Everything You Need To Know about Cabo San Lucas Beaches
When planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas, you no doubt want to spend at least a couple of days at the beach. When visiting this part of Mexico, you’ll be spoilt for choice by the beautiful beaches on offer, which are ideal for topping up your tan and relaxing. Let’s take a look at the top beaches to visit on an upcoming trip to Cabo and answer some of the most common questions about beaches in this area.
What are the nicest beaches in Cabo?
You’ll be spilt for choice when it comes to beaches in Cabo San Lucas, but make sure you pick one that’s safe for swimming and water sports if that’s something you are planning on doing. We love Playa el Medano, which offers a two-mile stretch of golden sand. It’s located right by the marina in Cabo, and it’s a great beach for swimming and relaxing. The turquoise water here has minimal surf, so it’s the ideal beach for families to take children to swim. Of course, this makes it one of the most popular beaches, so expect it to be quite busy during the peak season. There’s no shortage of bars, restaurants, and rental stores here, so you’ll have plenty to keep you busy all day long.
Chileno Beach is another of the area’s nicest beaches, and there are some great luxury hotels to stay at in this area. It was designated a Blue Flag beach in 2015 and is known for its clear water. There’s a roped-off area for swimming and snorkeling, so it’s ideal for anyone who is looking to spend time in the water. While it’s a very clean beach, you’ll find there are no bars or restaurants here, so make sure you come prepared for your day at the beach.
For anyone who is keen to snorkel or spot wildlife on their trip, don’t miss visiting Santa Maria Bay. You’ll see a huge variety of tropical fish here, and it’s known for being home to whales at certain times of the year. You can enjoy snorkeling here throughout the year, and you can opt to take a boat tour if you are looking to enhance your experience. We recommend arriving early before too many tourists arrive for the best experience at Santa Maria Bay.
How do you get to Lover’s Beach in Cabo San Lucas?
Another of our favorite beaches in Cabo is Lover’s Beach, which you can only reach by water taxi or kayak. You can access this area from either the marina or Playa el Medano, and it’s only a short hop over to the beach. There are no changing facilities here and no shade, so make sure you come prepared to spend a few hours here. If you were hoping to snorkel on your upcoming vacation, this is one of the clearest spots to admire the marine life in the local area.
Are there swimmable beaches in Cabo?
Yes, there are some great beaches in Cabo San Lucas for swimming, but not all of the beaches in the area are safe for swimming. Sadly, people die each year trying to swim on these beaches, so we recommend keeping an eye out for the flags that are up. If a red flag is flying in the area you are visiting, this is a sign that it’s unsafe to swim. Look out for a green flag at our recommended beaches, which will indicate the beach is safe for swimming at that time.
All of the beaches we mentioned so far are suitable for swimming, and you’ll find that some of them have roped-off areas to keep you safe from boats. If you are traveling with young children or unconfident swimmers, you’ll still want to take care at any of these beaches, particularly if you are swimming out quite deep. Other swimmable beaches in the area include Palmilla Beach, Cannery Beaches, and Cabo Pulmo.
Why are the beaches in Cabo not swimmable?
Many of the beaches have red flags, which indicate they aren’t swimmable. This is due to the strong waves and undertows, as well as the sudden ocean floor drop-offs. The beaches located on the Pacific Ocean are the more dangerous ones, but they are still lovely to visit to witness the beauty of the local area. A green flag will indicate whether a beach is safe to swim but ask a local if you are unsure before heading into the water. Of course, only you know how confident of a swimmer you are, so keep this in mind before swimming out too deep at any beach.
Is the water in Cabo warm?
If you are visiting Cabo in the winter months, you might be wondering if the water in Cabo is warm enough to swim. Depending on where in the world you are visiting from, for the most part, the water is warm enough to swim throughout the year. The annual average water temperature is 76°F, dropping to 70°F in the winter and increasing to over 80°F in the summer and fall. The coolest temperatures are experienced in January, where you might find the minimum temperature to be 66°F. The best time of year to swim is during September, where it can be as hot as 87°F. If you are unsure about swimming in the winter, make sure you test out the water before getting in to be sure.
Cabo San Lucas has no shortage of beaches for visitors, but you need to make sure you are keeping safe wherever you are visiting. If you see a red flag flying at the beach, it’s a clear indication that it’s not safe to swim. When a green flag is up, still use discretion if you don’t feel confident about swimming or are traveling with children. Even if a beach isn’t suitable for swimming, you’ll find the coastal scenery here to be absolutely incredible and well worth a visit. Make sure you plan a couple of beach days on your upcoming visit to Cabo San Lucas, as it’s one of the highlights of any vacation here.