Explore Baja California
South of La Paz, Baja California finally runs out of land where the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortés come together in spectacular fashion. After running parallel for over 1300 kilometres, the ocean and sea meet at the sister towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, known collectively as Los Cabos – easily the most exclusive parcel of land in Baja California. Undeniably beautiful and home to the lion’s share of the peninsula’s lavish resorts, golf courses and oft-photographed beaches, the area carries a hefty price tag. It is also one of the fastest-developing regions in Mexico, supporting a sizeable US expat population and hordes of timeshare owners.
But Los Cabos is just a tiny part of the cape. Many of its most remarkable areas still require a great deal of time and preparation to access, and many travellers rent cars to drive the loop created by three roads north of Cabo San Lucas: the fast Hwy-19 running straight up the Pacific coast through increasingly upmarket Todos Santos; the older Transpeninsular Highway route trailing north from San José del Cabo to La Paz; and the third, most exhausting route along the eastern Cape.
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Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas
The bay of Cabo San Lucas, at the southernmost tip of Baja, 73km from Todos, was once a base for pirate vessels waiting to pounce on Spanish treasure ships. Until the 1980s it was little more than a village occasionally visited by adventurous sports fishermen. Today it’s more like an enclave of the US than part of Mexico, with almost all aspects of civilization geared to tourism – millions of North Americans vacation here, many flying down from LA for the weekend or disgorging from a constant stream of cruise ships, and it’s a well-established Spring Break party town. Transactions are conducted in US currency, multi-million-dollar second homes occupy the best vantage points and everywhere is kept pristine. If you can handle the crowds and aggressive touts, spending a day or two here can still be fun, and the jagged cape which gave the town its name is still entrancing – if you’re looking to fish or dive, the allure will probably last a bit longer.
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San José del Cabo
San José del Cabo
San José del Cabo, 33km east of Cabo San Lucas, is the older and altogether more sedate of the two towns and a far more attractive place to spend time. Founded as a mission in 1730 by Jesuits, it was abandoned after the Pericú revolt in 1734. A mix of ex-pirates, lapsed missionaries and drop-out miners began to repopulate the town in the early nineteenth century and turned the area into an agricultural centre and small port. Although frequently referred to as colonial, modern San José, like Cabo, is a product of late nineteenth-century construction and planning. No traces remain of its first settlement, and none of the buildings dates further back than the late 1880s.
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The cape’s swimming beaches
The cape’s swimming beaches
As a general rule, Sea of Cortés beaches may be swimmable and Pacific beaches never are, but before you swim or surf anywhere in Los Cabos, ask a local and read any posted signs. Obey any signs warning you off wet sand and know that beaches which are safe one season may not be safe year-round – summer especially can be hazardous.
The good news is that every beach is free and open to the public, though getting to and from them can be a hassle without your own car. With the exception of Playa El Médano in Cabo San Lucas and Palmilla in San José, you can’t comfortably reach any of the beaches on foot unless you’re staying at one of the adjacent resorts. If you’ve got your own transport you can turn off Hwy-1 at any of the beaches and park in the sand; local buses (M$15–23) run up and down the highway every 20–30min between around 5am and 10pm daily (just flag them down). There are no toilets or lifeguards at the beaches and if you want shade, food or drink, bring your own.
Apart from Playa del Amor and La Playita, all distances are measured east from Cabo San Lucas towards San José del Cabo, 33km away.
Playa del Amor
Southeast of the Cabo marina. Los Cabos’s most-photographed site is well worth the boat trip across the bay, though even the “safe” side can be rough at times. Note that you’ll have to wade to shore from the boats, as there is no dock.
Playa Médano
Km 1. More a mall than a beach; you’ll be harassed by vendors, menaced by jet skis and squeezed for space by everyone else. The sands in front of the now-shuttered Hacienda Cabo San Lucas near the marina and the Pueblo Bonito Rosé at the other end are less crowded, but not as calm as the out-of-town beaches.
Barco Varado
Km 9. The remains of a Japanese trawler that sank in 1966 lie offshore here, making diving the main focus of this beach, though it’s also a popular surfing spot. Take the marked dirt access road off the highway; mind the rocks on your way down.
Bahía Santa María
Km 13. You can scuba and snorkel on rock reefs at both ends and go swimming at the protected beach in the middle. There’s a secure parking lot a 10min walk from the beach.
Bahía Chileno
Km 14.5. There’s a bus stop along Hwy-1, a toilet and a dive shop that rents watersports equipment (nothing with a motor, though), making Chileno one of the easiest beaches to get to and enjoy. Excellent for swimming, diving and snorkelling, or just relaxing along the well-packed sand – it’s also one of the few beaches with shady palm trees.
Playa Palmilla
Km 27. Good, safe 1.5km-long beach used by San José hotel residents needing escape from the strong riptide closer to home. Point and reef breaks when surf’s up. Access the beach by following signs to One & Only Palmilla and taking the only dirt-road cut-off to the left, about 2km from Hwy-1.
Costa Azul
Km 28. The region’s best surfing beach is known for the Zippers and La Roca breaks during the summer (look out for rocks at low tide). Swimming is possible during the late winter and early spring, but ask at Zippers beach restaurant before you dip in.
La Playita
2.5km east of San José via a dirt road. Excellent for fishing; swimming is also possible, but look out for the plentiful surfers. Ongoing development of Puerto Los Cabos (wwww.puertoloscabos.com) has changed the area significantly, but the beach is still open to the public.
