Honeymoons in Los Cabos from The World's Greatest Honeymoons

Mexico is ranked #3 among this year's Top 10 honeymoon hotspots!

• • Mexico

South Pacific

United States

The World's Top 10 Honeymoon Hotspots

• More Mexico •

Map ~ Flag

• Los Cabos •

A Most Seductive Paradise

Couple standing at Marquis Pool, Cabo

The southernmost portion of the 1,000-mile long Baja Peninsula, Cabo is a dreamscape of white sands, turquoise waters, nearly constant sunshine, and dramatic landscapes. It's a place where high mountains and unspoiled desert form a perfect meeting spot for the tranquil Sea of Cortez and the tempestuous Pacific Ocean.

In Los Cabos it’s easy to find an activity (or non-activity!) to match your honeymoon mood. Want to get off by yourselves? Head to an isolated beach. Feel like company? Visit one of the many popular, party-oriented nightclubs or restaurants. You can stretch out by the pool one day, and go golfing, fishing, jeeping, or kayaking the next. Or go with your new mate to pamper yourself with a day-long spa extravaganza (two world-renowned spas, Esperanza and Las Ventanas de Paraiso, are here). Prefer shopping? Two very different towns—upscale, Colonial-era San Jose del Cabo and more casual Cabo San Lucas—are jam-packed with galleries, boutiques, and souvenirs.

Why honeymoon here? Stunning beaches ranging from action-packed to isolated. Vibrant nightlife. Wide range of activities. Excellent resorts. Many cost-saving packages available, even in the higher-end places. Cons: Heavy tourist vibe, not much local flavor.

Los Cabos Honeymoon Ideas

Cabo San Lucas: Located at the very tip of Mexico's 800-mile Baja peninsula, the town of "Cabo" was just a tiny fishing village until the mid-20th century, when its idyllic qualities began attracting vacationers. Hotels and resorts followed...and the rest is history. Cabo is justly famed for its near-perfect weather, incredible scenery, nonstop nightlife, tantalizing restaurants, and resorts so fabulous that you won't want to leave. But you will. And when you do, stroll through the clothing and artisan shops, open-air bazaars, souvenir stalls, and outdoor markets, and then take a late lunch at one of the seafood restaurants overlooking the harbor.

Also See: Mexico Index | Acapulco | Cancun | Cozumel | Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo | Los Cabos | Yucatan Peninsula

Beachin' It: With twenty stunning beaches, each imbued with its own personality, you'll find one that's perfect for you. At the very tip of the Baja peninsula, in an area known as Land's End, Playa del Amor is secreted amidst huge white rock formations and offers a stunning view of El Arco (below). ~ For more activity, head to that most "see and be seen" of beaches, Playa Medano. By far the area’s most popular beach, it's filled with bars and restaurants and is fueled by a raging, anything-goes atmosphere. ~ Other good bets: Playa Costa Azul is heaven for surfers. Shutterbugs love the gorgeous views at Playa Palmilla. Snorkelers rave about the undersea life at Playa Chileno. Some people are also drawn to the calm and protected nature of pretty Santa Maria Bay.

El Arco (The Arch): You can’t say you’ve been to Cabo until you’ve spent time at The Arch, a hauntingly beautiful rock formation jutting from the water right where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. Legend has it that pirates used to hide behind El Arco, waiting for unsuspecting merchant ships to venture by. Today you can approach it in safety, and by various means—on a hired panga or via jet ski, water taxi, or kayak. Swim under the Arch, walk around it at low tide, or simply curl up with your spouse and enjoy a great view of the big rock from Playa del Amor.

San Jose del Cabo: A captivating colonial village about 20 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo was founded in 1730 as a Jesuit mission (the present St. Joseph's Church traces its roots to the original mission, which no longer exists). Today it's a picture-perfect haven of cobbled streets, pastel-colored adobe buildings, and big shady trees. Visit Cactimundo, a beautifully-designed botanical garden that’s home to hundreds of cactus species; shop in the town’s many upscale antique stores and boutiques; and stroll through the ancient, shady zócalo. San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas were two separate towns back in the 1970s, but in the years since a 20-mile stretch of desert highway between them—known as The Corridor—has filled in with everything from luxurious resorts and golf courses to grocery stores and souvenir shops.

