Skip to content
Villa 1
Médano Beach and the calm water of Cabo San Lucas bay seen from Villa 1
Los Cabos Beach Guide

Best Beaches in Cabo

Which Los Cabos beaches you can swim at, where the snorkeling and surf are, and how long each one takes from our front door on Médano Beach.

Start here

The one rule for Cabo beaches

The best beaches in Cabo for swimming face the Sea of Cortez; the ones facing the open Pacific are for looking, surfing and walking. Inside Cabo San Lucas Bay, Médano is calm most days and the bay side of Lover's Beach is swimmable when the sea is flat. Along the corridor, Santa María and Chileno are the two coves we send snorkelers to first. Past the corridor it’s mostly surf country: Cerritos near Todos Santos is the one Pacific beach where beginners learn, and it still has rips.

Conditions change with the swell, especially in summer when south swells can close even sheltered beaches. Check the flag when you arrive (green, yellow, red, black) and ask a lifeguard if there is one. Our swimmable beaches guide explains the flags and water testing in more detail.

Showing 24 of 24 beaches

Cabo Beaches Compared

Los Cabos beaches: swimming, best for and drive time from Villa 1
BeachSwimmingBest forFrom Villa 1
Médano BeachSwimmableswimming, families, sunsetWalk
Lover's BeachCalm days onlysnorkeling, scenery, swimming10 min by water taxi
Divorce BeachNo swimmingscenery, walks10 min by water taxi
Playa El Corsario (La Empacadora)Calm days onlyfamilies, swimming10 min
Playa SolmarNo swimmingsunset, walks, whales10 min
Monuments BeachCalm days onlysurfing, snorkeling, scenery15 min
Las Viudas BeachCalm days onlysnorkeling, swimming, scenery20 to 25 min
Santa María BeachSwimmablesnorkeling, swimming, families20 to 25 min
Chileno BeachSwimmablesnorkeling, swimming, families20 to 25 min
El Tule BeachNo swimmingsurfing, walks20 to 25 min
Palmilla BeachSwimmableswimming, families, snorkeling30 to 35 min
Acapulquito BeachCalm days onlysurfing, swimming, snorkeling30 to 35 min
Costa Azul BeachCalm days onlysurfing, walks30 to 35 min
Playa MigriñoNo swimmingsurfing, sunset, walks30 to 40 min
Playa Hotelera, San José del CaboNo swimmingwalks, sunset, whales35 to 40 min
La PlayitaCalm days onlyswimming, families40 to 45 min
Cerritos BeachCalm days onlysurfing, sunset, familiesabout 1 hr
San Pedrito BeachCalm days onlysurfing, sunset, walksabout 1 hr 10 min
Playa Las PalmasCalm days onlywalks, scenery, swimmingabout 1 hr 20 min
Punta LobosCalm days onlyscenery, sunset, walksabout 1 hr 15 min
La PastoraNo swimmingsurfing, sunsetabout 1.5 hr
Cabo Pulmo BeachesSwimmablesnorkeling, swimming, families2 to 2.5 hr
Balandra BeachSwimmableswimming, families, sceneryabout 3 hr
El Tecolote BeachSwimmableswimming, families, sunsetabout 3 hr

Cabo Beach Map Links

Each link opens the beach’s location in Google Maps, grouped by region from west to east.

Planning where to base yourself? See our guide to Los Cabos areas and neighborhoods, or the Cabo golf courses that sit between these beaches.

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best swimming beach in Cabo San Lucas?

Médano Beach, inside Cabo San Lucas Bay. It has a gentle slope, roped swim areas and lifeguards on resort sections. For clearer water and snorkeling, drive 20 minutes to Santa María or Chileno on the corridor.

Which Cabo beaches are not safe for swimming?

Anything facing the open Pacific: Divorce Beach, Playa Solmar and the Pedregal beaches, plus most of the Todos Santos coast. San José del Cabo's hotel-zone beach is also steep with a strong shore break.

Are beaches in Mexico public?

Yes. Mexican federal law makes the beach and the 20-meter federal maritime zone public, although resorts and gated developments can control the land you cross to reach it. Use the signed public access points.

When is the water warmest in Cabo?

Late summer and fall. The Sea of Cortez side is usually warmest from August to October and coolest from January to March, when many swimmers wear a light wetsuit for snorkeling.

Stay at Villa 1

Your beachfront base in Cabo San Lucas

Villa 1 opens straight onto Médano Beach, the calmest swimming beach in Cabo San Lucas, with a private infinity pool above the sand. Our concierge can book water taxis to Lover's Beach and drivers for the corridor coves.

Book NowSee the Villa