Los Cabos Travel Tips: Everything You Need to Know Before You Arrive
Los Cabos attracts millions of visitors per year and most arrive with incomplete information about how the destination works. Some get pleasant surprises. Others pay dearly for not knowing basic things nobody explained to them.
This guide exists so you are in the first group. No filler, no promotion of any service, just what you should know before arriving.
If you haven't been to Los Cabos yet, start with our complete Los Cabos guide.
When to Go to Los Cabos
The perfect weather season is November through May: no rain, pleasant temperatures, calm seas. December through March is serious peak season with elevated prices, full hotels, and the energy of a destination at its maximum.
June through October is hurricane season. Los Cabos has received significant hurricanes in the past, and although the probability of one arriving exactly during your visit is low, the risk exists. In exchange: considerably lower prices, fewer tourists, and the summer sea has its own advantages for surf and fishing.
September and October are the months with highest hurricane risk. If you travel during those dates, make sure you have travel insurance that covers cancellation for weather conditions.
How to Get Around Los Cabos
Los Cabos is not a walkable destination between its two main cities. Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo are separated by about 20 miles of tourist corridor, which means you need transport to move around.
- Rental car: the best option if you plan to explore beyond the two cities, if you want to go to Cabo Pulmo, or to any point away from the corridor. The roads are good and traffic is manageable outside peak season.
- Taxi: expensive for long distances. Useful for moving within Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo. Always ask the price before getting in; taxis in Los Cabos do not always use meters and the fare is negotiated.
- Bus: there is service between the two cities and it is the most economical option. Frequent, functional, and completely ignored by most tourists who then complain about how expensive the taxis are.
Los Cabos Beaches — Which Are for Swimming and Which Are Not
This is the most important point in this guide and the one that could prevent the most accidents: many of the most beautiful beaches in Los Cabos are not safe for swimming due to Pacific currents.
Playa del Divorcio and Playa del Amor, right next to the Arch, are among the most photographed beaches in the destination and also among the most dangerous for swimming. People die or require rescue there every season.
The safe swimming beaches are primarily in the Bay of San Lucas (Playa Médano is the most popular and is completely safe) and in the Sea of Cortez. When in doubt, look for beaches with green flags or ask hotel staff before getting in the water.
The simple rule: if the sea looks rough or there are warning signs, do not enter. The landscape is worth the photo; the dangerous water is not worth the risk.
Looking for nightlife? Read our guide to bars and nightlife in Los Cabos.
Money and Real Prices in Los Cabos
Los Cabos accepts US dollars at virtually every tourist establishment, which can give the false impression that you do not need pesos. You need pesos.
Establishments that charge in dollars generally use unfavorable exchange rates. Paying in pesos by card or with local cash always works out better if you do the math.
Prices in Los Cabos are the highest of mainland Mexico's beach destinations. A tourist restaurant breakfast can cost $12–25 USD per person. A decent dinner $30–90 depending on the place. Malecón bars can easily cost you $60+ per night if you do not watch your consumption.
Withdraw cash at the airport or at recognized bank ATMs. Hotel ATMs have higher fees.
Safety in Los Cabos — The Version Without Dramatization
Los Cabos is one of Mexico's tourist destinations with the highest police and private security presence precisely because tourism is the main economic engine of the region. Tourist zones are considerably safe for the type of activities a normal visitor does.
The precautions are the same as in any tourist destination in the world: do not unnecessarily display expensive jewelry or electronics, do not accept unauthorized taxis, and if someone on the street offers you something you did not ask for, decline politely and keep walking.
The real risk in Los Cabos for the average tourist is not violence but minor scams: tours that do not deliver what was promised, currency exchange at terrible rates, unannounced minimum spends at bars. That is prevented with information, which is exactly what you are reading.
To wrap up
Los Cabos is a destination that works very well when you arrive prepared. Without that preparation it can cost more than necessary and leave you feeling like you missed something. With this guide you have the basics covered.
