Golf in Punta Mita & Nayarit.

Updated May 2026

Riviera Nayarit holds five championship golf courses within a 75-kilometer corridor north of Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) — anchored by the private Punta Mita peninsula and extending to Mandarina and Siari. Designs by Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tom Fazio. Green fees run $150 to $395 per round. Four of the five courses require a room key or membership. This guide covers all five, what each costs, and exactly how to get on.

Field photography · Punta Mita

Punta Mita

At a glance

Everything you need to know before you book.

Courses

5 active (3 resort · 1 public · 1 private community)

Designers

Jack Nicklaus · Greg Norman · Tom Fazio

Green fees

$150 – $395 USD per round

Best months

November – May

Avoid

August – October (rain + hurricane window)

Airport

Puerto Vallarta International (PVR)

Languages

English & Spanish

Caddie

Included at Four Seasons · available at all others

USD

Accepted everywhere on the corridor

The corridor

Riviera Nayarit golf — anchored by Punta Mita.

Punta Mita is a luxury destination on the Riviera Nayarit coastline that happens to have world-class golf. Four Seasons, St. Regis, One&Only, Rosewood, and Ritz-Carlton Reserve built here for the coastline, not the courses — and that sequence defines everything from the caddie program to the quality of the greens.

Punta Mita anchors the corridor. The 1,500-acre private peninsula 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) holds two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses — Pacifico and Bahia — both restricted to Four Seasons and St. Regis guests, villa renters, and property owners. Pacifico features an optional island green — the Tail of the Whale (hole 3B) — reachable by boat at low tide only. It is the only natural island green in golf and the single most photographed hole in Mexico.

Beyond the Punta Mita gate, the Riviera Nayarit opens up. Higuera Golf Club — 10 minutes south, Greg Norman 2010 — is the only course in the corridor that takes public bookings without resort affiliation. Mandarina Golf Club, a new Greg Norman short course of nine par-3s plus one challenge hole, opened in 2025 at One&Only Mandarina and Rosewood Mandarina (30 minutes north of the gate). Nauka Golf Club — Tom Fazio, 920-acre private community 75 minutes north alongside Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve — opened the same year. By 2027 Montage and Pendry will add two more Nicklaus designs inside the Punta Mita peninsula. The density of brand investment in this corridor is not found elsewhere in Mexican golf.

Courses today

By 2027 (Montage + Pendry)

45 min

PVR → Punta Mita gate

75 km

Corridor reach

From GIM

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The courses

Five courses every one worth your round.

From Nicklaus to Fazio — the complete field guide to golf in Punta Mita and the upper Riviera Nayarit corridor.

GIM VerifiedCourses we have played, walked, and verified ourselves.

Riviera Nayarit Field Photography

Pacifico Course

Jack Nicklaus · Par 72 · 7,014 yards · 1999

380 acres of peninsula. Eight holes on the Pacific. The course features an optional island green — the Tail of the Whale (hole 3B) — reachable by boat at low tide only. It is the only natural island green in golf. Ask the pro shop the night before for the tide window. If your tee time falls inside it, go. If not, play 3A. The round holds either way. Caddie included from the shuttle to the final putt. Resort access only — Four Seasons, St. Regis, private residences.

Standout3B — nothing else like it in golf.

AccessResort

Fee$345 – $395

Difficulty4/5

Best forThe Tail of the Whale · ocean holes

Riviera Nayarit Field Photography

Bahia Course

Jack Nicklaus · Par 72 · 2005

Same peninsula. Caddie included. More forgiving off the tee. Bahia moves through tropical jungle before finding the ocean on the closing holes. The last shot of the round is a forced carry over water — the only ocean-carry par 5 in Mexico. You make the decision before you take the club back. Resort access only — Four Seasons, St. Regis, private residences.

Standout#18 — commit or lay up. The round ends with a choice.

AccessResort

Fee$325 – $375

Difficulty3/5

Best forOcean-carry par 5 finish

Riviera Nayarit Field Photography

Mandarina Golf Club

Greg Norman · 9 par 3s + 1 challenge hole

Not a full 18. Nine par 3s, each with a name and a concept: The Redan, The Devil's Hole, The Queen, The Theater, The Bell. Plus one challenge hole — The Kraken — a near-island green with a pot bunker as the only escape. Norman: "El campo de Mandarina no tendrá parangón." ("Mandarina will have no equal.") Fee includes two rounds of 10 holes, cart with GPS, unlimited practice, and all food and beverages. No membership required. Transportation to the property needed from outside the Mandarina community.

