Updated September 2026
Wind season and fishing season
Los Barriles is small, around 1,700 people in the 2020 census, with a big seasonal community of North American snowbirds. It calls itself Baja's kitesurfing and windsurfing capital: in winter a steady wind blows across Bahía de Palmas, averaging around 20 to 25 knots on good days.
Outside wind season it's a fishing town, with pangas launching off the beach for dorado, tuna and marlin. Life runs on ATVs and pickup trucks, and nights are very quiet.
Getting to East Cape and Los Barriles from Villa 1
About 111 km: Highway 1 past San José del Cabo and the airport, then north through the hills to Los Barriles. It's paved all the way on the inland highway; the coast road toward Cabo Pulmo is partly dirt.