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PLAYA DE AMOR
(Lover's Beach)One of Cabo's most beautiful and talked about (but least frequently visited) beaches! It is located at the very south end of the Baja Peninsula! This wonderful beach is only a short panga ride from the marina or from the other main beaches in Cabo.
At very low low tides you can walk on the sand under the huge granite Arch (el Arco) at Land's End, just a short snorkel away from Lover's Beach. At higher tides the snorkeling on the calm side of Lover's Beach is usually wonderful, and there are often hundreds of fish to see close to the surface and near the granite rocks and pinnacles.
One of the unique features of Lover's Beach is that it connects over to the Pacific side of Cabo, allowing a gander at the large breakers that roll in from the open sea and crash on the beach. This Pacific-side beach is huge, and beautiful, and best of all rarely crowded.
Lover's Beach is a great beach for snorkeling along the bluffs, or relaxing in the warm white sand. If you are looking for a fun beach for a seaside picnic, this beach is highly recommended.
PLAYA SOLMAR
Located in front of the Solmar and Finisterra Hotels, and the Terra Sol Beach Resort. Near the end of Baja Highway One. Access can be obtained by going through the lobby of either hotel.
This absolutely beautiful beach is the widest beach in Los Cabos. Lots of room for roaming, and a great beach for watching the huge waves crash on the beach.
Up for an adventure? The large granite rocks next to the Solmar Hotel offer a secret trail that connects over to Lover's Beach! The boulder trail is not for the weak, but is not overly difficult, either. Plan on a 15 minute adventure of light bolder-climbing and you are home free. The reward is worth it! Once you get to Lover's Beach, you are likely to be the only people on the beach that didn't arrive by boat. A note of caution...you may be tempted to avoid the rock trail on the way back to the Solmar Hotel, and try to attempt to swim back around the large granite rocks. This is extremely dangerous because of the large unpredictable waves...don't even think about it!
PLAYAS PEDRIGAL
Accessible through the Pedrigal real estate development. Smile at the gate guard, give him a cold drink, and tell him you are going to La Playa. Follow the cobblestone road to the top of the hill, then down the back side to the point closest to the beach, on the north end. (by the large grove of palm trees).
Three consecutive spectacular beautiful beaches, each one more awesome and remote! The first beach you reach after you park your car is great, but don't stop now! Head up the beach (north) to the next beach, which is even more remote and beautiful. But wait, there's more! Keep heading up the beach towards the rocks that meet the ocean. Beyond those rocks is a third, even more private and spectacular beach! Looking for a place for a secluded picnic or a place to remove some excess clothing? This is it!
PLAYAS EL FARO VIEJO
(The Old Lighthouse)North of town three miles, left turn at the dirt road heading west, park at end.
A remote beach popular with the All Terrain Vehicle crowd. Difficult to get to without some kind of off road vehicle. The old lighthouse is a great place for sunsets, as it is one of the few beaches in the cabo area that faces towards the west!
PLAYA DE AMOUR
(Lover's Beach)This is where the Baja Peninsula ends. Take a panga from the marina or from one of the main beaches in Cabo. It's about a 15 minute boat ride and a beautiful run along the granite cliffs towards Land's End.
Snorkeling through the arch is fun when the seas are calm! When the ocean swells are up, don't try it. Great beach to relax, snorkel, or picnic. From this beach you can walk to the Pacific side, where you will find a large, beautiful, and (usually) empty beach. Paradise!
Since most people get to this beach by panga, try this option: On the way to or from the beach, ask the skipper of the boat to cruise you by the famous arch (el Arco) and the seal rock just before the Arch. It'll just take a few extra minutes, and the view is quiet spectacular! If the tide is very low and there is sand under the Arch, ask the skipper to let you off of the boat to walk under the Arch! It's a great perspective of el Arco, and something few people have the opportunity to experience.
