Active Pursuits

The relaxed pace of San José del Cabo makes it an ideal place to unwind and absorb authentic Mexican flavor. Beach aficionados who want to explore the beautiful coves and beaches along the 35km (22-mile) coast between the two Cabos should consider renting a car for a day or so (from $50 per day). Frequent bus service between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas also makes it possible to visit both towns.

Beaches

The best beach safe for swimming is Palmilla Beach, which fronts the glitzy One&Only Palmilla resort 8km (5 miles) west of San José. With its rocky coves, soft sand, and visible sea life, this beach has been home to fishermen for centuries and it is the preeminent picnic destination for Mexican families on Sunday afternoons. Past the rock formations, the beach curves east and the culminating swim is well worth the pebble-strewn stroll. Locals agree there's just something about the water on the other side of the rocks. Perfect for swimming, the water in Palmilla Bay has a sort of magic unlike anywhere else and, when you emerge, you'll feel it for yourself. To reach Playa Palmilla, enter the lush Palmilla community at Km 27.5 on the highway, take the road toward the beach, then take the fork to the left (without entering the hotel grounds), and park in the lot.

Estero San José, a natural freshwater estuary on which the ancient Pericúe Indians built their civilization centuries ago, has at least 270 species of birds and is on the east end of the hotel zone. The estuary is a protected ecological reserve and merits a sunset beach walk from the Hotel Presidente InterContinental to the river mouth where the spring-fed estuary meets the Sea of Cortez.

Swimming Safety -- Although this area is ideal for watersports, occasional strong currents and undertows can make swimming dangerous at most beaches in San José, the Tourist Corridor, and Cabo San Lucas. Check conditions before entering the surf. Swimming is generally safe at Palmilla Beach, though it, too, can be rough. The safest area beach for swimming is Médano Beach in Cabo San Lucas.

Cruises

Boats depart from Cabo San Lucas; prices and offerings vary, but cruises generally include music, open bar, and snacks for $40 to $50 per person. Daytime and sunset cruises are available. Arrange cruises through a travel agency or through BookCabo.com (tel. 624/142-9200), or call Xplora Adventours (tel. 624/142-9135 or 624/142-9000, ext. 8050; www.xploraloscabos.com). Both companies work with several tour providers in the area and can give unbiased information.

Adventure Tours

Tío Sports (tel. 624/143-3399) arranges a variety of land- and water-based adventure and nature tours, including popular ATV tours to La Candelaria; parasailing; and kayak, catamaran, snorkeling, and diving trips. The website gives current prices. Baja Wild (tel. 624/172-6300; www.bajawild.com) is ideal for a wide range of adventure, as they offer every excursion imaginable in Los Cabos from rock climbing to kayaking, hiking to rappelling, and more. Baja Outback (tel. 624/142-9215; www.bajaoutback.com) provides single- and multiday adventure tours throughout Southern Baja. Armed with a naturalist guide and an expedition guide, who provide information and offer driving instruction over the two-way radios that connect each Hummer in the caravan, you take the wheel of your own H2 Hummer and discover mountain, desert, and sea.

Golf

Los Cabos has become Latin America's leading golf destination, with a collection of top signature courses and others under construction. The lowest greens fees in the area are at the 9-hole Mayan Palace Golf Los Cabos (tel. 624/142-0900 or 624/142-0901), Paseo Finisterra 1, which is the first right turn east of the yellow Fonatur statue in the highway roundabout. The 7th hole offers a wonderful view of the ocean on your left and mountains facing you as you approach the green. The 9th is a good finishing hole, with a wide, sloping fairway with sand traps to the top, right, and bottom of the green. Early-morning greens fees (6am-2pm) are just $69 for 9 holes and $99 for 18 holes with equipment; rates drop to $80 for 18 holes after 3pm. All greens fees include use of cart.

Horseback Riding

Horses can be rented near the Presidente InterContinental, Fiesta Inn, and in the Costa Azul canyon for $15 to $20 per hour. Most people choose to ride on the beach, but a trip up the arroyo offers a different beauty. For a more organized riding experience -- English or Western -- there's Cuadra San Francisco Equestrian Center, Km 19.5 along the Corridor, in front of the Casa del Mar resort (tel. 624/144-0160; www.loscaboshorses.com). Master horseman Francisco Barrena has more than 30 years of experience in training horses and operating equestrian schools, and will assist any level rider in selecting and fitting a horse to their skill level. Your choice of English or Western saddles is available on exceptional, well-trained horses. A 2-hour canyon ride in and around Arroyo San Carlos or Venado Blanco costs $85; a 1-hour ride to the beach or desert is $40. Private tours go for $55 per hour and equestrian aficionados may schedule a dressage class for $80.

Tennis

You can play tennis at most resorts throughout Los Cabos, but if you're staying somewhere tennis isn't available, the two courts at the Mayan Palace Resort Golf Los Cabos (tel. 624/142-0905), Paseo Finisterra 1, rent for $14 an hour during the day, $28 an hour at night. Call the club to reserve.

