Los Cabos vs Riviera Maya for Golf
Mexico's two great golf coasts, on opposite sides of the country and opposite ends of the mood. Los Cabos is desert drama, where Nicklaus and friends draped courses over cliffs above the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez. Riviera Maya is jungle and cenotes, where a PGA Tour links and a cluster of resort courses sit behind Caribbean beaches and all inclusive comfort. Here is the head to head, verdict first.
Photograph: Cabo del Sol, ___C___, via Google
The verdict
For pure golf, Los Cabos wins, and it is not especially close. The combination of Quivira's clifftop Nicklaus holes, the dunes of Davis Love III's Diamante and a run of oceanfront Nicklaus designs gives Cabo a density of jaw dropping golf that few resort destinations on earth can match. If the trip is fundamentally about the courses, fly to San Jose del Cabo.
Riviera Maya is the better all rounder. Greg Norman's El Camaleon at Mayakoba has hosted the PGA Tour since 2007 and anchors a cluster of jungle courses threaded with cenotes, all sitting behind all inclusive beach resorts on the warm Caribbean. It is easier on the wallet, far better for families and non golfers, and the swimming is in bath warm sea rather than a cool Pacific. Pick Cabo for the most spectacular golf, Riviera Maya for golf wrapped inside a broader beach holiday.
Head to head
| Los Cabos | Riviera Maya | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature courses | Quivira (Jack Nicklaus), Diamante Dunes (Davis Love III), El Dorado and Cove Club (Nicklaus), Cabo Real, Querencia | El Camaleon at Mayakoba (Greg Norman), PGA Riviera Maya (Robert Trent Jones Jr), Moon Palace (Nicklaus), Playa Mujeres (Norman) |
| Setting | Desert meeting the Pacific and Sea of Cortez; cliffs, dunes and big elevation | Tropical jungle, mangroves and cenotes behind Caribbean beaches; flatter, lush |
| Tournament pedigree | Strong design names but no regular Tour event | El Camaleon hosted the first PGA Tour event in Latin America in 2007 and has been a Tour stop since |
| Green fees, flagship | Indicative 2026 roughly US$250 to US$500 plus at the marquee resort courses; among the dearest in the Americas | Indicative 2026 roughly US$150 to US$300 at the marquee courses; better value overall |
| Best season | November to May, dry and warm; summer is hot but playable | December to April, dry and cooler; avoid the June to October hurricane window |
| Getting there | Fly to Los Cabos (SJD); courses spread along the corridor from the airport to Cabo San Lucas | Fly to Cancun (CUN); courses spread south along the coast to Playa del Carmen and Tulum |
| Beyond golf | Lively nightlife in Cabo San Lucas, sportfishing, whale watching; less suited to young families | All inclusive resorts, cenote swimming, Mayan ruins and warm Caribbean beaches; strong for families |
| Who it suits | Serious golfers and groups chasing spectacular, bucket list golf | Golfers travelling with family or non golfers, value seekers, beach and resort lovers |
Course designers verified June 2026; indicative fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Los Cabos if
The golf is the whole point. You want clifftop Nicklaus holes above the Pacific, the dunes of Diamante and a corridor packed with dramatic, big budget design, and you do not mind paying premium green fees for it. A buddies trip, a milestone celebration or a serious golfer's escape with lively evenings in Cabo San Lucas all point here.
Pick Riviera Maya if
You want excellent golf without the trip revolving around it. You are travelling with family or non golfers, you like the ease and value of all inclusive resorts, and you want warm Caribbean swimming, cenotes and Mayan ruins between rounds. El Camaleon gives you a genuine PGA Tour course, and the wider cluster keeps everyone happy.
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Los Cabos vs Riviera Maya questions
Is Los Cabos or Riviera Maya better for golf?
Los Cabos has the more spectacular golf, with desert meeting the Pacific and Sea of Cortez across Quivira, Diamante and a run of Jack Nicklaus designs, and it is the better pure golf trip. Riviera Maya wins on value and ease, pairing Greg Norman's PGA Tour host El Camaleon at Mayakoba and a cluster of jungle courses with all inclusive beach resorts and Caribbean swimming. Choose Cabo for dramatic golf, Riviera Maya for golf plus a family or all inclusive holiday.
Which is cheaper, Los Cabos or Riviera Maya golf?
Riviera Maya is generally better value, helped by all inclusive resorts and slightly lower marquee green fees, though El Camaleon is premium. Los Cabos carries some of the highest resort green fees in the Americas at its signature courses. Both are indicative 2026 figures that move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Los Cabos or Riviera Maya?
November to May is the dry, comfortable window for both. Los Cabos is desert dry and warm through winter and spring. Riviera Maya is humid and faces an Atlantic hurricane risk from roughly June to October, so the cooler, drier months of December to April are the safe choice for a golf trip.
Can you play a PGA Tour course in either?
Yes, in Riviera Maya. El Camaleon at Mayakoba, a Greg Norman design, hosted the first PGA Tour event in Latin America in 2007 and remains a regular Tour stop, and it welcomes resort guests and visitors. Los Cabos has elite design names but no regular Tour event.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.