Los Cabos

At the peninsula's tip the rock opens over the sea like a gate, reached by water taxi from the marina or Medano. Lovers Beach beside it faces the calm Sea of Cortez. Divorce Beach just behind faces the Pacific, with strong currents and swimming forbidden.

A long beach fronting Cabo San Lucas town, its gentle water a rare place around here to swim at ease. Beach clubs stand in a row, so music blares even by day. Small boats out to El Arco are haggled for and boarded straight off the sand.

A small horseshoe bay off the coastal road between the two towns, its rocks thick with tropical fish and loved by snorkellers. As a protected zone, coral and fish must not be touched underwater. Parking is limited, so get there early in the day for a space.

Lanes behind the old mission church in San Jose del Cabo become a gallery street for the night. Thursday evenings from November to June, galleries stay open late and pour drinks outdoors. Parking by the church square is scarce, so park further off and walk.

A freshwater marsh right beside the San Jose del Cabo hotel strip, formed where the river pools before reaching the sea. A path runs through the reeds for close views of herons and other waterbirds. Water is scarce in the desert, so birds crowd in here.

A coral reef marine park on the east coast; after it became protected in 1995 the fish that had dwindled came back in great numbers. Going in the water requires a licensed guide from the village. The last stretch is unpaved, so allow over two hours by car.

Humpback and grey whales round the tip of the peninsula from December to April. Out by the arch they blow not far from shore. Small boats get closer than large ones, but on a windy day passengers take a lot of spray.

A former sugar cane town about an hour north on the Pacific side, now an artists' village of galleries and small hotels. Its Hotel California is unconnected to the famous song. At nearby Punta Lobos beach, fishing boats run back onto the sand in the afternoon.

A harbour packed with fishing boats and yachts, famed for marlin and host to a major fishing tournament in October. Boats that left in the morning return in the afternoon and clean their catch on the docks. Sea lions gather right there for the scraps.

A waterfall plunging into a granite gorge near Santiago village, on the flanks of the Laguna range. The route crosses a private ranch, which charges entry at its gate before stairs lead down. Few desert spots offer a soak in fresh water like this.

A strip of sand hidden among the rocks beside El Arco, reached only by water taxi or kayak. The Sea of Cortez side is calm enough to swim, but Divorce Beach, across the sand on the Pacific side, has heavy surf and currents and must not be entered.

A small bay off the coast road between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose, with public parking and beach access. The water is calm and fish crowd the rocks, so bring gear and snorkel straight off the sand. Little natural shade exists; carry an umbrella.

A Pacific beach near El Pescadero, south of Todos Santos; its regular, gentle waves draw crowds of beginner surfers. Boards and lessons are on offer right on the sand. The water is colder than on the Sea of Cortez side.

An uninhabited island off La Paz, listed by UNESCO in 2005 with the other Gulf of California islands. Sea lions live in colonies on the Los Islotes rocks at its tip, and you can swim with them. Reach La Paz by road in about two hours, then board a boat.

A shallow bay north of La Paz, knee-deep jade water stretching hundreds of metres so you can wade across to the far sandbar. A wind-carved mushroom-shaped rock is its emblem. As a protected area it limits daily entries, which fill early.

A church standing where the Jesuits founded a mission in 1730, facing San Jose del Cabo's main square. The tile mural over its door shows a priest being killed in the Indigenous uprising of 1734. The restaurants around the square get busier in the evening.