LA PLAYITAS
(Small Beaches)Small beaches from the old cannery building at the harbor, up to Lover's beach.
Often underwater at high tide, at lower tides these little beaches are a great place for a private picnic, nap or lover's roundevous! The lower the tide, the more beach you will have to enjoy. Snorkeling along the reefs near these small beaches is usually excellent. These great "mini-beaches" can be accessed by snorkeling down from Lover's Beach, by kayaking across from Cabo's main beaches, or you can have a panga drop you off to pick you up later.
A quick note here...if you do decide to leave your private beach for a quick snorkel, keep an eye on the panga boats that are transporting tourists to and from the Arch or Lover's Beach. They can sometimes get close to the rocks to show their guests the fish and pelicans nearby.
PLAYA MEDANO
(Dune Beach)This beach starts at the east end of the harbor entrance, then goes all the way up past the big hotels for about two miles.
Access is easy. This beach can be reached by going through the Melia San Lucas Hotel, the Plaza Bonita Hotel, Bonita Rose Resort, or Club Cascadas. It can also be reached by parking your car near the beach restaurants of Billygan's Island, The Office, or Las Palmas. From the main highway, take the Highway 19 turnoff south, away from the Todos Santos signs, where the gravel road dead ends next to the Club Cascadas on the beach.
This is the main beach for Cabo San Lucas. Recreation, food, music, you name it, it's all here! Lots of places nearby to rent Wave Runners, kayaks, and sailboards. Parasailing is also available for those who want a birds-eye view of Cabo. Pangas will pick you up here and take you to the Arch, or drop you off for an hour or two (or longer!) at Lover's Beach, just a 15 minute boat ride away. This beach is a fun place to hang out all day and watch the action.
Medano Beach actually starts up at the south end in front of the Hacienda Hotel and heads north a couple of miles. But you will find most of the beach activity between the Billigan's Island and The Office restaurants at the south end up to Las Cascades at the north end.
If you are hot and salty from swimming in the ocean and feel like a dip in a refreshing pool, it's usually not too difficult to 'drop by' the Melia Hotel or the Plaza Bonita Hotel on this beach for a quick dip in the pool. And while you are there, the swim-up bar at the Melia is a great place for a margarita! Don't tell 'em Carlos Fiesta sent you!
PLAYA VISTA DEL ARCOS
(Arch View)East of town, exit the Highway at Km. 5 near Los Arcos R.V. west to the beach.
A bit of a hike down the cliff from the top, but not too difficult. Mostly rocks with some sand...a good place to check out the tide pools or have a romantic picnic. Generally not recommended for swimming because of the wave and tide action.
PLAYA CABEZA DE BALLENA
(Whale's Head Beach)Off the main highway, east of El Arco R.V. Park, near Km. 7 head to beach.
A more remote beach, usually not too crowded. Access is not easy down steep trail. We've got nothing against this beach, but with so many other beautiful and easy-to-get-to beaches nearby, don't make this beach your biggest priority.
PLAYA BARCO VARADO
(Shipwreck Beach)Off the Baja Highway at Km. 9, take the dirt road all the way to the ocean.
Beach access is via the Cabo del Sol Hotel road, follow the signs to the beach.
Mostly rocky, offering some nice tide pools, sandy beach around the corner. Rarely crowded.
PLAYA VIVDAS
(Playa Twin Dolphin)Taking the highway east from town, head towards the beach, west of Twin Dolphin. A beautiful beach, very private. On a normal day this beach is empty and waiting!
PLAYA SANTA MARIA
(Santa Maria Bay)Parking exit at Km. 11.5, or park at Twin Dolphin Hotel beach access parking lot. If the Twin Dolphin parking lot guard tries to discourage you from parking within the hotel area, don't get discouraged or give up. The beach parking area and path from the Twin Dolphin Hotel are there just for that purpose.
