Best Beaches in Todos Santos: Your Complete Guide to Coastal Escapes
Not every beach is created equal. Some are for swimming. Some are for surfing. Some are just for sitting with your feet in the sand, watching the waves, and remembering why you came to Baja in the first place. The beaches around Todos Santos and El Pescadero offer all of that – you just need to know which one to pick for what you're feeling.
I've spent enough days at these beaches to know their personalities, their rhythms, and what makes each one special. Here's your guide to the best beaches in the area, with a special focus on the ones you can reach in minutes (if you’re staying at our bungalow)!
Cerritos Beach: The Swimming, Surfing & Community Destination
Cerritos Beach (Playa los Cerritos) is your go-to if you want to actually swim in the ocean. Located just a few minutes from El Pescadero and fifteen minutes from Todos Santos, this is the only safely swimmable beach in the immediate area – the one beach where you can cool off without fighting dangerous currents and heavy waves. It’s immediately recognizable by the bright yellow Hacienda Cerritos structure, which is backdrop of many beach photos.
The beach break here is a sand-bottom beach with reliable, forgiving waves year-round. You'll see beginners taking lessons, intermediate surfers honing their craft, and seasoned pros warming up before heading out to more challenging breaks. For surfing, the waves tend to be the best in the morning before the wind picks up.
Cerritos has genuine community vibe. You'll see locals, tourists, surfers, families, dogs – everyone united by the ocean. The beach is wide and there's always something happening: volleyball matches, house music, sand castle building, beach games…
This beach can get crowded during high season (especially on weekends) and even hosts the "WSL Cerritos Surf Open," which gets really busy but is really fun to watch! Get there early if you want your pick of the lineup.
Beyond the water, there's a whole scene on the beach. Bring cash for vendors – they're friendly, prices are reasonable, and there's the guy we call the "happiest guy in Baja" who makes the most delicious daiquiris. :) Barracuda Cantina and Big Fun Beach Club both have food, drinks, and often live music. Sunset from the water is stunning, and during winter months (November to March), keep your eyes out for whales breaching in the distance. Sometimes the whales are much closer – breaching just barely beyond the surfers!
A lovely bluebird morning with a view of Hacienda Cerritos.
San Pedrito Beach: The Intermediate Surfer's Quiet Escape
San Pedrito sits about ten minutes north of Cerritos – it's a rocky reef break with a powerful, rippable right-hand wave (along with some lefts) on an exposed beach-and-reef mix.
There are two access points. One is at the end of the main road (next to Kimpton Mas Olas Resort) with a 15-20 minute walk or short drive. The other is right next to Amaya, which is about a ten-minute drive from our bungalow. The second access point is our go-to because it's easier to park and access the water. If Amaya is open (it's been less consistent lately, unfortunately), it would be the perfect spot to chill post-sesh.
San Pedrito is quieter than Cerritos, which means more waves for fewer people. Bring a blanket, some snacks, and settle in for a few hours. The beach is perfect for picnicking while you're not in the water, and watching the sunset from here is absolutely worth staying until dark. A seasonal attraction here is the sea turtle conservation efforts. A conservation organization sets up a private nursery for protection of the eggs and also coordinates hatching releases (the releases are usually in February and March). Bonus: you can easily walk here if you’re staying at our bungalow! It’s about a 15-minute walk down a dirt road.
Sunset at San Pedrito…dreamy.
Punta Lobos: The Scenic Hike Destination
If you want ocean views plus a little adventure, Punta Lobos is calling you. There's a hike associated with this area (info HERE – park at Hotel San Cristobal), and the rocky coastline creates dramatic views and a genuine sense of exploration.
The hike isn't extreme, but it's enough to get your heart rate up and your legs working. At the end, you get access to a secluded beach made up of pebbles and has such a stunning view of the ocean – the kind of place that feels like you've discovered something few tourists know about. Bring water shoes with you because the pebbles can be slick and there are always the occasional loose rocks in the ocean that you can step on.
This is better for photos and exploration than actual beach time (the terrain is rocky, not sandy), but that's part of the appeal. It's not crowded because it requires a bit of effort to get there. Go early (or late afternoon), bring plenty of water, and expect to feel genuinely connected to the landscape. If you go later in the afternoon or early evening, bring a headlamp or flashlight with you, as you don’t want to accidentally have to hike back in the dark.
Almost there! This is the last little leg of the hike before you hit the pebble beach.
Las Palmas: The Local Favorite
Las Palmas has a quieter, more authentic vibe than the touristy beaches. You'll see more locals here and a genuine sense of community. It's the kind of beach where you can imagine actually living in Baja, not just visiting.
The water here is rough (not for swimming, but for wading), but the picnic and "blue space" (moving water) experience is excellent. Bring food, bring friends, and settle in for a slow afternoon. You might see families gathering, fishermen working, or just locals enjoying their beach the way they've been for years.
La Pastora: The Advanced Surfer's Beach
La Pastora is a powerful, exposed, right-handed break with a sandy bottom located about thirty minutes north of our bungalow (it takes a bit to get there because of driving through Todos Santos and then further north on a rugged road). This is for experienced surfers only – the waves here are substantial, the current is strong, and respect for the ocean is mandatory. Don't show up alone to surf if you're unfamiliar with it.
The beach itself is beautiful and remote, which adds to the appeal for serious surfers. Just know it's there, it's an option, and it's a serious wave. Also fun to park and watch the surfers or even just the water. So mesmerizing.
La Cachora: The Whale Watching & Sunset Destination
La Cachora Beach is wild, quiet, and undeveloped – a short drive west of downtown Todos Santos. This isn't a swimming or surfing beach. The Pacific surf has very strong undertows, powerful waves, and dangerous riptides that make the water genuinely unsafe. But, between October and April, humpback and gray whales can often be spotted breaching or spouting right from the shore. You can stand on the beach and watch whales. It's extraordinary!
La Cachora is also a local favorite for evening walks and watching colorful Baja sunsets. The undeveloped nature of the beach adds to the magic. No vendors, no crowds, no noise – just ocean, sky, and if you're lucky, whales. Bring a blanket, bring someone you love, and let the sunset do the work. Please note that there are sometimes wild horses that roam this beach. They can be naughty and nibbly if you’re not attending to your items (beach blanket, snacks, towels), so be aware of this. And, as always when around horses, don’t get too close…they are magnificent, but wild creatures can be unpredictable.
Naughty horses just before they ate our friend’s sarong at La Cachora Beach.
A Final Note on Beach Safety and the "Blue Spaces" Effect
I mentioned that Cerritos is the only safely swimmable beach in the immediate area. Most of the other beaches have rough waters, strong currents, and waves that demand respect. But, you don't have to swim to benefit from being at the beach.
The concept of "blue spaces" (the calming, restorative effect of being near moving water) is real. Sit at San Pedrito, Las Palmas, or La Cachora for an afternoon. Bring a book, bring a friend, bring a picnic. Watch the waves. Feel the sun. Breathe the salt air. That's a perfect beach day, even if you never touch the water.
Each of these beaches has its own personality and purpose. Mix and match depending on your mood, your skill level, and what you're craving. Some days you want to swim and socialize. Some days you want solitude. Some days you want adventure. Some days you want to spot whales from the shore. Todos Santos has a beach for all of it. :)
A serene sunset scene at San Pedrito Beach.
