Watch out for the tide at Balandra Beach!
By Arthus • Posted May 2 • 2024.
If you're planning a trip to Balandra Beach in La Paz, Mexico, believe me when I say you're about to discover one of the most beautiful and spectacular beaches in the world, located in a gorgeous, small town known for the tranquility and serenity that radiates from its shores and hills, enveloping the town and its people. Visiting Balandra Beach is an experience that everyone should have at least once in their lifetime, though of course, there are those of us who fall so in love with this place that we simply decide to stay and live here. And as I like to say when someone asks if it’s safe to come to La Paz... the only risk is that you might want to stay.
But there are a couple of things to be cautious about at Balandra Beach. After all, we must always respect the sea, right? Don’t get me wrong, these are very simple and easy precautions. The first thing they warn you about when you enter this paradise is: Watch out for stingrays. And the second, which obviously only happens in the afternoons, is: Watch out for the tide, which is exactly what this post is about.
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When you see photos of Balandra, it doesn’t really cross your mind that there are certain precautions to take here. I mean, it's such a serene place, the waves are almost non-existent, you can walk several feet into the water and it won't even reach your knees, everyone looks peaceful, and everything seems right, doesn’t it? Well, it's true, everything I just mentioned is completely accurate. Balandra Beach is a paradise on Earth, a fantasy turned into reality, but that doesn’t mean it ceases to be a beach by the Sea of Cortez. Besides the stingrays, there’s something else to be cautious about, or simply pay attention to. The tide.
I'd like to mention that in the case of the tide, my first experience was exactly like this... we found a beautiful spot, close to the mushroom, under an opening in the hill, meaning we found a place with shade on the hill. It was beautiful, the water was cold as I mentioned, but beautiful. The situation occurred in the afternoon when the tide rose, and we had to return with the water up to our waist, where we had arrived by walking on the sand. Nothing to worry about, just need to be careful, and if not, return by swimming, HAHAHA.
I borrowed the previous text from this article Balandra Beach, a stunning beauty, that describes quite well the situation you might encounter. In the afternoons at Balandra, the tide begins to rise, which is natural, I know, but being on such a serene beach, we may not notice it much, simply because we've been spending hours in a place whose tranquility and peace can make us forget many things, including that this is a beach facing the Sea of Cortez and that the tide begins to rise and can do so significantly. Swimming back is funny, but it's true. More than once, I've seen people get distracted, and the tide forces them to swim back to parts of Balandra where the tide is not as high.
Here I'd like to mention two things: first, the water in Balandra is delightful, but if you come in spring (like I did the first time I visited La Paz), it's cold. The second is that although the tide rises across the beach, the area behind the hills near the mushroom-shaped rock is where you need to be more cautious, and this is because it's farther from the main beach, where although the tide also rises, it's just a matter of taking a few steps to walk from the beach to the parking area. So, it is behind the hills, by the stone mushroom area, where you need to pay more attention to the tide. Again, nothing to worry about, just something to be aware of. Anyone who has visited or lives in La Paz can confirm this.
Certainly, I can provide some insider tips for this matter, and here they go:
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Visit in the morning:
The best way to avoid the tide and see Balandra at its most beautiful is to go in the morning. Remember, access opens at 8 AM, but you should line up in your car at least 45 minutes earlier to ensure entry.
Settle on the main beach:Balandra has a main beach with beautiful, waveless waters and spectacular colors, right at the entrance. However, it's possible to walk towards the hills, heading to the mushroom-shaped rock, and in fact, many people seek out these spots. Explore them, but always try to find a palapa or place your umbrella on the main beach.
Watch the time:It’s in the afternoons, as the sun begins to set, when the tide starts to rise, so just pay attention to the water level around you. Use common sense:
This will always be a good tip.
These are just a few tips I can offer based on my firsthand experience with pets here in La Paz, but I know that tides can vary between seasons and weather conditions, yet I consider these tips quite effective for the topic of this post.
Please, I repeat, do not misunderstand me, Balandra is a magical, spectacular place with unique, dreamlike landscapes. There's no danger, just as with any beach, some precautions are necessary. The first is with stingrays, especially in season, and the second with the tide, but that happens on all beaches around the world. However, not all beaches in the world feature such contrasting colors, untouched natural beauty, and serene crystal-clear waters, which many consider to be the best beach in the world... Balandra.
To see more incredible pictures, go to the Pinterest board for this article: Click
Tastes of La Paz.