StandoutThe Theater — Norman described it as one of the best medium-distance par 3s in the world.

AccessPublic

Fee$250 – $280

Difficulty3/5

Best forShort-course concept · no key needed

Honorable MentionsWorth knowing — pending GIM verification. Want to play one? Let us coordinate.

Higuera Golf Club

Greg Norman · Par 72 · 7,022 yards · 2010

The only course in this corridor bookable without a room key. 18 holes between virgin jungle and Pacific beach. 7 links-style holes along the coast, 8 through jungle, 2 signature holes directly on the beach. The #8 green is surrounded by water on three sides. Two snack bars on the course. Open 7:30am to 3:00pm. The honest entry point to the Punta Mita golf region. Direct booking at higueragolfclub.com.

Standout#8 — peninsula green, water on three sides.

AccessPublic

Fee$150 – $285

Difficulty3/5

Best forOnly publicly bookable · best value

Nauka Golf Club

Tom Fazio · 18 + 9-hole short course · 2025

920 acres. 400 memberships. One Tom Fazio course. Set against tropical jungle overlooking the Pacific. Undulating greens, challenging elevations, natural bunkering. A 9-hole short course runs alongside the championship layout for members of all levels. The community: 197-foot infinity pool, fresh seafood, firepits, a tequila room, a marina and yacht club, a wellness village, a beach racquet club. Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve: 91 suites, 34 residences, five restaurants. No public access. No day-pass.

StandoutFour ecosystems in 18 holes — jungle, cliff, mangrove, beach. No two consecutive holes share a view.

AccessPrivate

FeeMembers only

Difficulty4/5

Best forUltimate exclusivity · 2025 opening

Public — book directly Resort — room key required Private — invitation onlyDifficulty: 1 Beginner → 5 Tournament · GIM editorial rating

The math

Here is exactly what you will spend.

In this corridor, the hotel is the main cost — not the golf. A night at Siari Ritz-Carlton Reserve or One&Only Mandarina costs more than three rounds of combined green fees. Choose the hotel first. Add the courses second.

Cost Element	Low	High	Notes
Flights (commercial)	$280	$520	LAX · DFW · IAH · ORD · SFO direct
Accommodation (4 nights)	$2,200	$6,000	Four Seasons / One&Only / Nauka
Green fees (3 rounds)	$825	$1,185	Higuera + Pacifico + Mandarina
Caddie tips	$120	$180	$40–$60/bag standard
Club rentals (optional)	$0	$150	TaylorMade at peninsula pro shops
Ground transport	$120	$280	PVR transfers + corridor
Food & beverage	$450	$1,200	Resort dining standard
Total all-in (per person)	$3,995	$9,515	Peak season · 4 nights · 3 rounds

💡 The hospitality argument

Every destination has green fees. Not every destination conditions its greens to the standard of the spa next door. In this corridor, the courses were built for the guests of the hotels next door — not for volume, not for walk-ins. That changes pace of play, caddie quality, halfway house food, and greens condition on a Tuesday in March. These are not details. They are the experience.

🐳 The Tail of the Whale

The 3B optional on Pacifico is playable at low tide only. Call the pro shop the night before. Tide window confirmed — go. No window — play 3A. The round holds either way.

On the ground

Getting there and through the gate.

Airport + arrivals

Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) — direct from Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, Seattle, and Toronto. Customs 30–45 min. Private operators handle G-IV and below.

Getting to the gate

PVR → Punta Mita gate: 45 minutes via coastal road. PVR → Mandarina: 55 minutes north. PVR → Nauka: 75 minutes north along the coast. Resort transfers standard inside each community. Uber reaches the Punta Mita exterior — cannot enter the gate.

Between courses

Pacifico ↔ Bahia: 5 minutes by cart inside the peninsula. Higuera: 10 minutes north of the gate. Mandarina: 40 minutes north of Punta Mita on the coastal road. Nauka: 75 minutes from Punta Mita — plan as a separate day.

Currency + tips

USD accepted throughout the corridor. Caddie tips: $40–$60 per round standard. Four Seasons includes caddies — acknowledge the service. Bring resort confirmation for gate entry; offline copy advisable.

