Beach Bumming

Los Cabos' endless beaches have something for everyone

By Nick Honachefsky

A beach is a beach, right? Somewhere sandy to plop down a sun umbrella, lather on the SPF 50 and read People magazine. Wrong. A beach is much more than that. It's a place to ride the pounding surf on a wave runner, a serene launching point for a natural voyage on a kayak, a living stage to take the love of your life on a stroll into the sunset. The sands of Los Cabos aren't just beaches — they're getaways, each with its own individual personality, promises and panache to fill your intrinsic needs. Whether you fall in the category of high-octane stunt junkie, low-key nature lover or somewhere happily blurred in between, Los Cabos' beaches hold the heart of what your soul is searching for.

Wax the Boards
Hang ten, pop an aerial, carve it up! Still yet to be fully realized in its unlimited potential, the Baja beachfront surprises and infects the surfer population. Los Cabos contains tasty waves and good times to put you in a stoked state of mind. The East Cape area of Costa Azul offers a selection of beach breaks with three main breaks that peel off the shelf and roll with flavor down the line. Zippers off of San José attracts the beginner to expert crowd, with easy waist- to head-high sets; La Roca is a tasty break that favors goofy foot surfers looking for the perfect right; and Acapulquito, a beginner's break, is known to offer up a sweet, satisfying longboard wave. A challenging wave with a steep drop exists at Cabo Bello at Km. 5, but if you want to experience an Ironman's wave, head north on the Pacific side to Todos Santos, where winter swells fuel massive mountainous waves that blast the coastline — some times reaching up to 50 feet high. Even if you don't paddle out, just to set eyes on Todos Santos when it's firing is experience enough. Eight minutes from San José, the Cabo Surf Hotel is situated at Km. 28, smack dab in the middle of the primo breaks for ideal accommodations. Forgot to pack the stick? You can rent out both longboards and shortboards at the hotel. And don't sweat it, you can also take lessons there at legendary surfer Mike Doyle's own private surf school.

A Family Affair
Pack the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and bring the kids. Cabo definitely attracts the jet-setting crowd, but make no mistake: The sands are family-friendly to the max. Médano Beach is definitely not for the lazy at heart, as myriad activities abound on the hustling and bustling beach to keep you and the family occupied. Situated steps from the marina in Cabo San Lucas, this sprawling two-mile stretch of shoreline offers up a mess of sand and surf sports such as volleyball, snorkeling and Jet Skiing, along with providing restaurants such as the Mango Deck and The Office steps away to grab a snack or even a full meal to fill up. For kids and kids at heart, take a short walk across from Médano Beach to the Marina, where Cabo Dolphins awaits young and old alike to swim with friendly bottlenose dolphins in an enclosed pool. In a 30-minute session, you'll become very close friends with the loving mammals, interacting, swimming and playing with them. What an experience! A little more low-key, Playa Palmilla at Km. 27 is comfortable, with shady palapas and a calm-water bay for a laid-back day of lazy snorkeling. Playa Chileno gets the whole family swimming about in the shallow, crystal-clear waters, with convenient restroom facilities and showers nearby.

Seclusion Without Intrusion
Picture this: Moonlight sparkles off the Sea of Cortés and a warm sea breeze wisps through the magnificent El Arco, tickling you and your significant other as you stroll hand-in- hand, leaving delicate shadow footprints in the golden sands. That's Playa del Amor, aka Lover's Beach. Located under the watchful presence of El Arco, the beach with the amorous reputation bridges the Sea of Cortés with the Pacific Ocean and can be reached by a short Panga ride from Médano Beach. Don't worry about getting back; you'll be there all night. Conveniently, steps away on the Pacific side of El Arco lies Divorce Beach. Spectacular sandstone bluffs carved from wind and tide tower over cactus fields and crashing surf, though tourists are warned not to swim in the powerful undertow. Idyllic with its mixed beauty of volcanic rock and soft sands, Twin Dolphin Beach lies at Km. 12.5 and offers secluded hangouts behind volcanic boulders and indented coves, ensuring utmost privacy. For a little fine dining with your piece of paradise, immerse yourself at Monuments, where you can wine and dine at Da Giorgio's Italian restaurant overlooking the cliffs for a spectacular Pacific sunset.

