La Paz
Why does La Paz, Mexico belong on your bucket list? With more than 300 days of sunshine annually, the weather is bound to be great. And its location in a protected bay makes for some of the calmest and most beautiful beaches in Mexico – a perfect fit for the city’s name, which means “peace.” But La Paz is also a prime spot on the Sea of Cortez, once referred to by Jacques Cousteau as “the aquarium of the world.” This narrow sea between Mexico’s mainland and the Baja California peninsula is home to an abundance of sea life, including whale sharks, sea lions, dolphins and more than 800 species of fish.
Many of the best things to do in La Paz are thanks to its natural surroundings. In La Paz you can relax on beautiful beaches, sea kayak, scuba dive, sport fish, swim with playful sea lions, and even snorkel with whale sharks. Ready to start planning your trip? With this La Paz Mexico Travel Guide, you’ll find the best things to do in La Paz, where to stay, and tips on the best beaches, tours and restaurants!
The town of La Paz is separated from the sea by a wide boardwalk known as El Malecon. Couples and families stroll along the Malecon in the afternoon and evening, pausing for photos with statues that dot the promenade. You’ll also see kids speed past on rollerblades and scooters, so keep an eye out!
The Malecon also follows the Paseo Alvaro Obregon (street), which is lined on the other side with shops, restaurants and hotels. I stayed along the Malecon when I visited, and liked being able to walk to dinner each night.
There’s parking along the Malecon or on its side streets, or some hotels have parking lots.
La Paz has some of the best swimming beaches in Mexico with calm, clear waters. The Malecon has a beachfront, but you’ll find the best beaches for swimming are a few minutes outside of town. Within 10-45 minutes’ ride by bus or car you can reach several that have bars, restaurants, and lounge chairs for rent.
El Coromuel is the first beach as you follow the Malecon outside the tourist area of La Paz. This public beach has a free parking area, a restaurant, restroom facilities and shade palapas. El Coromuel is designated as a “blue flag beach,” which is an international recognition for meeting high environmental, safety and quality standards.
El Caimancito Beach is located next to Playa La Concha and is a popular swimming spot for locals. There aren’t any vendors here but you can snorkel. The reef isn’t pristine, though, due to fishing activity and beach use. Parking is available.
El Tesoro Beach is located in a protected bay surrounded by hills. It’s a public beach with parking, palapas and restaurants, as well as kayaks and paddleboards available for rent.
Playa Pichilingue is located near the port and has a parking area, restaurants, palapas and kayaks available for rent. You can also snorkel from the beach.
About 18 miles (29 km) from La Paz, at the end of the paved road from La Paz, you’ll reach Playas Balandra and Tecolote.
Playa Balandra has been referred to as the most beautiful beach in Mexico. Once slated for resort development, it was saved by local citizens and activist groups who wanted to preserve its unspoiled landscape. Thanks to their efforts, it’s now a natural protected area.
You won’t find big waves at Playa Balandra. Due to its protected location in a shallow lagoon, it’s perfect for beach walks, wading and playing in the sand. You can walk and walk, and the water will never reach higher than your waist!
Balandra is a great location to hike for a view overlooking the bay, especially at sunset. There’s also a famous rock formation known as El Hongo (the mushroom).
Services are limited here because of Playa Balanda’s protected status. Bring cash and change for the eco toilets and snack truck, or bring a cooler for your day.
Playa Tecolote is the last beach along the beach road from La Paz. It has the same blue water as Balandra, but a little stronger waves. You can rent kayaks and other water sports equipment here and walk for what seems like miles along the beach. There’s also several restaurants where you can have beers and seafood right on the beach.
La Paz, Mexico might be the best place in the world to swim with whale sharks. They migrate to the bay here from October to March, so excursions are just a short trip from shore. But most importantly, La Paz has made efforts to regulate tourism of this kind and make their animal encounters sustainable.
Whale sharks aren’t whales, but are rather the largest species of fish. The “whale” part of their name refers to their massive size: when full grown, they can be 18-33 feet in length!
In La Paz, the number of whale shark tour boats in the bay are limited. Monitor boats also check the operators to ensure their guests are interacting responsibly with the animals. There is a limit on the number of snorkelers permitted to observe any one animal to four, plus a guide must also be in the water. We all received instruction on the distance to keep from the sharks (at least 3m from the tail, and 2m from the side of the animal).
Many half-day snorkeling excursions leave from the La Paz pier known as Muelle Fiscal. You can find operators here offering tours each morning, but it’s better to book ahead of time with a reputable company. I went with Red Travel Mexico and our guide Dani was a marine biologist, so she was able to provide a lot of information about research and conservation efforts in La Paz.
Some people prefer to stay at a beach resort when visiting La Paz, but I enjoyed staying along the Malecon so that we could walk to different restaurants in the evening. We had a car, but it was nice to be able to stroll along the Malecon and stop for ice cream on the way back.
If you stay at a resort, make sure that you get to Playa Balandra since it’s the most beautiful beach in Baja California!
The small downtown area of La Paz includes a few shops like Casa Parra Gallery for Mexican folk art and handicrafts, Caktu Souvenirs for gifts and t-shirts, and Allende Books. Or you can check out the Mercado Madero if you’re looking for a local market experience.
Many blogs tell you to visit the Whale Museum, but sadly it’s closed! Instead check out the regional museum of Anthropology and History of Baja California Sur and the Cathedral of La Paz which dates to the second half of the 19th century.
While La Paz isn’t as popular of a Baja California destination as Cabo, it lives up to its name as a peaceful beach town with so many great things to do. Whether you’re looking to experience La Paz’s calm waters, sport fishing, whale sharks, sea lions or the pristine Isla Espiritu Santo, it’s an amazing vacation destination that belongs on your bucket list.
Hope this helped !!!
