and intensity, combining illumination of the playing areas with upward-directed lighting to help golfers follow the ball in flight.
This makes it easier to track both trajectory and landing point after dark, helping to minimise interruptions during the round.
After the 18th hole, players can continue unwinding at the clubhouse.
Built around a “smart luxury” concept, the building combines contemporary architectural thinking with elements inspired by traditional Vietnamese design.
The lobby takes cues from the three-entrance gateway often seen in Vietnamese architecture, while the locker rooms and relaxation facilities provide a place to recover after several hours on the course.
Guests can soak in a Jacuzzi or unwind in the sauna before returning to the rest of their holiday.
Having the option to play later in the day also gives visitors more freedom to reserve other evenings for family time.
Sunset Town in southern Phu Quoc is one possibility, with its seafront streets and range of dining and entertainment options. Travellers might dine at Sun Bavaria GastroPub while watching Symphony of the Sea, or spend an evening at Kiss of the Sea, depending on performance schedules and their wider itinerary.
The appeal of night golf in Phu Quoc therefore lies in more than simply hitting shots under floodlights.
Its real advantage is the way it allows a personal passion to sit more easily alongside the rest of a holiday.
When a round of golf, time by the sea and evenings with family can all fit into the same itinerary, golfers have one more reason to bring their clubs to Phu Quoc./.
