Bliss Out At The Best La Paz Beaches
La Paz has some of the best swimming beaches in Mexico with calm, clear waters. If you’re looking for a Mexico beach town with friendly people, great weather, and unique nature experiences, the best La Paz beaches are waiting for you.
Located about 2.5 hours north of Los Cabos, the town of La Paz, Mexico overlooks a protected bay. It’s the capital of the state of Baja California Sur, known for its seafront Malecon promenade, eco-tourism, and small-town charm.
Just beyond the bay lies the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, which is teeming with marine life. Jacques Cousteau himself even called it “the aquarium of the world.” This narrow sea stretches the length of the Baja California Peninsula, separating it from mainland Mexico. It’s home to an abundance of sea life, including whale sharks, sea lions, dolphins and more than 800 species of fish. This sea has more than 900 islands, 244 of which have UNESCO World Heritage bio-reserve status.
But for gorgeous beaches, you won’t have to venture that far – unless you want to! Just minutes from town, you’ll find the best beaches in La Paz, including Playa Tesoro, Playa La Concha, and the famous Playa Balandra. For adventures further afield, you can take a day trip to Isla Espiritu Santo and explore one of the most pristine marine areas in Mexico.
Read on for all the tips you need for lazy beach days, exciting aquatic adventures, and the best spots for a sunset drink on the beach in La Paz, Mexico.
Short on time? Save this guide for later and check out these top tour options for visiting the best La Paz beaches:
- Six Playas of La Paz: Visit 6 beaches of La Paz with an Airbnb Experiences guide and host
- Balandra & Pichilingue: hike, kayak and snorkel in paradise
- City Tour & Balandra Beach from La Paz
- Snorkeling Adventure at Espiritu Santo Island National Park
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In This Guide to La Paz Beaches
Getting to La Paz | La Paz Beaches Map | Playa El Coromuel | Playa La Concha | Playa El Caimancito | Playa El Tesoro | Playa Pichilingue | Playa Balandra | Playa Tecolote | Playa El Saltito | Isla Espiritu Santo Beaches | Where to Stay in La Paz
La Paz | Getting There + Getting Around
How to Get to La Paz, Mexico
To get to La Paz, catch a connecting flight to La Paz Airport (LAP) from several cities in Mexico. Or take an international flight to Los Cabos (SJD) two hours south. There are many bus departures throughout the day from Los Cabos to La Paz.
You can also rent a car at the airport and drive. Getting to La Paz is a scenic drive on the new toll road, Highway 19, with the Pacific Coast on one side and the Sierra de la Laguna mountains on the other. If you opt to rent a car, I recommend arriving as early in the day as possible; it’s best to drive in Mexico and unfamiliar roads during daylight hours.
Another reason to rent a car is to spend a few days in the charming town of Todos Santos, visiting its beaches, art galleries, and restaurants. If you’re a surfer, you’ll definitely want to add Todos Santos beaches to your trip.
Downtown La Paz
The town of La Paz is separated from the sea by a wide boardwalk known as El Malecon. Couples and families stroll along the Malecon in the afternoon and evening, pausing for photos with statues that dot the promenade.
The Malecon also follows the Paseo Alvaro Obregon, which is lined on the other side with shops, restaurants, and hotels. I stayed along the Malecon when I visited, and liked being able to walk to dinner each night.
Getting Around La Paz
The downtown area of La Paz is very walkable, and most places can be reached on foot. To get to the beaches outside town, there are public buses, colectivos (shared taxi vans), taxis and Uber. You can also rent bicycles from several shops along the Malecon.
If you rent a car, there is parking along the Malecon, and some of the hotels in town have parking lots. Most of the resorts outside town offer parking.
The Best La Paz Beaches
The Malecon in the La Paz downtown has a beachfront, but you’ll find the best beaches for swimming are a few minutes outside of town. A few can be reached on foot. Within 10-45 minutes’ ride by bus or car you’ll find several more that have bars, restaurants, and lounge chairs for rent.
Read next ⫸ My in-depth guide to swimming with whale sharks in La Paz
La Paz Beaches Map
To help you explore the best beaches in La Paz, I pinned them all on a map. Click the top left icon for the table of contents, and then tap each beach name or pin for a description. To save the map to your own Google Maps folder for your trip, click the small star next to the title.
Playa El Coromuel | El Coromuel Beach
El Coromuel is the first beach as you follow the Malecon outside the downtown of La Paz. It’s possible to walk to this beach, which is named for an evening southerly wind that blows in the spring and summer in La Paz.
