Within a ten- to 45-minute drive from central La Paz you’ll find some of the best beaches on the Baja. To the north of town along Pichilingue Peninsula (Highway 11) are several attractive, desert- backed beaches. Along road to Pichilingue, Marina Palmira, is an attractive complex with a marina, hotel and a condo development. La Concha Beach Resort has a new Fiesta Inn hotel and Marina Costa Baja. Beach facilities are somewhat limited, but the setting is pure magic with calm warm water and soft white sand backed by mangroves and cactus-studded mountains.

Pichilingue is also home to the La Paz ferry terminus and a large commercial harbor. Coromuel beach is popular with locals, especially on weekends. El Tesoro is named after buried pirate treasure that was discovered here during road construction in 1965. Balandra, a lovely cove and bay backed by green mangroves is ideal for kayaking, swimming, and sunbathing. Don’t miss the landmark balancing rock formation, El Hongo. Tecolote is a lovely stretch of white sand with a view of Isla Espiritu Santo off shore. From here you can rent boats for the 6.5-km (4-mile) crossings to Isla Espiritu Santo.  

The East Cape, south of La Paz, offers a string of beachfront fishing resorts and gorgeous beaches. This area is renowned for its world-class sport fishing and windsurfing (best from November to April). New on the scene and quickly becoming popular is kite surfing with gear and instructors available on site.

Fishing here is outstanding; the area reportedly has the highest catch rate in the world! You can catch billfish from June to December, while smaller species bite year round. Roosterfish, found only in this area, are a prized catch for anglers. Note: Catch and release is encouraged. There’s also an excellent surfing spot at Punta Arenas.