# Los Cabos: map, what to do and when to go

The Arch at Cabo San Lucas, swimming coves along the Corridor, the galleries of San José del Cabo and the Cabo Pulmo reef, at the tip of Baja California.

Canonical: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/
Language: en. Extended author commentary and itinerary notes may remain in Portuguese. Dates below belong to individual sources; this is not live availability.

## Direct answer
- **Los Cabos: how do I get out of the airport?** Almost everyone arrives through Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), north of San José del Cabo: about 13 km from the center of San José and 37 km from Cabo San Lucas by highway.
- **Los Cabos: what fees do visitors pay?** Baja California Sur charges foreign visitors over 12 years old the Embrace It contribution, paid online, which generates a receipt with a QR code; Mexicans and residents of Mexico do not pay.
- **Los Cabos: how many days should I plan, and where should I stay?** I'd spend three days in Los Cabos, sleeping in San José del Cabo, near the airport and halfway to what matters: the first in Cabo San Lucas, with the boat to the Arch and Playa del Amor in the morning and the afternoon between El Médano and the marina; the second on the Corridor, with snorkeling at Santa María and swimming at Chileno, and the evening downtown in San José, preferably on an Art Walk Thursday; the third entirely at Cabo Pulmo, with snorkeling or diving booked with an accredited operator.

## Cabo San Lucas, the Arch and the bay
From San José del Cabo, go by car or on the Ruta del Desierto bus to Cabo San Lucas, about 33 km and half an hour by highway.
- El Arco de Cabo San Lucas
- Playa del Amor
- Playa El Médano
- Cabo San Lucas Marina
- Museo de Historia Natural de Cabo San Lucas

## Snorkeling on the Corridor and the evening in San José
Leave early for Playa Santa María, about 24 km and half an hour from San José along the Corridor, and snorkel in the morning, when the water is usually clearer.
- Playa Santa María
- Playa El Chileno
- Plaza Mijares
- Estero de San José del Cabo

## The Cabo Pulmo reef
Book snorkeling or diving ahead with an accredited operator from the village; snorkeling can only be done with a guide, from 6 a.m. to 6:59 p.m.
- Cabo Pulmo National Park

