The best sunset cruise in Cabo San Lucas: private vs shared, with sunset times for every month

The best sunset cruise in Cabo San Lucas is a private one: your own yacht, with a captain, that leaves Marina Cabo San Lucas about 90 minutes before the sun goes down, rounds Land's End past the Arch and faces the sun as it drops toward the Cabo Falso lighthouse. It starts at USD 519 (MXN 9,799) for two hours on the Chaparral 28 for up to 10 guests, per boat with the 16% tax included, boarding at Orange Dock 1-B, by Captain Tony's. Sunset in Cabo falls between about 5:35 PM in late November and early December and about 7:10 PM in early July.

What time is sunset in Cabo San Lucas?

Cabo stays on Mountain Standard Time all year and doesn't change the clocks. In summer that puts it on the same time as California; in winter it's on the same time as Denver. Your phone will switch on its own, but keep it in mind if you're booking from home.

These are approximate sunset times around the middle of each month, with a suggested departure for a two-hour cruise.

The departure column is a rule of thumb: leave about an hour and a half before sunset so you're on the Pacific side when the sun gets low. We confirm the exact time with you for your date. The trip guide has sunset times and weather by month if you're still choosing when to travel.

Departures run from 7 AM to 7 PM, so even in July there's room to time a sunset trip.

Private vs shared sunset cruise in Cabo

Shared sunset cruises in Cabo sell tickets per person and sail on a fixed schedule with everyone who bought one. A private cruise is one yacht for one group, with a captain and crew who work for you. We only book private yachts, so we don't quote shared-cruise prices.

The per-person math decides it for most groups. Two hours on the Chaparral 28 for 10 is USD 519, about USD 52 each before the 15% crew tip. Two hours on the Sea Ray 40 for 12 is USD 879, about USD 73 each. A couple pays the same boat price as a group of ten, with nobody to split it with; our romantic things to do in Cabo list covers the sunset for two.

Our private yacht vs shared boat tour comparison goes through the same question for daytime trips.

Bay side or Pacific side: where to watch the sunset

A two-hour sunset cruise from Cabo San Lucas can stay in the bay or round Land's End to the Pacific.

The Pacific route is the classic sunset cruise. You pass the Arch at Land's End, the granite arch at the tip of the Baja peninsula where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, then the sea lion colony and Divorce Beach. From there the boat heads out to face the sun as it drops toward the Cabo Falso lighthouse, the old 1905 lighthouse on the dunes at the westernmost point of the cape.

The bay route stays closer to town. It's the better choice if someone in your group gets seasick or you have small kids, because the water inside the bay is calmer. You get the Arch in late golden light, and the ride back along Médano Beach has the town lights coming on behind it.

Is two hours enough, or should you book three?

Two hours is the typical length of our sunset cruise, and it covers the Pacific route comfortably. Three hours gives you options:

• Leave earlier and stop to swim or snorkel at Pelican Rock before the light turns.
• Watch the sunset, then anchor in the bay for dinner as it gets dark. Yachts from the marina can stay anchored until 10 PM.
• Take the Pacific route for the sunset and still have time for Lover's Beach on the bay side.

On the Sea Ray 40, two hours is USD 879 (MXN 16,799) and three hours is USD 1,199 (MXN 22,799).

Sunset cruise prices by yacht

Prices are per boat, with the 16% IVA tax included. The customary 15% crew tip is not included.

Set your group size and hours to see what each yacht costs per person.

What it costs per person

Guests:

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Per boat, 16% tax included, tip not included. Pick a yacht to see its page.

The Sea Ray 40 is a good fit for most sunset groups. It's a 40-foot flybridge yacht for up to 12, so you can watch from the upper deck, and it comes with a captain and deckhand, bottled water and ice, a cooler, towels and snorkel gear.

The luxury sunset cruise: Azimut 70, McKinna 70, Sea Ray 55

For a private luxury sunset cruise in Cabo San Lucas we book three yachts: the Azimut 70, the McKinna 70 and, for bigger groups, the Sea Ray 55.

The Azimut 70 is a 70-foot flybridge for up to 12 with two cabins, an A/C salon and a crew of three. Three hours is USD 4,199 (MXN 79,799) and includes a menu on board (fish ceviche, sashimi, beef or chicken fajitas, guacamole with chips), complimentary beer and cocktails served by the crew, water, sodas and ice. The Azimut 70 boards at the IGY Marina Fuel Dock with no dock fee and, like the other yachts that leave from the marina, can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM after the sun is gone.