Fishing

The least expensive way to enjoy deep-sea fishing is to pair up with another angler and charter a panga, a 7m (23-ft.) skiff used by local fishermen, from Pueblo la Playa, the beach near the new Puerto Los Cabos Marina. Several panga fleets offer 6-hour sportfishing trips, usually from 6am to noon, for $200 to $500. Two or three people can split the cost. For information, visit the fishermen's cooperative in Pueblo la Playa (no phone) or contact Gordo Banks Pangas (tel. 624/142-1147; www.gordobanks.com). For larger charter boats, you'll depart from the marina in Cabo San Lucas (later in this chapter).

Sea Kayaking

Fully guided, ecologically oriented ocean kayak tours are available through Ramon's Ecotours (tel. 624/122-3696; www.ramonsecotours.com) and Cabo Acuadeportes (tel. 624/143-0117; www.baja-cabo.com/cabosanlucaswatersports.html). Most ocean-kayaking tours depart from Cabo San Lucas, curve around the bay toward the Arch, and break for snorkeling at Lover's Beach.

Snorkeling/Diving

Manta (tel. 624/144-3871; www.caboscuba.com) and Amigos del Mar in Cabo San Lucas (tel. 800/344-3349 in the U.S., or 624/143-0505; www.amigosdelmar.com) are two of the most reputable dive operations in Los Cabos. Manta offers everything from advanced dive trips to PADI open-water diver certification. Prices start at $50 for a one-tank dive and $150 for 2 days of diving. Night dives are $65 per person. The 4-day PADI certification course, which certifies you to scuba dive anywhere in the world, costs $430. Among the area's best dive sites are Gordo Banks and Cabo Pulmo. Gordo Banks is an advanced dive site where you can see whale sharks and hammerhead sharks. It's a deep dive -- 27 to 30m (90-98 ft.) -- with limited visibility (9-12m/30-40 ft.). Most dives are drift dives, and wetsuits are highly recommended. Cabo Pulmo, a protected marine park 72km (45 miles) northeast of San José, has seven sites geared for divers of all experience levels, plus some of the most beautiful stretches of Baja beach, so it never feels crowded.

Surfing

Surfing is becoming one of the hottest trends in the entire destination, drawing landlocked Midwesterners and SoCal surf aficionados alike to the wide range of waves at Baja's tip. Playa Costa Azul, at Km 29 on Highway 1 just south of San José, has the most popular surfing beaches in the area. The Costa Azul Surf Shop, Km 28, Playa Costa Azul (tel. 624/142-2771; www.costa-azul.com.mx), offers surfing lessons, surfboard and snorkeling equipment rentals, and specialized surf excursions to any of the 15 local breaks. Excursions include transportation and a DVD video of the day, and owner Alejandro Olea handcrafts all rental boards in his San José workshop. Just $20 per day will get you a board, leash, shade umbrella, beach chair, and rack for your rental car. One-hour lessons are $55, and other special packages are available. Cabo Surf Hotel (tel. 624/172-6188; www.cabosurfhotel.com) also offers surf lessons and daily board rentals for $35.

The surf switches sides with the seasons, so the waves break on the eastern side of the peninsula in the spring and summer (Mar-Oct) and the Pacific plays host to surfers in the fall and winter (Nov-Mar). The most popular summer breaks start at Acapulquito and extend up the East Cape, while the hot spot for winter waves is Los Cerritos Beach, south of Todos Santos. As every break has its secret -- from rocks covered in sea urchins to territorial locals -- your best bet is to hook up with a reputable surf shop or guide to take you to the break that's right for you.

Whale-Watching

From January through March, migrating gray and humpback whales visit Los Cabos to breed and bear their calves, creating one of Baja's most impressive spectacles. Practically every local tour company advertises whale-watching tours that range from an hour to a half-day. Options include Zodiac-style rafts, sportfishing boats, glass-bottom boats, and cruise catamarans, all of which depart from the Cabo San Lucas Marina and cost $35 to $50, depending on the type of boat and whether the price includes snacks and beverages. The ultimate whale excursion is a trip to Magdalena Bay. BookCabo.com (tel. 624/142-9200; www.bookcabo.com) offers luxury bus tours from San José to San Carlos, where lobster dinners, charming accommodations, daytime whale-watching, and lunch on Margarita Island await. The cost is $227 per person double occupancy and $126 for kids 3 to 10 years old. Tours on Baja-based airline Aereo Calafia (tel. 624/143-4302; www.aereocalafia.com) fly 75 minutes from San Lucas to Magdalena, where you board a panga and spend 3 hours watching gray whales and humpbacks loll around the coastal lagoons before returning the same day. This tour is $420, including air transportation, the tour, and lunch. You also can spot whales from the shore in Los Cabos; good spots include the beach by the Westin Resort & Spa, at Esperanza Resort in the Punta Ballena community, and along the beaches and cliffs of the Corridor.