Guide To Cabo San Lucas

About Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas is one five main locations in Baja California Sur - which include La Paz, San Jose del Cabo, Todos Santos and Loreto. All of these places can be discovered with Mexperience.

Cabo San Lucas - 'Cabo' means cape - is at the far tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, the land immediately south of the United States, cut-off from mainland Mexico by the Sea of Cortez, also referred to as the Gulf of California.

This region of Mexico is a real paradise, with its hot deserts, and cool, warm breezed oceans and waters reflecting several different shades of blues and greens.

The region is a particular favorite with divers, golfers and people looking to take part in sports fishing excursions.

Like many of Mexico's thriving beach locations, Cabo San Lucas was a quiet fishing village before it was developed. Today, luxury hotels, trendy bars, restaurants and night clubs are everywhere: Cabo is an elite party town on Mexico's Baja California Sur coast.

Cabo attracts people looking for relaxation, water sports and golf. Golf especially, has taken off here in recent years with the development of some of the world's finest golf courses and near year-long perfect weather for golfing.

If you want to experience an upper-class resort, that offers luxury, with the opportunity to take part in some water-based fun, golf, luxurious relaxation, all night partying - perhaps a taste of all these - then Cabo San Lucas could be just the place you're looking for.

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Key Attractions

Beach Life

Cabo San Lucas has a great 'principal' beach - called Medano. You can rent snorkeling equipment and non-motorized water equipment right on the beach. This is a good place to sunbathe and swim as well.

Farther out of town, you can find some remote beaches along the shoreline between "the two cabos" (Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo). These include the Barco Varado, Chileno, Palmilla, Santa Maria and Vista del Arco Beaches, for those who want to get away from the crowds and see some stunning beaches and shoreline. You'll need to rent a car - see Getting Around, below.

Nature and Adventure Experiences in Los Cabos

Los Cabos is a perfect base from which to enjoy Mexico's great outdoors and take part in a variety of Nature and Adventure experiences in Mexico.

The local ecology, the landscape, the climate and the proximity to the sea make this region a natural paradise for those who love enjoying nature. What more, you can find experienced and well prepared organizations in Los Cabos who are ready to help you enjoy the best of what this region offers.

Fishing, kayaking, sailing, camping, surfing, horseback riding, nature walks, fabulous bird watching, cliff hikes, sunset cruises, watching the amazing whales sea lions and pottery are just some of the activities you can enjoy in the area

Water Sports

With its calm waters, fine weather and beaches, its no wonder that water sports are one of the main attractions in Cabo San Lucas, including snorkeling, SCUBA diving, kayaking, water and jet-skis. If it's water based, you can experience it in Cabo San Lucas.

Sports Fishing Experiences

Los Cabos is one of Mexico's top destinations for Sports Fishing. Read our Guide to Sports Fishing in Mexico and discover just what a fantastic day out a sports fishing experience can be on your next visit to Mexico.

Spas in Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas is host to some of Mexico's finest Resort Spas. For more information about Spas, and how to benefit from a magnificent health spa experience in Mexico, connect to the Mexperience guide to Spas in Mexico.

Local Cruises

There's no better way to enjoy the scenery in this area than on a local boat cruise. Local cruises take you on tours around the many islets surrounding Baja California Sur, and include sunset cruises that let you experience some of the most wonderful sunsets you'll view in your life.

Whale Watching in Baja

From the Bering Strait, whales migrate to the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur between January and March of each year. To see the marvel of these great creatures, you'll need to visit 'in season'. There are three main areas where its best to view the whales - the main one being Magdalena Bay off the Pacific coast. Also see: Nature and Adventure Experiences in Mexico

Golf in Cabo San Lucas

The climate in Baja California Sur is ideal for golf all year-round, and the region is fast becoming one of the top places in the world to play the game. Baja is host to some of the world's finest golf courses and many people visit the area simply to enjoy great golf in Mexico.

Other Attractions

Day trips out exploring, horse riding, and all-terrain vehicle tours are some of the other experiences you can enjoy in and around Cabo San Lucas.

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Getting There & Around

Getting There

By Air - You can get to Cabo San Lucas by plane from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tijuana, and various places in the USA, especially Los Angeles, CA. Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for Airlines.

By Bus - To get to Baja California Sur, your best bet is to fly there (see above); the bus journey from Tijuana to La Paz is about 27 hours; then a further 2 hours from there to Los Cabos.

By Car - Driving to Cabo San Lucas from the southern border of the United States will take you about 20-24 hours on Highway 1 and then a further 2 hours on Highway 19. See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico's Toll Roads on Mexperience.

