The peninsula Baja California Sur has a semi-desert climate offering remoteness and virgin beaches, like Balandra. Playa Balandra is considered to be Mexico’s most beautiful beach. It consists of a small bay with very calm waters surrounded by hills of reddish rocks. You can relax in transparent waters surrounded by white sands and the climate is great for swimming all year round. For more than ten years, Playa Balandra has been a protected natural area, keeping hotels and crowds away from its crystal clear water.
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Located a twenty minutes drive outside of the town La Paz it’s a perfect day trip destination from there. As with many touristy sites it’s best to get there in the morning. From noon on Playa Balandra gets busier and looses its tranquility.
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How to get to Playa Balandra
The nearest holiday destinations and airports to Playa Balandra are La Paz and Cabo San Lucas.
From La Paz to Playa Balandra
As the beach is located near the town La Paz it’s best to fly to La Paz airport. You can find flights on Skyscanner.
Bus: 1,50€ – the bus leaves from the bus terminal in the center of La Paz
Uber: around 10€
Taxi: around 13€
Rental car: starting from 30€ per day; there’s a parking space next to Playa Balandra. Check out rentalcars.com to get the best deal on a rental car.
From Cabo San Lucas to Playa Balandra
Cabo San Lucas is 135 km South of Playa Balandra and it takes about 2 hours to drive there. Playa Balandra is perfect for a day trip from Cabo San Lucas.
If you drive from Cabo San Lucas to Playa Balandra by car, definitely stop in Todos Santos and explore it. The small surfer town has a laid-back vibe and is home to various amazing restaurants, local art shops and beautiful beaches.
If you don’t have a car, you can take a bus to La Paz and then a bus from La Paz to Playa Balandra.
What to bring to Playa Balandra
- Water
- Food – there are vendors who sell small snacks but there are no restaurants
- Proper shoes in case you want to hike to the view point
- Swimsuit and towel
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Hat
What to do at Playa Balandra
Balandra is not only a beach, it’s rather a bay that consists of several beaches and hills. You can wander around and explore the place.
If you seek to have the comfort of a sun-bed, an umbrella and a vendor of drinks nearby then you should stay on the first beach. This is where most people stay and where it can get a bit crowded in the afternoon. In case you don’t mind being without this comfort and you prefer a more quiet place I recommend going to the calmer beach behind the first one.
The waters at Balandra beach are very shallow so even if you walk out for a bit the water might still just reach your knees. During low tide you can even walk out for around 500m.
Hike to the view point
Just before you arrive to the beach there’s a hill on your right hand side where you can see a little path leading up. Ask your driver to drop you off there so that you can hike up the little hill. If you arrive by rental car you can park your car and then walk back to the start of the path. It’s only a couple of minutes walk.
I definitely recommend hiking up to the view point. It’s only a five minute hike and you’re rewarded with stunning views. From the top of the hill you can glimpse the different shades of the ocean, ranging from light green to turquoise blue. I’ve never seen waters with different shades like these.
On the top you can walk around and then choose which path you want to take down as there are two beaches next to each other. The first beach usually gets most crowded. If you want to be in a calmer place you should go to the beach that is behind the first one.
But be careful when hiking down: the gravel is slippery and it’s a bit steep. I was wearing flip flops and I was okay because I’m used to climbing. However, if you don’t feel comfortable climbing I’d recommend wearing proper shoes or taking a different path down.
Hongo de Balandra
One of the most emblematic icons of this area is the rock formation called Hongo de Balandra (=mushroom rock). You can take a walk along the beach to reach it. In case you want to take a photo you might have to queue for a bit as it’s a popular photo spot.
When you get there, please neither climb it nor hang on it. Many years ago it collapsed because tourists climbed it and it had to be repaired.
Rent a paddle board or a kayak
The water is extremely calm which makes it the perfect place for paddle boarding or kayaking. There’s a vendor on right on the beach where you can rent a kayak or a paddle board.
Enjoy the sun
And finally, the reason why we all go to the beach: Find a spot to lie down on the sand and enjoy the sun and the ocean. I stayed there the whole afternoon and it was the perfect get away from the city. I especially enjoyed the tranquility, the perfect weather and the beautiful landscape. The time at Balandra beach was truly relaxing and I’d love to go there again someday.
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Make sure to include a stop in the charming beach town Todos Santos when you’re near Playa Balandra in Baja California Sur!
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March 26, 2020 at 7:31 pm
Wow! This place looks unbelievable Maria! I am definitely adding Balandra Beach to my bucket list. 🙂
March 26, 2020 at 10:37 pm
This beach is a dream Taylor, I’m sure you’d love it there!
March 27, 2020 at 9:21 pm
great Maria! keep posting!
March 28, 2020 at 9:01 pm
Thank you so much Lenka!
March 29, 2020 at 10:06 pm
Incredibly beautiful imagery! I’d love to check out this spot!
March 29, 2020 at 10:08 pm
Thanks Sydney! This place is certainly worth a visit.
March 30, 2020 at 7:54 pm
This place looks stunning 🙂 I believe hiking to that viewpoint was rewarding.
March 30, 2020 at 10:12 pm
It was totally rewarding. The view was stunning! 🙂
October 31, 2020 at 5:48 pm
Wow this beach looks amazing! Love the blue color of the water and the contrast with the desert. Definitely a unique place to visit.
November 11, 2020 at 9:53 pm
I totally agree, Playa Balandra is a dream!
November 1, 2020 at 12:10 am
I would love to go to any of these beaches! I can’t wait until we can all travel again.
November 11, 2020 at 9:53 pm
I feel the same!! Fingers crossed!
May 30, 2022 at 3:01 am
Do you know if there are any travel restrictions right now in La Paz and Playa Balandra? Is La Paz a nice spot to stay for an older couple or better elsewhere? I think you also mentioned Todos Santos? Which is nicer?
Thanks for any information!
Jodie
June 6, 2022 at 10:39 pm
I’m not aware of any travel restrictions. I think everything is open, but it might be better to double check on google 🙂
La Paz is nice for an older couple, the same goes for Todos Santos. Personally, I preferred Todos Santos, but I do think that there were more younger people in Todos Santos than in La Paz
July 21, 2024 at 3:32 am
need to tell you to come at 8 am…. because you have to go out at 12 pm
shift 2: from 13:00 to 17:00 hrs. max allowance 450 persons per shift.
August 12, 2024 at 9:32 pm
Thank you for sharing this information. This must have changed since I was there in 2020 🙂