Playa Hotelera (Hotel Beach) has a long shore faced by many well-known resorts in San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, in Mexico. The beach is great for sunbathing, people-watching, horseback riding and fishing. Play sports, such as beach volleyball, try surfing or go jogging. This is not a good spot for swimming though, as the ocean currents are often strong and dangerous.
The views in Playa Hotelera are beautiful and the sand is fine and golden. If you need shade, on the southern part of the beach find palapas, which are traditional shelters roofed with branches. Enjoy a stroll on the wide and long shoreline and watch the fishermen moving back and forth on the channel to the open sea early in the morning and at dusk.
While you are visiting Playa Hotelera, look for the Campamento Tortuguero Don Manuel Orantes. This protected turtle nursery is run by the government, which has a program for monitoring and releasing turtles. Biologists patrol the beach in search of eggs, which they then transfer into the nursery. They look after the eggs until nesting season, when they are safely released back to the beach.
Right next to the turtle center is the Estero San José (San José Estuary and Bird Sanctuary), a body of freshwater, home to a huge variety of birds and other native animals.
If you feel like walking on a paved path, find a nice promenade along the beach, near the square Plaza Caracol. There’s also a great playground for the youngest members of the family, just across from a well-known inn in the area. When it’s time for lunch, head to the Center Mega Comercial Mexicana for shopping as well as fast-food restaurants.
The historic center of San José del Cabo is about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from Playa Hotelera. Access the beach easily from different paths located between the numerous hotels in the area and from the beach Playa Las Palmas.