You've seen it on post cards and on travel brochures, now it's your turn! A perfect crescent beach excellent for snorkeling. Most of the fish hang out in the reefs to the left or right of the bay and they will greet you in fairly shallow water. If there is any swell activity the right side is usually the most protected and calmest. Granite sand, bring footwear, as the grains of sand here are a bit larger than most of cabo's beaches. If you prefer to have a bit of shade, bring an umbrella or grab one of the rocky shade areas on the south end of the beach. A great place for a picnic, a snorkel or to just laze away the day.
When the water is very calm and the visibility is high (often between 40' to 80' visibility) you can actually snorkel out into the middle of the bay into deep water and still see the bottom activity.
One of Cabo's most beautiful beaches!
PLAYA CHILENO
Located to the west of the old Hotel Cabo San Lucas at Km. 14.5. Parking area right off the highway.
A beautiful beach with several smaller private beaches, with the reef coming right up to shore. The Water Sports shack just up from the beach makes this a convenient place for water activities. Snorkeling here is some of the best in Cabo, for the beginning snorkeler as well as for the advanced free diver. Snorkelers love the fact that the fish come to great you as soon as you enter the water! The Scuba diving is also fantastic here, and the reef that starts near shore heads towards open ocean for over 300 yards. Depth increases to about 40 feet as you leave the shallow areas, with lots of nooks and crannies to explore! Plenty of fish, calm water, good visibility...paradise!
Looking for a bit of privacy? Head up the beach (away from the hotel) past the reefs up from the water shack. These intimate beaches are a great place to enjoy the Sea of Cortez, and still find some solitude. Carlos Fiesta actually stumbled onto a "Victoria's Secret" photo shoot on one of these private beaches a few years ago!
Rentals available at the water shack include kayaks, a windsurfer, snorlel and diving equipment and a small sailboat. Restrooms are also available.
PLAYA BLEDITO
(Tequila Cove)Off the Baja Highway at Km. 19.5, taking the dirt road to the ocean.
A gorgeous beach with great sand and beautiful water, with few visitors. A good place to spend the day! Bring your favorite book, a cooler with cold drinks, and a sandwhich. Honey, I'm home!
PLAYA CABO REAL
Located in front of the Cabo Melia Real Hotel. Parking available in the hotel parking lot.
A big beach featuring a large protected breakwater, perfect for swimming and water sports. If there is any kind of a swell in the ocean, this breakwater provides an excellent barrier and placid conditions. A water sports rental shack offers a good selection of water toys.
If you have had your fill of sun, sand and saltwater and want to take a quick dip in a wonderful pool, the Melia Real Hotel pool just up from the beach is a great place to take a refreshing dip!
PLAYA LA CONCHA
(Shell Beach)Exit Baja Highway at Cabo Melia Real Hotel, skirt to the east of hotel on access road.
Small beautiful beach with a protected ocean wading pool and a large grass area. A great place for kids to wade in the protected ocean waters without having to fear ocean swells. Easy to get to...hard to leave (unless the tour bus got there before you did!).
CARLOS FIESTA'S FAVORITE BEACHES!
There are plenty of beaches in the Cabo area, but there are a few that Carlos Fiesta feels are extra special. For just hanging out and watching the world go by there is no better beachin Cabo than PLAYA MEDANO. This is where all the Cabo action meets the beach and it's a hard beach to beat if you are looking for excitement.
For snorkeling or diving Carlos never misses a chance to visit PLAYA CHELENO about a 12 minute drive up the coast from Cabo pn the Baja Highway One. Easy parking, awesome beaches and coves and some of Cabo's best snorkeling. Bring an underwater camera.
Looking for a cool place to picnic or just relax and read a paperback? Take a panga out to PLAYA DE AMOUR out by the famous arch. This gorgeous beach fronts both the calm Sea of Cortez and the surging Pacific Ocean, plus offers a huge sandy beach to catch some Baja sun!
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Cabo San Lucas has some of the best beaches in the world!