The McKinna 70 is a 70-foot luxury motor yacht for up to 12. Its crew of five includes the captain, deckhands and a chef who cooks a multi-course menu on board, and the crew serves complimentary drinks. Three hours is USD 4,499 (MXN 85,499). A sunset departure on the McKinna 70 doubles as a dinner cruise; our dinner cruise guide has the timing.

The Sea Ray 55 is the one for groups of 13 to 15: a 55-foot flybridge motor yacht with air conditioning, cabins and heads, USD 2,129 (MXN 40,399) for three hours. You bring your own drinks and can add a cheese board from the menu.

One thing to know about the Sea Ray 65: it meets you at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal, and must be back by 8 PM, when the terminal closes. It can't stay anchored after that, so for a long evening on the water, pick a yacht that leaves from the marina. The whole top of the fleet is on our luxury yachts page.

Best months for a sunset cruise

Our sunset page lists January, February, March, June, November and December as the best months. In winter the sun sets early, between about 5:35 and 6:15 PM, so a sunset trip still leaves you the whole evening for dinner in town.

Whales start arriving in Cabo in November and stay through April, and the whale season page covers trips planned around it.

If you're still picking your dates, our best time to visit Cabo guide goes month by month. The Port Captain closes the harbor only under a hurricane or storm threat or another extraordinary situation, and most closures fall between September and mid-October. If your cruise can't go out, you choose a new date or get a full refund.

Where sunset cruises leave from

Each yacht boards at its own dock in Marina Cabo San Lucas, downtown; the Azimut 70 and the McKinna 70 board at the IGY Marina Fuel Dock. It's a walk from the Médano Beach hotels and a taxi ride from the resorts along the corridor, and you get the exact slip with your confirmation. Plan to be at the dock a little before your departure time so you don't lose any of the light.

The Sea Ray 65 meets you at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal, and has to be back by 8 PM.

Coming back after dark is part of the trip. On the bay route you return along Médano Beach, Cabo's swimming beach, as the lights come on along the beach-club strip and the town behind it.

A sunset cruise for a birthday, anniversary or proposal

Sunset is a natural time to celebrate on the water, and on a private boat you bring the playlist and your own drinks. A professional photographer can join for USD 180, with all the photos from your charter, paid directly to the photographer. Add it in the planner. Cake and flowers are extras quoted separately, and decorations are cardstock and a sign only, since the Port Captain no longer allows balloons on board.

For two people, the Bayliner 30 is a good size. It's a 30-foot cabin cruiser for up to 6 guests, from USD 549 (MXN 10,499) for two hours. Our couples page covers sunrise breakfast and sunset trips for two, the birthday page covers bigger groups, and our guide to proposing on a boat in Cabo covers where on the water to ask.

What to bring

Booking your sunset cruise

Pick the yacht that fits your group, then open the planner and choose a departure time from the table above. It shows the price in USD and MXN, and you can add food from the menu. Once we confirm your date in writing, we send a secure Stripe link to pay.

For most groups of up to 12, the Sea Ray 40 for two hours on the Pacific route is the sunset cruise we'd point you to first. We reply within two hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Yachts in this guide

Chaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 2 hSea Ray 40Flybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $879 / 2 hBayliner 30Cabin cruiser · up to 6 guestsfrom $549 / 2 hSea Ray 55Flybridge motor yacht · up to 15 guestsfrom $2,129 / 3 h

Questions people ask

What time is sunset in Cabo San Lucas?

It ranges from about 5:35 PM in late November and early December to about 7:10 PM in early July. Cabo stays on Mountain Standard Time all year, with no daylight saving.

Is a private sunset cruise in Cabo better than a shared one?

For a group of 6 or more, usually yes. A private yacht leaves when you choose, holds position where the light is best and carries only your group; a shared cruise runs a fixed schedule with a full deck. The Chaparral 28 is USD 519 (MXN 9,799) for two hours for up to 10, about USD 52 each.

How much is a private sunset cruise in Cabo?

A private two-hour sunset cruise starts at USD 519 (MXN 9,799) on the Chaparral 28 for up to 10 guests, per boat with the 16% tax included. The Sea Ray 40 for up to 12 starts at USD 879 (MXN 16,799), and the Azimut 70 with food and complimentary drinks is USD 4,199 (MXN 79,799) for three hours.

What is the most luxurious sunset cruise in Cabo?

The McKinna 70 or the Azimut 70, the two 70-foot yachts that include food and complimentary drinks served by the crew, each for up to 12 with a three-hour minimum. Both board at Marina Cabo San Lucas, so both can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM after the sun goes down.

Can we stay out after the sun goes down?

Yes. Yachts sail until 8 PM, and yachts that leave from the marina can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. The Sea Ray 65 is the exception and must be back at the Cabo Escape terminal by 8 PM.

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