What Puerto Los Cabos Marina Is and Why It Matters

Puerto Los Cabos Marina sits on the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula, just past the San José del Cabo Estuary, inside a 2,000 acre master-planned community that includes a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, three miles of beachfront, hotels, and residential neighborhoods. It is one of the premier marinas on the west coast of Mexico, with around 230 floating concrete slips currently in operation and plans to expand to 400.

It accommodates everything from 30 foot pangas up to 250 foot megayachts, with power options from 30 to 100 amps, a fuel dock, a maintenance yard, and a 150 ton travel lift. For visitors, that means you can stand on the malecón and watch a working sport fishing fleet come back with marlin and tuna while a 200 foot yacht is being polished a few slips over. That mix is what gives the place its character.

The other thing that matters: this is the gateway to the Gordo Banks, one of the most productive yellowfin tuna grounds in the Pacific, sitting about 10 miles offshore. Most charters operating out of San José del Cabo depart from these docks because they are closer to the fish than Cabo San Lucas is.

Where Puerto Los Cabos Marina Is and How to Get There

The marina is located at Boulevard Mar de Cortés, between Glorieta 2 and Glorieta 3, in the La Playita neighborhood of San José del Cabo. The full address for navigation is Blvd. Mar de Cortes s/n, Col. La Playita, San José del Cabo, B.C.S., 23403. Coordinates: 23° 03.4′ N, 109° 40.2′ W.

From Los Cabos International Airport (SJD)

About a 20 minute drive in normal traffic. You head south on the transpeninsular highway, then east through San José del Cabo following signs for La Playita and Puerto Los Cabos. A private transfer or taxi typically runs 25 to 40 USD depending on operator. Uber works in San José del Cabo but pickup directly at the airport can be restricted, so most visitors prebook a transfer.

From San José del Cabo downtown

5 to 10 minutes by car. Drive east on Boulevard Mijares past the historic district, follow signs to La Playita, and you will arrive at the marina entrance. A taxi from the historic plaza is short and inexpensive.

From Cabo San Lucas

35 to 45 minutes by car via the transpeninsular highway depending on traffic and time of day. If you are coming for a sunrise fishing charter, leave Cabo San Lucas no later than 5:30 AM to be on the docks by 6:00 to 6:15 AM.

The Layout: What You Will Find at the Marina

Puerto Los Cabos is bigger than it first appears, and visitors often stick to one section without realizing the rest exists. Here is the orientation we give to every charter guest who arrives early.

The malecón and main docks

The pedestrian boardwalk runs along the inner harbor and is the heart of the visitor experience. From here you can see the sport fishing pangas and cruisers in their slips, watch the fleet head out at sunrise, and walk past the artesanal sculptures that line the promenade. The malecón is open to the public day and night, and it is the best place for a morning coffee or an evening walk if you are staying nearby.

The sport fishing dock

Most pangas and sport fishing cruisers operating out of San José del Cabo are slipped here. Boats begin loading bait, ice, and tackle around 5:30 AM, and the first vessels leave the harbor between 6:00 and 6:30 AM. If you arrive at sunrise, you will see the entire fleet idling out toward the channel, one of the better photographs you can take in Los Cabos without paying for a tour.

The mega yacht zone

The deeper-draft slips on the east side of the harbor handle yachts up to 250 feet. You will not always see traffic here unless a tournament is in town or a charter group has flown in, but during October tournament season the lineup is impressive.

Fuel dock and maintenance yard

Operated for both visiting yachts and the local fleet. The boatyard includes a Drystack and a 150 ton travel lift, which is part of why so many serious sport fishing teams base out of Puerto Los Cabos rather than Cabo San Lucas.

Fish cleaning station

Located near the sport fishing dock. After a charter trip, captains and mates clean the day's catch here, and visitors often gather to watch tuna and dorado come off the boats in the early afternoon. It is unfiltered and authentic, with pelicans and sea lions waiting nearby.

Restaurants at and Near Puerto Los Cabos Marina

The marina dining scene is smaller and more relaxed than the Cabo San Lucas marina. There are a handful of places worth knowing about, plus several excellent restaurants within a 5 to 10 minute drive that locals fold into the same evening out.

Within a short drive

About 5 minutes inland from the marina you will find Flora Farms, a working organic farm with a celebrated farm-to-table restaurant, plus Acre Baja, another farm-and-restaurant complex with treehouse cocktails. Huerta Los Tamarindos is in the same general area. None of these are at the marina itself, but they are part of the same evening for many visitors who come to Puerto Los Cabos for the day.

Activities and Services at the Marina

Sport fishing charters

This is the marina's defining activity. From these docks you can book pangas (typically 22 to 28 ft for inshore and nearshore fishing) up to fully equipped sport fishing cruisers (32 to 60+ ft) for offshore trips to the Gordo Banks and beyond. Striped marlin runs year-round in these waters, with blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish, and swordfish appearing seasonally. Yellowfin tuna are typically present from July through early December. If you are interested in fishing, see our full sport fishing charters page for boat options and rates.

Whale watching

From mid-December through mid-April, gray whales and humpback whales pass through the Sea of Cortez. Smaller whale watching trips depart from Puerto Los Cabos directly. The advantage of departing here versus Cabo San Lucas is shorter transit time to whale grounds and far less boat traffic in the viewing area.

Sunset cruises

Several operators run sunset cruises out of the marina, especially during the warmer months. They tend to be smaller and more intimate than the dinner cruise scene out of Cabo San Lucas marina, which suits a different kind of evening.

Snorkel and beach trips

Trips to nearby Santa María Bay, Chileno Bay, and Cabo Pulmo (when conditions permit) can be arranged from this side. Cabo Pulmo, about an hour and a half north up the East Cape, is one of the great marine reserves in the Pacific.

Marine services

For boat owners visiting on their own vessel, the marina provides slips with metered water, 30/50/100 amp power, fuel, pump-out (dock or boat), maintenance yard with travel lift, and concierge services. The marina office handles arrangements at +52 624 105 6028 or marinainfo@puertoloscabos.com.

Best Time of Day and Year to Visit

If you are not booked on a specific activity, the time you choose to visit changes the experience completely.

Sunrise (5:45 to 7:00 AM)

This is when the marina is alive. The fleet is loading, captains are running through the day's plan, mates are cutting bait. From the malecón you can watch dozens of boats idle out toward the harbor mouth, lights still on. It is the photograph of the day. Bring a coffee from El Marinero Borracho or one of the small cafés nearby.

Mid-morning (9:00 to 11:00 AM)

The marina is quiet. Most of the fleet is out fishing. Good time to walk the boardwalk, see the yachts up close without crowds, and explore the surrounding community.

Early afternoon (1:00 to 3:00 PM)

The fleet returns. Tuna, dorado, and (in season) marlin come off the boats at the cleaning station. Pelicans and sea lions show up. This is the second-best time of day for visitors who want to see the marina at full activity.

Sunset

The light over the inner harbor at golden hour is excellent. Several restaurants, including The Container, sit perfectly for a drink as the sun drops behind the hills.

Best months of the year

The marina is busiest from October through April, with peak activity during the October sport fishing tournament season when teams from around the world arrive. May, June, and September are quieter, the weather is warm, and you have more space to breathe. August and September are the rainy and hurricane months, with occasional closures and rougher seas, but also lower prices and far fewer crowds. If you are coming purely to see the marina without crowds, late May or early June is probably ideal.

A Local Captain's Tips for Visiting

This is what we tell guests who ask us for advice on how to actually use the marina well.

Practical Information

Frequently Asked Questions