La Ventana Beach | Kitesurfing and Breathtaking Landscapes.
By Arthus. • Posted March 19 • 2024.
La Ventana beach boasts landscapes that are incredibly spectacular, which will undoubtedly take your breath away. I'm not exaggerating; this isn't about making the place or La Paz look good—they don't need it. Anyone who has been here knows I'm not lying. But amidst such beauty, among so many incredible beaches, La Ventana stands out for its truly unique, truly beautiful views. I mean, seeing the combination of this huge, beautiful bay against the backdrop of the hills and Cerralvo Island in front is something hard to explain in words, but believe me, you will be breathless, amazed to be in this place. It may not be the best place for swimming, its waters might not be as calm as other beaches (it's not dangerous at all, but there's a lot of wind), but without a doubt, it has one of the best views. This place is also known as El Sargento or Lomas del Sargento. Honestly, I still have some doubts about this, but most people simply know it as La Ventana. I promise to find out more about it.
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Where is La Ventana Beach located?
La Ventana is located to the southwest of La Paz, about a 40-minute drive from downtown La Paz. To get there, you can drive your own car or rent one. Another option is to hire a tour where a specialized operator takes you, shows you around, and then brings you back to La Paz. As I've mentioned in other posts, this isn't exactly my preferred option. I always mention that when you take a tour, you have to be mindful of the time and schedule, and it might not allow us to see the place as we would have liked. My preferred choice will always be to take a car or SUV to the location.
Driving to La Ventana is an experience in itself. The landscapes you see are uniquely diverse and stunning. The highway is in excellent condition, allowing you to enjoy the drive while discovering places, hills, and landscapes that are truly breathtaking. So, the first experience that visiting La Ventana beach offers is the drive to get there, or enjoying the journey there if someone else is driving.
La Ventana is located in a small town of the same name; it's a very small town, really tiny. It used to be a fishing village, but due to the tourism boom in La Paz, there are now many rental properties, as well as homes of people who have decided to move to this paradisiacal place. The town is really small and picturesque, but you'll find stores you see all over Mexico like Oxxo or Simi pharmacies. However, it seems to be still growing. There are really few things, some restaurants, some hotels or guesthouses, and as I mentioned, many rental homes available on Airbnb and timeshare properties, as well as homes of both foreigners and Mexicans who have decided to make this place their home... and I don't blame them, it's truly beautiful.
Being more specific, once you enter the town and drive for a couple of minutes, you'll find an entrance on the right-hand side to access to La Ventana beach . Don't expect big and flashy signs saying "This is the entrance to the beach, park your car and enjoy." Not at all. There's simply a sign letting you know you've arrived at your destination where you can park your car. Importantly, don't anticipate a concrete parking lot with marked lines; you're going to park your car on the sand, just the sand, if you decide to stay at that part of the beach. You'll see trees, there are water hookups for RVs, and there are bathrooms, but don't expect a parking lot like others in La Paz. Here, you park on the sand, bringing your car close to the beach, not too close out of respect for others, but at this beach, you'll be more in contact with nature, so your car stays on the beach.
If you're at the airport, arriving in La Paz and your desire is to immediately head to La Ventana, the best option is to rent a car. I mean, a taxi will happily take you there and wait for you, but it's going to be very expensive. You could take a tour with specialists, but usually, these need to be scheduled in advance, so the best option is simply to rent a car, take the La Paz-San Juan de los Planes highway, and reach your destination.
No matter how you get to La Ventana, whether by car, SUV, RV, or a paid tour, the important thing is that you will discover one of the most beautiful bays in Baja California Sur. And under no circumstances will you regret doing so.
The Unique Charm of La Ventana's Landscapes: What Sets It Apart
The beauty of La Ventana doesn't lie solely in its beaches (which are beautiful) but rather, in the combination of the beaches with everything around them: the hills, the houses, Cerralvo Island. Don't expect the untouched, almost virgin beauty of Balandra or the fun atmosphere and family activities of Tecolote, but you won't find the landscapes and views available here at any other beach in La Paz. Perhaps, in my opinion, this might not be the best place for swimming, as the currents and wind are quite strong, and a long stretch of the bay has rocks at the entrance to the sea. However, it is undoubtedly one of my favorite places, where it's possible to simply park your car under a tree, pull food, drinks, and blankets out of the trunk, and just enjoy the day, listening to the wind, hearing the sea, appreciating the landscape, and chatting with your loved ones. That's me, but on the other hand, this beach is a very popular spot for kite surfing, thanks to the strong winds that hit the beach sideways, especially from November to March, when you can see the beach full of people and the sea brimming with boards and sails, with people practicing their favorite sport.
