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Médano Beach and its hotels seen across the bay from the rocks of Land's End

Places · Beach · Cabo San Lucas bay

Médano BeachPlaya El Médano, Cabo San Lucas

The long beach on Cabo San Lucas bay, lined with hotels and beach clubs. It starts right outside the marina; the beach club strip is about 0.8 mi (1.3 km) away. Afternoon routes often come back along it, with Land's End on one side and town on the other.

  • From the marina0.3 to 0.8 mi 0.5 to 1.3 km
  • Water sideSea of Cortez
  • Blue FlagSeveral stretches
  • Charters from2 hours

Photo: Rafael Saldaña, CC BY 2.0

What's there

The bay's beach.

Swimming

It is the bay's main swimming beach, with lifeguard towers and video surveillance run by the municipal beach authority, ZOFEMAT 2.

Water sports

The official Los Cabos tourism site lists snorkeling, jet skis, beach volleyball and parasailing 1.

Beach clubs

Restaurants and bars line the sand for most of its length 1.

The view from the water

From a yacht you see the whole bay at once: the beach, the marina entrance and the rocks of Land's End.

The story

Named for the sand.

Médano means sand dune in Spanish, or a sandbank just below the surface in shallow water 3.

Blue Flag, the international eco-label for beaches, is awarded to named stretches of Médano rather than to the whole beach. In September 2025 the renewals included the stretches in front of Riu Palace, Riu, Villa del Palmar, Cascadas, Pueblo Bonito and ME Cabo, and a new stretch called Médano Corazón 4.

In April 2025 the municipality agreed with water-sports operators to keep jet skis away from the shoreline and give each company its own zone 5.

The beach does close. The municipality has flown a black flag for high surf, and swimming was suspended after Hurricane Juliette 6.

Photos

What it looks like.

Getting there

On 3 of our 4 routes.

  • 2 h · Arch & Land's EndPelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, Lover's and Divorce Beach, then back along Médano Beach.
  • 4 h · Santa María snorkelThe Arch first, then up the coast to snorkel Santa María Bay, with a swim stop on the way back.
  • 5 to 8 h · Santa María & ChilenoThe full day: the Arch, both coves on the corridor with time to snorkel each, lunch at anchor.

Experiences that stop here

Snorkel at Santa María Bachelorette party Birthdays and celebrations Family day Corporate and groups Just the two of you Cruise port day
PACIFIC OCEANSEA OF CORTEZBahía San LucasCABO SAN LUCASTOURIST CORRIDORLAND'S END 1Marina Cabo San Lucas Cabo Escape terminal 7Médano Beach 2Pelican Rock 3Lover's Beach 6Divorce Beach 4The Arch 5Sea lion colony Cabo Falso lighthouse Santa María Bay Chileno Bay

2 h · Arch & Land's End Pelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, Lover's and Divorce Beach, then back along Médano Beach. 4.7 miles (7.6 km) round trip

Stops, with distance from the marina

MarinaLandmarkBeachSnorkelWildlifeWhale season area

Typical routes. Your captain adapts them to the sea that day. Coastline © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

By private yacht

What it costs to get here.

Every price is per boat for your whole group, not per person. The captain, the crew and the 16% tax are included. The yacht is yours alone, never shared.

RouteTime on the waterFromYacht at that price
Arch & Land's End4.7 mi · 7.6 km round trip2 h$519Chaparral 28up to 10 guests
Santa María snorkel15.5 mi · 25 km round trip4 h$909Chaparral 28up to 10 guests
Santa María & Chileno18.5 mi · 30 km round trip5 to 8 h$1,219Bayliner 30up to 6 guests
Check availabilityCompare all thirteen yachts

Good to know

  • Swim near the lifeguard towers 2.
  • Check the flag before you go in: black means the beach is closed 6.
  • Keep clear of the jet-ski zones 5.

Not allowed or not safe

  • Swimming while the black flag is up 6.
  • Camping on the beach, which is prohibited on Los Cabos beaches 9.

Questions

People also ask.

Can you swim at Médano Beach?

Yes. It is the main swimming beach in Cabo San Lucas, with lifeguard towers 2. When the surf is high the municipality flies a black flag and closes it 6.

Is Médano Beach Blue Flag certified?

Parts of it are. Blue Flag is awarded to named stretches of the beach, and several of them were renewed in September 2025 4.

Do yacht charters stop at Médano Beach?

Routes usually pass along it on the way back to the marina rather than stopping. If you want time on the beach, tell us when you book.

How much does a private boat to Médano Beach cost?

A private charter on a route that includes Médano Beach starts at $519 for 2 hours on the Chaparral 28, for up to 10 guests. The price is per boat, not per person, and includes the captain, the crew and the 16% tax.

From the blog

Medano Beach Cabo: Swimming, Beach Clubs, Getting There Are Cabo Beaches Safe to Swim? Bay vs Pacific Side Cabo Marina Guide: Where Charters Board and Tenders Land Cabo Party Boat: Private Pontoon for 18, Prices, Rules

See it from the water

Put Médano Beach on your route.

A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

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Sources

  1. Visit Los Cabos (official tourism site), Playa El Médano
  2. Palabra BCS, ZOFEMAT lifeguard towers and cameras at Médano
  3. Real Academia Española, dictionary entry for médano
  4. Diario El Independiente, Los Cabos renews its Blue Flags (September 2025)
  5. Municipality of Los Cabos, agreements with water-sports operators at Médano (April 2025)
  6. Municipality of Los Cabos, black flag at Médano for high surf
  7. Municipality of Los Cabos, 25 Blue Flag beaches
  8. Península Digital, Los Cabos closed 2025 with 3.77 million tourists
  9. Cabovisión, camping is prohibited on Los Cabos beaches

Photo credits

More places

Marina Cabo San Lucas Pelican Rock Lover's Beach Divorce Beach The Arch Sea lion colony Cabo Falso lighthouse Santa María Bay Chileno Bay
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