Frequently asked questions

The resort sits at Carretera Pichilingue Km 7.5, inside the gated Puerta Cortés development on the road that runs north out of La Paz toward the ferry terminal. It has its own bay, its own marina and the El Cortés golf course on the hillside behind it. Downtown La Paz and the Malecón are about ten minutes by car; the airport is about twenty.

Roughly 25 minutes by car, continuing north on the same Pichilingue road. Balandra is the shallow, sheltered bay everyone photographs; Tecolote is the wider, sandier one with palapas and boat operators. Balandra now caps daily visitor numbers, so arrive early in high season.

Yes. The shoreline in front of the property runs out to sea over dozens of metres of shallow, waveless water — which is why paddle boarding and kayaking work so well here. Guests also have access to Blue Cortés Beach Club, with an infinity pool, kids’ club, tennis court and a beach bar.

Three categories face La Paz Bay and the Sea of Cortez: the Sea View Deluxe King, the Sea View Deluxe Double, and the Super Suite Sea View. The standard Deluxe rooms and the garden-side Super Suites look over the manicured gardens, the pool or the golf course instead.

All rooms and suites have balconies with sliding glass doors and blackout blinds. Suites have larger terraces. Every category includes wireless internet, air conditioning, pillow-top beds, a flatscreen TV with satellite channels, a coffeemaker, safe, hairdryer, bathrobe and room service.

The published pet policy allows guide dogs and assistance animals. If you are travelling with another kind of pet, contact the hotel directly before booking — policies at individual La Paz properties vary widely, and several of the apartments and guesthouses in our directory are more openly pet-friendly.

El Cortés Golf Club is adjacent to the resort and is the only Gary Player Signature course in Mexico — par 72 over 7,082 yards, with sea views from 17 of the 18 holes. The Stay and Play package at Puerta Cortés bundles rounds with accommodation.

From roughly October through April, juvenile whale sharks feed in the plankton-rich waters of La Paz Bay. Trips are regulated and run by licensed operators; the resort’s activities desk or any downtown operator can arrange one. Sea lion snorkelling at Los Islotes, off Espíritu Santo, runs most of the year with a seasonal closure during pupping.

Spanish is the local language and English is widely spoken at the resort and in tourism businesses. The currency is the Mexican peso. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in La Paz; cash is useful for beach palapas, taxis and small food stalls.

It is one of the easier Mexican beach cities to travel with children. The water at Balandra is warm and shallow enough to wade for a hundred metres, the Malecón is a flat, safe evening walk with ice cream and playgrounds, and the boat trips are short. Sea View Deluxe Double rooms take two adults and two children under 12.

No, and the difference matters. Los Cabos sits at the very tip of the peninsula on the Pacific and Sea of Cortez corner, and is built around large all-inclusive resorts and nightlife. La Paz is the state capital, about two and a half hours north by road, and is a working city with a university, a cathedral, a fishing fleet and a seafront promenade. It is quieter, cheaper and closer to the marine reserves.

Manuel Márquez de León International Airport (LAP) sits about 15 minutes southwest of the centre and takes domestic flights plus a small number of cross-border routes. Many visitors fly into Los Cabos (SJD) and drive or take the bus up Highway 1 in about two and a half to three hours. Ferries from Mazatlán and Topolobampo dock at Pichilingue, north of the city.

October to May is the long, pleasant stretch — warm days, cool evenings, calm water. Whale shark season runs roughly October to April. Grey whale watching in Magdalena Bay is January to March. June through September is hot and humid with a chance of tropical storms in late summer, but it is also when the water is at its warmest and the city is at its cheapest.

Not to stay downtown — the Malecón, the centre and most restaurants are walkable, and taxis and ride-hailing are inexpensive. You will want a car, a tour, or a ride share if you plan to visit Balandra, Tecolote, Todos Santos or La Ventana more than once. Hotels along the Pichilingue road, including CostaBaja, are easier with a vehicle.

La Paz has a long-standing reputation as one of the calmer cities in Mexico, and the Malecón is busy with local families well into the evening. Ordinary city sense applies: keep valuables out of sight, use registered taxis or apps at night, and don’t leave things visible in a parked car at a beach.

Playa Balandra is a shallow, almost enclosed bay about 25 minutes north of the city, with the mushroom-shaped rock formation that has become the emblem of Baja California Sur. It is a protected area, and daily visitor numbers and hours are limited to protect the mangroves and seagrass. Go early, bring water and shade, and expect no vendors.

Yes — at Los Islotes, two rocky outcrops off the northern tip of Espíritu Santo island. Licensed operators run day trips from the city and from the marinas. The colony closes to swimmers during pupping season, usually around June to August, though boats still pass by.

Fish tacos and tacos de camarón from a street stand, almejas chocolatas (chocolate clams) grilled on the shell, machaca de pescado, ceviche made with whatever came in that morning, and burritos percherón — the oversized Sonoran-style flour burrito that shows up on beach club menus across the bay. Wash it down with a clamato-heavy michelada.

Downtown and the Malecón put you in walking distance of restaurants, bars and boat operators, and are the best choice without a car. The Pichilingue road — Marina Palmira, CostaBaja, La Concha — gives you resort facilities, quieter water and easier access to the beaches, but you will be driving to dinner. Our area guide breaks it down.

Booking.com lists well over a hundred bookable properties in and immediately around the city, across hotels, apartments, aparthotels, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, hostels and villas. Our directory covers 142 of them, sorted by area and type.