Cabo San Lucas travel guide
El Arco boats, marlin fishing and El Médano beach clubs
The lively resort town at the tip of Baja, with El Arco and Lover's Beach a short boat ride from the marina, great diving and fishing, whale season from January to March and a famous party scene. November to May is ideal; four or five days covers the town, San José del Cabo and a snorkelling trip. Prices are moderate.
Cabo San Lucas occupies the very end of the Baja California peninsula. Here the desert runs out and granite pinnacles split the Pacific from the Sea of Cortez. The rock arch at Land's End, El Arco, is the image on every postcard. Boats from the marina reach it in minutes.
This is the party half of Los Cabos. San José del Cabo, about 30 km northeast near the airport, is the quieter colonial town. A resort-lined Corridor joins the two along the coast. Cabo itself is all marina and beach clubs and late-night bars, its fishing-village past now mostly out of sight.
The sea makes up for the noise. Striped marlin, dorado and tuna feed in the deep water close to shore, which built the town's sport-fishing reputation, and divers come for the underwater sand falls in the submarine canyon off Land's End. From January to March whales gather in the bay.
Rain hardly falls here for most of the year. Between March and July many months record nothing at all, and highs stay in the high 20s to low 30s, which is why winter flights from the US and Canada fill up months ahead.
Know the beaches before you swim. The calm, sandy Playa El Médano faces the bay, while the Pacific side, from Playa del Divorcio to the resort beaches beyond, has heavy surf and strong currents that drown people every year.
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Top things to do in Cabo San Lucas
Boat trips to El Arco, snorkelling and diving bays, whale watching, sport fishing, beach clubs and day trips to Todos Santos and Cabo Pulmo.
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Best time to visit Cabo San Lucas
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Highs of 27 to 29 C and nights of 13 to 14 C with only a few millimetres of rain; whales in the bay.
Practically rainless, with highs rising from 30 C to 34 C; the sea warms up and the crowds thin after Easter.
The only real rain, 85 to 110 mm in August and September, with hurricanes possible; highs around 35 C and very humid.
October brings Bisbee's Black and Blue marlin tournament, among the richest fishing contests in the world, which fills the marina and its hotels; book early or avoid that week.
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Getting there
SJD terminals, Ruta del Desierto buses and cruise tenders
Almost everyone reaches Cabo San Lucas through Los Cabos International (SJD) outside San José del Cabo, about 45 minutes by road, served by US, Canadian and Mexican airlines. Cruise passengers come ashore by tender into the marina, and Ruta del Desierto buses run from the airport. The cheapest way to town is the Ruta del Desierto bus, which stops just outside Terminal 1 (domestic) and Terminal 2 (international), is clean and air-conditioned, and takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on traffic, though luggage space is limited. Shared shuttle vans run to the main hotels. Private transfers are usually cheaper than airport taxis for families and groups and are best booked at least 48 hours ahead. Rental car desks are at both terminals. Expect to be approached by people offering free transport or tickets in return for a resort tour; these are timeshare pitches. Cruise ships anchor in the bay and bring passengers ashore by tender to the marina. Long-distance buses run down the peninsula from La Paz, with some services via Todos Santos.
- Ruta del Desierto bus from SJD
- 30 to 60 minutes to Cabo San Lucas, stops outside Terminals 1 and 2
- Private or shared transfer
- About 45 minutes to the marina, more to Pacific-side resorts
- Cruise tenders
- Passengers land at the marina, beside the town centre
- Bus from La Paz
- About 2 hours 30 minutes
- Walk straight past the timeshare desks inside the arrivals hall; your booked driver will be waiting outside.
- Book private transfers at least two days ahead, as most cancellation policies use a 48-hour window.
Staying safe
Pacific undertow and Playa del Divorcio surf
The ocean is the biggest danger in Cabo San Lucas. Waves on the Pacific-facing beaches build fast and break hard onto steep sand, dragging in people walking at the water's edge; swim only on the bay side at Médano, Chileno or Santa María, and heed red flags. The risk does not stop at El Arco: south-facing beaches in front of resorts such as Pueblo Bonito and Riu Palace are just as treacherous.
- Playa del Divorcio
- Pacific side of Lover's Beach; never swim
- Playa Solmar and Pacific resorts
- Strong undertow, red flags much of the year
- Safe swimming
- Playa El Médano, Chileno, Santa María and the bay side of Lover's Beach
- In the nightlife zone, watch for pickpockets, avoid back alleys late at night and take only licensed taxis home.
Where to stay
The Marina, Playa El Médano or the Corridor
Choose a Cabo San Lucas base by whether you want to swim. The marina and Playa El Médano on the bay side give safe water and a short walk to the bars; the Pacific side has big resorts and spectacular sunsets but dangerous surf; and the Corridor toward San José has quieter resorts and snorkelling bays. Couples after calm often split their stay with San José del Cabo.
