Playa El Medano - Cabo San Lucas

If you're coming to Cabo, the main drag, chances are this is the very beach you're going to be coming to. It's the main beach in Cabo and young people flock here from every corner of the globe. Cabo has become a Spring Break destination mainly because it's easy to get to from the United States, and because it is just so stunningly beautiful, like many of the people who come here to hang out. Remember that Playa El Medano isn't like your beach back home. So take care in keeping aware of your surroundings. Even the locals do.


El Medano means "The Dune" and is Cabo's main beach. What a wonderful beach just to relax in full view of the Land's End rock formations and Arch. And you can see Land's End from anywhere on the beach.

The beach stretches almost two miles so it's one of Cabo's longest beaches. This is the best swim- ming beach in Cabo San Lucas.

Plus, if you get hungry, no worries. Playa El Medano is packed with great restaurants and Mexican bars right on the beach. You can stroll a bit and check them out, then make a choice of where you want to eat. Our tip? Choose the one where all the people are gathered.

In addition to good eats, you'll find a diversity of water fun not found on any other Cabo beach. From beach volleyball to wave runners, kayaks to small catamarans - it's all here. You can rent a small sailboat and sail in the bay. Water ski boats will run you along the shore. And because of the gentle surf, you can rent a boogie board and spend the afternoon impressing your significant other.

If you want great snorkeling and diving, ask at any of the hotels for a trip to El Arco, the Arch, where you can catch some of Cabo's best marine life.

So Playa El Medano is definitely not the place to come to get away from it all... as it's all here. Happy Hour lasts most of the day - just find a bar on the beach. While you're sipping, you'll note El Medano is the best beach for people watching. Wow, look at the bodies. It's fun to see the many beach vendors show their wares along the strip and the tourists trying to bargain for a souvenir to take home.

But El Medano is a family beach as well. With more and more families coming to Cabo San Lucas, the area is adapting. Swimming areas are roped off along the beach. In other areas you'll find parasailing and windsurfing. Though not a family sport, take the gang down near the area and check out the fun! You'll have a front row seat on excitement.

To get to Playa El Medano, from the downtown area walk around the marina past Puerto Paraiso and Marina Fiesta all the way to the end - then hang a left at the channel entrance. You're here! Parking is scarce (especially during Spring Break, so if you're coming by car, prepare to walk at least a few blocks.)

Playa El Medano - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - medium to fine grain, rock/loam mix, golden.
• Facilities - throughout the entire beach.
• Shade - umbrellas abound.
• Sports - all water sports. Arrange on beach with local operators.
• Notes - this place packs out during Spring Break - even at night, when the bars get full. Best bet is to come during North American winter months.

There are a few choice beaches right down the Cabo "Tourist Corridor". Are they the best kept secret? Or best to stay away? Find out - Next! >>

Bahia Santa Maria - Cabo San Lucas

What most beaches lack in nature, Bahia Santa Maria shows how it's done. Rustic and magnificent, a stroke of wild paints this bay one of our favorites. Find a spot, but don't stay there. Hike from one end to the other and take the camera. Wildlife abounds more than you'll see at most beaches in Cabo and for good reason. This is area is protected, which means you can't take anything but pictures. Leave everything alone and the next visitor and the Mexican government will thank you. Again, the surf is to be respected here and tides can leave you in the muddy flats, so watch your time.


Shaped like a large horseshoe, Bahia Santa Maria - in all its beauty - was designated a Protected Marine Sanctuary by the Mexican Government. Still, you can put in with your snorkel gear in one place God seemingly designed for the family.

Gentle surf makes viewing gorgo- nians (sea fans) that have made the area along the rock walls their home. As you and your family simply float over the wonderment, dozens of beautifully color tropical fish and other marine life will accent this once in a lifetime outing. It's simply breathtaking.

And if you don't snorkel, don't fret. Bahia Santa Maria is one of the nicest swimming beaches as well. During the morning hours you'll find the surf right tolerable. From mid-afternoon on, swells kick up and can be a challenge, especially with small children. These aren't monster waves, just larger rolling waves that can wake you up if you're not watching for them.

Another way to see Bahia Santa Maria is by hiring a tour boat, or snorkel tour from Cabo San Lucas. As you make your way out, you'll pass by the points that make Cabo spectacular, such as the Arch and Land's End. Bring that camera!

But be advised, there is no shade here. You're open to the elements, so bring water and an umbrella if at all possible. Oh, and don't forget your snorkel gear. You can't rent it at the beach.

