Pedregal and the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas: Waldorf Astoria, Pacifica and Sunset Beach, the surf, the sunsets and the marina

The Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas starts just over the hills west of downtown, and its three best-known resorts, Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, Pueblo Bonito Pacifica and Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach, all face open ocean. Two of them say outright that guests can't swim in the sea there because of strong currents. They are also among the closest resorts to Marina Cabo San Lucas: from 0.6 to 3.0 km in a straight line, 3 to 9 minutes by car without traffic.

You get the big surf and the sunsets from your terrace, and for calm water you go to the bay, by car or by boat. We're an independent booking agency with no affiliation to these hotels; each has its own page in our hotel guide.

Which hotels are on the Pacific side?

Our transportation table calls this area Zone 4: Pedregal and the Pacific side, where the coast turns toward the ocean.

At rush hour, downtown traffic adds time even on these short drives.

Waldorf Astoria Pedregal and its tunnel

The Waldorf Astoria is built on the beach and into the foot of the Pedregal hillside. The only way in by car is the Dos Mares tunnel, 984 feet (300 m) long, carved for the resort; Dos Mares means two seas. It opened in 2009 as Capella Pedregal, was renamed The Resort at Pedregal in 2014, and became Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal in September 2019, the brand's first hotel in Mexico.

El Farallon, the restaurant over the ocean, has been there since the resort opened in 2009. In 2019, just before it became a Waldorf Astoria, Travel + Leisure named The Resort at Pedregal the best resort in Mexico. Below Pedregal, Playa Solmar runs along the Pacific toward Land's End.

Being this close to the marina is the Waldorf's practical advantage for a boat day. The drive is about 3 minutes without traffic, so you can book an early departure without an early alarm.

Pacifica and Sunset Beach, in Quivira

Both Pueblo Bonito resorts sit inside Quivira Los Cabos, a residential development on the Pacific side. Sunset Beach opened in 2002 as a family resort of suites on terraces above the ocean; its Sky Pool is a two-tiered infinity pool about 250 feet above sea level. Pacifica opened next door in 2005 and is strictly for guests 18 and older, the only adults-only resort in the Pueblo Bonito group. Together they front a 2.5-mile stretch of beach.

Pueblo Bonito started in 1987 with one hotel in Mazatlán and opened its first Los Cabos resort on Médano Beach in 1991. At Sunset Beach, The Market at Quivira is a food hall with nine dining options under one roof, children aged 4 to 11 have a Kids Club, and teenagers get the FunLab, with arcade games and billiards. Pacifica's signature restaurant, Peninsula, serves regional Baja cuisine, and its spa is the Armonia Spa. In 2021 Condé Nast Traveler readers listed both among the Top 20 Resorts in Western Mexico.

Sunset Beach runs a free shuttle to downtown Cabo San Lucas, about 10 minutes away, which helps on the way to the marina.

Which Pacific side hotel fits which boat day?

For families, a morning charter is the swim the hotel beach can't give you: the boat anchors in the calm bay and the kids jump off the stern. The Sea Ray 36 takes up to 12 and is USD 929 (MXN 17,799) for 3 hours, with towels on board.

Why isn't the Pacific side for swimming?

Because the hotels say so. Pacifica's own FAQ says swimming is not permitted because of strong currents, and guests use the beachfront cabanas and pools. Sunset Beach's FAQ says the same and points guests to its pools, six of them. The Waldorf Astoria has no official statement either way; it's open Pacific coast, so ask the resort about conditions before going in.

You can see the same thing a little farther along. Divorce Beach, the back of Lover's Beach, faces the open Pacific with big surf and a strong undertow. It's for photos from the boat, not for swimming. Our Divorce Beach guide explains why.

The calm water is on the other side of the hill. Médano Beach, on the bay next to the marina, is the usual place to swim in the sea in Cabo San Lucas, a few minutes by car from any of the three resorts.

Sunsets from the Pacific side

The Pacific side is where Cabo watches the sun go down over the ocean. Sunset falls between about 5:35 PM in late November and early December and about 7:10 PM in early July.

Near Pacifica and Sunset Beach, on a bluff by the eighth tee of Quivira Golf Club, stands El Faro Viejo, the old Cabo Falso lighthouse from 1905. Pueblo Bonito notes that this, and not the Arch, is where the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez actually meet. More on its history in our Cabo Falso lighthouse guide.

A sunset cruise toward your own coast

Our 2-hour Pacific sunset cruise leaves Marina Cabo San Lucas, passes the Arch and the sea lion colony, rounds Land's End to the Pacific side and faces the sun as it drops toward the Cabo Falso lighthouse. That's about 12 miles round trip, and it runs along the same coast your hotel looks out on.

If you've watched the sunset from the Sky Pool or the Waldorf terrace, this is the view the other way around: from the water, with the cliffs and the dunes lit up.

The suggested 15% crew tip is not included. For Pacifica's adults-only couples, the Bayliner 30 is a good size for two; for a Sunset Beach family, the Sea Ray 40 has room for 12 and towels on board.

Yachts from the marina may stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM after the sun goes down. Our best sunset cruise guide has sunset times for every month.

Getting from the Pacific side to the marina

Each yacht boards at its own dock in Marina Cabo San Lucas; your exact dock and a map link come on your boarding pass. Yachts don't pick up at hotels.

The drive is short, and a taxi works. If you'd rather have a driver for the round trip, we can book one; the driver charges you directly, separate from the yacht: the cash price, or 5% more by card on the driver's terminal. Zone 4 prices:

The round trip costs much less than two one-way rides. All zones are on the transportation page.

Plan your Pacific side yacht day

• For sunset, pick a departure about 90 minutes before the sun goes down.
• For a swim, book a morning charter: the boat anchors in the calm bay water you don't get in front of the hotel.
• Bring a light layer for the evening breeze on the water.

Choose a date and a yacht in the planner, or compare boats on the fleet page. We reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Yachts in this guide

Sea Ray 36Express cruiser · up to 12 guestsfrom $659 / 2 hChaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 2 hBayliner 30Cabin cruiser · up to 6 guestsfrom $549 / 2 hSea Ray 40Flybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $879 / 2 h

Questions people ask

Can you swim at the Pacific side hotels in Cabo San Lucas?

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica and Sunset Beach both say swimming in the ocean is not allowed because of strong currents. Waldorf Astoria Pedregal doesn't say officially, so ask the resort. For a sea swim, Médano Beach on the bay is a few minutes away.

How far is Waldorf Astoria Pedregal from the Cabo San Lucas marina?

About 0.6 km in a straight line, around 3 minutes by car without traffic. The only way in by car is the Dos Mares tunnel, 300 meters long, built for the resort.

How far are Pacifica and Sunset Beach from the marina?

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica is about 3.0 km in a straight line and Sunset Beach about 2.3 km, both around 9 minutes by car without traffic.

What is the best yacht trip from a Pacific side hotel?

The 2-hour Pacific sunset route. It rounds Land's End and faces the sun as it drops toward Cabo Falso, the old lighthouse near Quivira, where Pacifica and Sunset Beach stand. Prices start at USD 519 (MXN 9,799) per boat.

Plan your day on the water

Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Check availabilitySee the fleet