The Sporting Life: As you'd imagine, you can rent equipment for just about any water sport at beachside hotels, resorts, and independent shops. Kayaking is particularly nice here, as you'll see when you skim across the beautiful see-through water, and there are many terrific snorkeling spots. And if you've ever been curious about sport fishing, try it here, where conditions are ideal. Other outdoor activities you might enjoy include ridding a wave runner, parasailing, windsurfing, scuba diving, or surfing on the Costa Azul. Los Cabos is a superb, highly-rated golf destination. Among many courses is the 1.5 mile, 18-hole golf course at the Cabo del Sol resort designed by Jack Nicklaus. »» Golfing in Los Cabos and Mexico

The Old Lighthouse: The view from this 1890 charmer—dating from the days when Cabo was a major shipping port—is nothing short of spectacular. You can get here by horseback or ATV; it's a bit remote, so you may even have the place to yourselves. Spread your resort-packed lunch near the lighthouse, which perches 500 feet above the water, and spend some peaceful time gazing across the azure waters below. You’ll see sailboats and ships, cantering horseback riders, and maybe a few dolphins cavorting around the shipwreck near shore. BTW, Brad Pitt filmed desert scenes for Troy on the sand dunes surrounding this lighthouse.

Cabo Pulmo National Park: As you explore the Gulf, keep in mind just how special a place it is, with 244 islands, islets and coastal areas forming a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In making this selection, UNESCO cited the Gulf's exceptional number of fish species (891, with 90 of them found nowhere else on the planet); 39% of the world's total number of marine mammal species; and one-third of the world's marine cetacean species. Among the specific geographic Gulf regions included in the selection is the Cabo San Lucas Flora and Fauna Protected Area—the merging point of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California, where deep submarine canyons, sand falls, and rocky reef provide multiple habitat for marine life. Other areas covered by the citation: El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Bahia de Loreto National Park, the Archipelago of San Lorenzo, and Cabo Pulmo National Park (about 40 miles north of Cabo San Lucas). ~ About 40 miles north of Cabo San Lucas on the pristine East Cape, Cabo Pulmo NP protects the only hard coral reef in the Sea of Cortez and the consequent diversity of colorful fishes—many found nowhere else on the planet. Eight major reef fingers start right at the beach and continue outward for a mile—resulting in outstanding scuba and snorkeling. The beach itself? A beautiful, pristine, white-sand crescent (photo).

Whale Watching & More: Each autumn witnesses one of Mother Nature's most amazing signs of seasonal change, when hundreds of whales migrate 6,000 miles from cold Arctic waters to the warm waters of the Baja Peninsula, where they birth and begin rearing their calves. Eight whale species visit Baja's waters, including Gray, Blue, Humpback, Minke, Bryde, Fin, and Sei; the small Minke (4-5 tons) is most common, but the giant Gray (an average 36 tons) is what most watchers clamor to see. The best chance to observe these spectacular creatures from Baja's shores and waters is from late December to March. ~ One of the best places from which to embark on a whale-watching excursion is Baja's capital city, La Paz. Located on the Sea of Cortez, it's close to Magdalena Bay, a primary whale breeding ground. Also nearby: the prehistoric rock paintings at the World Heritage Site of Sierrra de San Francisco.

Southern Baja Islands: Just 20 miles off the coast of La Paz—north of Cabo San Lucas, La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur—is the archipelago of Espiritu Santo. With spectacular views of all of the islands in the Sea of Cortes, Isla Espiritu Santo (Espiritu Santo Island) is a haven for divers, kayakers and travelers searching for eco-adventure. Made up of two major islands, Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida, these red, chalky rock formations are stunningly beautiful against the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez. Home to more than 235 species of plants, 271 of fish, 32 of reptiles, 98 of birds and 31 of marine mammals, the island has been declared a Natural Protected Area by the federal government (it also has 11 species unique to the area). ~ Espiritu Santo is surrounded by a smaller group of rocky islets—Los Islotes, La Ballena, El Gallo and La Gallina. Visitors here encounter a colony of mischievous sea lions that swim and play among snorkelers and divers. The islands are also home to thousands of sea birds, nesting among the rock formations, and the waters surrounding Los Islotes contain a colorful array of marine life.

More Info: Los Cabos Tourism Board

honeymoon,great honeymoon,greatest honeymoons,honeymooners

All written material ©WGH ~ Photos: Thanks to UNESCO and Michael Calderwood (Gulf overview); Cactimundo Botanical Gardens; National Park Service (Gray Whale); VisitMexico.com and the following photographers: Nadine Markova (El Arco) and Bruce Herman (all others).