Chileno Bay Los Cabos
Chileno Bay Los Cabos
4.5
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4.5
41 reviews
Excellent
26
Very good
11
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Christopher S
Los Angeles51 contributions
Jul 2021
We went snorkeling for two days at Chileno Bay. The visibility was around 15 to 20 feet on each day due to strong currents churning up the particles on the ocean. However, the coral was multi colored with green, grey, brown, and other colored coral. There were literally hundreds of fish in the waters following us on the surface. We were told the beach was off limits and we never saw anyone on it but in other reviews you will read that it is a swimmable beach and you can use snorkeling gear from the sand.
Written 21 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bright87
Utah10 contributions
Jun 2021
If you want a nice place to sit and get in and out of the water without issue, this is it. There is a coral reef section as well so you can do some snorkeling. ONLY downside is that there is no place to get drinks or buy food that is ready. You also have to bring your own umbrellas and chairs if you want, to include food and drink.
Written 11 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
westcoastgirl:)
Vancouver, Canada183 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
The views, the soft sand, calm and warmer water, the millions of tropical fish you could see even without a snorkeling set just amazing!! My kids loved this place and my bf especially loved it because it was a whole lot calmer then the craziness in Medano Beach where every second you’re being bombarded by Mexicans to buy their stuff. This place actually felt like a vacation. Wish we had stayed longer then just a half day.
Written 21 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kris D
Lakewood, CO50 contributions
Jan 2017 • Couples
As others have shared Chileno Bay does not have a sand beach, rather it is made of small pebbles. The advantage of this for snorkeling is that you will not have sand stuck all over you and it does not limit visibility in the water. The downside it can hurt the feet a bit.
We were there on a Saturday afternoon in January as the friendly lifeguards suggested to us that low tide is the best time to snorkel. There was plenty of parking available and places to sit on the beach. There are portable toilets available.
The downside as others have mentioned is that condos and a large resort are being built around the bay/cove, so there is constant construction noise and I am assuming also eventual impact to the ecosystem with runoff. The other issue is that this is where the snorkel trip boats come from Cabo, so the gas smell and noise from the bigger boats is definitely not calming. :-)
The snorkeling . . . the positive is that this is a protected bay. I felt absolutely no current or undertow of any form while in the water and entry and exit from the shore is easy. The water is incredibly clear and there were an abundance of fish. Some of the coral still looked somewhat healthy and had not been destroyed. That being said I am used to snorkeling in Hawaii were the fish are not fed and there are sea turtles and other sea creatures. From an ocean condition standpoint it is more difficult to snorkel in Hawaii given the currents and waves there and the deeper water.
A major downside is that the fish are fed, so they swarm you and are constantly touching you and blocking the ability to just float and enjoy. It was creepy at times. The water temperature was a bit chilly, but it was January. Probably about 74 degrees and I wore a rashguard.
We had a car, so we were only a 15-minute trek to Chileno Bay from our condo near SJDC and we had our own masks and snorkels. We did not even need fins given the water conditions. Easy to swim to and from shore. Many families were playing in the water without issue. If you have access to a kayak this would be a fabulous protected place to paddle. Make sure to bring your own snacks and drinks if spending an extended amount of time.
Would I pay to take a snorkel boat trip there, no. The boats stayed about 30-45 minutes. However, if you have transportation it is a great little place to go on your own and explore or to escape the chaos of the resort areas.
We were there on a Saturday afternoon in January as the friendly lifeguards suggested to us that low tide is the best time to snorkel. There was plenty of parking available and places to sit on the beach. There are portable toilets available.
The downside as others have mentioned is that condos and a large resort are being built around the bay/cove, so there is constant construction noise and I am assuming also eventual impact to the ecosystem with runoff. The other issue is that this is where the snorkel trip boats come from Cabo, so the gas smell and noise from the bigger boats is definitely not calming. :-)
The snorkeling . . . the positive is that this is a protected bay. I felt absolutely no current or undertow of any form while in the water and entry and exit from the shore is easy. The water is incredibly clear and there were an abundance of fish. Some of the coral still looked somewhat healthy and had not been destroyed. That being said I am used to snorkeling in Hawaii were the fish are not fed and there are sea turtles and other sea creatures. From an ocean condition standpoint it is more difficult to snorkel in Hawaii given the currents and waves there and the deeper water.
A major downside is that the fish are fed, so they swarm you and are constantly touching you and blocking the ability to just float and enjoy. It was creepy at times. The water temperature was a bit chilly, but it was January. Probably about 74 degrees and I wore a rashguard.