What makes a beach a great beach? Of course that all depends what your
looking for. But grain for grain, the beaches of Cabo San Lucas get higher
marks across the board than most beaches on the planet. They're wide and
beautiful, the sand is clean and white, and the adjacent ocean waters are usually very clear, warm,
and calm.
The unique item on Cabo's beach agenda is that Cabo San Lucas has two
distinctly different beach areas. West of town the Pacific Ocean rolls
in uninterrupted to the beach, bringing swells and waves that can be very
huge and powerful. Although watching these rollers come in and explode
on shore can be quite a dramatic scene, swimming on these beaches can be
very dangerous. Which brings us just around the Arch to the calm waters of the
Sea of Cortez.
The Sea of Cortez beaches are protected from the ocean swells by the
granite peninsula at Land's End (out by the famous Arch), creating very
smooth and calm conditions almost all of the time, from Lover's Beach at
the tip, well up the coast towards San Jose Del Cabo. These are the beaches
that made Cabo famous, and they continue to attract travelers from around
the world in increasing numbers each year.
Looking for the main beach in Cabo san Lucas? Let's cut to the chase... El Medano Beach
is the action beach for Cabo San Lucas. It's all here! Calm water, warm sand, restaurants and bars, and watersports galore.
It is very possible to get here in the morning, hang out here all day long and never run out of things to do.
This beach starts in front of the old Hacienda Hotel site, and the action peaks from Billigan's Island to the Plaza Bonita Rose Resort.
PACIFIC BEACHES * CORTEZ BEACHES * FIESTA FAVORITES!
For more information on spectacular beaches not too far from Cabo San Lucas drop by our EAST CAPE section!
And for beach information up the west coast of Cabo drop by our TODOS SANTOS page.
CABO SAN LUCAS BEACHES
PACIFIC OCEAN BEACHES
Cabo's Pacific Ocean beaches are very nice, but the ocean here is more for 'show' than for use. These beaches are indeed spectacular ... in many ways! They are the widest beaches in Cabo and probably the biggest on the entire Baja Peninsula. But the large waves that roll in most of the time making swimming dangerous. So most beachgoers here stick to the sand and enjoy volleyball, photography or just strolling along the sand. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach is worth the price of admission!
If you have visions in your mind of mile after mile of beautiful deserted beaches, the Cape can still fullfill your dreams. Despite all of the developement along Cabo's coastline, a short drive north of town on Highway 19 will bring you to a region that 99% of Cabo's visitors never see. This 60 mile stretch of coast between Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos offers some of Baja's best beaches...without the crowds. Once on Highway 19 northbound, just look for spur road heading west towards the ocean. Once you set foot on some of these deserted beaches the odds are good you will be the only one within miles.
For more information on beaches even further north check out our TODOS SANTOS BEACHES section.
If you like what you see along Cabo's Sea of Cortez beaches but want to take your beach exploration to the next level, don't miss the deserted beaches of Baja's EAST CAPE. Within 30 minutes of leaving San Jose del Cabo you will find some of the world's most beautiful beaches. If you've ever considered quiting your job and dropping out of society on an empty beach, this is the place to do it.
Remember! No matter which beaches you visit in and around Cabo, they are all located in the Tropics. This means your skin is the toast and the sun is the toaster...set high to "burn". Be generous with sunscreen, especially those first few days. And if you are going to be spending any time at all in the water Carlos Fiesta srongly recommends BULLFROG waterproof sunscreen.
Beaches, from the tip, heading up south to north:
SEA OF CORTEZ BEACHES
You know all of those incredible Cabo beaches you see on the Travel Channel for Spring Break and in the travel brochures? This is the place! Cabo's Sea of Cortez beaches are the cream of the crop. They've got it all ... clean white sand, warm clear water, and lots of action! Restaurants, bars, and watersports of all kinds are at your fingertips. If you can't have a good time here you might want to think about taking an early flight home.