Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta (Nayar)

Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta’s original 18-hole course (once known as the Nayar) weaves around seven lakes within an enormous coastal property and this Nicklaus Design layout has now been joined by a Greg Norman Signature course at the same resort.

The resort occupies a huge 2,500-acre property near to the Licenciado Gustavo Diaz International Airport, with a handful of hotels and dozens of pools, bars and restaurants stretching out along the sandy shores of Banderas Bay.

The original Nicklaus Design course at this 36-hole facility can be stretched to 6,668 yards from the back tees but length isn’t all that important here on a par 69 resort layout that features six par threes and only three par fives.

Notable holes include water-laden par threes at the 3rd and 15th, where the greens at both short holes sit on the edge of small lakes. The closing hole is also a one-shotter, played to a home green that’s protected front right by an enormous bunker.