To get to Bahia Santa Maria, take the highway to Kilometer 13. It lies east of the Twin Dolphin Hotel - just follow the signs there. The beach is a three minute walk from the highway. You'll notice the path from the bus stop area - or if in doubt, follow the people heading to the ocean. They're all here to enjoy the same thing: Bahia Santa Maria in Cabo San Lucas!

Bahia Santa Maria - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand -golden, from rock and some coral. Medium to small grain, some silt.
• Facilities - none.
• Shade - none.
• Sports - bring your snorkel gear. Recommended spot.
• Notes - come early in the day to avoid the hot sun. Remember to use suntan lotion after you snorkel as it washes off.

Where did we find the whitest sand in Cabo San Lucas? Come take a peek - Next! >>

Bahia Chileno - Cabo San Lucas

This reminded us of Geriba beach in Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a long strip of compacted sand that seemed perfect to jog on at any time of day. A dog or two lets you know you're not in Florida. Bahia Chileno in Cabo is picturesque and inviting. A beach towel and a drink and we're set. There are plenty of vendors in the area to keep us here for a week. The sun is shinning clear through the blue skies of Cabo San Lucas. We've found another gem.

You won't need any inspiration to make this beach a must visit when in Cabo San Lucas. Understand that if you come all the way out to Mexico's Riviera without visiting the Bahia Chileno, well - you might as well say you didn't have time to make it to the beach.

Because this IS the beach - the one we think is the best in class for Cabo San Lucas. If rated by stars it would receive a grand "5 Stars" for "all-around" best. And here's why:

Bahia Chileno (Chilean) is perfectly situated midway in the "Tourist Corridor". Hands down the finest Los Cabos beach for swimming, diving, kayaking, and snorkeling above the best reef in these parts. The locals know it, too. Just ask and you'll be told what area of the beach is best for the sport you want to enjoy. We did.

We found the beach wide, and the surf fairly flat. Each morning you'll find joggers from the nearby resorts. Swimming is safe - as opposed to many of the beaches we've reported on in the Cabos area. One side on Bahia Chileno is sandy all the way out to the reef. The other crescent is sandy but full of rock formations along the bottom, making it ideal for snorkel and diving.

Underwater expect the best in colorful reef fish, sea turtles, squid, moray eels, sea urchins, those great gorgonians (sea fans), colorful sea sponges, and starfish. Look, but don't touch. Do take an underwater camera. This beauty you don't want to forget.

There was a dive shop on the beach, but the host hotel was sold in 2005 and a new dive shop has not opened. Make arrangements in Cabo San Lucas.

This beach is so easy to find. Bahia Chileno is close to the highway, around kilometer 14.5. There's a parking area with a bus stop. Walk from the parking lot toward the ocean - you can't miss this gem.

Bahia Chileno - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - golden to white. From coral/shell, some rock.
• Facilities - the only beach in the Cabo area with a bathroom. BYO-paper!
• Shade - palms throughout.
• Sports - don't depend on the snorkel/dive rental at the beach. Make arrangements in town.
• Notes - grand beach and area. Consider investing in a home here.

On our way to San Jose (beaches), with one that is known as the longest swimming beach. It's a converted fishing village that still launches some of Cabo's biggest sports fishermen - Next! >>

Bahia Palmilla - Cabo San Lucas

This beach, like others in Cabo, has resorts that are so close to the shore, you can hang in a hammock and sleep the afternoon listening to the waves meeting the shore, a gull crying overhead, and the gentle breeze as it passes through the palm fronds. Amazing how one beach, Bahia Palmilla, can take you from stress to relaxed in less than 10 minutes. So beautiful is Bahia Palmilla, that even more resorts are trying to nudge in the already full landscape. But no worries. This coastline has plenty for everyone.

Another crescent-shaped bay that invites you to spend some time relaxing and listening to the surf gently reach the shore as it's done for millennia. Who would have thought a tiny sleepy fishing village would become a tourist focal point?

Bahia Palmilla is that point and abundance surrounds it. From the grand Jack Nicklaus Ocean Nine golf course to the super exclusive One&Only; Hotel Palmilla. If you can't get it here - Cabo doesn't have it.

Known by the tourism operators as the "longest swimming beach", we found they meant that you can probably swim for longer along the shoreline than any other area beach. Remember, some of the Cabo San Lucas beaches are downright dangerous for swimming. But not Bahia Palmilla. It's splendid.

Palmilla is another one of those split crescents - in other words - there's a rock outcropping that juts into the ocean splitting a beach with sand out to a rocky/reef bottom, and a side that has simply sand as far as you can probably swim (or should).

