The Arch from the water
Captains slow down at Land's End so you can take photos from the bay side and from the Pacific side.
Places · Landmark · Land's End
The ArchEl Arco, Cabo San Lucas
The granite arch at the very tip of the Baja California peninsula, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. On a normal day you cannot walk to it, so the classic view is from a boat.
- From the marina1.2 mi 1.9 km
- RockGranite
- Protected since1973
- Charters from2 hours
Photo: Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones, CC BY-SA 2.0
What's there
What you see at Land's End.
Every route we run passes the Arch. This is what you will see on the way, and what is off limits.
Sea lions next door
California sea lions rest on the rocks beside the Arch. They are the only marine mammal that stays in the area all year 3.
Humpbacks in winter
Humpback whales breed in these waters in winter 1. During the official season, whale watching is restricted in a zone around the Arch 5.
Lover's and Divorce beaches
Two beaches sit just west of the Arch, back to back: one on the calm bay, the other on the open Pacific.
The Sand Falls, far below
Under the water off Lover's Beach, sand pours down rock walls into a submarine canyon. The area was first protected in 1973 to preserve them 2.
The sand strip under the Arch
Every four to five years a strip of sand forms under the Arch and looks walkable. The municipal beach authority warns it is extremely dangerous 4.
The story
Pirates, granite and a beach that comes and goes.
The Arch is carved from granite, the same rock that forms the walls of the San Lucas submarine canyon just offshore 1. Its land is tiny: Cerro El Vigía, the Arch and two islets add up to a little over 19 ha (47 acres) of a protected area that is about 95% sea 1.
Land's End has watched ships for centuries. On November 4, 1587, the English privateer Thomas Cavendish captured the Manila galleon Santa Ana off Cabo San Lucas, took its cargo and set the ship adrift in flames 6.
The waters around the Arch were first protected as an underwater refuge, published on November 29, 1973, to preserve the Sand Falls 2. In 2000 the zone became the Cabo San Lucas Flora and Fauna Protection Area, managed by CONANP, Mexico's protected areas agency 2.
The sand strip under the Arch came back in August 2026. Civil Protection raised black flags and closed the area under the Arch and Divorce Beach because of heavy surf 7.
Photos
What it looks like.
Getting there
On 4 of our 4 routes.
- 2 h · Arch & Land's EndPelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, Lover's and Divorce Beach, then back along Médano Beach.
- 2 h · Pacific sunsetAround Land's End to the Pacific side, facing the sun as it drops toward Cabo Falso.
- 4 h · Santa María snorkelThe Arch first, then up the coast to snorkel Santa María Bay, with a swim stop on the way back.
- 5 to 8 h · Santa María & ChilenoThe full day: the Arch, both coves on the corridor with time to snorkel each, lunch at anchor.
Experiences that stop here
2 h · Arch & Land's End Pelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, Lover's and Divorce Beach, then back along Médano Beach. 4.7 miles (7.6 km) round trip
Stops, with distance from the marina
MarinaLandmarkBeachSnorkelWildlifeWhale season area
Typical routes. Your captain adapts them to the sea that day. Coastline © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
By private yacht
What it costs to get here.
Every price is per boat for your whole group, not per person. The captain, the crew and the 16% tax are included. The yacht is yours alone, never shared.
| Route | Time on the water | From | Yacht at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arch & Land's End4.7 mi · 7.6 km round trip | 2 h | $519 | Chaparral 28up to 10 guests |
| Pacific sunset12 mi · 19 km round trip | 2 h | $519 | Chaparral 28up to 10 guests |
| Santa María snorkel15.5 mi · 25 km round trip | 4 h | $909 | Chaparral 28up to 10 guests |
| Santa María & Chileno18.5 mi · 30 km round trip | 5 to 8 h | $1,219 | Bayliner 30up to 6 guests |
Good to know
- The Arch is inside a federal protected area. CONANP lists a conservation fee of $125 MXN per person per day, with exemptions for children under 12 and seniors, as of September 2026 10. On our charters this fee is already included in the price.
- Keep at least 20 m (66 ft) from the sea lions, as CONANP advises 11.
- Ask your captain for both angles: the bay side and the Pacific side.
Questions
People also ask.
Can you walk to the Arch in Cabo San Lucas?
Not on a normal day. A strip of sand forms under it every four to five years, and when it does, the municipal beach authority warns people not to walk it because waves and tides change suddenly 4. The safe way to see it is from a boat.
How far is the Arch from the marina?
About 1.2 miles (1.9 km) by water, a short ride at the start of every route.
Is there a fee to visit the Arch?
The Arch is inside the Cabo San Lucas Flora and Fauna Protection Area. CONANP lists a conservation fee of $125 MXN per person per day as of September 2026, with discounts and exemptions 10. On our charters this fee is already included in the price.
Can you see whales at the Arch?
Humpback whales breed in the area in winter 1. For the 2025 to 2026 season, the official whale-watching period ran from December 15 to April 30, with extra limits in a zone around the Arch 5.
How much does a private boat to the Arch cost?
A private charter on a route that includes the Arch starts at $519 for 2 hours on the Chaparral 28, for up to 10 guests. The price is per boat, not per person, and includes the captain, the crew and the 16% tax.
See it from the water
Put The Arch on your route.
A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.
Sources
- CONANP, justification study for the Cabo San Lucas protected area (2023)
- CONANP, notice on the Cabo San Lucas protected area published in the DOF (March 2023)
- CONANP, draft management program for Cabo San Lucas (public consultation)
- Municipality of Los Cabos, ZOFEMAT warning about the sand strip under the Arch
- Diario Oficial de la Federación, whale-watching season notice 2025 to 2026
- Wikipedia, Thomas Cavendish's circumnavigation
- El Universal, the sand strip emerges again under the Arch (August 2026)
- Península Digital, Los Cabos closed 2025 with 3.77 million tourists
- Municipality of Los Cabos, cruise arrivals in Cabo San Lucas during 2025
- CONANP, Cabo San Lucas protected area visitor information and fees
- El Universal, CONANP advice on sea lions in Baja California Sur (February 2026)
- Los Cabos Guide, Divorce Beach
Photo credits
- Comisión Mexicana de Filmaciones, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lisa Andres, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Thelmadatter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Other photos: taken aboard our yachts.