Médano Beach in Cabo San Lucas: swimming, beach clubs and how to get there
Cabo's calm swimming beach on the bay: when to swim, how to walk there from the marina or cruise tender, and the beach-club strip.
In this guide
Yes, you can swim at Médano Beach. It is Cabo San Lucas' swimming beach: a long stretch of sand on the calm bay, sheltered by Land's End, about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from Marina Cabo San Lucas and the cruise tender dock. It holds Blue Flag certification. Check the flag on the day and swim inside the marked areas, because the bay is busy with boats.
Where is Médano Beach?
Médano Beach (Playa El Médano) runs along the inside of the bay of Cabo San Lucas, next to the marina. Hotels, condos and a strip of beach clubs face the water. Across the bay you look at the rocks of Land's End, and on many days cruise ships and sailboats sit at anchor in front of you.
It is the closest beach to downtown. From Marina Cabo San Lucas, where our charters board, you can walk to the sand. The Médano hotels are within walking distance of the marina too, which makes an early morning departure easy if you're staying on this beach.
Can you swim at Médano Beach?
Yes. The bay faces the Sea of Cortez and sits behind Land's End, which blocks the Pacific swell. On most days the water at Médano is calm enough to wade, float and swim. That is the big difference from the Pacific beaches on the other side of town, where the surf and currents make swimming dangerous.
Médano is one of the Los Cabos beaches certified under the Blue Flag program. The standard requires lifeguards, clearly marked swimming areas and accessible facilities, and it looks at water quality as well.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Water taxis, yachts and other boats move along the beach all day. Swim inside the roped or marked areas.
- Look at the flag before you go in. Green means calm conditions. Yellow means moderate surf or current, so stay close to shore. Red means high hazard, and you should stay out. Black means the beach is closed.
- Los Cabos beaches can also fly a separate flag for jellyfish and other marine life. If you see a flag you don't recognize, ask the lifeguard.
- Kids should swim with an adult close by, even in calm water.
Médano vs other beaches near the marina
| Beach | Side | Swimming | How to get there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Médano Beach | Bay (Sea of Cortez) | Yes | Walk or taxi from town |
| Lover's Beach | Bay side of Land's End | Yes, no lifeguards | Boat only |
| Divorce Beach | Pacific side of Land's End | No | Boat, or walk across from Lover's Beach |
For the full list, see which Cabo beaches are safe to swim.
Is Médano Beach public?
Yes. Under Mexican law every beach is federal property, and so is a strip of land 20 meters (about 65 feet) wide measured from the high-tide line. Owning beachfront property doesn't include the right to close the beach.
What you pay for is the service. The beach clubs and restaurants on the sand rent loungers and umbrellas and bring food and drinks. You can lay a towel down anywhere on the sand for free.
How do you get to Médano Beach from your hotel?
It depends on where you're staying. Los Cabos has two towns, Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, with a long tourist corridor of resorts between them.
| Staying at | How to reach Médano |
|---|---|
| A Médano Beach hotel | You're on it. The marina is a walk away too |
| Downtown Cabo San Lucas | Walk along the marina |
| A resort on the corridor | Taxi or shuttle into Cabo San Lucas |
| A Pacific-side hotel | Short taxi ride over the hill to the bay |
If you're coming into town for a charter as well, the same trip gets you to both. Marina Cabo San Lucas is a taxi ride from the corridor resorts, and the beach is a walk from the marina. You get the exact slip with your booking confirmation.
Médano Beach clubs
A strip of beach clubs, restaurants and bars lines the sand, facing the bay.
We don't recommend specific clubs. Before you sit down at a lounger, ask what it costs and whether there is a minimum spend.
How do you get from the cruise port to Médano Beach?
Cabo San Lucas is a tender port. Cruise ships anchor in the bay and run small boats to a landing pier inside the marina, next to downtown.