- Downtown and the Marina
- Walk to restaurants, boat docks and nightlife; noisy late, and prices higher right on the water
- Playa El Médano
- Resorts and condos on the town's main swimmable beach facing El Arco; busy with beach clubs and vendors
- Pacific side and Pedregal
- Clifftop villas and resorts with sunsets over the ocean; beaches are not safe for swimming
- The Corridor
- Luxury resorts and golf along the coast toward San José, near snorkelling bays such as Chileno and Santa María; a car or taxi needed
- San José del Cabo
- Quieter colonial town with an art district, near the airport, about 45 minutes from Cabo's nightlife
- Ask whether the hotel's beach is swimmable before booking; many Pacific-side resorts post red flags year-round.
Getting around
Marina water taxis, Corridor buses and the Cabo Loop
Downtown Cabo San Lucas, the marina and Playa El Médano are within walking distance of one another. Water taxis from the marina run to El Arco and Lover's Beach, and local buses along the Corridor reach the snorkelling bays at Chileno and Santa María. Taxis are everywhere, but fares are high and negotiable, so settle the price before getting in and take only licensed cabs. Many visitors rent a car, which makes sense for day trips to Todos Santos, the East Cape or Cabo Pulmo. Motorcycle and scooter rentals are also available for the Cabo Loop, a paved circuit of about 320 km through San José, Los Barriles and Todos Santos and back.
- Water taxis
- Marina or El Médano to Lover's Beach and El Arco in about 10 to 15 minutes
- Corridor buses
- Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo, stopping near Chileno and Santa María
- Rental car
- Best for Todos Santos, about an hour north, and the East Cape
- Taxis
- Licensed only; agree the fare first
- Ask the water taxi driver to time your pickup with the tide; Lover's Beach narrows at high water.
Know before you go
What makes Cabo San Lucas worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- El Arco from a glass-bottom boat, with sea lions sprawled on Los Frailes nearby and pelicans on the rocks.
- Snorkelling at Chileno or Santa María, two sheltered bays on the Corridor with clear water and reef fish.
- Watching humpback whales breach just off the beach in January, February and March.
- San José del Cabo's art district on a Thursday evening, when galleries stay open late in the winter season.
- Sunset from the Pacific side, as the sun drops into the ocean behind the Land's End rocks.
Good to know
- Do not swim on the Pacific side, even when it looks calm; the surf is deadly.
- Spring Break gets wild around El Médano in March; families should consider the Corridor or San José.
- August to October is hurricane season, and storms such as Odile in 2014 have closed the airport for days.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Cabo San Lucas, month by month
Cabo San Lucas is dry most of the year, with tropical storms in August and September and warm, sunny winters. Tap a month for averages.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Cabo San Lucas (Servicio Meteorologico Nacional, via Wikipedia).
Land's End by panga, Chileno snorkelling and a Todos Santos detour
Give your first Cabo San Lucas morning to Land's End: a water taxi or glass-bottom boat runs from the marina past Pelican Rock, the sea lions on Los Frailes and El Arco to Playa del Amor, where the bay side is calm enough to swim; peek through to Playa del Divorcio on the Pacific side, but stay out of that water.
Day two. Take the Corridor bus or a car to Chileno Bay or Santa María for a morning of snorkelling, when the water is clearest. Bring your own mask or rent one on the beach. In the afternoon, visit the Iglesia de San Lucas, the town's mission-era church, and climb to the Casa de la Cultura mirador for the view over the bay.
Day three. Go out on the water. From January to March, join a whale-watching boat; the rest of the year, book a sport-fishing charter for marlin and dorado, or a dive to the sand falls in the submarine canyon.
Day four. Drive about an hour north to Todos Santos, an old Pacific town of galleries, palm groves and surf beaches. Have lunch and wander, then return via the coast for sunset.
Day five. Spend it in San José del Cabo, with its plaza, mission church and art district. With a car and an early start, head instead to Cabo Pulmo on the East Cape, one of the few living hard-coral reefs in the Sea of Cortez.
Chocolate clams, fish tacos and a shot of damiana
Cabo San Lucas cooks from the sea, and the simplest meals are the freshest. Tacos de pescado and de camarón, battered and fried to order with cabbage, crema and a counter of salsas, cost a fraction of waterfront prices at stands in the streets back from the marina, which also grill arrachera steak tacos.
The local speciality to look out for is almejas chocolatas, chocolate clams named for their brown shells, served raw with lime and chilli, grilled in the shell or baked with cheese. Ceviche of fish or shrimp, aguachile and fresh lobster fill seafood restaurant menus, and the sport-fishing fleet means you can often ask a restaurant to cook your own catch of dorado or tuna.