We had a car, so we were only a 15-minute trek to Chileno Bay from our condo near SJDC and we had our own masks and snorkels. We did not even need fins given the water conditions. Easy to swim to and from shore. Many families were playing in the water without issue. If you have access to a kayak this would be a fabulous protected place to paddle. Make sure to bring your own snacks and drinks if spending an extended amount of time.
Would I pay to take a snorkel boat trip there, no. The boats stayed about 30-45 minutes. However, if you have transportation it is a great little place to go on your own and explore or to escape the chaos of the resort areas.
Written 14 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
panchofarias
Laredo Texas34 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
The excellent visibility at Chileno Beach is being ruined by the construction of a new hotel right on the water. You can clearly see a murky stream of muddy water running into the once pristine water. Piles of masonry work sediment are near the beach and soaking into the bay. The beautiful fish are not as numerous and hard to see under these conditions! This resort needs to clean up their act. What a shame!
Written 12 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew W
Bragg Creek, Canada15 contributions
Nov 2018 • Friends
Not sure how to educate other than posting on these reviews.
It is a beautiful beach. The reef is almost dead.
On the snorkel tour they enticed the fish with bread - this is documented everywhere about how this destroys reefs, I could not believe they did this. Google ‘feeding coral fish bread’. It’s awful.
Most of the reef was dead unfortunately when we went to Chileno Bay.
There were other operators throwing in bread too.
Feeding the fish stops the fish from doing their normal reef feeding, which cleans and keeps the reefs healthy. It also constipates some of the fish species and they die off. Reef dies and several years later, there’s almost no fish and dead reef. This can be changed with education and due diligence - please share by post and by word.
It is a beautiful beach. The reef is almost dead.
On the snorkel tour they enticed the fish with bread - this is documented everywhere about how this destroys reefs, I could not believe they did this. Google ‘feeding coral fish bread’. It’s awful.
Most of the reef was dead unfortunately when we went to Chileno Bay.
There were other operators throwing in bread too.
Feeding the fish stops the fish from doing their normal reef feeding, which cleans and keeps the reefs healthy. It also constipates some of the fish species and they die off. Reef dies and several years later, there’s almost no fish and dead reef. This can be changed with education and due diligence - please share by post and by word.
Written 5 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AliceChui
Hong Kong, China248 contributions
Nov 2019
Joined Cabo Adventure for snorkeling at the famous Chileno Bay which was calm and safe. Lots of small fishes swimming underneath. The guide also provided a moving gear to move faster in the water but I didn't try. Besides snorkel, there were also kayak and stand up paddle available. Great fun!
Written 28 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
_leland_
Los Angeles, CA184 contributions
Sept 2018 • Family
We were part of a family and friends long weekend in Chileno Bay at a villa. We did not venture far from the bays on both sides of us. Lots of walks on the beach, snorkeling and sitting taking the view from sunrise to sunset. For snorkeling they have sections set out with buoys but we stayed by the rocks. There was plenty of wildlife to see and many ships coming midmorning to sundown to dive and ride watercraft in the bay. By sunset the ships mostly leave except a few that stay overnight. The location is right between Cabo San Lucas to the South and the airport to the North.
Written 8 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
George B
Denver, CO38 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
Awesome little beach just 8 miles east of Cabo. Plenty of parking. No annoying beach vendors here. Good snorkeling right off the beach. Be sure to check out the rocks on the east side of the beach (to the left as you look at the ocean) as they are covered with small crabs and there are some sea urchins in the pools between the rocks - very interesting.
Written 29 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jess M
85 contributions
Nov 2017 • Friends
Cute beach about 20mins from cabo without all the fuss!! Heaps of families and kids. Plenty of beach area to swim and snorkel. No vendors trying to sell something!! There are toilets and lifeguard but no shops or food/services so BYO. Large parking lot just off beach. Great day out and perfect for families. Bring your own beach chairs and umbrellas..we got an umbrella from walmart for 168 peso which was about $9 and left it with our airbnb hosts for the next guests. We jad beers, lunch and swims/snorkels. Great day!!
Written 23 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Any pointers on taking the bus out of Cabo to Chileno bay ,What bus ,road signs to look for when getting there?
Written 8 October 2019
We are staying at Estancia how do we get to Cheleno without car and have someone pick us back up
Written 30 June 2018
Take a taxi and ask the driver to wait for you, he will charge you something for it, but they will wait. Or tell them a time to pick you back up and they will.
Please don’t feed the fish as it kills the reefs. Google it.
Written 5 November 2018
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