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    Santa Maria Beach

    4.5 (11 reviews)

    Santa Maria Beach Photos

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    Beautiful beach but lots of noise due to the construction going on. Nice snorkeling. Sand is more like small pieces of gravel. Other than the noise it's a nice beach

    Marc F.

    Just amazing! Must see! Stay out of water or else you will get caught in riptides. Rooster fishing spot, lol!

    Dalia R.

    This beach is so beautiful , it's relaxing . However , bring an umbrella for the sun but there is also someone that rents them out there . Bring water and snacks because there is no food around the beach . I would definitely come back again .

    Beautiful bay with great snorkeling!  Tourist snorkeling excursions come here too!

    Santa Maria is a BEAUTIFUL beach for snorkeling. It's less than 10 miles away from Cabo's city center-- definitely worth a visit! Here are some things you should know/tips- -The Beach is in front of a new development. Large, clear signs direct you to beach off the main Cabo highway. -Parking is easy. There is a new lot with space for about 50 cars. -There are restrooms near the parking lot. Use before going to beach. -The walk to the beach from the parking lot/restrooms is at least 10 minutes. Take everything you need to avoid a long trip back to the car. -Arrive early! Beat the heat and the crowds! Snorkel, enjoy the beach in early morning before temperatures rise and before the beach gets packed. -Take CLOSED water shoes to protect your feet from the hot, rocky sand. The sand is coarse..similar in size to the small pebbles in a fish tank. Plus, the heat of the sun makes the rocky sand unbearably hot! -Take an umbrella or shade. There are a couple of palapas on the beach (on opposite side of snorkeling area) and there is a vendor that rents umbrellas for $10 for the day. However if you dont arrive early enough or the umbrella rental is unavailable you will not enjoy your day at the beach. We bought a small tent at the local Walmart. It gave us great shade. Plus it was small enough to bring home with our luggage. -Snorkeling is on the right side of the bay. We brought our own snorkel gear and absolutely enjoyed the free snorkeling. You'll see tons of colorful fish!

    Joy H.

    Ah...the Santa Maria beach. It's like a small piece of paradise that's publicly available but secluded enough to offer a private atmosphere. I went here on a bus and it's about 15 minutes away from Cabo San Lucas. The beach is quite small but beautiful with its white sandy shore and brilliant blue water. What's unique here is that there's a tide pool on the side of the beach with some pretty interesting crabs running amock as well. It seems like there's a hotel or bungalow that's currently being constructed right next to it. Aside from the sound of crashing waves, the beach was slightly filled with noises of drills, hammering, and even screaming at one point from some poor soul who might've accidentally nailed himself when I was there. Waves here are much stronger than the ones at the Medano beach and Chileno beach, so I would take caution if you're not a strong swimmer. I couldn't spot a lifeguard nearby when I went, but he/she might've been around but hidden from sight like a ninja. What's awesome here is that there was a guy who sold beverages (non-alcoholic) and fruit slices to interested beach-goers. I got my bag of some sweet pineapple slices for about a buck or two. It makes for an amazing experience when you can just lay around and tan yourself silly on a beautiful beach while getting fed with some good fresh fruits. Compared to Chileno and Medano beach, however, I would rank Santa Maria a bit lower on my personal list of beaches to visit since it's too secluded for my interest.

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    5 years ago

    Wow, this beach has changed. Nothing but tourist buildings and loud construction. Go elsewhere, there are much better beaches.

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    Review Highlights - Santa Maria Beach

    However , bring an umbrella for the sun but there is also someone that rents them out there .

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    Playa Santa Maria

    Playa Santa Maria

    4.5(28 reviews)
    0.1 km

    Really nice beach. It's a small-ish cove about 15 minutes drive north of Cabo. There's a…read moreboardwalk to the beach. The "sand" is more like small pebbles. The water was fun and our kids had a blast. Next time, I might be interested in trying the neighboring beach called Playa El Chileno which also looks really nice.

    Thank goodness on my trip to Cabo that I was with someone who was a local and new of all the great…read moreplaces to visit as she took us here for one of the most lovely days spent out on the beach. When I thought about beautiful beaches and Cabo and peaceful places to just hang out and chill and enjoy the water, Playa Santa Maria satisfied all those requirements and I can't wait to go back to this place. When you get there, it seems like almost like a resort or if you experience going to a really nice golf resort in the United States. During the weekday we were here and there was plenty of parking and we bought mangoes in the parking lot, which were really good. He did a excellent job cutting and prepping it out for us. You take the walk back and then you see the ocean and the beach and I was just in awe of how beautiful it was. This is pretty close to paradise. It was a big contrast from the Bajia Beach House we were at for the past couple of days where there are a lot of tourists, loud music, vendors, and just noise in general. This place is so serene and quiet and calm and yes, it is connected to a resort, but it was not overcrowded, no loud music, you could see a lot of the locals were here, and the beach area to swim was very large and vast. If I lived in Cabo, I would probably come here every weekend. The only downer was the sand consisted of very small pebbles so if your feet are sensitive, then I highly suggest water shoes or sandals - which I'm so glad I brought. I am so glad I got to experience this place, thanks to our local friend and temporary tour guide. If you're in Cabo looking for some nice peace and relaxation and a beautiful scene, you definitely need to come here.

