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The 5 Best Surf Towns in Baja
San Juanico
San Juanico, also known as Scorpion Bay is a quiet paradise along the Baja peninsula, most well known for the world class surfing, also has tons of possibilities for other travelers. It truly offers something for everyone in the family to enjoy, with diverse fishing, surfing, horseback riding, kitesurfing, off-road adventures, unique foods, beach days and much more. A great place to explore the rich culture of Mexico and feel ‘the true spirit of Baja,' while also getting the longest wave of your life.
If you are wondering where to stay, The Scorpion Bay Hotel is your answer. We are a small boutique style hotel, which includes 9 unique rooms, containing 15 beds in total. Each room has its own features that give our guests the perfect taste of Baja. We have accommodations for every type of traveler, including the traveling surf family, the romantic couple and the solo adventurer!
Los Cabos
Cabo, located at the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, has a few different regions and for sure its own vibe. You can surf all day, party all night, enjoy margaritas on the beach or go shopping. The numerous pristine and fancy resorts around, can be fun for other members of the family or group while you go for a quick surf. Cabo is known for many things and is for sure an amazing surf town for the right group of travelers. The East Cape has some of the best waves that Cabo has to offer and is known for its reeling right point breaks, like Shipwrecks and nine palms. Other waves like Zippers, near Cabo San Lucas, are also super fun and can handle some real swell.
Keep in mind, most of these spots are no secret, and come with a pretty hefty crowd most of the time. One of the best parts about Cabo is the dreamy warm water, which allows the whole group to be happy, regardless of their surfing passions. Surfers of all skill levels will thrive in Cabo!
Todos Santos
Around 45 minutes North of Cabo San Lucas, is the small, tranquil town of Todos Santos. The pristine resorts, surfing for all levels and warm weather, creates the perfect ‘Baja Vibe.’ The small town is home to three exciting waves: Los Cerritos, San Pedrito and La Pastora. Los Cerritos, is a great option for all levels of surfers and depending on the swell, can be really fun for people looking for a more advanced wave. There are a couple different areas to catch waves here, making it good for someone learning and for a couple buddies looking to split the peak.
San Pedrito is a right hand point-like break that gets really fun between the months October and March. In the summer, the waves break in different areas, forming some peaks to spread the crowd out a bit. La Pastora is another exposed point break type wave that breaks best on a Southwest swell, creating some really long left-handers. November is typically the best month to score some good waves at La Pastora. Overall, if you are looking for something a little less crazy and happening than Cabo, Todos Santos is a great option for you or the family.
Ensenada
After reading about the last three towns, all being deep in southern Baja, you are probably wondering what's up North. Well, they are no secret, but one of the best surf towns belongs to Ensenada, located about 70 miles South of the US border. Much like its neighbor, Southern California, the weather, swells and water temperatures in Ensenada will be pretty similar. Good South swells, offshore winds and less crowds during the fall and winter months. While these are the best months to visit, summer is clearly the most desirable because of the warm weather and good ole’ summer vibes going around. With that said, always bring a full suit with you, no matter the month, as the various underwater canyons of Northern Baja constantly push cold water to the surface.
Spots like Calafia, Las Gaviotas and San Miguel draw a lot of people down and truly add to the culture of Ensenada. Calafia is a right-hand point break that thrives on South Swells in the summer, creating fun surf for all levels. Las Gaviotas is a gated community of unique vacation homes, directly in front of a proper peeling right (with some fun little jetties and beach breaks to the North and South of the main peak). This is a great choice for all levels of surfers and the whole family looking to get a ‘taste of Baja.’ Then there's San Miguel, probably the most ‘localized’ spot in the area, for good reason. A long, super rippable right that gives a steep face, made for rippers and people who can slash some good turns.
Rosarito
The last spot on the list, Rosarito, is located just 15 miles across the US border. Rosarito is home to some famous punchy beach breaks and point breaks that draw tons of Southern California people down, for the day or for weeks at a time. While it has a different feel than Southern Baja, the surf culture is real in Rosarito and has plenty of fun surf throughout. You can expect similar conditions to its next door neighbor, San Diego. Mostly cold water and a lot of good beach breaks, with a few points mixed in. A lot of these spots do great on northwest, southwest (combo) swells and wind-swells.
The three spots that make this a surf town are going to be Baja Malibu, K-38’s and Rosarito Beach. Baja Malibu, the best of the three, is a high performance peaky beach break where you’ll see some good barrels and plenty of people doing step offs from their jet ski. K-38 is a somewhat mushy right that can handle its swell and push some long rides along the reef. Rosarito Beach is a good option for surfers of all abilities and can be some fun little sandbars from the run-off nearby.