By Ferry - If you are on Mexico's mainland, or want to get to it, there is a ferry that crosses the Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of California) to and from La Paz to the port cities of Mazatlan and Los Mochis (Topolobambo). The ferry trip to/from Mazatlan takes 18 hours and does not run daily; sleeping cabins are available with advance bookings. The ferry to/from Los Mochis (Topolobambo) takes around 8 hours and does not sail daily either. Check the Ferry's website at: www.bajaferries.com for details of routes, schedules, prices and contact details. Note: from 2004, a new Catamaran ferry is being operated, and this has significantly reduced the travel times across the Sea of Cortez from Mexico's mainland to La Paz.

Getting Around

From the Airport - The same airport that serves Cabo San Lucas serves San Jose del Cabo, although it is closer to San Jose del Cabo. Land transport is available from the airport into town, or you can take a taxi (which can be shared). If you want to rent a car in Cabo San Lucas, agencies have desks inside the main terminal building. Booking in advance is likely to save you money.

Local Buses - Local buses are available and you'll need to take one or taxi travel from Cabo San Lucas to nearby San Jose del Cabo; but just about all of Cabo San Lucas is accessible on foot.

Taxis - Taxis are widely available, but not metered, so agree your price before you get in. If you speak Spanish, you will have a distinct advantage and be able to negotiate a better price. Another good reason to Learn Spanish!

Rent a Car - If you want to see all of the amazing beaches and scenery which reside within a short car ride of Cabo San Lucas, your best bet is to rent a car. This is the most flexible way to see the area and will enable you to explore other areas more efficiently, for example Todos Santos and La Paz. See the Mexperience Travel Center for details about Car Rental in Cabo San Lucas. See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico's Toll Roads on Mexperience.

By Local Bus - If your budget is tight or if you want to see more of local life, local buses do run frequently connecting La Paz, Los Cabos and Todos Santos as well as other destinations further north such as Loreto, San Felipe and other destinations in Baja California.

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Local Events Calendar

July: Every July, you can experience the Cabo Jazz Festival in Cabo San Lucas. Link to festival's official website at www.cabojazz.com for full details.

October 18th hosts the festival of St Luke's Day - the Patron Saint of Cabo San Lucas (which means "Cape of Saint Luke"). Expect lots of dancing in the streets, music and specially arranged local events to mark the day.

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Practical Information

Telephone: Connect to the Communications in Mexico Page on Mexperience for full information about keeping in touch and the latest table of national dialing codes.

Exchanging Currency: Banks with ATM machines can be found in the downtown area of Cabo San Lucas. During business hours, they and the Casas de Cambio will buy travelers' checks and cash from you as well. Read about currency exchange in Mexperience's Money Section.

Travel Insurance: We recommend that you are adequately covered with travel medical cover and/or travel assistance cover when you are visiting Mexico. Note that your US Automobile Insurance will not cover you in Mexico -- you must get a top-up policy to be properly covered. Read the Mexperience guide to Travel Insurance in Mexico for full details and links to specialist insurance suppliers.

Beach Safety: The main beach, Medano, is a safe beach to swim from, and areas of the nearby water are roped off to protect swimmers from motorized water craft that operate in the area. Check for, and keep an eye on, the surf and on weather conditions, especially in September, when the weather in the region is changeable.

Internet Access: Internet cafes are commonplace in Mexico - new ones open and old ones close all the time - but you won't have to look too hard to find one downtown and in the main tourist areas.

Local Tourist Office: Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for details of the nearest Tourist Information office.

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Accommodation

• Find a Hotel in Cabo San Lucas
• Find a Hotel in Los Cabos (Search Cabo San Lucas & San Jose del Cabo Together)

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Restaurants

Hard Rock Cafe: Fast food, hamburgers. Plaza Bonita Mall, 28-C. Tel: (521) 1433779

Nicksan: Japanese Food. Las Tiendas de Palmilla Shopping Center. Tel: (624) 1446263

Mona Lisa: Located near the entrance to the town, this is a great place for Cocktails and to watch the beautiful sunsets proffered in this part of Mexico.

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When Night Falls

As one of Mexico's elite party-towns, Cabo San Lucas will offer night owls a feast of bars, restaurants and night clubs that will keep you dancing all night long.

The night clubs don't get going until around midnight, and don't stop until the sun rises the next day. If you want to dance and swing, quite literally until the sun comes up, then Cabo San Lucas will deliver the experience you're searching for.

Remember that you're at land's end on the Pacific Coast. The sunsets you'll see from here are absolutely terrific, so make sure that you're near the coast around dusk. Between January and March, you may also watch the whales in the water as the sun goes down - a spectacular experience.

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What to Buy in Cabo San Lucas

Shopping is a major pastime in Cabo San Lucas.

All of the shops are within walking distance (as are most other things in Cabo San Lucas). You may ask the shop to have your purchase delivered back to your hotel, especially if it is a bit big or fragile, or if you are just starting an active day of bargain hunting!

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Local Climate

The weather during the summer months will be extremely hot; cooler near the coasts. In the winter it can get cooler and windy. The rainy season is September (the one month when the weather can be changeable), otherwise this part of Mexico enjoys sunshine most days of the year.

Live Weather Report:

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