Balandra Beach Catamaran from Los Cabos: Snorkel & Sea Lions

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.89 (111 reviews) 96% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/11

Duration8h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

A 2-hour sail to one of Mexico's top ten beaches, with sea lions and an open bar

You drive to La Paz, board a French catamaran at Pichilingue port, and sail two hours to Balandra Beach, where you swim with sea lions, snorkel the reef, and kayak hidden coves. Breakfast and lunch are served onboard with an open bar. Round-trip transport from Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo is included, and the whole day runs about eight hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Catamaran trip to Balandra Beach

Drive from Los Cabos to La Paz
Pass through former capital to Pichilingue port
Board luxury French catamaran
Sail 2 hours along Sea of Cortez
Swim with sea lions
Snorkel and kayak at Balandra Beach
Enjoy onboard breakfast, lunch, and drinks

The Experience

Our driver picked us up before dawn, and on the drive to La Paz he pointed out the winter humpback whales breaching in the distance — you don't always see them, but when you do, the whole van goes quiet. The route runs along the Pacific coastline, and it's long enough that you realize how far Balandra Beach actually is from the resort strip. Once we hit Pichilingue port, the catamaran was waiting, and the crew knew exactly who we were. No checking in twice, no standing around. You board, grab coffee and a light breakfast, and within minutes the boat is moving.

The 2-hour sail across the Sea of Cortez is the thing people don't talk about enough. It's not rough, but it's not a bay either — you feel the boat working, and the water changes color as you go deeper. Our guide, who'd worked these waters for years, pointed out where the sea lions usually hang, and then we saw them. Not from a distance. In the water, curious and fast, and the snorkeling equipment was already laid out on deck. The beach itself — Balandra — is smaller than you'd think from the photos, and that's actually why it's so good. Everyone stays in a kind of natural amphitheater of sand and shallow water, so you're not spread out over a mile of coastline. You can snorkel, kayak, or just float and watch the limestone cliffs.

The open bar runs the whole day — beer, spirits, sodas, water — and lunch comes out around midday, fresh and simple. The catamaran has shade, which matters more than you'd expect when you're on the water for eight hours. By the time you're heading back to Los Cabos, the sun's lower, and the boat feels quieter. You're tired in the way that only a full day on the water makes you.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle, the scenic drive to La Paz and Pichilingue port, boarding the catamaran, a light breakfast and full lunch onboard, snorkeling equipment and kayaks, an unlimited open bar with beer, spirits, sodas and water, and round-trip transport back to Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Boat Trips Club

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full day away from Los Cabos without arranging your own boat, snorkel gear, or timing — the catamaran schedule and included transport handle all of it, and the open bar means you're not calculating costs as the day goes on.