The Top Things to See and Do in La Paz, Mexico

Baja California has some of the best whale-watching opportunities, making La Paz an excellent jumping-off point for this hugely rewarding activity. You can either sail around the peninsula to Magdalena Bay, renowned as a whale-watching hotspot or in the winter months try your luck with shorter excursions into the Sea of Cortez. In the winter months, you have an excellent chance of seeing migratory humpback or gray whales here breaching and spouting. Choose a sustainable tourism company for a boat that minimizes both noise and environmental impact.

Legendary scuba diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau once described the Sea of Cortez as the “world’s aquarium”, and its reputation today as one of the world’s finest scuba destinations remains unwavering today. There’s certainly no shortage of scuba centers in La Paz capitalizing on the incredible scuba-friendly sea life that inhabits or migrates through these waters – everything from hammerhead sharks and mobula rays to seahorses and octopuses. The geography of this gulf means Pacific swells have little effect here so calm seas make for ideal dive conditions.

Skipping this incredible island while visiting La Paz would be a major travel blunder. It was saved from development ​​when Unesco declared it a biosphere reserve in 1995, and its dramatic volcanic landscape remains a haven for an incredible array of wildlife. It’s barely an hour by boat and the biggest draw is its resident sea lion colony, pups and all. You can even jump in for a swim with them – they’re far from shy so brace yourself for some close encounters. Hire a boat through Dream Yacht Charter and spend the week exploring; they offer a range of vessels, both bareboat and skippered.

Once you’ve got your land legs back, be sure to take a stroll along La Paz’s iconic Malecón. This 5km (3mi) stretch of the seafront is where you’ll find much of the city’s action. Locals whizz by on rollerblades, stop to shoot the breeze on benches and pause to admire the many artworks and sculptures that dot the popular promenade. Lining it are some rather lovely beaches, too, and if you stay until dusk you’re treated to fiery sunsets.

Just a short boat journey around the La Paz cape, you’ll find the small town of La Ventana and the air filled with dozens of colorful kiteboarding sails. With air currents channeled between Caravlo Island and the L-shaped bay, reliably consistent winds have made it a magnet for water sport enthusiasts. The season’s best blowing is November to March when several kiteboarding competitions take place and many professional kiters decamp here over winter. Your first time? Don’t fret, various schools offer kitesurfing lessons for all levels.

If you’ve had enough time out at sea and fancy something akin to surfing on dryland, La Paz has that too. El Mogote is a small peninsula that forms the northern shore of the Bay of La Paz, just 20 minutes from the city. Its steep hills of soft, fine sand at its middle provide the perfect conditions for sandboarding. While you do it on a snowboard, don’t expect any ski lifts here, so brace yourself for quite a workout, too.

If you’re hankering after the taste of the ocean, then few places serve a better menu of freshly caught seafood than Mariscos El Toro Güero. One look at how popular it is with the locals and you know you’re in for a treat. Here you’ll feast on denizens of the deep under a straw-roofed palapa, with everything from crispy ceviche and tostadas to cocktails overflowing with plump shrimp on the menu. What’s more, it’s just a brisk waddle back to your boat at the nearby marina.

With such an abundance of sea life, it’s no surprise that the Sea of Cortez offers some of the best sports fishing you’ll find on this side of the Pacific. You can leave directly from La Paz marina and hit one of the prime fishing spots in no time. The East Cape is one of the most popular, where it usually doesn’t take long before you’re reeling up a whopper. Or for a real challenge, don a wetsuit, load up a speargun and try your hand at spearfishing.