The drive and how to plan the day
From Villa 1, take Highway 19 up the Pacific side through Todos Santos. It is about two hours each way on a good paved road. Leave around 7 AM if you want a morning slot at Balandra. With a car you are free to mix and match; without one, a private driver or a tour is simpler. Our getting around guide covers both.
A sensible order: Balandra in the morning, lunch on the way back into town, then the malecón in the late afternoon, when the heat drops and families come out. Stop in Todos Santos on the way home if you still have energy.
Balandra Beach: bracelets and time slots
Balandra is a protected area about 30 minutes north of downtown: a shallow, turquoise lagoon with the famous mushroom-shaped rock and short hiking trails to lookouts. It is managed by CONANP, and since 2025 you need a digital bracelet bought online through the CONANP platform. Reported prices are MXN 120 to 125 per person (under 12 free). There are two shifts, 8 AM to noon and 1 PM to 5 PM, capped at 450 people each.
In high season the line of cars at the gate can take one to two hours, and there is no guarantee you get in. Buy the bracelet in advance, arrive early, and bring all your food, water and shade: there are no shops or restaurants on the beach. The water is knee-deep for a long way, which makes it great for small children.
The malecón and town
The malecón runs for more than 5 km along the bay, with a bike path, sculptures and plenty of benches. Walk it at sunset. For history, the Museo Regional de Antropología e Historia covers the peninsula's indigenous peoples and the mission era. For food, locals send visitors to the seafood carts and cocktails at Mariscos Bismarkcito, and to El Tecolote beach, just past Balandra, where beach restaurants serve fish with a view toward Isla Espíritu Santo.
Tours from Cabo
Cactus Tours lists a 12-hour Balandra trip at USD 150 per person, with pickup at 8 AM, breakfast and a box lunch. Cabo Adventures reaches Balandra by catamaran, with snorkeling and lunch on board; its trip runs 8 to 9 hours and adds USD 20 in dock and park fees. Going by boat skips the car line entirely, which is a real advantage in winter and at Easter. Prices checked September 2026.
La Paz is also the base for two of Baja's best wildlife trips: the whale shark swim (roughly November to April) and the Espíritu Santo sea lions. If you want both, spend a night.