## El Arco de Cabo San Lucas
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-el-arco-de-cabo-san-lucas
Baixa Califórnia do Sul · One to two hours
The granite arch at the tip of Land's End is the image that identifies Los Cabos: the rock, as tall as a three-story building, stands where the peninsula ends and the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) meets the Pacific. The formation is Cretaceous intrusive granite, carved by sea erosion. The Los Cabos tourism board notes that access is by water only, from Playa El Médano or the marina: water taxi, glass-bottom boat, sailboat or guided kayak. The sea lion colony on the rocks is usually part of the route. The tours enter the Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Cabo San Lucas, where CONANP charges a fee per passenger, proven by a wristband; ask the operator for the current amount and whether it is included in the price. During whale season, the federal notice restricts whale watching within a 2 km radius around the Arch, because of excess boat traffic: the Arch is seen up close, the whales farther out.
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## Playa del Amor
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-playa-del-amor
One to two hours
The small strip of sand at the foot of the Arch crosses the tip of the peninsula from one sea to the other. The Sea of Cortez side, Playa del Amor, has calm water that the tourism board recommends for swimming and snorkeling; the Pacific side, Playa del Divorcio, gets strong waves between rock walls, and the safest thing there is just to look. You get there by water taxi from Playa El Médano, by kayak or paddleboard across the bay, or on the boats that leave from the marina. There are no services on the sand: bring water and footwear, because the sand gets very hot in the afternoon, and agree with the boatman on the exact time of the return.
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## Playa El Médano
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-playa-el-medano
Cabo San Lucas · One to two hours
The urban beach of Cabo San Lucas stretches for a few kilometers inside the bay, sheltered from the Pacific swells. The tourism board describes it as the town's main swimming beach, with water suitable for swimmers of any age, and many water taxis to the Arch leave from here. The sand is occupied by beach clubs, cantinas and hotels; several hotel-front stretches appear on the state government's list of Blue Flag certified beaches. It is the most practical beach for anyone sleeping in Cabo San Lucas without a car.
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## Cabo San Lucas Marina
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-marina-cabo-san-lucas
Up to half an hour
The port of Cabo San Lucas brings together fishermen's pangas, yachts, sport fishing boats and the tour boats to the Arch and for whale watching. The promenade around it concentrates restaurants, bars and the operators' ticket offices. Marlin fishing gave the town international fame: in October, Cabo San Lucas hosts the Bisbee's Black & Blue tournament (October 19 to 24 in 2026). In the late afternoon, when the boats come back, it is the best place to understand the town that grew up around the dock.
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## Museo de Historia Natural de Cabo San Lucas
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-museo-de-historia-natural-de
Cabo San Lucas · Up to half an hour
The small municipal museum is on Plaza Amelia Wilkes, the oldest core of downtown Cabo San Lucas, surrounded by shops and restaurants. The collection covers the natural history of the tip of the peninsula. Check the hours and closing day on site before going, because the tourism board does not publish current hours.
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## Playa Santa María
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-playa-santa-maria
One to two hours
A cove on the Tourist Corridor, between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, protected by two large granite points that block most of the waves and wind. The shallow water is sheltered and full of tropical fish; the tourism board recommends going in the morning, when visibility is better, and the beach appears on the state government's Blue Flag list. You get there by car, about 13 km from Cabo San Lucas, or on boat tours that leave from the marina. Bring shade, water and snorkeling gear.
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## Playa El Chileno
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-playa-el-chileno
One to two hours
Another sheltered bay on the Corridor, about 15 km from Cabo San Lucas and a little over 1.5 km from Santa María. The tourism board lists it among the best beaches in the region for swimming and snorkeling, with showers, portable toilets, trash bins, parking and a lifeguard station, and it appears on the state government's Blue Flag list. You can combine the two in the same morning.
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## Playa Palmilla
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-playa-palmilla
One to two hours
A sheltered bay near San José del Cabo, less than 10 km from the center, which the tourism board defines as a safe swimming beach, protected by a cove. It is on the state government's Blue Flag list. It is the calm-water swimming beach closest to San José; neighboring Acapulquito, a little closer, mainly interests surfers.
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## Playa Acapulquito
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-playa-acapulquito
Up to half an hour
A small beach on the stretch of the Corridor closest to San José del Cabo, about 8 km from the center, next to the Cabo Surf Hotel. It is known for surfing, and the tourism board includes it among the beaches with generally calm water; it is also on the state's Blue Flag list. It works for a surf lesson or for watching the surfers; for a day of swimming, Palmilla, just ahead, has the more protected cove.
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## Misión de San José del Cabo Añuití
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-mision-de-san-jose-del-cabo
Los Cabos · Up to half an hour
The church in front of the main square of San José del Cabo marks the origin of the town. The Jesuit mission was founded in 1730 by Fathers Nicolás Tamaral and José de Echeverría, moved more than once and settled inland in 1753; Tamaral was killed in the Pericú rebellion of 1734. The current neoclassical church was built in 1940 near the mission site, and its facade has a tile panel of Tamaral's martyrdom. Enter outside Mass hours and in clothing suited to a church in use.
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## Plaza Mijares
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-plaza-mijares
Up to half an hour
The central square of San José del Cabo, which locals call Plaza Mijares, sits in front of the church and concentrates open-air cafés, restaurants and ice cream shops. On Thursdays it hosts a local craft market. In the late afternoon it is where families meet and the natural start of a walk through the gallery district.
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## Distrito del Arte de San José del Cabo
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-distrito-del-arte-de-san-jose
One to two hours
In the blocks behind the church, old houses hold painting, sculpture and craft galleries, plus shops and restaurants. From November to June, the Thursday Art Walk, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., opens the galleries at night, with free admission. On Tuesday evenings, Sabores San José brings together food, traditional music and folk dance across downtown, according to the tourism board. On other days, the galleries keep regular business hours.
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## Cabo Pulmo National Park
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-parque-nacional-cabo-pulmo
Baixa Califórnia do Sul · Half a day or more
On the east coast of the peninsula, 98 km and about 1 hour 50 minutes by car from San José del Cabo (132 km and 2 hours 10 minutes from Cabo San Lucas), the park protects the only hard coral reef in the Gulf of California, according to the tourism board. The community organized against overfishing, the park was created on June 6, 1995, UNESCO recognized it in 2005 as part of the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, and in 2008 it became a Ramsar site. Today people snorkel and dive among groupers, turtles and sharks. The park's official guide sets the rules: snorkeling only with an accredited guide, life jacket required, at most eight people per guide and 30 minutes per group at each spot, from 6 a.m. to 6:59 p.m.; diving with certification and at most six per guide; 2.5 m distance from the corals; kayaks and paddleboards only with an accredited guide; swimming within 20 m of shore in the sandy areas of Miramar Norte, Cabo Pulmo, El Arbolito and Los Frailes beaches; biodegradable sunscreen, which the park's official guide declares mandatory, and preferably no sunscreen at all: the same guide notes that even the biodegradable kind damages the ecosystem and recommends a long-sleeved shirt for the water. The park wristband is paid per visitor. The last roughly 10 km are dirt road and become dangerous in the September rains; the village has no ATM (the nearest is 27 km away), pharmacy or health service, the nearest gas station is in La Ribera, 27 km away, and cell signal fails.
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## Estero de San José del Cabo
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/los-cabos/#g-lugar-estero-de-san-jose-del-cabo
Up to half an hour
The estuary of the San José River, the largest body of fresh water in Baja California Sur, lies just east of downtown San José del Cabo, between the town and the sea. It is a wetland with trails along a sheltered lagoon, known for its many waterbirds. The mission was set up beside it in 1730. The sources consulted do not publish hours or access rules; go during the day and stay on the trails.
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**Los Cabos: how do I get out of the airport?**
Almost everyone arrives through Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), north of San José del Cabo: about 13 km from the center of San José and 37 km from Cabo San Lucas by highway. On arrival, use an authorized taxi, a prebooked transfer or a rental car: according to local press in January 2026, ride-hailing cars cannot pick up passengers in the airport area, which is federal, but can drop them off at departures. The Ruta del Desierto bus runs the highway between the airport, San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas with several stops along the Corridor; at the airport, the stop is at Terminal 1, and those arriving at Terminal 2 go up to the departures level and follow the sidewalk to Terminal 1. There is no current published schedule of fares and times: confirm the fare, accepted currency and last bus at the stop or with the driver before relying on it at night.

