In the mood for a sunny getaway? Los Cabos is the place for you! It’s an easy flight from most cities on the west coast, and has non-stop flight to dozens of US cities each day. This was my first ever trip to Mexico and I really enjoyed Los Cabos for the spectacular views, shining sun, and perfect pool weather. The views of the cliffs and rock formations with the Sea of Cortez shining below will make anyone swoon! Here are my top 7 tips for visiting Los Cabos, Mexico!
Cabo San Lucas vs. San José del Cabo
Los Cabos is the general term used for the area of Baja California Sur that contains the two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. While they are only separated by about a thirty minute drive, the towns are pretty different!
If you’re looking for a party atmosphere, Cabo San Lucas is where you want to be. There are tons of bars and restaurants, and this is where cruise ships dock when they arrive. If you’re looking for a quieter and more authentic feel, San José del Cabo is for you. San José is home to many more locals than Cabo San Lucas and you’ll find quaint restaurants and cute artist shops. The airport is also much closer to San José than San Lucas! The area in between the two cities is called the Tourist Corridor, where resorts line the coast. This is where I stayed, at the Hyatt Vacation Club at Sirena Del Mar. I loved the proximity to both towns, while also being removed enough to enjoy some serenity.
Don’t drink the water
As a general rule of thumb, it’s best not to drink the tap water in Cabo. While some facilities may be better than others, the pipes in Cabo are very old and can contain contaminants.
For drinking water, stick to bottles. Hotels and resorts will have these for sale at restaurants, bars, and gift shops, or you can get them at grocery or convenience stores in town. At certain restaurants or bars, check with the waiter or bartender before ordering any blended or icy drinks. Most places will use purified ice for their drinks, which makes them safe to consume. When it comes to brushing your teeth, also better to err on the side of caution and use bottled water to rinse your mouth and toothbrush!
USD is widely accepted
There is not really a need to exchange currency before visiting Los Cabos, Mexico! Credit cards and Apple Pay are widely accepted, and is very easy to use and convert currencies immediately. Just be sure to always pay in the local currency on your credit card! When it comes to tipping hotel staff, waiters, bartenders, or tour guides, USD are widely accepted, and often times preferred.
Reserve airport shuttles through your hotel
While Uber is legal in Los Cabos, it can be a little hit or miss from the airport. There are many varying stories on the internet about people who had no problem with Uber airport pickups, and others that have had enormous difficulties. Save yourself the gamble and book your round-trip transportation through your hotel. In my experience, it was actually significantly cheaper than Uber anyway, at $45 USD RT.
If it’s not an option at the time of booking your hotel, simply call or email the hotel to arrange. Each hotel partners with different shuttle companies and will walk you through the reservation and payment process. I had never done this before, but found it to be incredibly seamless! My resort, the Hyatt Vacation Club at Sirena Del Mar, partnered with Transpeninsula for their ground transportation. I would highly recommend both companies!
Be aware of the “Shark Tank” at SJD airport
The “Shark Tank” at Los Cabos International Airport is one of the rudest welcomes I have ever encountered at an airport. Immediately after baggage claim and clearing customs, there is a hall that is known as the “Shark Tank”. You must walk through this hall to exit the airport, and it is packed full with aggressive timeshare salespeople, taxi drivers, tour operators, and scammers. They approach you immediately after walking in and try to sell you everything under the sun.
Scammers unfortunately thrive off of tourists here. They may tell you to go with them to get to your hotel shuttle, demand arrival “fees”, insist they are with your hotel or resort, or other scams along those lines. They may be dressed in clothing that seems official, but it is imperative that you do not fall for it. Absolutely no shuttle or hotel representative will meet you in the terminal- they are all immediately outside under numbered umbrellas. Once you are outside of the airport, you are “in the clear”, but it’s important to keep your guard up during this stretch.
Pro Tip: Keep walking, look straight ahead, and no not engage with anyone until you get outside the airport!
Uber around town
Once you’re at your hotel or in town, Uber will be your best bet to get around. It is widely used, safe, and often much cheaper than a cab or other transportation. One quirk is that they may not always be able to drop you off at the front door of your hotel. I was told that often times Ubers must drop you at the resort gate, and you walk in from there. I personally didn’t have experience with this, but it was told to me by a few people so worth considering.
Pro Tip: when ordering an Uber at your hotel, let the front desk know so they can alert gate security. Give them the car type, license plate number, and driver’s name. This way the driver will be clear to pick you up from the front doors.
Cabo beaches
While there are a handful of beautiful beaches, visiting Los Cabos, Mexico is really all about the pools and resorts! I was lucky enough to have Cabo Bello beach right at my resort, but this isn’t the case everywhere. The beaches are very rocky, have high tides, and dangerous rip currents. It was not recommended for me to swim in the water. However, I did walk along and let the waves hit my feet, which was perfectly fine. I also found the sand to be very coarse and wasn’t very pleasant to walk on – walking near the water helped though!
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