Cabo Pulmo National Park is one of the famous day trip destinations if you’re staying in Cabo San Lucas for several days. This national marine park offers tons of activities, beautiful beaches, and many things to enjoy for tourists. So if you plan to have a day trip or even stay neat in this national park, this article is for you.
Here, we’ll cover everything you need about Cabo Pulmo National Park. This information includes basic things such as the location, restaurants, hotels, and activities around the area.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
About Cabo Pulmo National Park
Cabo Pulmo National Park was once an ordinary fishing village until locals realized the potential and diversity of the area and began to work toward protecting it. This park is a perfect example of the benefits of ocean conservation in Cabo Pulmo.
The Sea of Cortez was overfished in the region, and overfishing forced many animals to move away. Thus, the government undertook a project to restore them, which prohibited fishing in all its forms.
Since 1995, Cabo Pulmo has been designated a national park, and it has been working very hard to restore its ecosystem and improve the community’s quality of life.
This park boasts the largest living coral reef on the peninsula and the only hard coral in North America! Here, you can find 11 kinds of coral and an abundance of marine life, including sea turtles, rays, and sea lions, as well as humpback whales.
In Cabo Pulmo, the ecosystem has recovered, and fish and sea life populations have increased by almost 500 percent and are now protected and flourishing.
It is one of the most authentic Mexican jewels. Of course, if you’re interested in ecotourism in Los Cabos, it’s also close to Cabo San Lucas, but it’s still an exceptionally unspoiled, naturally stunning location worthy of visiting.
Cabo Pulmo National Park Rules
If you plan on visiting Cabo Pulmo National Park, you’ll want to know the rules when entering. This way, you can know what’s prohibited and allowed in the park.
- As a starting point, you need to pay an entry fee of 80 MXN or 4 USD. You’ll receive a bracelet as proof of payment, which you should wear throughout your stay at the park.
- Fishing, jet skiing, and rock extraction are prohibited at Cabo Pulmo.
- Watersports, including kayaking or SUPing, require life jackets, available with your kayak or SUP lease or from Cabo Pulmo’s dive shops.
- If you plan camping, you can only camp and have a campfire in the park’s approved spots. Everywhere else is prohibited, and you could be sanctioned for it.
- Snorkeling at Cabo Pulmo means staying at least 8 feet away from the coral reef and not using gloves or knives.
- Swimming is prohibited with lotions, oils, and bronzers that are not biodegradable. If you want, you can buy this reef-safe sunscreen for your trip to the park!
- It would be best if you were accompanied by a guide when kayaking.
- The park only allows snorkeling with guides – and it is checked! Every snorkeling boat gets checked by the park’s staff to ensure a guide accompanies it. Thus, it would be best to avoid pushing your luck.
- You can read the park’s rules and restrictions here if you want to know more before going.
Location
Cabo Pulmo National Park is located in the northern part of Los Cabos, facing the sea of Cortez. It’s around 2 hours of travel from Cabo San Lucas and an hour and a half from Los Cabos Airport. As such, it’s an excellent day trip destination if you’re staying longer at Los Cabos.
How to get there
If you plan on visiting this national marine park, you’ll need to bring your car or book a tour since you will need transportation to take you to the park.
If you need recommendations, we suggest booking a tour rather than bringing your car since you can enjoy a 4×4 vehicle for more convenient traveling. After all, the terrain going to the park can be rough.
From Downtown Cabo San Lucas
If you’re coming from Cabo San Lucas, you have two main routes to take to the park. The quick one is with tolls. It’s around 82 miles or 132 kilometers, but the travel time is only around 2 hours and 4 minutes since it includes taking a toll road.
If you want a scenic route along the coast, the distance will only be 61.1 miles or 98.4 kilometers, but the travel time is 30 minutes longer than the first. Also, this route is toll-free, so you don’t have to pay any toll fees.
From Los Cabos International Airport
If you’re visiting the park straight from Los Cabos International Airport, the distance is around 55.7 miles or 89.7 kilometers, and the travel time is around 1 hour and 29 minutes drive. However, if you take the road along the coast, the distance is only 48.7 miles or 78.4 kilometers, but the travel time is an hour longer.
Parking
If you bring your car, you can find plenty of parking space. In addition, the parking space has no fee, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Restaurants
The Cabo Pulmo National Park is far from the towns and cities of Los Cabos. As such, you should expect to avoid seeing a line-up of fancy restaurants around the area. However, you can find a few spots that serve mouth-watering and authentic Mexican food. Here are a few of them.