    Photos
    Playa Santa Maria
    Playa Santa Maria - Big highway sign as you're driving toward San Jose del Cabo. (Going toward Cabo San Lucas we didn't see any good signs--had to double back.)

    Big highway sign as you're driving toward San Jose del Cabo. (Going toward Cabo San Lucas we didn't see any good signs--had to double back.)

    Playa Santa Maria - Dirt road approaching parking lot.

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    Dirt road approaching parking lot.

    Playa del Amor

    Playa del Amor

    4.5(44 reviews)
    10.1 km

    There are places in the world you should see... and then there are places you have to experience…read more One of those is Lover's Beach. Tucked right beside the famous El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, this little stretch of sand sits where the Pacific Ocean shakes hands with the Gulf of California. Boats can't always nose right up to shore, so sometimes they anchor out and well congratulations, you're swimming the rest of the way. Not exactly the plan when you're holding a drink and thinking about tacos. But there I was, staring at that water thinking, alright... here we go. First step in refreshing. Second step whoa, that's colder than advertised. But once you're in, you're in, and suddenly the whole thing turns into the kind of travel story you remember forever. And that's Cabo in a nutshell. Music drifting through the air, drinks flowing, tacos somewhere nearby, somebody laughing so hard the whole beach joins in. My wife was cracking up, people were singing, and the day just kept rolling like a perfect Baja postcard. Lovers Beach itself is only reachable by boat, which somehow makes it feel like a little secret tucked against those golden rock formations. You look around and think, yeah... this is the good stuff. So if you make it to Cabo, don't just look at it from the boat jump in, swim if you have to, and make the memory. Trust me... that's the story you'll still be telling later.

    I am so thankful and grateful I was able to come to this beach…read more FRICKEN AMAZING and Beautiful!! Sand feels so good on your feet Its a small beach but its totally worth visiting We stayed here for about an hour or so just taking it all in

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    Playa del Amor
    Playa del Amor
    Playa del Amor

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    Playa El Medano

    Playa El Medano

    3.6(49 reviews)
    10.6 km

    A Love Letter (with a Side of "No Gracias") to Cabo's Beach Vendors…read moreLook, I get it Medano Beach in Cabo San Lucas is paradise, the sun is blazing, the margaritas are calling, and you're just trying to make a living in one of the most competitive tourist spots on Earth. But holy guacamole, the vendor parade feels like a non-stop flash mob sometimes! One minute you're finally zoning out with your spouse, pretending the real world doesn't exist, and the next, a cheerful guy with a tower of hats is standing over your towel like, "Amigo, you need this sombrero it's magic!" Spoiler: It's not magic; it's just very persistent. I've said "no gracias" so many times I started feeling like a broken record, and each polite rejection somehow makes me the bad guy who just crushed someone's dreams. It's exhausting, and it turns what should be pure relaxation into a game of vendor dodgeball. That said, here's the constructive part from someone who genuinely wants to support local folks (and might even splurge if the vibe is right): Let the beautiful handmade jewelry, the colorful sarongs, or those killer tamales do the talking! Imagine a chill setup like Hawaii's swap meets tables lined up, folks browsing at their own pace, no high-pressure sales pitch every 30 seconds. Vendors could hang back a bit, flash a friendly smile, and only engage when someone shows real interest. It'd give tourists breathing room to actually fall in love with the products instead of feeling cornered into a forced buy. The hardworking sellers deserve better than constant "no"s, and we visitors deserve a few uninterrupted minutes of beach zen. A little salesmanship class (or just some designated browsing zones) could turn those interactions from interruptions into delightful discoveries. Cabo's already got the magic let's not chase it away with too much hustle. ¡Salud to finding that perfect balance!

    Playa Médano is a very popular beach in Cabo San Lucas, and we visited during Christmas week in…read moreDecember. The weather was genuinely nice, warm but not overly hot, which made it comfortable to be outside for a while. That said, the experience was mixed. The waves were pretty strong, which could be due to the Pacific influence or the constant traffic from nearby boats. Not ideal if you're looking for calm water. The biggest downside was the nonstop vendors. My husband sat on a towel on the sand and was constantly approached to buy massages, blankets, jewelry, etc. It became overwhelming, and after about an hour he was clearly fed up. It made it hard to relax or enjoy the beach. What really left a bad impression, though, was seeing a very young puppy tied to a beach umbrella with no shade or water. I shaded her for a bit and brought her water. Eventually the owner came back, but it was pretty upsetting and felt unnecessarily cruel. Overall, Playa Médano has nice weather and a lively atmosphere, but between the aggressive vendors and what we witnessed, it wasn't as enjoyable or relaxing as we hoped.

    Photos
    Playa El Medano
    Playa El Medano
    Playa El Medano

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    Santa Maria Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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