Overview
El Camaleón sits inside the ultra-luxury Mayakoba resort, about an hour North of Tulum and an hour South of Cancún. Greg Norman’s layout snakes through jungle, limestone canals and selfie-perfect ocean holes. With five sets of tees stretching to 7,116 yards (par 72, Slope 137, Rating 74.2), the course happily hosts everything from casual resort loops to LIV Golf and LPGA competitions.
My favorite course. The mix of jungle and beach—a beautiful place to play golf.
Sarah Williams, Co-Founder and Average Golfer
The Vibe & Setting
As you pull off the highway, and pass through security, everything starts to feel and smell of quality and affluence. You will be greeted at the clubhouse. Your green fee includes transport from luxury hotels, valet parking and best in class hospitality.
You arrive at a spectacular Mayan inspired clubhouse that overlooks the 18th green. The bar and restaurant are honestly one of my favorites—a beautiful building and setting. Drinks and food are pricey but high quality food.
The pro shop stocks some of the best golf gear with beautiful apparel from high-end brands like G/FORE and Malbon.
As you walkthrough the locker room, you will notice all of your favorite LIV Golf players lockers which is super inspiring touch to the experience.
After checking in, you will find your golf clubs magically loaded onto your golf cart, as you head over to the driving range and practice area.
Course Layout & Design
Designed by Greg Norman, El Camaleón reflects many of his design signatures: reward strategic angle play, penal misses, and a strong preference for letting the natural environment dictate the shape of the hole.
The front nine plays tighter and more technical, winding through dense jungle and mangroves with forced layups, narrow tee shots, and positional holes that reward smart club selection over distance.
The back nine opens up to the ocean which introduces more wind and water — with exposed fairways, and the signature oceanfront 15th hole.
Course Conditions
In short, they really take care of this course. Shoutout to the grounds crew — you can feel the pride in every perfectly edged bunker and glassy green. These guys bring world-class care to every detail, and it shows.
The practice facilities are just as dialed: a huge range with pyramids of unlimited quality practice balls, a large short game area, and a beautiful putting green.
It’s no surprise LIV and the LPGA teed it up here — it’s a PGA tour-quality setup from start to finish.
Difficultly
Like most jungle golf courses in Mexico, it’s very easy to lose a ball to the jungle and accrue a penalty.
El Camaleón is a relatively short course, so use the smaller club. If the LPGA field went long iron off numerous tees, you probably should too.
Karsten Rowe, Co-Founder and Average Golfer
Yes, many LPGA pros struggled at El Camaleón during the 2025 Mexico Riviera Maya Open, but it was more due to the intense heat and humidity than the course’s technical difficulty or length. Another factor is the unpredictable wind on the oceanfront holes, which can shift suddenly and catch you off guard.
Signature Hole
15th hole. This short par 3 is arguably the most photogenic hole you will ever play, with the green perched just steps from the Caribbean Sea. The prevailing wind off the ocean can make club selection tricky, especially with a shallow green and little margin for error long or right. A well-struck short iron here is as satisfying as it gets.
Staff and Practice Facilities
The staff at El Camaleón strike an ideal balance — welcoming without being overbearing, professional but never stiff. From the moment you pull up, someone is there to handle your clubs and guide you through check-in, offering cold water or a friendly tip about today’s conditions. The valet service is complimentary, and GPS-equipped carts are loaded and ready to go, stocked with tees, towels, and cooler.
The practice facilities are some of the best in the region. The driving range is spacious, with pyramids of fresh balls and well-marked targets. Turf is rotated often, so it’s rare to find a worn-out bay.
Next to the range, there’s a short-game area with bunker, and a large undulating green — perfect for getting a feel for the paspalum turf and tight lies you’ll encounter on course. The putting green, located just steps from the club house, mirrors course speed and grain, which is especially important here where subtle breaks can make or break a round.
The practice facilities are solid, with both grass and mat driving range bays, hight quality balls and tees which you get free with your green fees. There’s a large short game area with a bunker and chipping green to warm up properly. The putting green mirrors the speed and feel of the course, which is always a good sign.
There’s a casual sense of hospitality throughout — the the staff are attentive and deliver on many aspects from pace of play and service without making you feel rushed which is hard thing to balance so you can truly soak in the beauty of the course.
Pricing & Booking
First thing first, playing at El Camaleón is expensive. A generally speaking its a course you will play for a special occasion, not your every day course with your buddies.
Booking a tee time is simple—you can book online, by email, WhatsApp or phone.
Standard morning green fee ~US $369, sliding to $299 after 10:30 AM and $270 twilight (after 12 PM).
If you are staying at the Mayakoba resort or a partner resort you can save a lot on your green fees. My advice would be if you are planning to play a few rounds of golf during your stay pick a hotel that offers these discounts.
High quality rental clubs are available for $80-$100 per round. Our golf club rentals start from $40 per round.
Final Thoughts
The manicured course, hospitality, and natural beauty—El Camaleón delivers on the wow factor.
For Sarah, this is her favorite course she’s played. And it’s easy to see why. It’s fair without being too forgiving, beautiful without being overdone, and just technical enough to keep your focus sharp. The ocean holes are memorable, and inland stretches have their own charm with beautiful mansions that line the canals and bike paths. Even as a non-golfer It’s a lovely place to spend the day at the clubhouse, watching groups finish up over a handcrafted cocktail and lunch.
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