We recently had an inquary of "How do I get to Cabo Pulmo?"
It made us realize that we should have some maps on our website. And, we should write a blog with information on getting to world famous Cabo Pulmo Baja, Mexico!
Where is Los Cabos and Cabo Pulmo?
Cabo Pulmo is located on the Sea of Cortez at the south eastern tip of the Baja Peninsula in the State of Baja California Sur. Cabo Pulmo is approximately 1,000 miles south of San Diego, California, On the Tropic of Cancer at a latitude of 23.5 degrees. Cabo Pulmo is approximately 60 miles northeast of the Los Cabos International Airport.
What airportdo I fly into?
San Jose Del Cabo, airport code is SJD.
How do we get to Los Cabos?
Los Cabos is accessible by air from most major cities in the United States and Mexico. The flying time from Los Angeles and San Diego is approximately 2 hours. By land, Cabo is accessible via Highway 1, which runs the entire length of Baja California from the US border.
Do you offer transportation to get to Cabo Pulmo?
The two most popular ways to get to Cabo Pulmo are with a rental car or with a private transportation service. Rental cars will run about $40 per day and give you greater flexibility to see the surrounding areas. A transportation van will cost about $160 each way and that doesn't matter if there is one person or 10 people in the van, it is a flat fee.
Can we hire a private transportation van?
Private transportation is available throughreservations@Transcabo.com . Rates for an entire van costs about $160 each way. For four people that translates to about $40 per person each way.
What if we want to rent a car?
From the airport, rental cars are readily available at the airport and rates begin at about $20 per day. Insurance is highly recommended. Rental cars provide the greatest flexibility if you are planning on exploring areas outside of Cabo Pulmo. But they may be more expensive after insurance and gas.
What are the directions to Cabo Pulmo?
There are two ways to get to Cabo Pulmo. From the airport (SJD) we recommend that you follow Highway 1 North, that way you will only encounter about 6 miles of dirt road. From Los Cabos Airport (SJD) travel North on Highway 1 past Caduano, Mira Flores, and Santiago turnoffs. Once you approach a small village called Las Cuevas you will find a right turn to La Ribera / Cabo Pulmo (if you cross a long bridge you went too far). Follow the road to La Ribera and turn right just prior to entering La Ribera. You will see the Cabo Pulmo turnoff. Follow the Cabo Pulmo road south until the pavement ends. Continue another 6 miles on the dirt road until you reach the village of Cabo Pulmo. Prior to Cabo Pulmo you will see some signs promoting Cabo Pulmo information, continue past this village, Cabo Pulmo is the next bay. You will know you are in Cabo Pulmo when you see Tito's restaurant, El Caballero restaurant, and the Cabo Pulmo Dive Center which is a two-story blue building.
Do we need a four-wheel drive to get to Cabo Pulmo?
No. Occasionally, following torrential rains and hurricanes the roads can get washed out and a truck or four-wheel drive would be helpful. This typically happens during the months of August and September, but can happen as early as July or as late as October.
Come visit Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort. We would love to see you!
Read for a Mexico Holiday? Come stay in our famous bungalows and enjoy diving, snorkeling, hiking, mountain biking and relaxing.
Take a look at our beautiful and comfortable beach accomidations. (Click for more info)
Here is a little more information on staying at Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort:
Rental Houses in Cabo Pulmo
Be careful that you don't over pack as dress is very casual in Cabo Pulmo. In addition to your personal clothing and toiletries bring:
- Beach towels
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunblock or sunscreen
- Sandals or water shoes
- Walking or hiking shoes
- Flashlight and batteries (important)
- Sweater or light jacket
- Insect repellent (important)
- Don't forget your camera.
- Coffee beans if you like gourmet coffee.
- Extra cash (don’t be shy here, many people run out) 10% fee for cash advances.
Although the following items are not necessary, they can make your stay more enjoyable and are not readily available for rent in Cabo Pulmo.
- Life jackets for small children. We have them now. Beach chairs. We have them now.
- Beach umbrellas (we have rentals)
- Sand toys. Inflatable rafts and toys.
- Beach bags
- Ice coolers (personal igloos are great)
Do we need to bring our own food?
