All About Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas is where the sea, sun and desert join to cast an air of mystery and romance over all who visit. Cabo was once a tranquil fishing village and, in times long ago, a hangout for pirates. Although no longer the fishing village of old, and not many of the pirates are seen around town any more, the magic of Cabo remains.
Sun Filled Days, Fun Filled Nights!
Cabo is still small and charming by any standards, with a population of under 60,000. And with the number of activities available to the visitor, you could easily imagine that you are in a giant amusement park. Golf has become a major factor in the Cabo San Lucas equation, with five championship courses complete and more on the way, Los Cabos has quietly become the golf capital of México.
Cabo has come of age. Located at the southernmost tip of the magnificent Baja peninsula, Cabo has been blessed with what many describe as the perfect climate. Average year-round temperature is 78 degrees, it is a little cooler in the winter and a bit warmer in the summer. For years Cabo was the remote playground reserved solely for private yacht owners. They flocked here to be near "Marlin Alley", as the waters around Cabo have often been described. The name is well deserved, as Cabo San Lucas is the undisputed billfish capital of the world.
But Cabo is far from remote these days, and the attraction of this magical spot is no longer limited to marlin fishing. Cabo can be many different things to people. Cabo San Lucas has become known as a perfect vacation spot for the entire family. Cabo can be as quiet, romantic and relaxing as any secret hideaway. It can also be as lively as anyone can possibly imagine. If your wish is to enjoy a quiet candlelight dinner, "muy romantico", beside the shimmering sea for just the two of you, we have some of the most romantic dining spots on the face of the earth. If golf, water sports, boating, fishing, ATV's, horseback riding and numerous other activities are what you seek, they're all here, waiting for you. If "party till you drop" is the mood of the evening, Cabo has got it for you, big time!
We've got the beaches! From the main beach at Playa Medano, one of the great people watching spots in the world, to quiet Playa del Amor (Lover's Beach) a short boat ride away. There are the countless quiet coves, where you'll most likely find no other footprints in the sand. Miles and miles of deserted beaches, on both the Pacific coast and the shoreline of the Sea of Cortez, make for an unbelievable vacation area; the kind beach lovers dream of. Snorkeling at either of the beautiful bays of Santa Maria or Chileno seems to be the very reason snorkeling was invented.
The sport fishing here is unparalleled in the world. Marlin of the blue, black and striped variety are abound. Sailfish, dorado (also known as mahi mahi or dolphin fish), tuna, wahoo, roosterfish and endless varieties of bottom fish and surf fish. Cabo is, by far, the world's very best all around location for sport fishing. Even if you are not a fisherman, you should try your hand at fishing while visiting Cabo. Landing your very first marlin is an experience that you will treasure for a lifetime. PLEASE RELEASE ALL BILLFISH !! Cabo is the host city every year to the world's richest series of marlin tournaments in October, see Tournament Time, below. View the weekly Cabo San Lucas Fish Report. Fly-fishing is beginning to catch on in a very big way in Cabo. The local "PANGAS" are another alternative that is a relatively inexpensive way to catch your trophy fish and have a lot of fun on the water. This area is blessed with the world's most abundant fishing grounds. Surf fishing also can be very productive here and is great fun for the whole family. Pack a lunch and have a picnic on the beach while fishing.
Water Sports
Swimming, scuba diving, surfing, para-sailing, snorkeling, sea kayaking, water skiing, glass bottom boat cruises, wave runners, wind surfing, whale watching; you name it and it is available here. Scuba divers will not soon forget their dive at the world famous sand falls, located just past the even more famous natural rock arch at Land's End. Don't miss one of the Pez Gato snorkeling trips to the incredible Santa Maria bay or one of their great Sunset or Booze Cruises. Some newer attractions in Cabo, are attracting a lot of notice. Cabo Expeditions and their fleet of Zodiacs are offering up some really exciting snorkeling.
Out of the water
You can't spend your entire vacation on or in the water! Cabo San Lucas and the surrounding area offers many interesting side trips and non-water related activities. The Glass Factory, just outside of town offers you the opportunity to observe the ancient art of glass blowing. These talented artists create incredible glass works, by hand, from balls of molten glass while you are not more than 10 feet away. You can visit this incredible site free of charge, mornings are best. They also sell what they create on site. For those who have rented a car you may want to take the beautiful one hour drive along the Pacific coast to Todos Santos, a small town and artists colony that is also home to a couple of great restaurants. There are many beautiful deserted beaches along the way, try a picnic, do some surf fishing or have a siesta. A drive up our other coast road, in the opposite direction, toward the East Cape areas of Buena Vista and Los Barriles, is strictly for the more adventurous among you. The road is unpaved (it is usually passable) and not very well kept, but the endless beaches and coves make for an incredible adventure of discovery. Take your snorkeling gear and surf casting outfit and, see if you can catch lunch. For the less adventuresome, perhaps a short walk down to the local sport fishing dock. Do this around 2 PM and watch the daily catch come in, you'll hear some amazing fish stories. You never know, they just might hang a world record fish while you are there.