Chefs across Los Cabos cook in the Baja Med style, mixing Mexican flavours with olive oil, local herbs and vegetables. Farm-to-table restaurants in the hills behind San José del Cabo grow their own produce, and dinner among the fields is a popular evening out.
For drinks, try damiana, a sweet herbal liqueur from a plant that grows wild in Baja Sur, sometimes used in margaritas, along with beer at the beach clubs. Bars in the marina stay open very late.
Whale weeks, Bisbee's marlin tournament and hurricane months
Cabo San Lucas is among the driest spots on Mexico's coast, almost rainless from March to July with a few millimetres in winter. Highs run from 27 C in January to 34 or 35 C in July and August, and the one wet spell, 85 to 110 mm a month, comes in August and September from tropical storms.
December to March is high season. Humpback whales arrive from the north to breed and calve, and grey whales pass along the coast on their way to the lagoons further up the peninsula. Early March is often the peak, when boats see whales almost every trip. Nights drop to 13 or 14 C, so bring a light layer for evening boat trips.
From June to October, the sea warms up and visibility for diving at Cabo Pulmo and the bays is excellent, while the Pacific breaks pick up southern swells for surfers on the East Cape.
October is the fishing world's month here: Bisbee's Black and Blue tournament chases record marlin out of the marina, with huge prize money.
August to October is hurricane season. Most years pass without a direct hit, but when one does strike, as Odile did in 2014, damage can be severe, so buy travel insurance and follow official warnings.
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How we research our Cabo San Lucas travel guide
Cabo San Lucas boat trips, whale season and beach-safety notes are checked against the official Cabo San Lucas website and the city's Wikipedia record; entry rules come from Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Migración.
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Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of Cabo San LucasInstituto Nacional de MigraciónUNESCO World Heritage Centre
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Cabo San Lucas.
Getting there
The Ruta del Desierto bus stops outside Terminals 1 and 2 and takes 30 to 60 minutes; shared shuttles and pre-booked private transfers take about 45 minutes.
Take a water taxi or glass-bottom boat from the marina or Playa El Médano; the ride is about 10 to 15 minutes and the boat collects you later.
About an hour north by road up the Pacific coast, making it an easy day trip by car.
General
Cabo San Lucas is the lively marina town with El Arco and the nightlife; San José, about 30 km northeast near the airport, is quieter with a colonial centre and art district.
No. It faces the Pacific and has dangerous surf and undertow; swim only on the bay side of Lover's Beach.
Chileno and Santa María bays on the Corridor have calm water and reef fish; Cabo Pulmo on the East Cape is the top choice for a longer trip.
Almejas chocolatas, a Baja Sur speciality named for their brown shells, eaten raw with lime or grilled in the shell.
Roughly August to October; direct hits are uncommon, but Hurricane Odile caused major damage in 2014.
Not for the town, the marina and El Médano. A car is worth it for Todos Santos, the Corridor beaches and Cabo Pulmo.
Downtown Cabo San Lucas, the marina and Playa El Médano are within walking distance of one another. Water taxis from the marina run to El Arco and Lover's Beach, and local buses along the Corridor reach the snorkelling bays at Chileno and Santa María. Taxis are everywhere, but fares are high and negotiable, so settle the price before getting in and take only licensed cabs.
Cabo San Lucas is best known for:
- El Arco from a glass-bottom boat, with sea lions sprawled on Los Frailes nearby and pelicans on the rocks
- Snorkelling at Chileno or Santa María, two sheltered bays on the Corridor with clear water and reef fish
- Watching humpback whales breach just off the beach in January, February and March
- San José del Cabo's art district on a Thursday evening, when galleries stay open late in the winter season
- Sunset from the Pacific side, as the sun drops into the ocean behind the Land's End rocks
Timing & weather
From January to March, with humpbacks breeding near the coast and early March often the busiest time.
August is the warmest month in Cabo San Lucas, with average highs of 35°C, and January the coolest, with lows of 13°C. September is the wettest month, at about 110 mm of rain; April is the driest. Cabo San Lucas is dry most of the year, with tropical storms in August and September and warm, sunny winters.
Visa & documents
Tourist stays in Mexico are visa-free for citizens of the US, Canada, the UK, the EU and many other countries. Immigration officers decide how many days you can stay (up to 180) and stamp your passport or issue a digital record. Holders of valid US, UK, Canadian or Schengen visas may also be exempt.
Health & safety
The ocean is the biggest danger in Cabo San Lucas. Waves on the Pacific-facing beaches build fast and break hard onto steep sand, dragging in people walking at the water's edge; swim only on the bay side at Médano, Chileno or Santa María, and heed red flags. The risk does not stop at El Arco: south-facing beaches in front of resorts such as Pueblo Bonito and Riu Palace are just as treacherous.
