Lover's Beach & Divorce Beach

Two beaches, one rock formation, two oceans

Lover’s Beach (Playa del Amor) and Divorce Beach (Playa del Divorcio) sit on opposite sides of the rock formation at Land’s End — one facing the Sea of Cortez, one facing the Pacific Ocean — separated by 80 meters of sand spit. They’re the same geological feature; they’re completely different beaches. Lover’s is calm, swimmable, and beautiful. Divorce is wild, dangerous, and not for swimming. The contrast is the entire point.

For Cabo visitors staying at Sandos Finisterra Cabo San Lucas (which sits directly above this entire formation), Lover’s and Divorce are technically reachable by foot down the cliff path, but the realistic access is by boat from the marina — a 10-minute trip.

Lover’s Beach (Sea of Cortez side)

The eastern, calm side. About 200 meters of fine white sand backed by the rock formation. Calm warm water, gradual bottom, suitable for swimming and snorkeling. No facilities — no chairs, no umbrellas, no bathrooms, no food, no beverages. Bring everything you need and take everything back.

You’ll have shade under the rock formation in the morning and late afternoon, but no shade at midday — bring an umbrella or a wide hat if you’ll be there 11 AM-2 PM. The water gets crowded with anchored boats by 11 AM in high season.

Best activity: Snorkeling around the rock formation at the eastern edge of the beach. There’s a small reef with parrotfish, sergeant majors, and the occasional sea turtle. Visibility is generally 30-50 feet, sometimes better.

Divorce Beach (Pacific side)

The western, wild side. Same physical access (you walk across the 80-meter sand spit from Lover’s), but the conditions are completely different. Open Pacific surf with consistent 4-6 foot waves, strong rip currents, and a fast bottom drop-off.

Swimming is officially forbidden at Divorce Beach. Signs in Spanish and English make this clear. People drown here every year. The Mexican government has discussed closing public access entirely; for now you can walk on the sand and photograph the surf, but you cannot swim.

Why go anyway: The Pacific side is dramatically more photogenic than Lover’s. Larger waves, no boats, more open horizon. The contrast — calm flat Lover’s on one side, crashing Pacific Divorce 80 meters away — is the unique selling point. Photos here look like they were taken on completely different islands.

How to get there

Lover’s Beach is only practically reachable by boat. Multiple options from the marina:

Water taxi ($10 one-way, $15-20 round trip). The cheapest. Pangas leave the marina every 15-20 minutes from 8 AM to 5 PM. You specify a return time when buying the ticket; they’ll come back for you.

Glass-bottom boat tour ($15-25). Includes a 90-minute round trip to El Arco, a pass at Pelicans Rock for the sea lions, and a drop-off at Lover’s Beach with a scheduled pickup. Most popular option for first-timers.

Snorkel tour ($55-75). 4-hour combo trip to the arch, Lover’s Beach (90 min), and a snorkel stop. Best value if you want to swim AND see the formation.

Kayak from Medano Beach ($25-50). Possible on calm-water mornings only. About 90 minutes round trip paddle. Not recommended for beginners or in any chop. If you do this, put your phone and wallet in a dry bag.

What to bring

• Reef-safe sunscreen. Bring more than you think you need; there’s no shade at midday.
• Water — minimum 2 liters per person. No vendors, no shops.
• Snacks if you’re staying past lunch. No food at the beach.
• Underwater camera or GoPro. The snorkeling at the rock edge is genuinely good.
• Cash for the water taxi. No card readers on the panga.
• Closed-toe water shoes. The rocks at the edges of the beach are sharp.

Don’t bring expensive jewelry, large electronics, or anything you’re not willing to keep in a dry bag — there are no lockers or facilities.

Timing your visit

8-10 AM: The quiet window. You’ll often have the beach to yourself for the first 30 minutes after the first water taxi drops you off. Water is at its calmest, light is at its softest.

10 AM-2 PM: The crowded window. Glass-bottom boat tours peak. Lover’s Beach can have 50-100 people on it. The 200-meter beach feels small at that density.

2-4 PM: Crowds thin as tour boats start returning to the marina. Light begins to soften.

4-6 PM: Late afternoon. Many tours have stopped. You’ll have the beach back. Last water taxi return is usually 5 PM — don’t miss it.

How to get to the marina

The Cabo San Lucas Marina is the universal departure point.

• From Sandos Finisterra Cabo San Lucas: 10 minutes walk down the hill or 5 minutes by golf cart shuttle.
• From corridor resorts: 15-30 minutes by taxi.
• From Medano Beach hotels: 5-10 minutes walk along the beach.