There are several restaurants in Cabo Pulmo, but if you wish to cook for yourself, each house has a well equipped kitchen with all of the supplies needed to cook. Each house has a mid- sized propane refrigerator that will keep your food cool. If you like cold drinks bring ice and maybe a good cooler for the beer. The propane refrigerators are not like your electric one at home! Otherwise, you can purchase beer and sodas at the local restaurants.
Are there restaurants in Cabo Pulmo?
Yes, there are four restaurants in Cabo Pulmo. The new restaurant is called “The Coral Reef” it has great food and a great chef upstairs from the reception/dive center. Tito's serves excellent seafood but has inconsistent operating hours. El Caballero serves good Mexican food and has very consistent operating hours, usually opening around 8 AM and closing at 10 PM. Nancy's restaurant is pricey but serves more gourmet type meals. La Palapa is a beach front taco stand that serves tacos and beer. All of the restaurants serve beer and a few serve alcoholic beverages.
Is there electricity in Cabo Pulmo?
Yes, each house is equipped with a solar system that charges its batteries. You must be very conscientious of your electrical usage especially on cloudy days. Once the batteries are emptied there is no way to recharge them except waiting for the solar power to charge the batteries the next day. So be careful in the day that there is no power turned on. Do not bringing any electrical appliances with you. However, some customers have large battery chargers for their underwater photo equipment, we like to ask them to charge them in the dive center where we have more power.
Is the water safe to drink?
The water supply for all of Los Cabos is spring fed ground water. The water here is very pure, but be careful. The pipes used for distribution of the water supply and other factors can lead to contamination. The well servicing this small community in Cabo Pulmo supplies reliably good, sweet water, piped underground to each house. A lot of people drink it right from the tap. Although many people drink the water directly from the tap, it is not recommended. Anywhere in the world a change in drinking water can cause stomach distress. We recommend that you drink only bottled or purified water. It is sold here at the Coral Reef restaurant bar upstairs. Or you can get a whole 5 gallon bottle at the caballero restaurant.
Are there telephones in the rental houses?
No. This is why you are coming to Cabo Pulmo. To get away from that phone! We do have a Radio-telephone available for $5 dollars per call and 1 dollar a minute for long distance. Email is not available.
Are there televisions, VCRs, or stereos in the houses?
No. You are forced to communicate with your companion. Yikes!
Is there air-conditioning in the houses?
Yes. We do have A/C in 3 units only for the hottest months of the year. Normally you will be fine with just the fans. Fans are included in each rental house. In cases of extreme heat we have places in Cabo Pulmo with air-conditioning and cooler areas.
How far from the beach are your rentals?
It just depends on what house you are staying at. We have beach front where you walk out of your room and be on miles of sandy beaches. Ocean view is having a view of the ocean from your room, not beach front. Walking distance to the beach is always 2 minutes or less. If you need more privacy and open space, we will put you farther from the water.
Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort
Vacation To Mexico
It's time for Spring Break, friends! You are probably as excited for a sunny spring break vacation as we are to see you!
Spring weather in Cabo Pulmo is AMAZING! Spring is Peak Season in Southern Baja. Fishing and diving are excellent! The weather is temperate and perhaps the best we see all year, not too hot and not too cool, and usually calm. Daytime air temps average between mid 70's and mid 80's, nighttime temps in the high 60's and low 70's, water temps average from low to high 70's.
Cabo Pulmo is located on the Tropic of Cancer, in the tropics. The landscape is desert-like, relatively dry similar to Southern California during most of the year. The climate is sunny and it's never cold. The area is arid with over 300 days of sunshine. Average annual rainfall is 5-10 inches (12.7-25.4cm), mostly occurring during the months of September and October.
The average year-round temperature is 78F.
Dive and Stay
You can Dive and Stay right here at Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort. We are a Padi 5 Star Dive Center and we have Baja's best diving and snorkeling. We are also very proud to offer exceptional customer service.
We have the perfect place to stay for your vacation get-away! From the Beach House to the Casitas to the Bungalows. We offer a variety of different sized bungalows, with or without air con, and casitas to suit just about any sized group. From our large beach house that comfortably accommodates up to nine people to our quaint bed & bath bungalows fit for two, we've got the place for you!
Cabo Pulmo Reef is the northern most living reef in Eastern Pacific ocean. The reef is home to 6000 species. Marine life has increased by an unprecedented 460% in the last decade, truly amazing to experience for yourself!
Get more information on our diving and Dive Sites here.
