La Paz, Mexico, My Personal Top 5 Beaches.
By Arthus. • Posted April 12 • 2024.
La Paz, Mexico is so much more than its beaches with soft sand and crystal-clear water. Indeed, the city has much more to offer both its residents and travelers. But wow! It's impossible not to fall in love with the spectacular natural beauty of the beaches in and around La Paz. As I always like to say, this is not Cancun. Don’t expect massive hotel and condo complexes taking up all the beach space, overwhelming noise, and hundreds of insistent vendors looking to make a few pesos. No, La Paz is fortunately far from that. While there's plenty of fun to be had on its beaches, everything is framed within the very spirit of this city: serenity, tranquility, and peace.
In this article, I’m going to list my top 5 favorite beaches in this earthly paradise (and I’m not exaggerating, believe me), and I’ll share what I like and dislike about each one. But before that, I need to make something clear: ALL the beaches in La Paz are beautiful. Remember, this is a personal opinion, based on my tastes and hobbies, but most importantly, on my firsthand experience living in and enjoying La Paz for many years, during which I have been incredibly happy.
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5. Pichilingue Beach, A Natural Pool Like No Other ⭐⭐⭐⭐
In fifth place, we have a genuine natural pool right here in La Paz... Pichilingue. It's a small but incredible beach, a beautiful spot where the waves are so tiny they're hardly noticeable (I'm not exaggerating), allowing all family members to swim safely, even surrounded by beautiful, brightly colored fish that are not at all shy and come close to people (though they quickly swim away if you try to touch them). This makes it one of my favorite worry-free swimming spots. Plus, it has restaurants (with well-maintained restrooms) where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content, all day long as you enjoy this massive natural pool that the Creator and nature have gifted us.
At the Luna Bruja restaurant, you can sit with your feet in the sand, receiving the gentle waves of the crystal-clear waters, while enjoying a cold drink alongside some delicious fried fish. Just remember to bring cash because they do not accept cards. It's truly fascinating to be here, a place with amenities but with enough untouched nature to enjoy the serenity of this city. Moreover, the crystal-clear waters with hardly any tide allow visitors to enjoy some of the best waters for swimming or just floating or walking in the sea. I'm not exaggerating; in this place, it's possible to walk several feet into the sea with no danger but with enough depth to swim or dive while beautiful, brightly colored fish swim alongside you. It’s simply astonishing.
| Likes | Dislikes |
|---|---|
| Its calm, gentle sea and minimal waves | There are only two beachfront restaurants (there's another but it's on a corner far from the beach I love) and at one of them, the service is terrible. I always recommend Luna Bruja. |
| The proximity to La Paz | Cards are not accepted |
| Having a restaurant and restrooms available | The last time I checked, there were no other restrooms except those at the restaurant |
| The serenity of the place | The beach can seem smaller when it's crowded |
| The marine life |
This beach is just about 15 minutes from downtown La Paz, making it extremely accessible and easy to get to. It offers adequate facilities and you can even rent water sports equipment for fun, as well as tours around La Paz. Without a doubt, it ranks within our top 5. For a detailed guide to this beach and insider tips, please click here to read this article: Pichilingue Beach, an incredible natural pool.
4. Tecolote Beach: A Family Paradise for Sun and Fun ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I've always thought that Tecolote is the most fun beach in La Paz. It's enormous, and its crystal-clear waters allow for endless water activities, including motorized ones. Moreover, the vibe here aligns perfectly with Mexican fun. There are many restaurants, sometimes with live music (the beach is so large that it's never bothersome), all under a spectacular sky and natural landscape with the imposing Isla del Espiritu Santo in front of us. It's a family-friendly and relaxed atmosphere that allows for plenty of worry-free fun. This is number 4 on my list of favorite beaches.
