Iberostar Playa Paraiso: Cancun, Mexico Course Review
Let’s face it, most of the Atlantic coastal
areas in the Southeast US and Mexico feature
relatively mundane terrain. That hardly makes
for unique golf courses, let alone exciting ones.
What a nice surprise then, that P.B. Dye
crafted quite an engaging layout at the
Iberostar Playa Paraiso in the greater Cancun
area. Refreshingly, the architect spiced up the
terrain just enough for it to stand apart.
Located about 45 minutes from Cancun, but
only 20 minutes to the Airport, this is the golf
centerpiece for the Iberostar Resort, but can
be played by outsiders as well. Dye moved a
great deal of dirt in this verdant, but flat
jungle area to create a visually exciting and
entertaining layout that is a must-play when
visiting the area.
I’ve played several other P.B. Dye layouts
and love some, but critics will say his abrupt
shaping is over the top with artificial vertical
mounding that looks completely foreign from
the surrounding terrain. At Playa Paraiso there
is some evidence of this such as the 18th hole,
but overall it is not severe and it fits. In fact,
while the 6,700+ yards are a suitable test for
any player (course is used for the PGA Tour
qualifier and boasts an impressive slope of 136
with a rating of 72.4.), it is also imminently
playable. I found the par-fives the most
entertaining and the par-three the most
attractive, but the strength and versatility of
Playa Paraiso is set by the two-shotters.
The par-fives are all reachable by long
hitters. The fifth is tight with the green
guarded by a tree directly in front of the
putting surface. The seventh is wide open until
you approach the putting surface and here is
where P.B.Dye has some fun with three
distinct levels that effectively make for three
separate putting surfaces. The little par-five
485-yard 14th looks more like a par-four, but
you had better thread the needle and resist
trying to cut the corner on this sharp dogleg
left. Finally, on the last hole P.B. Dye could
resist the urge to finally move mountains of
dirt. It’s a fun finisher, but its shaping is
exaggerated on this more unremarkable section
of the property.
The thing that I enjoyed about the par-
fours is that while there are really no bruising
holes length-wise, there are many good short
and medium holes that make you shape your
tee shots. Of course with the jungle, keeping it
on the short grass is essential.
Of particular note is that this golf course is
part of the Iberostar Hotel & Resort
Complex. When combined with the Iberostar
Grand Hotel Paraiso, I consider this the
best all-inclusive golf resort
offering anywhere. For more information on
why, refer to:
http://robertfagan.com/golf/golf/cour
ses-and-travel/8452/golfs-best-all-inclusive-
resort-iberostar-grand-hotel-paraiso-riviera-
maya-mexico