Because of this, it's wonderful for snorkeling. Make sure you stay along the rocks as there is nothing to see in the sand, except...well, sand. And with the protected shoreline, this is the beach for families. Even the locals come here on the weekends with their own. Rent a kayak in town and paddle around the bay (bahia). The beach is very near the parking lot.

This is one beach that sports thatch covered beach huts for shade and yes, there are garbage cans. Cabo San Lucas cares about this environment. Don't search for a restroom because as snazzy as Bahia Palmilla is, there are no facilities. No rental facilities, either - so bring what you'd like to do from town (Cabo San Lucas).

Even though the beach is near the parking lot, it's a long hike from the highway - so your best bet is by car or taxi. Take the Palmilla exit around kilometer 27, then just follow the signs down to the beach. Look for the taxi stand in the circle drive fronting the hotel. That's the entrance to the beach.

Bahia Palmilla - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - medium/fine grain, coral/shell/rock. Golden.
• Facilities -none, but we found you could walk to the hotel, and...
• Shade - beach huts!
• Sports - bring all from town as there are no rentals at the beach. Swimming is delightful here.
• Notes - can get busy on the weekends and holidays, but not crowded. Recommended for families.

And now we leave Cabo San Lucas to visit the enchanting beaches of San Jose del Cabo - all along the Mexican Riveira - with their very own Côte d'Azur! - Next! >>

East Cape Beaches - Los Cabos

And now for something entirely different. For those who know life off the tourist trap path, the East Coast Beaches of Los Cabos were designed for you. Full of great amenities, but not as traveled as the beaches around Cabo San Lucas, the East Coast Beaches are a delight. In fact, the culture here is entirely different, as well as the local food, from what you will find in Cabo. The reason is the terrain. It is harder to get here and things are a little harder to get than in other Baja California regions. Come here to find the real Los Cabos. Leave a different person.

There are roughly 60 miles of shoreline and many beaches in what makes up the East Cape area of Los Cabos. From Los Frailes on the south to Bahia de Los Suenos on the north - this is virgin territory. Of course, since you're off the beaten path here, the beaches are empty. But don't be too surprised when you happen upon a little town with upscale homes.

Hotels here are few and far between. There are a few fishing villages as well. Sports fishing is a big deal here with over 850 species along the East Cape. It's by far one of the world's best fishing areas.

In the towns of Buena Vista and Los Barriles, you'll find Scuba, windsurfing, snorkeling, kiteboarding, kayaking... you get the idea. This is where the extreme crowd hangs out. And with good cause - the elements compliment everything you plan.

For nature lovers, this is the perfect getaway from Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo. Fauna abounds and thrives in the great balance between land and sea. Because there is little contact from humans, animals are less fearful. This is a camera person's paradise.

And speaking of sports, wonder where the best scuba diving is in the whole Los Cabos area? So did we - but we found it! Next >>

Punta Pescadero - Los Cabos

Just as they did decades ago, people flock to Baja California to fish. One of the most beautiful bays to fish is the points at Punta Pescadero Beach in Los Cabos. It doesn't take long to get set up. Local companies can equip you and tell you the best spots along the shore to reel 'em in. Or you can just watch where the locals hang out and go 50 yards down the beach and try your luck. Chances are you'll be pulling 'em in like the locals in no time.

If you've been working your way through the East Cape beaches and small towns and villages, after Buena Vista and Los Barriles, you will come upon the breathtaking coastline of Punta Pescadero. As the name implies - this is indeed "Fishermen's Point".

Many get to Punta Pescadero by flying in. There are companies that offer packages with fly-in's and accomodation, followed by all the sports fishing you can handle.

Here, you could easily pull the car over anywhere along the coast and walk down to the beach. And, you'd be alone. A nice trip might be snorkeling several spots along the way around Punta Pescadero. We found several areas just perfect with rock outcroppings and water so crystal clear it was incredible.

There is a resort in Punta Pescadero. If you'd like, you can stop to eat at the restaurant and then head back out to enjoy the beaches. Remember to take plenty of water. There are no facilities in the area and whatever you take with you ... is it.

Punta Pescadero - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - coral/shell/rock mix. Some debris.
• Facilities - none.
• Shade - some trees.
• Sports - snorkel, dive, surf. Use the buddy system, always.
• Notes - be adventurous! You only live once.

Coming up is one of the fun spots along the coast where they'll hang you upside down for fun - and we have a picture to prove it. Next!! >>