**Los Cabos: what fees do visitors pay?**
Baja California Sur charges foreign visitors over 12 years old the Embrace It contribution, paid online, which generates a receipt with a QR code; Mexicans and residents of Mexico do not pay. In 2026, the amount is 488 MXN per person, according to press in January 2026. On boat tours from the Cabo San Lucas marina, CONANP charges a fee per passenger, and in Cabo Pulmo each visitor pays for the park wristband; ask the operator for the current amount and whether it is included in the price before booking.

**Los Cabos: how many days should I plan, and where should I stay?**
I'd spend three days in Los Cabos, sleeping in San José del Cabo, near the airport and halfway to what matters: the first in Cabo San Lucas, with the boat to the Arch and Playa del Amor in the morning and the afternoon between El Médano and the marina; the second on the Corridor, with snorkeling at Santa María and swimming at Chileno, and the evening downtown in San José, preferably on an Art Walk Thursday; the third entirely at Cabo Pulmo, with snorkeling or diving booked with an accredited operator. Those who want nightlife and everything on foot can sleep in Cabo San Lucas, accepting 132 km and about 2 hours 10 minutes of road to Cabo Pulmo. With a fourth day, I'd go to Todos Santos and Playa Los Cerritos, on the Pacific side. From December to April, the trip gains the whales and the dry weather; from August to October, the heat and the risk of cyclones call for a flexible plan.

**Los Cabos: how do I visit the Cabo Pulmo reef?**
The park is on the east coast, 98 km and about 1 hour 50 minutes by car from San José del Cabo (132 km and 2 hours 10 minutes from Cabo San Lucas). The park's official guide sets the rules: snorkeling only with an accredited guide, life jacket required, at most eight people per guide and 30 minutes per group at each spot, from 6 a.m. to 6:59 p.m.; diving with certification and at most six per guide; 2.5 m distance from the corals; biodegradable sunscreen, which the guide declares mandatory, and preferably no sunscreen at all, with a long-sleeved shirt for the water. The park wristband is paid per visitor. The last roughly 10 km are dirt road and become dangerous in the September rains; the village has no ATM (the nearest is 27 km away), pharmacy or health service, and the nearest gas station is in La Ribera, 27 km away. Several businesses do not accept cards: bring cash in pesos.

**Los Cabos: how do I get to the Arch, and can I swim there?**
Access to the Arch is by water only, from Playa El Médano or the marina: water taxi, glass-bottom boat, sailboat or guided kayak. On the strip of sand at the foot of the Arch, the Sea of Cortez side, Playa del Amor, has calm water that the tourism board recommends for swimming and snorkeling; the Pacific side, Playa del Divorcio, gets strong waves between rock walls, and the safest thing there is just to look. There are no services on the sand: bring water and footwear, because the sand gets very hot in the afternoon, and agree with the boatman on the exact time of the return. The tours enter the Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Cabo San Lucas, where CONANP charges a fee per passenger, proven by a wristband; ask the operator for the current amount and whether it is included in the price.

**Los Cabos: when is the best time to go?**
December to April; it is the dry, mild season, and it coincides with whale-watching season, which the federal notice opens each year from mid-December to the end of April. August and September concentrate the little rain the year brings, and hurricane season runs from May 15 to November 30.

**Los Cabos: is it safe?**
Los Cabos is not among the areas of Mexico the British government advises against traveling to; the assessment, updated on October 16, 2026, says Baja California Sur is not affected by the warnings for the neighboring state. The general advice for Mexico still applies: crimes against foreigners are recorded in tourist areas, and express kidnapping, in which the victim is taken to withdraw cash, can happen in urban areas. Use a stand taxi or one called by the hotel and withdraw cash in the daytime, from ATMs inside stores or shopping centers. The most common risk is the sea: many beaches have strong waves, currents and no lifeguard, and the official guidance is to swim only where the flag and the authorities indicate. Dengue circulates in the state; use repellent. From May 15 to November 30, follow cyclone warnings and obey evacuation orders.


## In the Nilo app
- Plan these 3 days on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/guide/los-cabos/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-itinerary
- Mark your hotel on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/map/los-cabos/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-stay

## Full editorial guide (Portuguese)
https://nilopelomundo.com/llm/los-cabos.md