If you are ready to soak up some sun and bury your toes in the sand, you need to give us a call!
Cabo Pulmo wins over big development company.
This is an article from Amanda Maxwell's Blog.
We have included the article in full here and also, at the end of the article, a link to the blog.
“Victory” is a word I don’t use lightly or often.
But there are few situations I can think of for which “victory” would be more appropriate than yesterday’s landmark announcement by Mexican President Felipe Calderon to cancel the ill-conceived massive tourism project, Cabo Cortes. The project’s proponents wanted to build the equivalent of a new city next to Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, a reserve of immeasurable importance for Mexico and for the world. Cabo Pulmo contains the only living coral reef in the Sea of Cortés, and for years local, national and international voices have been campaigning to protect the vulnerable marine life there from the threat of Cabo Cortés. Yesterday, just as the Rio+20 Earth Summit got underway, President Calderón demonstrated vision and leadership by cancelling the entire project.
Cabo Pulmo is a conservation success story of local, national, and international significance. In the 1970s-80s, rampant overfishing severely degraded the reef. Local communities recognized that fact, and petitioned the government to make the area a national park, which it did in 1995. In 2005, UNESCO named Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park a World Heritage Site, and in 2008 it became a Ramsar Wetlands Site of International Importance.
Due to these efforts, the coral reef has bounced back beyond belief. A 2011 study from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography found that the biomass of the park increased 463 percent in the decade from 1999 and 2009, and called it “most robust marine reserve in the world.” It is now home to the highest concentration of marine life in the entire Gulf of California, including more than 200 species of reef fish, many of which are found nowhere else in the world, as well as migratory species like whale sharks, Pacific manta rays, humpback whales, and dolphins. Five of the world’s seven endangered species of sea turtle use the reef as a refuge. This incredible recovery is largely due to the efforts of the local communities, who took stewardship of the park and reoriented their economies away from destructive fishing practices and towards ecotourism activities.
photo courtesy of Octavio Aburto / iLCP
However, several years ago, the Spanish real estate developer Hansa Urbana laid out plans for the Cabo Cortés real estate and tourism complex. The company planned to construct 13,000 housing units, 3,655 hotel rooms (together this is equivalent to about 30,000 rooms), some 2 million square feet of office and commercial space as well as a 490-slip marina, a “private” jet port, schools, and at least two golf courses. For all practical purposes the project would have created a brand new city the size of Cancun. If it had been allowed to proceed, the project would have irreversibly damaged the reef ecosystem and wiped out local livelihoods that depend on ecotourism.
photo courtesy of Ralph Lee Hopkins / iLCP
In response to Cabo Cortés threat, local groups organized and took action. Regional and national groups joined the fight, and created a vibrant coalition called Cabo Pulmo Vivo. When Hansa Urbana stepped up its pressure on the government to approve the project, this coalition did not back down. Instead, they reached out to international groups, such as NRDC, to help protect Cabo Pulmo. Together, we made the legal, scientific, environmental, social and financial cases against the project:
- the project’s plans and the environmental permitting process it underwent both broke municipal and national laws;
- the construction and operation of Cabo Cortés would devastate the thriving marine life of the coral reef;
- it would affect the fish populations that local commercial and sport fishermen depend on;
- a resort of that size would require an incredible amount of fresh water that arid Baja California just doesn’t have;
- and it would have been a very risky investment for anyone interested in financing the progect due to all of the above reasons and the shaky financial situations of the developer.
By all accounts and measures, Cabo Cortés was undoubtedly a problematic project that should have been rejected by the government from Day One. Yet its environmental review process, which began in 2008, went on for four years. After some legal back-and-forths between proponents and opponents of Cabo Cortés, major pieces of the overall project received their approvals in January 2011. However, a few crucial parts, such as the water treatment and desalination plants, were conditioned: the company had to provide ample additional information about them within a certain timeframe (most of the 20 conditions allowed for six months). Last week, our Mexican partners made public a memo from the Sectary of Environment and Natural Resources stating that Cabo Cortés was out of compliance with many of those conditions, providing the government with the perfect opportunity to cancel the irresponsible project altogether. President Calderón’s declaration cancelling the project is an acknowledgement of the fact that big business isn’t always the best business.
photo courtesy of Ralph Lee Hopkins / iLCP
Cabo Pulmo truly is a treasure worth preserving, and a model of environmental stewardship and local economic growth worth replicating. After years of effort from many parties, yesterday’s victory –and certainly it is a victory— is remarkable news for the people of Cabo Pulmo and Mexico, and for other countries, too. It is proof that these battles can be won, and that when they are won, they have impacts far beyond the immediate area. Of course, there is still work to do to ensure that new projects similar to Cabo Cortés do not threaten Cabo Pulmo again, as surely they will, and that the region is able to grow economically and sustainably. But now is a time for celebrating – and to say “Gracias” to President Calderón for making the right decision.