Swim With the Fish
Half the fun of going to the beach is getting in the water, and what better way to experience the underwater realm than to swim with the fish? Snorkeling the calm, protected waters of Bahía Santa María will have you closely observing thousands of schools of brilliant butterfly fish. Chileno Beach offers a fully loaded snorkel slice of heaven as tropical fish can even be seen cruising along the shoreline. And if it gets to be too much work, the soft sands of Chileno Beach are equipped with beach umbrellas, purified water and beach chairs to take a load off and relax. If you want to go deeper, scuba dive operators host dives that span the gamut of beginner to experienced, and most dive excursions will focus at Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, which holds the distinction of being the only natural living coral reef in western North America. Off of Lover's Beach, you can find yourself at the popular yet pristine dive sites of Neptune's Fingers and Sand Falls to glide over neon-bright, sponge-covered boulder fields as legendary marine biologist Jacques Cousteau once did. Pop your head out of the water here for a second to grab a gulp of air and you can see portly sea lions barking at you from their perch on the rocks underneath the watchful eye of El Arco. Just don't bark back!

Cruising the Waves
Paddle into paradise. Sea kayaking has taken the beach blanket bingo population by storm, as kayak rentals allow you step off the sands safely to immerse into the cape's natural beauty at your own leisurely pace. Enjoy a sweet glide across the shallow, crystalline waters of the San José estuary, bustling with diverse aquatic life, all the while serenaded by the songs of any of the 250 species of native birds onshore that call the estuary home. Palmilla Bay in the San José Bay is a frequent kayak destination filled with the scenic majesty of the Baja coastline. One primo option for kayakers is to hit Los Chopitos, a brilliant area of the bay containing shallow, vibrant coral bars where "yakkers" can really get an eye-to-eye view with the coral ecosystem. If you really want to open up the throttle, Playa Médano rents high-flying wave runners to charge hard through the waves and kick up rooster tails. More refined watermen may opt to rent out a Hobie Cat and harness the power of the wind to glide and ride. For a wicked point of view of Los Cabos, take in the entire Land's End vista of mountains, bays, beaches and all — try the ultimate high and go parasailing, which is available at Médano as well.

Party Beaches
Nighttime is the right time to get the job done. Grab a margarita, or better yet, grab two, and during evening time shuttle down to Médano Beach — the beating heart of the Cabo San Lucas scene. During daytime, Hollywood celebs hit the sands here mixed with the whole parade of spring breakers, college co-eds, 20- and 30-somethings, and those young at heart. Nikki Beach, in front of the ME Cabo, is the new kid in town, where swank and sizzle mark the spot. Like your favorite NY loft, throw pillows, champagne daybeds, fancy drinking glasses and a hipster vibe rule. By far, the best place to find a new friend for the night. And when drinking, don't drive. No doubt, everybody worries about getting rides back and forth or getting ripped off by shady taxi services. Fear no longer! Instead of worrying, simply contact Transcabo transportation service, which runs up-to-the-minute shuttles, cars and vans to taxi you between most hotels and beaches in Los Cabos. They even run trips to and from the airport.

Split personalities permeate the Los Cabos beaches. Well-rounded and lit-up with plenty of action, whether you want rest and relaxation or sunup partying, you can rest assured you'll find what you're looking for on Baja's sands!

Why is Cabo so much fun? There is so much to do! Click here for a list of dive, watersports, fishing and tour operators. You'll also find links to Cabo's world class golf courses, spas, adventure tours, horseback riding, wedding coordinators and cruises.