Honestly, I prefer the tranquility of the place during the months and days when it's not crowded, as you can better appreciate the beauty of the location and delight in the sounds of the wind and the sea. But of course, for kitesurfing fans, this is the ideal place! I simply recommend coming from November to March, which is when the wind will allow you to perform your sports feats with greater intensity. It's important to mention that even outside those months, the bay is windy, I imagine due to its geographical location, but the wind is always very present. However, for people like me who enjoy calm, beauty, and family, this wind helps to cool down the temperatures of La Paz, especially in its hot summer.
Awesome views at La Ventana Beach (Video by us).
Walking along the beach in La Ventana is undoubtedly an excellent option to appreciate the unique beauty of this place, seeing, as I've mentioned, its spectacular natural landscape, combined with the silhouettes of houses on the beach, is something unparalleled. Before your eyes rises a mass of land, which is Cerralvo Island, that might seem desert-like but is full of wildlife (when they told me there were even bighorn sheep, I couldn't believe it!) On the sides, you'll see multiple hilltops, as if surrounding the bay, filled with intense blue water and a golden beach that will take your breath away for a few moments.
I know there's no way to convey what I feel when I'm in La Ventana with words, and I'm aware that not even photographs can do it justice, even though they capture the stunning beauty of the place. But believe me when I tell you that this place is different from the rest of the beaches in La Paz, all of them beautiful, but they don't have the magnitude of the landscape that La Ventana Beach offers its visitors. You need to see it with your own eyes to understand.
What to Bring to La Ventana Beach?
Let's remember that La Ventana beach is a 40-minute drive from La Paz. Also, keep in mind that there are several stores around the beach where you can buy anything you might need. However, I always think it's better to bring our own food and drinks in the car, perfectly stored in a cooler, to make the most of the day. This way, when we arrive, we don't need to go anywhere else looking for food or drinks. We can park the car, find a spot we like, spread out the blankets on the sand, set up the umbrella (if we don't find a tree that provides shade), and proceed to enjoy the place. Whether we swim a bit, engage in some sailing sport, take a bike route, or simply want to enjoy the spectacular landscapes that La Ventana has for us.
As you'll notice in the photos, there are no public palapas like at other beaches in La Paz. So, the first thing we need to note to bring to La Ventana is an umbrella large enough to protect everyone who goes. Of course, if we find a spot under a tree, that's even better. It will provide pleasant and more extensive shade. Obviously, we need to bring the food we'll consume, as well as enough drinks to stay hydrated, all perfectly stored in a functional cooler. We must not forget that the sun in La Paz is intense, and temperatures, especially in summer, tend to be high. In this case, I recommend, in addition to our preferred drinks, always bringing Gatorade or purchasing Electolitos, which are easy to find in any store in La Paz. We know these types of drinks are precisely for hydrating people after sweating a lot, and believe me, in La Paz, that's something you're going to do.
Of course, what we bring to La Ventana will depend on the activities we plan to do. It's not the same for someone like me, who goes to enjoy the tranquility, as for someone who wants to go kitesurfing, or someone who wants to take a bike route through the hills, or someone who decides to fish, which, as I mentioned, is a primary activity here in La Ventana. So, in addition to the basics to bring to La Ventana, which are food, drinks, blankets to sit on, and sun protection, what we bring to this place will depend on what we plan to do. And of course, it's possible to rent whatever we need for fishing, biking, or water activities in the vicinity of the beach, so no one will be left without doing what they wish, always remembering to respect nature and other people.
I'll leave a list of the basic items to take to La Ventana:
- Food
- Drinks (including rehydrants)
- Snacks
- A cooler in good condition
- Blankets for laying on the sand
- An umbrella
- Sunscreen
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- Whatever you need for fun (bicycle, board, balls, fishing rod, etc.)
Top Activities to Enjoy at La Ventana Beach: From Relaxation to Adventure
This is not a cozy beach like El Caimancito, or of untouched nature like Balandra. This is a beautiful and vast bay with views you won't find at any other beach in La Paz. However, there are activities that are repeated as in other places, with one standing out in particular, the king of the activities of this beach, Kitesurfing, and not to forget the other important one, fishing.
- Kitesurf: This is the activity for which this beach is most famously known worldwide. Kitesurfing is an extremely popular activity on this beach.
- Kayaking: This activity is present throughout La Paz and could not be an exception in this place, especially when it is not the season for this beach's king, Kitesurfing.
- Bicycling Riding around the bay, the small town, or the nearby dirt roads is an activity many enjoy.