From there you have two easy options:
| Option | What it's like |
|---|---|
| Walk | About 0.8 miles (1.3 km) along the marina to the beach, roughly 15 minutes |
| Water taxi | Short boat ride across the bay from near the tender pier |
If you want to see the Arch and still get beach time, a 2-hour private boat from the marina fits most port days. Our cruise port guide explains how to time it against your all-aboard.
Seeing Médano from the water
Most of our routes finish along Médano Beach. The standard 2-hour Arch & Land's End route goes out past Pelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, Lover's Beach and Divorce Beach, then comes back along Médano. On an afternoon cruise you return as the town lights come on behind the beach.
The 4-hour Santa María snorkel route also ends here, with a swim stop on the way back. Yachts that leave from the marina can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM, so on a sunset charter you can sit off the beach after dark and watch the hotels light up.
What to bring to Médano Beach
Médano has beach clubs and restaurants along the sand, so you can travel light. A short list:
If you're heading out on a charter from the marina afterward, you can bring your own drinks on board (18+). Food can be ordered from our menu in the planner, from breakfast to cheese boards, and some yachts include towels.
Médano Beach with kids
Médano is the easy beach for families: calm water, sand right out of the hotel and food within a few steps. If you want a day on the water with the kids as well, our family day is built around calm water, shade and room to move, and usually runs 3 hours.
Tell us the kids' ages when you book so the crew has the right life jacket sizes on board. Our guide to Cabo with kids has more on short routes and timing.
Prices are per boat, not per person, with 16% IVA tax included. The customary 15% crew tip is not included.
| Yacht | Guests | 3 hours | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayliner 30 | up to 6 | USD 799 / MXN 15,199 | Small family, cabin cruiser |
| Sea Ray 36 | up to 12 | USD 929 / MXN 17,799 | Two families, towels included |
| Pontoon 38 | up to 18 | USD 1,269 / MXN 23,999 | Big groups, water slide |
| Sea Ray 55 | up to 15 | USD 2,129 / MXN 40,399 | Air conditioning, cabins and heads |
Planning your Médano day
Swim at Médano in the morning, then take a boat out to the Arch in the afternoon. Or do the reverse: a morning snorkel charter, then lunch and a lounger on the sand.
Every yacht except the Sea Ray 65 boards at the marina, a walk from the beach. Pick a date and a yacht in the planner. 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
Questions people ask
Can you swim at Medano Beach in Cabo?
Yes. Médano Beach faces the calm bay of Cabo San Lucas, sheltered by Land's End, and it is the main swimming beach in town. It holds Blue Flag certification, and you should still check the flag color and swim inside the marked areas, away from boat traffic.
How do you get from the Cabo cruise port to Medano Beach?
Cruise ships anchor in the bay and tender passengers to the marina. Médano Beach is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the marina, so most people walk it in around 15 minutes, or take a water taxi across the bay.
Is Medano Beach public?
Yes. All beaches in Mexico are federal property, including the strip of land 20 meters (about 65 feet) back from the high-tide line, so hotels and beach clubs cannot close the sand to the public. Their loungers, umbrellas and service are for customers.
Do you need to pay for a beach club at Medano Beach?
No. You can lay a towel on the sand for free. Beach clubs and restaurants along the strip charge for loungers, shade or food, so ask what it costs before you sit down.
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.
Keep reading
Beaches and snorkelingAre Cabo Beaches Safe to Swim? Bay vs Pacific SideThe swimmable beaches in Cabo face the Sea of Cortez. Here is which ones to choose, which to avoid, and what the flags mean.7 min read
Plan your tripCabo Marina Guide: Where Charters Board and Tenders LandWhere private charters board in Marina Cabo San Lucas, where the cruise tenders land, and how to get there on time.8 min read
Plan your tripCabo With Kids: How to Plan a Family Boat DayHow to plan a family boat day in Cabo: life jackets, shade, bathrooms, short routes, kid-friendly yachts and a few ideas on land.7 min read
Things to doThings to Do Near Medano Beach Hotels in Cabo San LucasFrom a Médano Beach hotel you can walk to the sand, the marina and its restaurants. The Arch is a short boat ride away.7 min read