Plan To Visit The Famous Lover’s Beach In Cabo? You Might Not Be Able To Get Off The Boat

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Did you hear the news? A rare sandbar has temporarily appeared directly underneath the famous Arch of Cabo San Lucas.

It creates the backdrop for an unbelievable, once-in-a-lifetime vacation photo that the vast majority of tourists will never get the opportunity to take. But for Americans heading down to Baja, there is one massive problem. You might not actually be allowed to leave the boat.

Over the weekend, the sudden formation of this sandbar led to a massive surge of visitors trying to get dangerously close to the natural monument. In response, local authorities immediately stepped in. Francisco Cota, the Municipal Director of Civil Protection and Risk Management, restricted access to prevent accidents, and the Port Authority temporarily suspended all water taxi drop-offs to Lover’s Beach to stop travelers from trying to cross onto the unstable sandbar.

Finding out you can’t actually step foot on the sand after flying all the way south can completely derail your itinerary. If you are an American heading down to Cabo this year, here is exactly what you need to ask at the marina so you don’t waste your money on a boat ride you didn’t want.

1. Confirm You Can Disembark Before You Pay

When you walk down to the Cabo marina, dozens of vendors will be aggressively competing for your U.S. dollars. The catch? Many of them will gladly sell you a “Lover’s Beach Tour” without ever mentioning that the beach is currently closed to foot traffic.

Because the beach sits at the turbulent meeting point of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, access can be shut down without a moment’s notice due to large swells—very similar to high-surf advisories back stateside in Southern California. Before you hand over your cash or U.S. credit card, explicitly ask the vendor or captain: “Are we physically allowed to get off the boat and walk on the sand today?” If the port is closed to disembarking, you will only get a slow cruise past the beach for photos from the deck.

2. The “Under The Arch” Photo Reality Check

Seeing the sandbar form directly underneath the Arch is a massive geological rarity. It requires a highly specific shift in tides and ocean currents that only happens every few years.

Even if you happen to be in town during this rare window, actually getting the photo requires a perfect alignment of events: the sandbar must be present, the tide must be low enough to access it, and the Port Authority must deem the water calm enough for you to safely get off your boat. As we saw this past weekend, local authorities will swiftly lock it down if the surf gets rough. Take the boat ride for the incredible scenery, but do not bank your entire stateside vacation expectations on getting to stand directly under the rocks.

3. The Most Affordable Way To Visit

If you get confirmation that the beach is open for foot traffic and you want to make the trip, you do not need to book a massive, expensive luxury catamaran.

The most efficient and cost-effective way for American travelers to reach the sand is by hiring a glass-bottom water taxi directly off the shoreline of Medano Beach or the main marina. On average, this will cost you about $20 U.S. dollars per person for a round-trip ticket. The captain will take you out to the Arch for photos, drop you off right on the sand at Lover’s Beach, and schedule a specific time to come back and pick you up a few hours later. Just remember to bring small U.S. bills to pay your fare easily without fighting over exchange rates.