The Golf Experience of a Lifetime
In the heart of the Riviera Maya, inside the Mayakoba resort, El Camaleón is the course that put the Mexican Caribbean on the map of professional golf. Designed by Greg Norman, this 18-hole championship layout moves through three very different worlds: tropical jungle, mangroves threaded with freshwater canals, and finally the open beach with the Caribbean in full view. Every hole was routed to make the most of that setting, and the result is often described as one of the most prestigious courses in Latin America, a reputation that has done a great deal to establish Mayakoba as a luxury destination.
The name says it all. Like a chameleon, the course changes character as you move through it, and a round becomes a tour of some of the most striking terrain in the region. Its signature feature is a cenote sitting right in one of the fairways, a natural limestone sinkhole that recalls the area’s Maya heritage. Then there is the 15th, a short par 3 played straight toward the shoreline with the sea behind the green. It is the hole everyone remembers.
Golf has always rewarded strategy, precision and a feel for the land, and El Camaleón asks for all three. Five sets of tees on every hole keep it playable for beginners and low handicappers alike. Few courses in the region can match its tournament record: it hosted the Mayakoba Golf Classic, the first PGA TOUR event ever held in Mexico, for sixteen editions between 2007 and 2022, followed by LIV Golf Mayakoba in 2023 and 2024 and, since 2025, the LPGA Tour’s Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba.
Off the fairways, the amenities do their part. GPS-equipped carts take the guesswork out of yardages, and food and beverage service follows you around the course. The practice area includes a 350-yard driving range, a well-kept putting green and a dedicated short-game area.
El Camaleón is where the luxury, nature and sport that define Mayakoba come together. It respects the ecosystem it runs through, it has tested the best players in the world, and it still hands an ordinary visitor a round worth talking about for years. For many people, it is the round that defines a trip to the Mexican Caribbean.
