Swimming and snorkeling at Chileno
Chileno Bay is wide, sheltered and usually calm, and Visit Los Cabos lists it among the swimmable beaches with a lifeguard stand. Snorkel off the rocks on the right-hand side for reef fish and, with luck, a turtle. Mornings are calmer and clearer, and the beach gets busy once tour boats and weekend families arrive.
Like every beach here, it closes in big swell: it was red-flagged on August 25, 2025, and in June 2024 a catamaran had to evacuate 36 snorkelers in high waves. If the flag is red, go back another day.
Facilities and food
Chileno has more than most public beaches here: restrooms, outdoor showers, shaded palapas and a boardwalk with partial wheelchair access. There are no public restaurants on the sand, so bring what you need. For a proper lunch or dinner nearby, COMAL at Chileno Bay Resort is next door.
In April 2026 a broken pipe from a private desalination plant spilled water onto the beach; authorities said it posed no health risk. If you see a stream running across the sand, that may be why.
Getting to Chileno Beach from Villa 1
About 15 km east of Villa 1 on Highway 1, 20 to 25 minutes. Take the signed public beach turnoff around km 14 into the parking lot. Boat snorkel tours from the marina also stop in Chileno Bay.
What to bring
- Snorkel gear
- Water and snacks
- Reef-safe sunscreen