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East Cape vs Cabo San Lucas: Where to Stay in Los Cabos

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Quick answer

East Cape vs Cabo San Lucas comes down to town or quiet. Cabo San Lucas is a city of about 200,000 people at the tip of the peninsula, with its bay, the rock arch and a nightlife scene. The East Cape is the coast north and east of San José del Cabo on the Sea of Cortez: desert, a right-hand point break at Nine Palms, and the protected reef at Cabo Pulmo. We're on the East Cape, about 1 hour 15 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport, and we'd send you to Cabo San Lucas for a night out, not for your bed.

Private rooftop under a reed pergola overlooking the Sea of Cortez

We get asked this a lot, and we're obviously not neutral: we're on the East Cape. So here's the honest version. Cabo San Lucas and the East Cape are both in the municipality of Los Cabos, but they're different trips. One is a city. The other is a coastline where the main sounds at night are the sea and the firepit.

The short answer

Stay in Cabo San Lucas if you want to walk out of your door into restaurants, bars and a crowd. Stay on the East Cape if you want to surf, snorkel, sleep well and see stars.

Cabo San Lucas, briefly

Cabo San Lucas is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, with a population of about 202,700 at the 2020 census. Its landmarks are Cabo San Lucas Bay and the Arcos de Cabo San Lucas, the rock arch at the end of the peninsula. It has a well-known nightlife scene and a resort corridor running along the coast. If that's the trip you want, it's the right base, and we won't try to talk you out of it.

The East Cape, briefly

The East Cape is the Sea of Cortez coast running north and east from San José del Cabo. We're at Camino Cabo Este, about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport (SJD). Desert meets sea here, quite literally: dry hills behind us, open water in front.

Three things bring people out this way:

  • Nine Palms (Nueve Palmas): a right-hand point break that suits longboarders and intermediates. Nine Palms is right down the road from us.
  • Cabo Pulmo National Park: a protected marine park about 100 km north of Cabo San Lucas, declared in 1995, with the northernmost coral reef in the eastern Pacific. We arrange snorkeling and diving there.
  • The quiet: no strip, no amplified beach clubs. It's quiet here. That's the point.

What a day looks like on our side

Breakfast is included. After that it's kayaks (complimentary, up to two hours), a beach setup we put out for you, the main pool over the Sea of Cortez, or a surf. In the evening there's guided stargazing with our telescope at the firepit, daily from 6:30 to 7:00 pm, and dinner is farm-to-table, with a mezcal pairing if you'd like one.

We welcome guests 16 and older, so it stays calm.

Can you do both?

Yes. Plenty of people base themselves with us and go into town for a night. Just plan the drive: the airport alone is about an hour and a quarter from us, and Cabo San Lucas is further down the coast than San José del Cabo. A rental car makes that easy; without one, ask us to help plan the trip.

East CapeCabo San Lucas
What it is Desert coastline on the Sea of Cortez, north and east of San José del CaboA city of about 202,700 (2020 census) at the tip of the peninsula
Evenings Stargazing, firepit, dinner. Quiet.Nightlife, bars and restaurants in town
Surf Nine Palms, a right-hand point break for longboards and intermediatesNot the reason people go
Reef Cabo Pulmo National Park up the coast, protected since 1995Further from Cabo Pulmo, about 100 km south of the park
Landmarks Nine Palms, La Fortuna beach, Cabo PulmoCabo San Lucas Bay and the rock arch
From SJD airport About 1 hour 15 minutes to usCheck your route; it's on the far side of the corridor
Best for Surfers, divers, couples, people who want to sleepGroups who want a night out and everything on foot

East Cape

Pros
  • Quiet, with dark skies for stargazing
  • Nine Palms surf right down the road
  • Closer to Cabo Pulmo for snorkeling and diving
Cons
  • About 1 hour 15 minutes from the airport
  • No nightlife, by design
  • A car is useful if you want to explore on your own

Cabo San Lucas

Pros
  • Restaurants and bars within walking distance
  • The bay and the arch on your doorstep
  • Lots going on after dark
Cons
  • A city, with city noise and crowds
  • Further from the East Cape surf and Cabo Pulmo
  • Not the place for a quiet, slow stay

When to choose which

Choose East Cape

Choose the East Cape if your days revolve around the water: a surf at Nine Palms, a snorkel at Cabo Pulmo, a kayak before lunch. It's also the right call if you want a cottage with a plunge pool, a temazcal and an early night under a lot of stars.

Choose Cabo San Lucas

Choose Cabo San Lucas if you're traveling for the town itself: nights out, a busy bay, restaurants on foot. If you want a few quiet days too, split the trip and spend part of it with us.

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