Playa El Coromuel is a public beach, and easy to get to on a short hike from the Malecon. It has a free parking area, restaurants, restroom facilities and thatched palapas with chairs for relaxing in the shade.
El Coromuel is designated as a “blue flag beach,” which is an international recognition for meeting high environmental, safety, and quality standards.
Playa El Coromuel is popular with families, especially as a water park with slides has been added in the last few years. The pier here is a great place to watch sunset, or you can grab a drink at one of the restaurants overlooking the beach.
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? Yes | Restrooms? Yes | Restaurants? Yes
Playa La Concha | La Concha Beach
The best beach close to town is at the La Concha Beach resort. The beach itself is public, but the hotel and beach club are private. Non-guests can use the facilities and sun loungers by dining at the restaurant or bar. There are kayaks and water sports equipment available for rent.
The Sea Side Restaurant and bar here is a great place for sunset drinks or dinner overlooking the water. It’s a little difficult to find, but worth it for the view, friendly service, and great drinks and food.
If you’re looking for a resort getaway for your La Paz trip, you can book at the Hotel La Concha Beach Resort. Or stay just up the beach at the top-rated Playa La Paz resort. This area is more secluded, so expect a quiet stay here.
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? Yes | Restrooms? Yes | Restaurants? Yes
Playa El Caimancito | Caimancito Beach
El Caimancito Beach is located next to Playa La Concha. This low-key, public beach is a popular swimming spot for locals and has a friendly vibe. It’s possible to snorkel here, although the reef isn’t pristine due to fishing activity and beach use.
“Playa El Caimancito” means “Alligator Beach,” but I couldn’t find any reports of them being spotted here!
There are no beach vendors at Playa Caimancito, but there are hotels where you can grab a meal or drinks. Or bring a cooler with snacks, along with your own chairs and umbrella, since these aren’t available here to rent.
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? Yes | Restrooms? Yes | Restaurants? Yes
Playa El Tesoro | Treasure Beach
Playa El Tesoro is located in a protected bay surrounded by hills. Local lore says it was named for a treasure discovered when the road was being built to the beach, back in 1965. But this beach is so pretty that I think it’s a treasure itself!
El Tesoro is a public beach with palapas and restaurants, as well as kayaks and paddleboards available for rent. It’s popular with families, because of the calm, shallow waters and availability of beach services.
The beach is also large, with plenty of room to spread out, but it’s almost never crowded.
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? Yes | Restrooms? Yes | Restaurants? Yes
Playa Pichilingue | Pichilingue Beach
Playa Pichilingue is located near the port and has a parking area, restaurants, palapas and kayaks available for rent. You can also snorkel from the beach.
This beach is popular with locals, and has a fun, low-key vibe.
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? Yes | Restrooms? Yes | Restaurants? Yes
Playa Balandra | Balandra beach | Most Beautiful Beach in La Paz
About 18 miles (29 km) from La Paz, at the end of the paved road from La Paz, you’ll reach Playas Balandra and Tecolote.
Playa Balandra, with its clear turquoise waters and copper-colored cliffs, is often considered to be the most beautiful beach in Mexico. Once slated for resort development, it was saved by local citizens and activist groups who wanted to preserve its unspoiled landscape. Thanks to their efforts, it’s now a natural protected area, so we can all continue to enjoy it.
Playa Balandra is located in a shallow lagoon. There are no big waves at Playa Balandra. In fact, at low tide, the crystal clear waters never reach higher than your knees! This makes it perfect for beach walks, wading, and playing in the sand. It’s especially good for families with small children.
Be sure to snap a photo with the famous rock formation here known as El Hongo (the mushroom). Hikers will want to head up the trails that reach the cliffs surrounding the bay for views and photos of this unique and beautiful place.
Services are limited here because of Playa Balanda’s protected status. Bring cash and change for the eco-toilets and snack trucks, or bring a cooler for your day.
Playa Balandra is so popular that it can be difficult to get a shade palapa. If you’re traveling with kiddos, you might want to bring a lightweight pop-up beach tent. Balandra is so beautiful, you’ll want to spend a full day here!
As a protected area, there are limits on the number of beach-goers here; currently it’s set at 280 people due to the pandemic.
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? No | Restrooms? Yes | Restaurants? No
Playa Balandra Guided activities
Want to see more of Playa Balandra with an experienced guide? Check out these top-rated tours:
Playa Tecolote | Tecolote beach
Playa Tecolote is the last beach along the beach road from La Paz. Playa Tecolote has the same blue water as Balandra, but a little stronger waves. Like Balandra, it is also shallow, so you can wade a distance offshore before being able to float and swim.
