Los Cabos is well known as the municipality where the world famous tourist destination Cabo San Lucas is located, but there is much more to this area than beaches, bikinis, and blender drinks. The Gulf of California to the east is a UNESCO World Heritage site rich in underwater life, so snorkeling and diving in Los Cabos are incredible. Whale watching is also popular in Los Cabos as migratory whales spend several months a year there, and the surfing near Los Cabos is world class.
Place
Los Cabos, Mexico
Los Cabos Location
Los Cabos is a 3,452 square kilometer municipality at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.
Major Cities in Los Cabos
The largest cities in Los Cabos include San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, both of which have populations near 70,000. Colonia del Sol is the third largest city in the region with just over 48,000 residents.
Geography and Ecology of Los Cabos
Los Cabos is 3,452 square kilometers, making it about three times as big as Hong Kong, and slightly smaller than French Polynesia. Located on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, the municipality is surrounded on three sides by water with the UNESCO World Heritage Site Gulf of California to the east and Pacific Ocean to the west.
The geography of Los Cabos is dry, rocky, and desert-like. The most prominent natural features include the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Arc (a majestic natural rock arch), the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range which touches on the northern end of the municipality, and, of course, numerous picturesque beaches.
The southern tip of the California Baja Peninsula used to be an island. Because of this it developed a unique ecology. There are many endemic species of plants in the area, especially in the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of their “highly important and contrasted ecosystems, including arid zones, matorrales, low deciduous forest type, evergreen oak, (etc.)”.
Los Cabos Weather and Climate
Los Cabos is warm all year round, with July, August, and September being the hottest and most humid months. The heat and humidity coincide with hurricane season, which lasts from June to October and reaches its peak in September.
The average temperature during the day in Los Cabos is around 26-28°C during the winter (October to April) and can rise to 38°C or higher during the summer. Los Cabos is said to receive between 300 and 350 sunny days per year and receive less than 10 inches of rain.
The temperature of the ocean around Los Cabos is hovers around 23-25°C in the winter and can rise to over 30°C in the summer.
Los Cabos Description
Los Cabos is no stranger to tourism. Cabo San Lucas and the Los Cabos Corridor (also known as the corridor del oro, or Golden Corridor) is one of the most popular and successful tourist destinations in the country. Located between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose, The Corridor is a twenty-mile stretch of coves and beaches filled with upscale resorts and golf courses that draw affluent clientele from around the world.
The area also has a wide variety of activities for outdoors lovers. No description of Los Cabos would be complete without a mention of fishing, which is a huge draw for sportsmen (Cabo San Lucas is home to the largest marlin fishing tournament in the world). The area is also rife with hiking trails, craggy cliffs for climbing, excellent surf breaks, scenic ocean kayaking, and breathtaking scuba diving and snorkeling sites.
The best natural features of the area include the UNESCO World Heritage sites the Arch and the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains. Los Cabos also well situated for whale watching, as many whales travel there each year to bear their young in the warm waters.
Los Cabos Outdoors Adventure Highlights
- Surfing in Los Cabos is excellent with breaks for everyone from beginners to experts both near the tourist corridor, and elsewhere.
- Cousteau called the UNESCO World Heritage site the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez) “the world’s aquarium” and “the Galapos of the north”. The scuba diving and snorkeling are epic.
- Los Cabos is ideal for whale watching from January to March, as each year gray whales travel there from the cold waters of the north Pacific to bear their young.
- Ziplining in Los Cabos is an excellent way to view landscape without having an impact on the local environment. Los Cabos has some of the longest zip lines in Baja Mexico.
Los Cabos Outdoor Adventure Activities
- Surfing
- Stand-up paddle boarding
- Scuba diving (wreck, reef)
- Snorkeling
- Surfing (all levels)
- Whale watching
- Sailing
- Kitesurfing
- Windsurfing
- Parasailing
- Paragliding
- Hang gliding
- Sky diving
- Bungee jumping
- Hot air ballooning
- Kayaking (ocean)
- Hiking/trekking (all levels)
- Via Ferrata
- Canyoning
- Ziplining
- Rock climbing (all levels)
- Abseiling/rappelling
- Mountain Biking (novice to expert)
- Horseback Riding
Budget Travel in Los Cabos
Prices in Los Cabos are not cheap, especially by Mexican standards. Many of the people who visit Los Cabos stay in luxury timeshares, such as those at Fiesta Los Cabos.
Cheaper accommodations start at around $50 USD per night for a double room
Dining out in and around the tourist corridor is also fairly pricey. However, once you move away from the touristy spots you will find much better prices at local restaurants. There is also a great selection both American and local supermarkets in the area.
Travel Insurance
I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.
Los Cabos Photos
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Images (in order) courtesy DieselDemon, HawaiianVirtualTours, Melanie Lukesh, *r3M’S*, *r3M’S*, *r3M’S*, cplbasilisk, Susan E Adams, *r3M’S*, Sirsnapsalot, Camerons Personal Page, and lecates on Flickr.
Suggested Reading
Click on the images for more information
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Los Cabos Map
Disclosure: If you purchase insurance, book a hostel, or purchase one of the recommended books on this page using the links provided, I will receive a small commission. I do not, however, recommend these products simply to make money. I recommend World Nomads travel insurance because I use it myself and feel that they offer a good product that suits my needs at a fair price. I recommend Hostelbookers.com because they have the cheapest booking prices that I have seen online and a large selection, and I recommend the selected books from Amazon.com because they have reputations for quality information and were up to date at the time of writing.If you have found my blog useful I hope that you will consider purchasing some of these products using the links on this page to help me to continue providing free information about adventure travel around the world. |
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Los Cabos appears to be an adventure travel HQ!