If a traveler, especially if they’re based in western North America, wants a place to go to get away from it all, they go to Hawaii or Mexico. If said person wants a place to get away from it all and do little more than lounge in the sun, float in a pool, and drink tropical beverages, they go to Cabo.
Cabo, Without The Wabo
Cabo, on the tourism side, is a destination that could be interchanged with a number of different spots between Mexico, the Florida Keys, and the Caribbean and be exactly the same. It consists of beautiful coastal views, elegant resorts, endless watersports vendors, gaudy tourist shops, several raucous bar chains like Señor Frogs, Fat Tuesday, and Cabo Wabo, and not much else. And that simplicity is also its attraction as busy professionals can book a sun-filled getaway from their desks and cold weather without much planning at all.
Look But Don’t Touch
The Cabo San Lucas/Puerto Los Cabos landscape is very severe, with arid, rough landscapes inland punctuated with expensively green golf courses, but also beautiful, with this rugged terrain meeting sparkling Pacific and Gulf of California waters. Beaches are limited, and very few allow you to enter the water given the strength of the waves and the undertow at this ocean peninsula. In some areas, simply listening to the waves crashing will give you a sense of their deadly strength- I woke up the first night thinking they were booming fireworks. You can work around this limitation by enjoying walks or sports on the beach and then cooling off in a pool, or you can sail to calmer waters.
A boating or sailing adventure allows you to access the famous El Arco de Cabo San Lucas as well as safe beach coves, snorkeling, paddle boarding, whale watching, and the open ocean. If traveling with a large group, I’d recommend buying out a catamaran tour for your exclusive use. Otherwise, securing seats on large sailboats or other vessels is easily done through a resort or on the ground in Cabo (while keeping an eye out for scams). Most “luxury” options, which are longer excursions on more comprehensive boats than the small glass-bottom dinghies, will include all you can-drink service and food. This is Cabo, after all.
I chose a Cabo Adventures luxury day sailing excursion for an El Arco viewing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and sailing experience, and the crew was fantastic as was the outing. Do make sure you have enough sunscreen with you for both before and after your swim, and if you choose a sailboat excursion, keep in mind that sailboats are meant for sailing and the Pacific provides some great wind! We motored out to Lover’s Beach, and after our swim and lunch, we sailed out a bit into the Gulf for our return home. For anyone not used to sailboats, this can mean flying through large waves with the boat and its sails at a 45 degree angle to the water. Some people enjoy it (like me), some people can’t wait to get to shore – you have been warned!
Ask Me No Secrets
I stayed at Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf & Spa Resort, which is located 40 minutes northeast of downtown Cabo, with a large group. It is a sprawling, all-inclusive complex with several pools, daily entertainment programs, a private stretch of beach without water access, a golf course, numerous restaurants, and features like swim-up suites.
When I first arrived, I was struck by the well-oiled security systems in place. I used a hotel-sanctioned transportation service which had to pass through two security checkpoints to pull up at the lobby. The inner checkpoint required reservation information, which was radioed inside, from all parties in the vehicle. In an area that recently saw a sudden and globally-reported spree of cartel violence, I was both impressed by and appreciative of the attention and efforts. Secrets also managed to do this in a way that was still welcoming to guests.
With respect to my stay, I would say an all-inclusive resort is not for everyone, but it is perfect for large groups. Whether you want to keep the frozen mojitos coming regularly or enjoy a (actually quite decent) glass of wine every now and then, the all-inclusive aspect frees your group from budget or preference considerations that can otherwise slow down or cause awkwardness in a large group trying to drink and dine semi-together. It provides the ease of a cruise with the included food without the signing for beverages. Complimentary bottled water is also widely available. However, unlike a luxury cruise, the culinary experience is fine, but not notable. I’d also advise staying away from any food served separate from the main dining venues (such as Mexican fiestas on the lawn or pop-up service). The food is simply not prepared as freshly and served en masse buffet-style with limited serving/heating/cooking infrastructure, not by order, which opens the door for food-related discomfort after your meal.
On a final note, I was very impressed with the level of cleanliness and service. As with the safety protocols, the gardening, maintenance, and food service operations were extremely well-staffed, except perhaps the well-trafficked pool bar. It seemed like a small army of staff was constantly weeding, watering, and repairing details around the resort. And despite the free-flowing alcohol around the resort’s amenities, nothing ever looked sloppy or trashed, as you might expect and even understand.
Cabo is no cultural excursion, but it is an enjoyable fun and sun getaway. Pair it with a few days in Mexico City if you want to actually use your Spanish and pesos (the working language and tip currency around the resort were English and dollars), explore the food scene, and take in cultural attractions. Otherwise, I’ll catch you, your tan, and your strawberry daiquiri next time at the swim-up pool bar!
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