El Camaleon Mayakoba
Greg Norman's 2006 design through mangrove, jungle and the Caribbean shore was the first course in Mexico to host the PGA Tour. El Camaleon, the chameleon, changes character hole by hole, from limestone canals to a fairway split by an ancient cenote, and finishes along the sea on the Riviera Maya.
Photo: El Camaleon Golf Course at Mayakoba via Google.
The verdict
El Camaleon was the course that put Mexican golf on the world map, the first on the mainland to host a PGA Tour event when the Mayakoba Golf Classic arrived in 2007. Greg Norman routed it through three distinct landscapes inside the Mayakoba resort, tropical jungle, dense mangrove and the white sand edge of the Caribbean, and the course earns its name, the chameleon, by shifting character from one hole to the next. At a par of 72 and a little over 7,000 yards it is generous off the tee and exacting around its greens.
What lingers is the setting and the quirks Norman left in. A vast natural cenote, a limestone sinkhole opening to underground water, splits one fairway, canals thread the property like a Yucatan Venice, and the closing stretch runs out toward the sea. It is a resort course of genuine pedigree, polished and immaculately kept, and for the travelling golfer it is the obvious centerpiece of any Riviera Maya trip.
El Camaleon Mayakoba at a glance
- Founded
- 2006
- Designer
- Greg Norman
- Type
- Tropical resort
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,039 yds
- Green fee
- Around $259
The 2006 opening, the Greg Norman design, par 72 and a length of about 7,039 yards verified June 2026 from the resort and course databases. El Camaleon hosted the PGA Tour from 2007. The green fee is indicative for resort guests in 2026 and varies by season and tee time; always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
El Camaleon opens in the jungle, wide corridors of fairway framed by dense tropical forest, before the land changes beneath your feet. The most talked about hole carries over a giant natural cenote, a limestone cavern open to the sky that swallows the second shot of anyone too bold, a feature no architect could have invented and Norman simply built the hole around.
Through the middle the course threads the mangroves, with the resort's network of limestone canals in play and the wildlife, iguanas, herons and the occasional crocodile sunning on a bank, a constant reminder that this is the Yucatan. The greens are subtle and quick, and with the trade wind off the Caribbean swirling through the trees, club selection is rarely as simple as the yardage suggests.
The finish delivers the sea. The closing holes break out of the jungle to run along the white sand shore, the Caribbean glittering to one side and the wind suddenly free, a dramatic and photogenic close to a round that has shown you three landscapes in eighteen holes. Played in the morning light, with the water turning turquoise, it is among the most memorable finishes in the Caribbean basin.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course at Mayakoba, open to the public with priority and the best rates for guests of the Mayakoba hotels |
| Green fee | Indicative around 259 US dollars in 2026 for resort guests, with twilight and seasonal rates lower and high season higher |
| Booking | Book online or through the Mayakoba hotels, ideally as part of a stay; winter high season fills fastest |
| On the day | Carts standard with GPS, caddies available, a relaxed resort dress code and an excellent practice facility |
| Getting there | Inside the Mayakoba resort near Playa del Carmen, about forty five minutes south of Cancun airport |
| Best months | November to April for the driest, coolest weather; summer is hot and humid with afternoon storms |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is Mayakoba itself, the gated resort the course runs through, home to a cluster of luxury hotels set among the canals and the beach, so a stay and play here puts the first tee and the Caribbean a few minutes apart. Guests get the best tee times and rates on El Camaleon.
Beyond the gates, Playa del Carmen offers a livelier town of restaurants and beach clubs a short drive north, while the wider Riviera Maya stretches down to Tulum with cenotes, ruins and reef diving between rounds. Cancun and its airport sit forty five minutes up the coast for easy access.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts nearby.
Play El Camaleon and the Riviera Maya
We build Riviera Maya golf trips around El Camaleon and the resorts of Mayakoba, secure the tee times that fill fastest in the winter season and sort a beachfront base with the transfers from Cancun. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
El Camaleon Mayakoba questions
Who designed El Camaleon at Mayakoba?
El Camaleon was designed by the Australian Greg Norman and opened in 2006. He routed it through three landscapes inside the Mayakoba resort, jungle, mangrove and Caribbean shore, and built one hole around a natural cenote, giving the course its name, the chameleon.
What is the par and length of El Camaleon?
El Camaleon is a par 72 of about 7,039 yards from the championship tees. It is generous off the tee but demands precise approaches and a deft short game around quick, subtle greens, with the Caribbean wind a constant factor.
Did El Camaleon host the PGA Tour?
Yes. El Camaleon was the first course in mainland Mexico to host a PGA Tour event, beginning with the Mayakoba Golf Classic in 2007, and it remained a Tour venue for many years before the event evolved and relocated.
How much does it cost to play El Camaleon?
El Camaleon prices dynamically, with indicative rates broadly around 259 US dollars for resort guests in 2026 and twilight and low season rates lower. Fees change by season and tee time, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Where is El Camaleon and what is nearby?
El Camaleon sits inside the Mayakoba resort near Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya, about forty five minutes south of Cancun airport. It pairs naturally with the beaches, cenotes and ruins of the Riviera Maya down to Tulum.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.