The great thing about golf (at least when you are playing well) is that it leaves you craving more. Visitors tackling either of the Brian Curley-designed tests — Lake and Palm — at Chhun On Golf Resort just outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, can take advantage of a spectacular extra helping in the shape of the club’s bonus hole.
Accessible only by boat, the short 19th features a tee shot over a lake full of koi to an island green fashioned like a map of Cambodia. It is an undoubted highlight of the experience at Chhun On. But visitors needn’t hit a nation-shaped putting surface to divine a sense of place while golfing in Cambodia.
“Cambodia is a beautiful and unique destination for golfers,” says Win Zaw, Cambodia general manager at leading golf tour operator Golfasian. “Cambodians are warm, friendly, and show care for guests, even more than many neighbouring countries.”
Cambodia certainly packs a lot in for a small nation. Few are unaware of the temples at Angkor near Siem Reap, and Phnom Penh has matured into one of Asia’s most happening cities, with a restaurant and entertainment scene to rival more established regional hubs.
Other draws, meanwhile, include the country’s south coast, which offers everything from alluring towns such as Kampot and Kep to paradise hideaways like Song Saa Private Island and Six Senses Krabey Island.
Although its highlights are many and varied, the kingdom has managed to stay under the radar as a golf destination. With several world-class layouts now in place, the nation has enough to sate the appetite of even the most exacting golf traveller.