To read the blog on Ms. Maxwell's site, click here.
Do you plan a vacation months in advance? The kind of vacation where you spend days trying to figure out what art gallery you will be visiting on Monday, what museum you will go to on Tuesday, who you have to meet up with on Wednesday, how many dresses do you need to bring, how many pairs of slacks, is it going to be cold, is it going to be hot, do you need casual clothes, how much money should you bring, did you save enough, should you bring the babysitter? etc...etc...etc...
I want to go on a vacation that is truly a vacation, one where I get to relax, watch the kids play in the sand, read a book, have a beer, snorkel if I feel like it, hike if I feel like it, maybe even throw in a dive or a surf trip. I certainly don't want to feel like I HAVE to do anything I don't want to do. I mean really, it's a vacation right?
Picture this; you start your vacation out by sitting on your bed wondering which backpack to bring, you know you don't actually need luggage, you only need to pack a couple of bikini's, some trunks, flip flops, t-shirts, and maybe a sarong or two. in fact, thats all the kids need as well, so they can easily pack and carry their own backpacks (thats enough to make me relax already). You know when you arrive there will be nice beds to sleep in, good food and cold beers at the restaurant, and plenty of relax time. Ok, so what more will you need..... Oh, a plane ticket and your off!
Visiting Cabo Pulmo is like visiting a slow miracle. Everyone there is relaxed, they smell of sunscreen, salt and hot sun, they walk slow and smile big. The air is warm and
clean, the palm fronds knock together softly in the wind and the sweet little tropical birds are singing a happy song. Your heart immediately relaxes, your shoulders drop away from your ears, you smile, you are in Cabo Pulmo.
Marine life at Cabo Pulmo National Park near the southern tip of Baja California increased by 463 percent between 1999 and 2009
Diving in Cabo Pulmo is of the best in the world! Many professional dive travelers have witnessed this. Cabo Pulmo Dive Center is a Five Star PADI RESORT that offers all of the professional diving and snorkeling services. We have full time PADI Instructors that lead the dives and snorkel excursions each day as well as guide you toward further certifications.
Cabo Pulmo National Park was protected in 1995 to safeguard the largest coral reef in the Gulf of California. The area is home to an amazing reef system and is crucial to the feeding and breeding of an estimated 6000 species. The reef is the northern-most coral reef in the eastern Pacific and is one of only three coral reefs on the west coast of North America.
After Mexican President Zedillo declared the National Marine Park, the people of Cabo Pulmo organized a conservation group to promote the conservation of the natural resources of the park.
Cabo Pulmo's reef is now the only healthy reef left in the Gulf of California. It continues to attract divers from around the world. And fishermen, too, as the waters surrounding the park are filled with spillover fish from the marine reserve.
Cabo Pulmo is a quiet village that has no salesmen or trinket sales on the beaches to bother you, no TV (except in the bar if requested), no daily maid service (unless requested), no paragliders or noisy jet-skis either; it's against Park Rules. You can walk for miles on the beach and not see anyone at times. We generally have an unspoken curfew of 10:00pm when the Restaurant and the Bar closes.
Making David and Goliath from Octavio Aburto on Vimeo.
This image was taken in Cabo Pulmo National Park in Baja Mexico. The image was entered in the National Geographic photo contest 2012. This is a short film of the photographer, Octavio Aburto, shooting the underwater photos.
Best of luck to photographer Octavio Aburto. We think his work is beautiful!
Dive, Surf, Bike, Relax, Repeat
Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort is the place to visit!
