The villa's booked. Now you need to work out which beach to head to.
In Los Cabos, that takes a little planning. Some of the most beautiful beaches have strong surf and aren't safe for swimming. Others sit in sheltered bays where you can snorkel or spend much of the day in the water.
Start with the area where you're staying. This guide covers the nearby beaches, whether swimming is an option, how crowded they get and how to reach them, so you can spend less time sorting out the day's logistics.
Before you get in, always check the beach flags and current conditions. The ocean can change quickly, and a beach that's usually considered swimmable isn't necessarily safe on the day you visit.
Pedregal
Pedregal sits on Cabo's dramatic Pacific side, where the beaches are better suited to walks, sunsets and taking in the ocean views. Swimming is off the agenda here. For a day in the water, head into Cabo San Lucas to Médano or Cannery Beach.
Pedregal Beach
Crowds: Quiet
Access: Access is limited to Pedregal residents and guests staying within the gated community.
Parking: Community parking for Pedregal guests
Best for: Walks, sunsets, ocean views, whale watching (in season)
Google Maps
Solmar Beach
Crowds: Quiet
Access: Public beach access through Grand Solmar Land's End, tell security you're heading to the public beach and take the side walkway. At Playa Grande Resort, let staff know you're going to the beach, then walk through the open-air lobby and courtyard. Solmar Resort offers access via its side walkway or covered parking garage.
Parking: Limited street parking nearby
Best for: Walks, sunsets, ocean views, whale watching (in season)
Google Maps
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas has some of the easiest options when you want to swim. It's also a handy base if your beach day includes restaurants, beach clubs or water activities. Just don't expect a quiet stretch of sand.
Médano Beach
Crowds: Very busy
Access: The beach is public, with several access points from the Médano area.
Parking: Paid parking lots and limited street parking nearby but fills quickly during busy periods
Best for: Swimming, restaurants, beach clubs & water activities
Google Maps
Cannery Beach / Playa Empacadora
Crowds: Moderate
Access: This is a public beach. You can walk from the Cabo San Lucas Marina towards the Naval Base/Marina Sur, or drive to the public beach access near the end of the road.
Parking: Limited parking near the beach; marina parking nearby
Best for: Swimming and a more local beach experience
Google Maps
Lover's Beach
Crowds: Busy
Access: This is a public beach. You can walk from the Cabo San Lucas Marina towards the Naval Base/Marina Sur, or drive to the public beach access near the end of the road.
Parking: No road access
Best for: Swimming, snorkelling & views of The Arch
Google Maps
Divorce Beach
Crowds: Moderate
Access: This public beach has no road access. To reach it, take a water taxi to Lover's Beach, then walk across to the Pacific side.
Parking: No road access
Best for: Ocean views, photos & beach walks
Google Maps
Cabo Bello Beach
Crowds: Quiet
Access: This public beach is reached through the gated Cabo Bello community, where access is controlled. Tell security you're heading to the beach; you may need to leave ID at the gate in exchange for a visitor pass.
Parking: Limited parking near the beach access
Best for: A quiet beach day & snorkeling when conditions are calm
Google Maps
Monuments Beach
Crowds: Moderate
Access: This is a public beach, reached from the Tourist Corridor near The Cape hotel. You don't need to be a hotel guest to use it.
Parking: Limited roadside parking
Best for: Surfing & Land's End views
Google Maps
Explore our Cabo San Lucas villas →
Cabo del Sol & Punta Ballena
Along this stretch of the Tourist Corridor, you're between Cabo San Lucas and several of the area's best-known swimming beaches. Las Viudas is the closest public option. For swimming and snorkelling, head a little farther along the Corridor to Santa Maria.
Widow's Beach / Las Viudas
Crowds: Quiet
Access: This public beach has direct access from the Tourist Corridor
Parking: Parking lot near the beach
Best for: Quiet coves, scenery & exploring
Google Maps
Santa Maria Bay
Crowds: Moderate
Access: Public access is straightforward: take the signposted Playa Santa María turnoff from the Tourist Corridor, then follow the road to the public car park.
Parking: Free public parking lot
Best for: Swimming & snorkeling
Google Maps
Explore our Cabo del Sol villas → & Punta Ballena villas →
Chileno Bay
With more public facilities than many Corridor beaches, Chileno is a practical choice when swimming is high on your list. It's popular with families and snorkellers, so you won't be the only ones with that plan.
Chileno Beach
Crowds: Moderate to busy
Access: You don't need to stay at Chileno Bay to use this public beach. The entrance is signposted from the Tourist Corridor; follow the public access road to the parking area.
Parking: Free public parking lot
Best for: Swimming, snorkeling & families
Google Maps
El Tule Beach
Crowds: Quiet
Access: This public beach is accessible from the Tourist Corridor; follow the beach-access road from Highway 1.
Parking: Informal dirt/sand parking near the beach
Best for: Surfing & getting away from the crowds
Google Maps
Explore our Chileno Bay villas →
Palmilla
Stay in Palmilla and you'll have one of the area's best swimming beaches in the neighbourhood. You may even be able to get there by golf cart, though that depends on which community and villa you've booked.
Palmilla Beach - Community Access
Crowds: Quiet
Access:If you're staying within the Palmilla communities, you can walk or take a golf cart to the community beach access. The access point you'll use depends on your villa.
Parking: Free public parking lot
Best for: Swimming, whale watching (in season), families & paddle boarding
Google Maps
Palmilla Beach - Public Access
Crowds: Moderate, busier on weekends and holidays
Access: Head for the public beach access and parking area.
