Cabo Adventures – Paradise at Land’s End

Land’s End – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Have you ever visited a place and felt that you’d found a paradise that you could stay in forever. I feel that way about Los Cabos every time I think back on the peaceful beaches and friendly people. I spent many nights walking through the markets sprinkled with local cafes, just absorbing the energy and culture. It is a culture of serenity and enjoyment where everyone is a friend that you haven’t met yet.

Table of contents: (Hide)

• Los Cabos
• Beaches
• Festivals
• Activities
• Hike to the Point
• Food in Cabo
• San Jose del Cabo
• Cabo Travel Photography
• Cost of Los Cabos
• Sea of Cortez
• Conclusion

Los Cabos

Los Cabos is really comprised of two cities; Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo that are joined by a 20-mile “corridor” of resorts. Cabo San Lucas is the resort area with larger hotels, nightlife, fantastic restaurants, and the most options to enjoy the ocean.

By far, the majority of visitors come for the charter fishing boats. Fishing is terrific in Cabo and I have witnessed 300 pounds striped Marlin being hoisted high while cameras are clicking furiously.

Many visitors come from California or the west coast as the flight is reasonable in time and cost. Getting to Mexico is still fairly easy for anyone in the US and the exchange rate is still very good. San Jose del Cabo offers fishing charters as well but most of the locals live nearby and the atmosphere is more Mexican and less touristy.

Beaches

If you come only for the fishing, you will miss out on many other aspects of this beautiful area. The beaches are beautiful and clean. My favorite was Santa Maria beach where the locals come at night with their kids, talk, eat, and socialize.

Santa Maria Bay snorkeling

I also loved Chileno beach which has awesome fish life for snorkeling.

Festivals

There are events throughout every week such as festivals, tournaments, or other celebrations. I was there in November for the “Day of the Dead” where the locals make altars and display them outside. They are judged at night and prizes are awarded. It is a day-long celebration of their ancestors.

There are also many fishing tournaments throughout the year that bring anglers and boats to fill up the marina. The competition goes on all day while onlookers cheer the huge fish coming in. The marina restaurants all face the weighing station so it is great to sit and relax for an hour admiring the skill of the fishermen.

Activities

Being a desert, Cabo has great open spaces where you can do some 4-wheeling, take a nature walk, or even rappel down some sheer cliff faces. They have a Dolphinarium where visitors can interact with marine animals, and many charters offer whale watching tours at certain times of the year. There are championship golf courses, horseback riding, cycling tours, and even, for the more reckless, glider tours and parasailing.

Divorce Beach

Hike to the Point

One interesting hike you can make is down to the tip of the peninsula. You start at the Cabo San Lucas marina and walk along the rocks & beach, through pools, tunnels, and ledges for about ¾ of a mile until you reach the end. Here there are two beaches on either side of the peninsula with a thin sandy strip to connect them. Lover’s beach is a large, quiet sandy area facing the Sea of Cortez. On the other side is Divorce Beach, facing the raging Pacific Ocean. It is great to take this hike (carry water) and then take a water taxi, which runs every few minutes, back to the marina.

Food in Cabo

The best part of visiting Cabo for me was the food. There are many options and it is not unusual to find a fine dining experience sitting right next to a $5 tacos and beer special. My favorite activity was people-watching in an outdoor café, sipping a local beer and munching on local food. This experience is only topped when a local shop owner joins you for some polite and interesting conversation.

The local people make Cabo a great place. I visited a small restaurant in San Jose del Cabo, known mostly by locals, for an early lunch one day. I was soon joined at the table by ten people from the neighborhood who wanted to discuss my home life, American politics, and other global issues. The owner refused payment after I had stuffed myself for an hour. This is the true Mexican culture and a refreshing experience for any traveler.

San Jose del Cabo

San Jose del Cabo is the older of the two cities. The original Mission San José del Cabo was founded in 1730. It was destroyed once by a native uprising and moved two before being built in its current location. San Jose del Cabo has a nice walkable, if small, downtown area with local crafts and restaurants.

Whale’s Head Bay

Cabo Travel Photography

If you are interested in travel photography, there is no better place to get ocean and beach pictures. The range of bays gives you waves fit for the best surfers or fully protected and peaceful seas. You can sit on the beach at sunrise and get a panorama of wonderful images for your scrapbook.

Cost of Los Cabos

One caveat to the paradise label is the price tag for certain items. While it is possible to be discriminating and find inexpensive hotel options, the area is overwhelmingly filled with large resort hotels. They offer a complete home for travelers that enjoy the resort experience but most of them are quite expensive (starting at $250/night). I managed to find a small secure hotel on the outskirts of town for $300/week. With that savings, however, you may want a car. Car rentals and especially insurance are very expensive. I paid more for the car than for the hotel.

Booking.com

Sea of Cortez

Los Cabos can also be a great jumping-off point for exploring the Sea of Cortez and its abundant wildlife. 

Conclusion

Los Cabos is still for me a paradise that awaits. Perhaps one day I’ll take the plunge, pack up my possessions, and buy a small house near the beach of San Jose del Cabo. Until then, visiting every few years is a great option for anyone looking for paradise.