Unlike Pichilingue, which is truly a natural pool, this beach does have waves, but they're the mild, pleasant waves of La Paz. The waters are perfect for swimming endlessly, surrounded by fish—watch out for the pufferfish and birds that are very bold and so accustomed to human presence that they swim or rest among the people without any problem, knowing the respect that the people of this city have for nature.
| Likes | Dislikes |
|---|---|
| The blue of its waters | When it's crowded, the service takes much longer |
| The spectacular landscape | No internet signal (sorry, I'm addicted) |
| The sky, oh my God! | There are times it feels very noisy, even when it's not. |
| Lots of food, drink, and fun options | There are many vendors walking around (not as pushy as in Cancun) |
| The vastness of the beach, great for walking (the farther you go, the less noise from people, I love it!) | The restrooms, which claim to be eco-friendly, but I don't believe it. |
This spectacular beach is located 25 minutes from La Paz and just 5 minutes from Balandra, so I definitely recommend visiting Balandra first, to marvel at its majestic and untouched beauty, and then driving just 5 minutes on the highway to reach Tecolote. Here, you can engage in activities not only during the day, but also at night, when you can see people camping peacefully and safely, captivated by the starry sky of this Mexican paradise. Unlike other, much quieter beaches, like El Caimancito and especially Balandra, where the goal is to enjoy and relax, Tecolote Beach is more about having fun, eating and drinking deliciously, and of course, appreciating the beauty of La Paz's beaches, where Tecolote undoubtedly stands out. For a detailed guide to this beach and insider tips, please click here to read this article: Tecolote beach, sun, fun and family
3. The Magic of La Ventana Beach: Unveiling Its Spectacular Scenery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
At number 3 in this top 5, we have (in my personal opinion) the beach with the most spectacular landscape here in La Paz. I simply haven't found the right words to express what it feels like to be there, seeing its landscapes, the beach, the sky, and Isla Cerralvo imposingly before our eyes. This beach is located 40 minutes from La Paz and is the farthest in this top 5, but it's worth every minute to get there. Moreover, the drive is extremely pleasant, on a spectacular highway in excellent condition, surrounded by desert landscapes, reminding us that La Paz is truly an oasis, a spectacular oasis in the middle of a desert. We who live here and those who visit are truly fortunate.
Even photographs do not do justice to how spectacular La Ventana is. When you're there, it's truly magical—the stillness, the sound of the sea and the air, the landscapes before your eyes, the peace of mind this creates is simply indescribable. On another note, I would like to say that this might not be the best beach for swimming. I mean, you can swim without any problems, but here the waves are not so small and the wind blows strongly (so strong that from November to March, the wind is so fierce that kitesurfing is practiced here), so the water does not have the tranquility and serenity of other beaches in La Paz, at least on parts of the beach. I confess, it's so large that I haven't yet explored it all; it's really big, which no doubt increases its beauty and the natural spectacle of its landscapes.
| Likes | Dislikes |
|---|---|
| The landscape, spectacular! | It's not close to La Paz |
| The tranquility of the place | There's nothing to eat or drink on the beach |
| The sky, oh my God! | The public restrooms could be better. |
| The landscapes, truly (I mentioned it twice, I know) | |
| The vastness of the beach, walking on it is a pleasure |
It's important to note that this beach is practically untouched nature, meaning there's nothing on it except for some public restrooms and water outlets for RVs—there's nothing else (at least not on the beach itself, because in the town there are restaurants, pharmacies, and various services). Therefore, we should consider bringing whatever we might need in our cars to ensure a pleasant stay in La Ventana. For a detailed guide to this beach and insider tips, please click here to read this article: La Ventana Beach, Breathtaking Landscapes.
2. Discover the Pristine Wonders of Balandra Beach⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Finally, we arrive at Balandra, my number 2 in my top 5 beaches of La Paz, Mexico. I know Balandra is the most well-known beach in this beautiful city, both in Mexico and the rest of the world. It's often said to be the most beautiful beach in the world, and to me and the people of La Paz, it seems so (although I haven't seen the whole world) because of its untouched natural beauty, its iconic mushroom-shaped rock, the surrounding hills, the crystal-clear waters, and the softness of its sand, all of which contribute significantly to its esteemed status.