Parking: Free public parking lot
Best for: Swimming, families & paddleboarding
Google Maps
San Jose del Cabo & Costa Azul
Surfing is the main draw at the beaches around Costa Azul. If you're staying on this side of Los Cabos but would rather have a calmer swim, Palmilla Beach is a short drive away.
Acapulquito Beach
Crowds: Moderate
Access: Public beach, reached from the Tourist Corridor near Cabo Surf Hotel.
Parking: Limited parking near the beach
Best for: Surfing & surf lessons
Google Maps
Costa Azul Beach
Crowds: Moderate to busy
Access: Public beach accessible from the Tourist Corridor
Parking: Public parking near the beach
Best for: Surfing, walks & watching the waves
Google Maps
Explore our San Jose del Cabo villas →
Puerto Los Cabos
In Puerto Los Cabos, your beach choice depends on whether you want to swim. Fundadores has a beautiful stretch of beachfront within the community, but the water isn't swimmable. For a dip, head to La Playita beside the Puerto Los Cabos Marina, where there's a protected public swimming area.
Puerto Los Cabos Beach
Crowds: Quiet
Access: Beach access in Puerto Los Cabos depends on the villa: some sit directly on the beachfront, while others are a walk or golf-cart ride from the community's beach access points.
Parking: It depends on the community; most guests can walk from their villa, take a golf cart or drive.
Best for: Walks, ocean views, sunsets & beach days
Google Maps
La Playita
Crowds: Quiet to moderate
Access: The public beach beside Puerto Los Cabos Marina is open to everyone. Drive to La Playita and follow the public beach access.
Parking: Public parking near the beach
Best for: Swimming, families & a more local beach day
Google Maps
Explore our Puerto Los Cabos villas →
El Encanto de la Laguna
El Encanto de la Laguna sits along a quiet stretch of the Sea of Cortez. Several Sun Cabo villas are right on the sand; others are just a short walk from the beach.
La Laguna Beach / El Encanto Beach
Crowds: Quiet
Access: Some El Encanto villas have direct beach access or are just a short walk from the sand. Sun Cabo guests staying within El Encanto reach the beach through the community.
Parking: Community parking for El Encanto guests
Best for: Beach days, walks, sunsets
Google Maps
Explore our El Encanto villas →
East Cape
The East Cape is a real change of pace from Cabo's resort corridor. There's more distance between beaches, fewer services to rely on and, on some access roads, no pavement.
That's also the appeal.
Pack water, food, shade and everything else you'll need for the day. Before you set off, check both the road conditions and the ocean conditions.
Playa Los Zacatitos
Crowds: Quiet
Access: The beach is public, though there's no formal entrance. Follow the East Cape road into Los Zacatitos; the final stretch is on dirt roads, with informal access points leading to the shoreline.
Parking: Parking is free along the roadside near the beach; there's no dedicated parking lot.
Best for: Beach walks, scenery & exploring
Google Maps
Shipwrecks
Crowds: Quiet
Access: The beach is public, with no formal entrance. Follow the East Cape road and take the dirt-road turnoff towards the beach. That last stretch can be rough, so check road conditions before setting off.
Parking: Informal parking near the beach.
Best for: Surfing, beachcombing & photography
Google Maps
Nine Palms
Crowds: Quiet
Access: The beach is public, with no formal entrance. You reach it from the East Cape dirt road, where informal pull-offs serve as parking near the shore. It's a remote route, though a regular vehicle can generally manage it in dry conditions.
Parking: You can park along the roadside near the beach, though there's no dedicated parking lot.
Best for: Surfing, scenery & a remote beach day
Google Maps
Frailes Beach
Crowds: Quiet
Access: Public access. Take the signed dirt-road turnoff for Playa Los Frailes and follow it to the beach. Parking is available near or on the sand, but the route is remote and some stretches can have soft sand.
Parking: Free parking directly by/on the beach.
Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, kayaking & fishing
Google Maps
On the East Cape, check conditions locally before anyone gets in the water. Many beaches are remote, without the facilities or lifeguards you may be used to at Cabo's busier public beaches.
Explore our East Cape Villas →
Worth the Drive: Cerritos Beach
Cerritos is farther from the main Sun Cabo villa areas, so it takes more planning. Still, it's worth considering for a day trip up the Pacific coast.
Cerritos Beach
Crowds: Moderate to busy
Access: Public beach with several access points from the road.
Parking: Available
Best for: Surfing, surf lessons & a day trip
Google Maps
With surfing, lessons and nearby places to eat and drink, Cerritos has an easygoing Baja beach-town feel. It's farther from Los Cabos, though, so give yourself the day rather than squeezing in a quick visit.
Just Looking for a Swimming Beach?
To narrow down your beach choices, start with these:
In Cabo San Lucas, start with Médano Beach; for snorkelling, try Santa Maria Bay or Chileno Beach. Chileno Beach is also the choice for Chileno Bay, and Palmilla Beach for Palmilla. At Land's End, consider Lover's Beach when conditions permit.
Even a beach known for swimming can be unsafe on a particular day. Check the warning flags when you arrive, and stay out of the water whenever conditions aren't safe.
Find a Villa Near Your Favourite Cabo Beach
Your choice of base shapes the kind of beach days you'll have. Pedregal puts you steps from the Pacific, while Cabo San Lucas keeps beach clubs and activities close. Along the Corridor, you can stay near snorkelling beaches, or choose a villa within easy reach of Palmilla's protected cove.
Browse Sun Cabo's luxury villas across Los Cabos with your preferred beaches in mind, and choose a base that suits your plans.
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