Dive Cabo
We offer something for anyone in your group. Perhaps you want to some extraordinary diving on a lush and lively coral reef. We have it! Dive, Dive, Dive is the motto of our 5 Star Padi 
Dive Center! Our most popular dives are close to the resort and are just a short boat trip from shore. You will be impressed with the vibrance and beauty of Cabo Pulmo's National Marine Park that shelters the coral reef. The Marine Park has been closed to fishing since 1995 and therefore the marine life is abundant. It is nothing less than magical to dive through the vitality filled water!
Surf Cabo
The action above the water is also invigorating! Cabo Pulmo boast some impressive surf sites. We have four breaks in fairly close proximity to our resort. El Rincon is the closest break and delivers big swells and is sheltered from the south winds. Punta Perfecta break is to the south of Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort and has optimal Fall surfing conditions. When it goes off, it is big and seriously fun! Access and the tide are two factors to consider at Punta Perfecta, but if you hit it right you are guaranteed a good ride.
Bike Cabo
Mountain biking in Cabo will introduce you to the flourishing and diverse ecosystem of the Baja California desert. While many think the desert is barren, you are sure to find it to be anything but desolate. The mountain bike trail (also used for hiking) goes up the tallest mountain in Cabo Pulmo. The views are incredible! When the humpback whales are around you can spot them breaching off shore. No worries if you don't bring your bike, we rent bikes out at Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort!
Baja Get-Away
Just need to relax? How about some warm sunshine and cold drinks! Our beach bungalows were built with chillin in mind! Your worries will float away in the ocean breeze as you sit on a deck overlooking the Sea of Cortez listening to the whispering palm trees. We have a bungalow to fit any budget and all of them are clean and comfortable.
Ready for a Mexican get-away? Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort invites you to enjoy all that Baja Mexico has to offer!
Diving Baja California, Cabo Pulmo Style
Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort is a PADI 5 Star Dive Center! We are located in Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, Mexico and happen to be located right on a National Marine Park. We have the best diving and snorkeling in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Top 10 Reasons To Dive Cabo Pulmo, Baja California with Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort
- Giant Fish! And LOTS of them!
- Dive Sites are close, only about a 10 minute boat ride.
- Cabo Pulmo, Mexico is a remote and quaint village!
- Dive groups are small with a 6 diver maximum.
- Dive a National Marine Park, no fishing, just diving & snorkeling!
- We are a 5 Star PADI Resort and Dive Center.
- We use Nitrox in our tanks (mixture of nitrogen and oxygen)
- We keep our equipment up-to-date and inspected at all times.
- We offer Baja Bungalow lodging at reasonable rates to fit any budget.
We invite you to come stay with us and find out first hand what an amazing place to dive Cabo Pulmo, Mexico really is!
Driving Directions to Cabo Pulmo from San Jose del Cabo (HWY 1)
Take HWY 1 east. You will be on this road approx 1hr (from San Jose del Cabo) and 1:30 (from Cabo San Lucas). Enjoy the desert scenery until you come to a small town called Las Cuevas – you will see signs cabo riviera, cabo pulmo national park – GO RIGHT. You will be on this road for 10-15mins. You will pass the town of Santa Cruz (careful of the unmarked speed bumps) you will come to the town of LA RIBERA – You know you’re close when you see signs advertising cabo riviera. When you come to LA Ribera – GO RIGHT (at LA RIBERA Monument) - This is the last turn you will take. You are now on the road leading to Cabo Pulmo. You will be on this road for 15-20mins until you reach the DIRT ROAD – from the dirt road you have 9kms to go. Do not deviate from the dirt road or take any cut offs. You will arrive in Cabo Pulmo in approx 15mins. When you drop down into our village you will see a 2 story turqouise building on your left with signs that say DIVE CENTER, RECEPTION along with an enormous dive flag.
Cabo Pulmo is a Mexican National Park. The map shows park bounderies, cabo dive and snorkel sites, areas to camp and kayaking limits.
The best time to visit Cabo Pulmo depends on what sort of activities you're interested in doing. Cabo Pulmo Diving is good all year long with June having marginal conditions due to the climate and wind changes. The best time to snorkel Cabo Pulmo is mid January to mid April; Guaranteed to be the best snorkeling of your life. The surf season officially begins in June, but usually surfers begin to show up around April. Hiking and mountain biking are always happening. There are miles of trails that zig-zag through the desert terrain. if you're a bird-watcher this is also a great place to be. There are over 300 species of birds that call Baja home.
Whatever your interests you're sure to find a home away from home in Cabo Pulmo