All-inclusive resort or a yacht day in Cabo? How to fit a private charter between the meals you already paid for

Yes, for most all-inclusive guests a yacht day is worth leaving the resort for, because a 2 to 4 hour private charter fits between meals you've already paid for. A 2-hour run to the Arch, Lover's Beach and the sea lions leaves after breakfast and is back before lunch. Private yachts for up to 12 guests start at USD 659 (MXN 12,599) for 2 hours, per boat, not per person.

The resort covers food, pools and the beach out front. It can't take you around Land's End, and in Los Cabos many resort beaches aren't swimmable. That gap is what a few hours on a boat fills.

How a yacht fits around all-inclusive meals

Departures run from 7 AM to 7 PM. Three slots work well from a resort:

The morning slot is the easiest. Pelican Rock, the snorkel stop next to the Arch, has reef fish near the surface, and you're back at the pool by early afternoon. The sunset slot is the favorite for couples; sunset times by month are in our trip guide, and our sunset cruise guide covers the routes.

For 4 hours or more, you don't need to rush back for lunch. In the planner you can add food for the boat: box lunches from MXN 238, a burrito platter for MXN 901, or a Mexican feast for 6 to 8 people at MXN 2,600. Prices are cash; card adds 16%.

How far is your all-inclusive from the marina?

All yachts leave from Marina Cabo San Lucas. Distances are in a straight line to the nearest boarding dock; drive times are without traffic.

Rush hour adds time. Every other hotel is on the hotels page.

From Médano and the marina, a 2-hour charter really is 2 hours away from the pool. From the corridor or San José, add the drive both ways, which is why guests there often pick 3 or 4 hours. We can arrange a driver: the price is per vehicle by zone, paid to the driver on the day, separately from the yacht; by card on the driver's terminal it's 5% more than in cash. An SUV for up to 4 is USD 160 cash (168 by card) round trip from San José, the corridor, Cabo San Lucas or the Pacific side, and USD 170 cash (179 by card) from Diamante. Every option is on the transportation page.

What the resort can't give you

Adults-only all-inclusives like Breathless, Le Blanc, Paradisus, Marquis and Pueblo Bonito Pacifica are built for long pool days. Family ones like Riu Santa Fe, Royal Solaris and Hard Rock have kids clubs and water slides. What none of them has is the view of the Arch from the water, a swim at Lover's Beach on the bay side, or the sea lions on the rocks at Land's End.

Many all-inclusive beaches also aren't for swimming. Hard Rock, Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, Royal Solaris, Solmar and Grand Velas all point guests to their pools, and Riu Santa Fe and Riu Palace Baja California say the swimming area is about 2 km away. Our list of swimmable beaches at Cabo resorts goes hotel by hotel. On a boat, the crew anchors in calm water and you swim off the back.

The other difference is privacy. Every charter is one group per yacht, so it's your family or your friends only, with your own playlist and your own stops.

What comes on the yacht

Every yacht includes the captain and crew, snorkel gear and a floating mat or lily pad. The CONANP conservation fee for the Arch area is included in our price. A few examples:

Prices are per boat with the 16% IVA tax included. A 15% crew tip is suggested and not included. Compare all 13 boats on the fleet page.

If you'd like the yacht itself to feel like your resort, two boats include food. The Azimut 70 has a crew of three and a menu on board: fish ceviche, sashimi, beef or chicken fajitas and guacamole with chips. The McKinna 70 has a crew of five, a chef and a multi-course menu cooked on board. Both have a 3-hour minimum, from USD 4,199 (MXN 79,799) and USD 4,499 (MXN 85,499). Our guide to the all-inclusive yacht charter in Cabo compares them.

What it costs per person

Because the price is per boat, a full yacht costs less per head than most people expect. Two hours on the Sea Ray 36 with 12 guests works out to about USD 55 each (USD 659 for the boat). The Pontoon 38 takes 18 guests and costs USD 869 (MXN 16,599) for 2 hours, under USD 50 each, with a water slide from the upper deck.

For a couple, the math is different: the Bayliner 30 at USD 549 (MXN 10,499) is the whole boat for two, with nobody else on board.

If you want pictures of the day without handing your phone around, a professional photographer is an optional extra in the planner for USD 180, with all the photos from the charter, paid directly to the photographer. You can always bring your own phones and cameras.

Three plans that work from an all-inclusive

Couple at an adults-only resort on Médano: breakfast, a 2-hour morning charter on the Bayliner 30 to Pelican Rock and Lover's Beach, back for lunch. USD 549 (MXN 10,499) for the boat.

Family of 10 at a corridor resort: a 4-hour charter on the Sea Ray 40, USD 1,499 (MXN 28,499), with box lunches ordered in the planner and a van round trip for USD 160 cash (168 by card). Back for the evening kids club.

Group of 12 friends in San José: a 3-hour midday charter on the Sea Ray 36, USD 929 (MXN 17,799), with a Sprinter from the hotel, and dinner at the resort.

Booking from your resort

Pick the slot between meals, check your drive time above, and choose a yacht for your group size. Then open the planner, add food or hotel pickup if you want them, and send the request. We reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time, and you pay through a secure Stripe link once the date is confirmed in writing.

Yachts in this guide

Bayliner 30Cabin cruiser · up to 6 guestsfrom $549 / 2 hSea Ray 36Express cruiser · up to 12 guestsfrom $659 / 2 hAzimut 45 FlybridgeFlybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $1,249 / 2 hSea Ray 55Flybridge motor yacht · up to 15 guestsfrom $2,129 / 3 h

Questions people ask

Is a yacht charter worth it if I'm at an all-inclusive in Cabo?

For most guests, yes, because a 2 to 4 hour charter fits between breakfast and lunch or between lunch and dinner. The resort can't take you to the Arch, Lover's Beach or Pelican Rock, and a private yacht for up to 12 starts at USD 659 for 2 hours.

Will I miss meals at my resort if I go on a yacht?

Not on a 2 or 3 hour charter timed between meals. For 4 hours or more you can order breakfast, box lunches or a Mexican feast for the boat in our planner, or pick the Azimut 70 or McKinna 70, which include food.

How far are Cabo all-inclusive resorts from the marina?

Breathless and Sandos Finisterra are steps from the marina, and the three Riu hotels on Médano are about 7 to 9 minutes by car without traffic. Corridor all-inclusives are 16 to 27 minutes, and San José resorts like Hyatt Ziva are about 29 to 30 minutes.

What is included on a private yacht in Cabo?

The captain and crew, snorkel gear and a floating mat on every yacht, plus a cooler. Several boats add water, sodas and ice, and the CONANP fee for the Arch area is included in the price.

Plan your day on the water

Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Check availabilitySee the fleet