La Palapa Cabo Pulmo
- Address: Cabo Pulmo National Park, Calle Acceso a la Playa, Frente an S/N, la Playa, 23570 Cabo Pulmo, BCS, Mexico
- Operating Hours: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Phone Number: +52 624 358 0989
- Website: La Palapa Cabo Pulmo
Coral Reef Restaurant
- Address: Cabo Pulmo, Baja California Sur, Mexico
- Operating Hours: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Phone Number: +52 624 239 5548
- Website: Coral Reef Restaurant
Los Tornados
- Address: Camino Cabo Este, La Trinidad, B.C.S., Mexico
- Operating Hours: 6:30 AM – 9:00 PM
- Phone Number: +52 624 218 6007
El Caballero
- Address: Cabo Pulmo National Park, Camino Cabo Este KM 26, 23574 Cabo Pulmo, BCS, Mexico
- Operating Hours: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PM
- Phone Number: +52 624 191 3930
- Website: El Caballero
Tacos & Beer
- Address: Unnamed Road, 23574 Cabo Pulmo, BCS, Mexico
- Operating Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Phone Number: +52 624 291 3081
- Website: Tacos & Beer
Hotels
Since Cabo Pulmo National Park is around 2 hours away from Cabo San Lucas, some people decide to spend a night around the area. This way, they can get back from the city quickly. But if you also plan on staying overnight, here are some hotel options near the park:
Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort
- Address: Camino Cabo Este, 23574 Cabo Pulmo, BCS, Mexico
- Phone Number: +52 624 212 0097
- Website: Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort
Bungalows Cabo Pulmo
- Address: Acceso Principal a la Playa Centro, 23574 Cabo Pulmo, B.C.S., Mexico
- Phone Number: +52 624 177 4025
- Website: Bungalows Cabo Pulmo
Baja Bungalows
- Address: Phase Two, Baja Bungalows Way, 23574 Cabo Pulmo, BCS, Mexico
- Email: info@bajabungalows.com
- Website: Baja Bungalows
El Encanto Del Cabo Pulmo
- Address: Cabo Pulmo, Baja California Sur, Mexico
- Email: info@encantopulmo.com
- Website: El Encanto Del Cabo Pulmo
El Encanto Del Cabo Pulmo
- Address: Camino Cabo Este S/N, Cabo Pulmo, B.C.S., Mexico
- Phone Number: +521 624 159 4804
- Website: El Encanto Del Cabo Pulmo
Now, if you’re only on a day trip to Cabo Pulmo National Park and are still staying at Cabo San Lucas, you’ll want to know the best options. To guide you, we have written this article that includes the best options in the city. Read: Escape to Paradise: The Best Places to Stay in Cabo San Lucas.
Activities
Most of the activities around Cabo Pulmo National Park center around the marine life it protects and preserves. As such, the two main activities around are snorkeling and scuba diving.
Snorkeling in Cabo Pulmo
The most popular activity in Cabo Pulmo National Park is snorkeling. It is one of the best locations for this sport because of its crystal-clear water. You’ll find various stunning and colorful corals among the fish.
Here are some of the best snorkeling spots:
- Playa Arbolito
- La Barrita
- Los Frailes
- Las Navajas
It is also possible to join a guided tour of the underwater world if you wish.
Scuba Diving in Cabo Pulmo
In addition, scuba diving is a great way to explore the Sea of Cortez underwater landscape while submerging in its depths.
Divers flock to Cabo Pulmo because of the incredible variety of marine life or to admire the corals, which you won’t because you’ll see the marine life! Diving is best for visibility and warm water from June through November.
If you’re searching for more activities when you return to Cabo San Lucas, read: Experience the Magic of Cabo San Lucas: Top 10 Things to Do.
Nearby Attractions
If you’re searching for nearby attractions to make your day trip worthwhile, you’ll mostly find beach areas, and checking them out is an excellent option. Here are some of the best beach areas near the national park:
Playa Los Arbolitos
Playa Los Arbolitos is one of the most beautiful beaches in the park. There is an entrance fee of three USD 60 or MXN to enter this beach, located three miles south of Cabo Pulmo town. You should bring your water, snacks, and gear to the beach since there are few facilities.
Las Sirenas Beach
Las Sirenas Beach, also known as La Sirenita Beach, is a beautiful place to spend some time. You can snorkel in this sheltered bay, safe from winds and waves. Getting to this beach requires a boat, kayak, or a 20-minute hike from Los Arbolitos, a nearby beach.
Los Frailes
Los Frailes has a cape that protects the water from the elements, making it ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. There is no better place to escape from the wind than this bay! There are no facilities at this popular camping spot, so take everything you need to enjoy the beach.
Cabo Pulmo Beach
Cabo Pulmo Beach is the busiest beach in town because it’s right in the middle. The crowded areas will likely be empty if you walk away from them. You can watch the sunset here, which makes it a wonderful place to relax before heading to dinner or a night out.
Conclusion
If you’re into appreciating marine life, the Cabo Pulmo National Park is the destination you don’t want to miss when in Cabo San Lucas or other areas of the entire Los Cabos. A day trip to this park is worth it since you’ll enjoy diverse marine life in a protected ecosystem.
As always, ensure you adhere to the rules and regulations of the park to respect the goal of protecting the marine life around the area.