This beach is just 20 minutes from La Paz, but access is controlled, both due to the large number of people from around the world eager to visit and the goal of keeping it as pristine as possible. Access opens at 8 AM, but don't be mistaken, lines of cars and tourist buses form well before 7 AM. Upon arrival, patience is important, as only about 200 people are allowed per shift, and there are two shifts, morning and afternoon. Such is the allure of this beach, where the colors of the sea are so varied and intense, yet they blend into the most crystalline waters of La Paz. You really need to be there to understand what I'm talking about.
| Likes | Dislikes |
|---|---|
| The crystalline water | The access is too controlled |
| The colors of the sea | The restrooms, which are said to be eco-friendly, could be improved |
| The relaxation and peace you can achieve at this beach | |
| The variety of activities available | |
| The stone mushroom |
I must mention that this beach is simply different, where it's possible to deeply relax whether on the beach or while walking (yes, walking) in the water, as the level is very shallow for a long stretch. As you do so, you can watch little fish swimming around, with the mountains and the impressive Sea of Cortez in front of you. There is so much to say about this beach, and many tips I can offer, so for a detailed guide to this beach, please click here to read this article: Balandra Beach, a stunning beauty.
1. Escape to Caimancito Beach: A Secluded Gem in Baja⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is my number one. It's not the biggest beach, nor the most spectacular, nor the most untouched. It doesn't have the beauty of Balandra (Oh my God, Balandra!) or the spectacular vibe of Tecolote or the breathtaking landscapes of La Ventana, nor is it a natural pool like Pichilingue. So, why is it my number one, why do I adore it? Simple, it's small, hidden, and cozy, it's just adorable!
I'm not lying, this beach is hidden behind a parking lot, which in fact is the way to access it, but there are no signs indicating that this little hidden paradise exists, and from the street, it looks simply like the parking lot of the hotel and condos next to El Caimancito. But oh no, behind that parking lot lies my favorite beach in all of La Paz, perhaps the smallest of all, divided in two by a rock formation shaped like a caiman (from which it gets its name) and filled with marine life and above all peace and tranquility. It's at this beach where I love to be the most, whether sitting on the sand or swimming in its waters, especially on the right side of the caiman, my favorite for its slightly calmer waters than the left side, which itself has very calm waters and gentle waves, allowing you to swim and greatly enjoy this little gem hidden in the paradise that is La Paz, Mexico.
| Likes | Dislikes |
|---|---|
| The beach's cozy atmosphere | There are few palapas, and none at all on the right side! |
| The water is delicious and calm | |
| The relaxation and peace you can achieve at this beach | |
| It's 10 minutes from the La Paz boardwalk | |
| Being not very popular, it's less crowded |
This beach is just a 10-minute drive from the Marina de La Paz, which means it's really close, yet despite this, it's not the most popular around here, perhaps because it's small and some might say boring, since there's not much to do on it—you can't rent a kayak, for example (although you can bring your own). So, it's not very crowded, which for a laid-back guy like me, adds extra value to everything I've described. Don't get me wrong, people do go to this beach, of course, but it just doesn't attract as many people as Tecolote or Coromuel (not one of my favorite beaches) and certainly not as many as Balandra, even with its restrictions. However, this beach offers other things that the others do not, so for a detailed guide to this beach, please click here to read this article: Caimancito Beach, a Small Hidden Paradise.
This is my top 5 list of beaches in La Paz, Mexico. They aren't the only ones—I know there are more, and we'll gradually create more articles that include them. But for me, these are the 5 best beaches and the ones I most recommend visiting. In my opinion, they allow you to experience the essence of La Paz: spectacular natural beauty, rich marine biodiversity, and above all, a vibe of calm and peace.
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Tastes of La Paz.