The calendar

When to play.

Peak Season

Dec – Mar · 70–85°F · Very High · $$$

Whale season and golf season are the same. Humpback whales enter Banderas Bay November through March — visible from Pacifico, Higuera, and Mandarina fairways. Pacifico tee times fill 6–9 months in advance. Book room and rounds together. Never separately.

Shoulder Season

Apr – May · 75–88°F · Moderate · $$

April is the most underrated month in the Punta Mita corridor. Near-peak conditions. Demand 25–35% below spring break. Rooms 20–30% off peak. Jungle fully green. Best pace of play. May begins to warm but the value holds.

Rain / Hurricane

Jun – Oct · 80–94°F · Low · $

Afternoon storms. Mornings still playable — particularly Higuera, protected by jungle canopy. Late October: the season opens as the hurricane window closes. Best off-season rates of the year.

Frequently Asked

Your questions, answered.

Two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses inside the private enclave (Pacifico and Bahia), one public Greg Norman layout 20 minutes south (Higuera Golf Club), one new public Greg Norman short course 30 minutes north (Mandarina Golf Club, opened 2025), and Nauka Golf Club (Tom Fazio, exclusive to Siari Ritz-Carlton Reserve guests).

Not at Pacifico or Bahia. Both are restricted to Four Seasons and St. Regis resort guests, Punta Mita villa renters, and property owners. Higuera Golf Club and Mandarina Golf Club accept public bookings with no resort affiliation required.

Pacifico and Bahia run $300–$380 USD all-in after service charges and tax. Higuera Golf Club is $150–$285 USD rack rate, with packages available around $180 per round. Mandarina requires contacting the resort directly for current rates.

Hole 3B on Pacifico — the world's only natural island green, reachable by a submerged stone path at low tide. At 194 yards over open Pacific with ocean wind, it is one of the most photographed and memorable par-3s in golf. Only playable at low tide. Confirm tidal conditions before your round.

November through May. Temperatures hold at 75–85°F with dry, clear skies. Humpback whale migrations run December through April — visible from several holes on Pacifico and Bahia. Avoid August through October.

28 miles — approximately 45 minutes in normal traffic, up to 90 minutes during peak periods. Pre-arranged private transfers are required. Uber cannot enter the Punta Mita gated enclave. The gate requires a confirmed resort reservation.

Yes — by every objective measure. Punta Mita holds two of the four Jack Nicklaus Signature courses in the entire Riviera Nayarit corridor, anchors the only stretch with Four Seasons, St. Regis, and (by 2027) Montage and Pendry brands operating in tandem, and is the closest premier golf destination to Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) at 45 minutes. Mandarina and Nauka extend the corridor to the north for variety, but Punta Mita is where the density of championship golf, hotel access, and infrastructure concentrates. For first-time visitors planning a Riviera Nayarit golf trip, Punta Mita is the right anchor.

No. Puerto Vallarta is a city. Punta Mita is a private 1,500-acre peninsula 45 minutes north on Banderas Bay. Staying in Puerto Vallarta and driving to Pacifico or Bahia is not possible — the gated enclave requires a confirmed stay at the Four Seasons or St. Regis.

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Sources & notes

· Pacifico Golf Course — Punta Mita pro shop and resort archives
· Greg Norman Golf Course Design — Mandarina Golf Club design notes
· Nauka Golf Club — Tom Fazio design archive, 2025 opening records
· Higuera Golf Club — direct booking and rate card (2026)
· Banco de México — peso/USD exchange data (May 2026)

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Cabo, Cancun, Vallarta, Punta Mita, CDMX, and the hidden routings — the rest of the country in one editorial directory.

Golf in Punta Mita & Nayarit.

Everything you need to know before you book.

Riviera Nayarit golf — anchored by Punta Mita.

Stay in the loop on Punta Mita golf.

Five courses every one worth your round.

Pacifico Course

Bahia Course

Mandarina Golf Club

Higuera Golf Club

Nauka Golf Club

Here is exactly what you will spend.

Getting there and through the gate.

Airport + arrivals

Getting to the gate

Between courses

Currency + tips

When to play.

Your questions, answered.

Stay in the loop on Punta Mita golf.

Sources & notes

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