- Swimming: The beach is beautiful, but it may not be the best for swimming. It's not dangerous at all, but as I've mentioned before, there are beaches where swimming is much more enjoyable. Even so, it's impossible not to swim at the edge of this beach while watching the fish swim alongside you.
- Fishing: The bay is vast with many beaches, making fishing an excellent option that is widely practiced in this area. It's even possible to see how birds approach the boats that are fishing, knowing they'll get a share of the catch.
- Walking along the coast: This is a beautiful activity. The bay is so vast that you can't cover it in a day (I haven't managed to) but I always enjoy it very much, feeling the wind on my face, listening to the waves, and feeling the golden sand is simply a beautiful experience.
- Simply sitting and watching: My favorite activity, without a doubt. Sitting under the shade of a tree, with a cold drink in hand, and lying on a blanket in the sand, while I thank God and life for the opportunity to be in a place that will leave one of your best memories etched in your memory.
Of course, there will always be other activities, depending on the varied tastes of individuals, but I believe these are the main activities I have seen with my own eyes that take place in La Ventana. Remember, everything I write is simply my experience living in this paradise called La Paz, in Baja Sur, Mexico.
Spectacular landscapes, La Ventana-El Sargento. (Video by us).
Discover the Perfect Season for Your Dream Activities at La Ventana Beach
In other posts, I've written that the best season to visit La Paz, especially for the first time, will always be the fall. The heat has decreased, but the water remains warm. In other seasons, for example, winter, the water is very cold, and in summer it's very hot, which not everyone finds enjoyable, especially if it's their first visit to La Paz. In the case of La Ventana, this changes; the best season to come to La Ventana depends on the activities you wish to engage in. As I've previously written, if we come to this beach intending to kitesurf, then we should come between November and March when the wind hits the beach sideways, making this sport very attractive. On the other hand, if our desire is simply to get to know the beach without going swimming, any time of the year is perfect. The landscapes are truly spectacular. If we wish to come to this beach in the summer, we just need to remember to stay well-hydrated, always seek shade, and enjoy the swimming moments we have on this beach because, I repeat, it is very possible to swim, it's just that there are other beaches where this is more enjoyable. If our intention is not to kitesurf at this beach, then, as I mentioned in other posts about the beaches of La Paz, the best time will be in the fall, just before the strong wind season when kitesurfing becomes the king of this bay.
Let me confess something: the first time I was invited to La Ventana, I didn't want to go. I mean, it's 40 minutes from La Paz, when one of the things I cherish most about this city is the proximity to all its points of interest. But once I arrived at La Ventana, everything changed. It has become one of the places I cherish most in La Paz. I can't emphasize it enough, and I know you need to see it to believe me... its landscapes... Its landscapes are unique, they will imprint on your memory... Its landscapes will take your breath away.
Planning Your Visit to La Ventana Beach: Essential Tips for a Memorable Experience
As I always like to say, the best tip I can give is to use common sense, especially when we're going to be 40 minutes away from the city in a remote place where, although there are stores, restaurants, hotels, and more, it feels far from everything. This is curious because the town, as I have mentioned, has many services, offerings, and hotels (very small ones, that is), but being on La Ventana beach, it feels like you are far from civilization and close to nature. Anyway, it might just be my impression, but below I'll leave you with a list of basic tips to make your visit to La Ventana an unforgettable moment.
- Don't litter
This tip is basic, I know, but it's always worth reminding the importance of not littering on the beach. There are bins there for this, and if we can't find any, we can keep our trash in a bag and bring it back to La Paz, where we can dispose of it without any issues.
- Avoid taking your drinks or food into the water:
For safety reasons, you should not eat or drink in the water, but sometimes people forget this and do it. Please don't
- The water is for enjoyment:
While they may not be the best in La Paz, there are always functional restrooms on this beach.
- Do not disturb the fish:
Despite the wind and the ocean current, it's possible to appreciate the beauty of marine life in this bay, whether with snorkels, diving, or just by looking. It's the beach where I've seen the biggest fish in all of La Paz.
- Leave your spot as you found it:
If you arrive at a place and it's clean, leave it that way. The beach is too beautiful to spoil.
- Wear a hat and sunscreen:
This tip is always valid, especially in summer. A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen will be your best allies while you're in La Paz.
- Stay hydrated:
Don't forget it's always important to stay hydrated in hot places, and La Paz certainly is one.
These tips come from someone who has not only traveled but lives in La Paz. They are very basic and easy to follow, ensuring that you will have a pleasant and memorable experience when visiting La Ventana. Make your visit to this paradisiacal bay truly unforgettable for you and your family, allowing its landscapes to imprint deeply in your memory and carry them with you forever. Believe me, once you're here, you will never forget its views... never.
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Tastes of La Paz.