Since Tecolote isn’t a protected area like Balandra, there are many options for activities and watersports. Kayaks, paddleboards, and jet skis are available to rent. If you like beach walks, Tecolote is perfect: you can walk for miles down its soft white sands.
“Tecolote” means “owl,” so you’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the Tecolote Beach Club with an owl on the sign!
Playa Tecolote is popular with day trippers from Cabo and with locals, so expect it to be busy on the weekends. There are several casual beach bars, restaurants, and food trucks where you can have cold beers and seafood right on the beach.
It’s also possible to beach camp. During the winter months it can be windy, and consider high tides when selecting a spot.
Bring cash for the beach bars and pay toilets. Expect a minimum food and drink spend to use sun loungers and palapas here, or bring your own shade.
Playa Tecolote is located facing Isla Espiritu Santo, so you’ll have pretty views and great photos at this beach on clear days.
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? Yes | Restrooms? Yes | Restaurants? Yes
Playa El Saltito | Saltito Beach
El Saltito is a hidden gem, so hidden that some locals don’t even know it! This stretch of soft white sand beach is pristine, with no restaurants or services. It’s located on the east side of the La Paz peninsula.
Playa El Saltito is also reported to be one of the few beaches in Mexico where bioluminescence is present, although I have not experienced this yet myself. The best conditions to spot this occur from December to April during the new moon.
- Want to experience bioluminescence in La Paz with a guide and gear included? Check out this Airbnb Experience with excellent reviews.
The last ½km or so of this road to El Saltito isn’t paved; unless you have an AWD vehicle, you should park and walk over the dunes to reach the beach.
There are no services here, so bring everything you’ll need for your stay and take all trash back with you. It’s possible you might have Playa El Saltito as a private beach though, as it is very off the beaten path!
Safe for swimming? Yes | Good snorkeling? Yes | Restrooms? No | Restaurants? No
Isla Espiritu Santo | Isla Partida Beach
Near La Paz, MX is a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve named Isla Espíritu Santo. It’s technically an archipelago, and the northernmost Isla Espiritu island is home to a colony of sea lions! The surrounding reefs and rich marine life make great snorkeling. Many tours here include a picnic lunch on a secluded Isla Partida beach where you can relax and swim after your meal.
If you visit from September to June, be sure to book a tour that includes a visit to the Las Islotes sea lion colony. The juvenile sea lions are so curious and playful that they will swim up to your boat as soon as they see it. You can even get into the water and snorkel with them. During the summer months when sea lion pups are born, it’s not possible to visit Las Islotes.
Visiting Isla Espiritu Santo is definitely a bucket-list experience. To get here, a tour with a certified operator is required. Here are options with online booking and great reviews:
- Snorkeling Adventure at Espiritu Santo Island National Park
- 1 Day Espiritu Santo Island Wonders, Sea Lions and Paddleboard Adventure
- Espiritu Santo Island Day Tour
- Scuba Diving in Isla del Espiritu Santo with pickup from La Paz
- From Cabo: Espiritu Santo Island All Inclusive Sailing Trip from Los Cabos
Where to Stay in La Paz
In La Paz, you’ll have many options of where to stay. You can choose either to find a hotel or vacation rental in town, where you can easily walk to restaurants and sights. Or opt for a resort outside of town with easier access to beaches.
- Hotel Catedral La Paz: Top-rated budget stay with rooftop pool and parking, close to the pier and marinas. Expedia | Booking.com
- Posada de Las Flores: Charming boutique hotel with views of the bay from the rooftop terrace and restaurant. Expedia | Booking.com
- Hotel Casa Labastilla: Midrange resort outside town with stunning sea and mountain views. Booking.com
- Hostel Esterito: Inexpensive dorm beds, private rooms, and long term stays at the quiet end of the Malecon. Booking.com
- Playa La Paz: Luxury hotel stay near Caimancito Beach with rave reviews for location, amenities, and beach Booking.com
Search La Paz Vacation Rentals
Ready to Bliss Out on the Best La Paz Beaches?
If you’re looking for a getaway in a friendly, unpretentious town with great weather, beautiful beaches, and unique adventures like swimming with whale sharks and sea lions, La Paz is a best bet. Save this guide for later so you have all my updated tips when you’re ready to book!