Los Cabos is home to six world class championship golf courses, with more on the way. Three of these were designed by Jack Nicklaus, one by Robert Trent Jones II and one by Pete Dye. Cabo del Sol actually boasts of two championship courses. The ocean course at Cabo del Sol is a Nicklaus creation which skirts the shore of the Sea of Cortez and has been called one of the five most beautiful courses in the world. The second course at Cabo del Sol is the stunning desert course which was designed by Tom Weiskopf. San Jose del Cabo is the home of a delightful nine hole public course. Golf has quickly become a major attraction here. Where else can you catch a marlin in the morning, play eighteen holes and still be home by early afternoon?
Horseback riding
The area offers some great places to ride. Ride along the beach at sunset, go a little farther, up into the hills and view Cabo from an angle most people never get to see. Take your camera! Tours can be arranged for any number of riders. There are also jumping and dressage arenas for advanced riders.
ATV Tours & Rentals
The surrounding desert offers unlimited riding possibilities. The desert and nearby mountains combine to offer great rides within a short distance of town. Organized tours are offered to El Faro Viejo, the old lighthouse on the Pacific, with it's great sand dunes. Another great tour is the half day trip up to the mountain village of Candelaria, where it is rumored that some of the locals still practice witchcraft. You can also rent motorcycles and scooters.
Quality Cabo restaurants abound, all types and all sizes, from small taco stands to tables in the sand on Medano Beach, to elegant cliff side dining. Cabo is a food lover's paradise. Fresh seafood is, of course, a specialty of the area. But, don't be surprised if you have the world's greatest Caesar Salad while you are here. The choices are endless. There is one cliff side restaurant (famous locally for viewing our great sunsets) where you can swim in one of the four pools, while waiting for your meal or just enjoying cocktails.
If you are one of those who turn into an animal at night, you will feel right at home in Cabo. With nightclubs like El Squid Roe, Hard Rock Cafe, Cabo Wabo and the Giggling Marlin, Cabo is hard to beat for great nightlife. Be glad you remembered earlier that you were in the land of siestas (see below), because it can very easily turn out that you will be dancing until dawn.
Cabo has an abundance of shops selling all types of Mexican handicrafts, silver, and all kinds of beautiful ceramics. The beauty of our new mega mall, Puerto Paraiso, is sure to impress any visitor. The mall has already changed the shopping scene here in Cabo. As more shops open in Puerto Paraiso the mall gets more popular as a place to shop and dine. Shop anywhere in town for tee shirts with some of the most outrageous designs available anywhere, wood carvings, Cuban cigars, unique objects made of pewter, pure vanilla and designer sportswear at duty free prices. Prescription drugs are often 40% to 60% less expensive here than in the U.S. People have been known to spend an entire vacation just cruising the shops in Cabo.
Siestas
This is the land of siestas, do not abuse your stay here by not participating in this national pastime. Siestas seem to come naturally in Cabo. Some say it's the climate, some say it's the clean air, maybe you just over fished or stayed out a minute, or so, too late last night. Whatever the reason, siestas are one of México's greatest contributions to the world. Many tourists state that while visiting Cabo San Lucas they are overcome by the overwhelming urge to partake in the pleasure of a siesta! Don't fight it, go with the flow. Enjoy your stay, and don't offend the locals; HAVE A SIESTA!
Tournament Sportsfishing Time !!
May, October, November and December in Cabo mean serious fishing time. Fishing for money and fishing for charity. The world's richest billfish tournament, Bisbee's Black and Blue and the Bisbee East Cape Offshore tournament are Cabo's most famous evens. Cabo's scenic outer harbor and the world famous arch at Land's End create a setting for the start of the Bisbee's that is nothing short of spectacular. Over One hundred fifty boats starting at the same time and racing for the best fishing spot. WHAT A SIGHT! Over $2,000,000.00 in prize money can really get the competitive blood boiling.
The dates for the 2010 tournaments are as follows:
Bisbee East Cape Offshore Tournament 2010
Tournament dates: July 27 through July 31, 2010:
Bisbee Los Cabos Offshore Tournament 2010
Tournament dates: October 15 through October 19, 2010:
Bisbee's Black & Blue Tournament 2010
Tournament dates: October 19 through October 23, 2010
Money Matters
American dollars are widely accepted here, as are travelers checks. Major credit cards are also accepted in many locations, in restaurants always ask before ordering. The banks all have cash machines that will dispense money (Pesos) by way of your credit card.
