The Most Beautiful Beaches in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

As much a catwalk as a beach, this long stretch of white sand is where the young and beautiful of Cabo San Lucas come to flaunt their stuff. Because of this, and its proximity to the city center, expect to be approached by hawkers pushing tourist tat. It’s worth it, however, to access calm waters ideal for swimming and snorkeling in and specially roped-off areas for families with small kids.

The land surrounding Playa El Faro Viejo has been turned into a golf course, but the dramatic skeleton of a 19th- century lighthouse still remains, overlooking the crashing Pacific waves. Due to the strong winds blowing in off the Pacific, it’s banked by high sand dunes, and is only accessible by a guided 4×4 jeep or horseback tour. As a result, however, you’re pretty much guaranteed to have the beach to yourself (well, you and the tour guide).

Romantic Playa del Amantes, or Lovers Beach, is found at the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula, where the granite rock formations meet the Pacific surf in a champagne spray of foam. It’s a bit too choppy to make an ideal swimming beach, especially for kids, but if you insist on diving in, head to the more sheltered east-facing bay, rather than the exposed Pacific side. Access is via water taxi or sea kayak.

We bet you’ve never been to a beach with a naturally formed jacuzzi in the middle of it before. Well that’s what you’ll find here, where warm water bubbles up from beneath the sand. It’s the perfect place to sink back and take in the windswept views of this wide, sprawling beach – which is handy, as the tide and strong undercurrents make sea swimming too dangerous here.

Uncrowded and uncluttered, the Pacific-facing Pedregal Playa is a good one for the holiday photo album. The length of the beach is perfect for a romantic sunset stroll; it’s great for lounging, too, and has a beautiful palm grove that offers welcome shade. The current is too strong for swimming, but there are plenty of other activities such as surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing and horseback riding, should you wish to get your toes wet.

One of the few Blue Flag beaches in the region, Playa El Chileno offers crystal-clear (and unusually calm) water, clean golden sand, spotless restrooms and showers and even ramp access and wooden platforms for mobility-impaired beachgoers. The actual bay may be small, but there are roped-off swimming areas and lifeguards during daytime hours, making it well suited to families. There are no cafes or bars, so bring your own drinks and snacks.

Paraiso Escondido is outside the crowded tourist zone on the western tip of Baja, overlooking the Pacific. Notable for its pretty old town which dominates the rocky skyline, the only way to get to the beach inlets is by water taxi. The restaurant Paraiso Escondido is marked by a blue sign with a surfboard and offers cold drinks, food, music and loungers; if you’re lucky, the friendly local mountain deer might stop by to say hello.

For surfers, there’s no better beach than the secluded Playa Boca del Tule. The long, shallow shoreline here produces the biggest breakers in the area, attracting a cool crowd of tanned and tattooed board riders. The beach itself is large, with lots of sand, and is situated at the end of a gully that washes into the sea. Even though it’s popular with families on the weekend, there are no facilities, so come prepared.