The Refined Side of Los Cabos
Beachfront in the Hotel Zone, a footpath from the old town.
San José del Cabo is the older of the two towns of Los Cabos: a mission plaza, an art district, farm restaurants in the foothills and an estuary full of birds, with the airport twenty minutes up the road. EMMA sits on the beach at Bahía de las Palmas, close enough to walk into all of it.
Close to everything that matters
- About 20 minutes to Los Cabos International Airport (SJD)
- Walk into the old town on the Paseo del Estero footpath
- The San José estuary and its birds start at the end of the beach
- Club Campestre, Puerto Los Cabos and Palmilla golf within a short drive
- Costa Azul and its surf breaks just southwest of the Hotel Zone
About swimming on this beach
Most hotels on this coast let you find out for yourself. We would rather tell you first: the beach in front of the Hotel Zone has a sudden drop off close to shore and a strong undertow, and Mexico’s federal beach authority names it among the most dangerous in Los Cabos for exactly that reason. It is a beautiful beach to walk at sunrise, to watch the surf and to run on. It is not a beach to swim.
That is what the pool twenty steps from the sand is for, and it is why we tell every guest where the safe water is before they arrive.
Palmilla
The closest swimming beach, a short drive west. A rock point shelters the cove, the entry is sandy and the swim zone is roped. Blue Flag certified.
Chileno and Santa María
Two protected bays farther along the corridor, both Blue Flag, with reef close to shore for snorkeling. Chileno has a lifeguard, parking and showers.
Playa Acapulquito
At Costa Azul, minutes southwest of EMMA. Blue Flag, and the home of the Old Man’s surf break, so it is swimming on calm days and a surf lesson on the rest.
Beaches here fly colored flags. Green means safe, yellow means caution, red and black mean stay out of the water.
A mission plaza, a gallery district and a Thursday night
The Art Walk
Every Thursday from five to nine in the evening, November through June, the Gallery District closes its streets. Galleries open late, artists show their work and the restaurants fill.
Plaza Mijares and the mission
The Misión San José del Cabo Añuití was founded in 1730. The church still faces the plaza, which is where the town gathers in the evening.
Paseo del Estero
A palm lined footpath that runs from the Hotel Zone along the estuary into town, so dinner downtown does not need a car.
The reason people come back to San José
Los Cabos entered the MICHELIN Guide in 2024, and much of what the guide recognized is on this side of the corridor. With a kitchen in the residence you can eat out when it is worth it and stay in when it is not.
Flora’s Field Kitchen
Dinner on a working organic farm in the foothills. A MICHELIN Green Star and Bib Gourmand, and the most booked table in Los Cabos.
Acre
A restaurant and bar in a palm grove, with treehouses above it. Also a MICHELIN Green Star.
Don Sanchez
Contemporary Mexican fine dining in town, with a serious wine list. A San José institution.
La Lupita Taco & Mezcal
In the Art District. Rib eye, lamb, octopus and nopal tacos, mezcal and craft beer, usually a wait.
Mariscos El Toro Güero
Where locals go for ceviche, seafood cocktails and bacon wrapped shrimp. No view, all flavor.
Omakai and Ruba’s
Omakase sushi and an artisanal bakery and bistro, both recognized by the MICHELIN Guide, both walkable from the plaza.
Golf, the marina and the estuary
Club Campestre, Puerto Los Cabos and Cabo Real are open to the public; Palmilla and Cabo del Sol are for resort guests. Puerto Los Cabos marina, minutes up the coast, holds more than two hundred slips and is where the fishing boats leave from. At the other end of the beach, the Estero San José is a protected wetland of around fifty hectares with more than a hundred bird species, walkable from the door and paddleable with a guide.
When to come, and what is happening
The weather is the reason this coast exists. Below is what it is doing at EMMA at this moment, and what an average year looks like.
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Fetching the current conditions from the weather service.
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Live reading, updated when you open this page.
Average daily high and low in Fahrenheit. The warm end of each bar is the daytime high, the cool end is the night time low.
Whales
The season runs December 15 to April 15. January through March is the peak, and grays and humpbacks pass close to shore.
Fishing
Striped marlin from November to May, blue and black marlin from May to October, dorado from June to November, roosterfish in the summer.
Surf
Costa Azul works from June through October, when southern swells arrive. Zippers for the experienced, Old Man’s for a first lesson.
Seasons
October to May is the busy half of the year and March is the peak. September is the rainiest month and the quietest, at the end of the Pacific hurricane season.
Things worth knowing before you land
- Purified drinking water is provided in the residence
- La Comer on Paseo Malecón is the closest large supermarket for a big shop
- The town is walkable, so a car is useful but not required
- The Saturday organic market at Club La Huerta runs in the morning
- Evenings cool down from November to March, so pack a layer
- Sunrise over the water is the best hour of the day here, and it is early
About the area
Can you swim in the ocean in front of EMMA?
Not safely. The Hotel Zone beach is known for a sudden drop off and a strong undertow, and the federal beach authority lists it among the most dangerous in Los Cabos for that reason. Swim in the pool, and drive a few minutes west for the calm beaches. Watch the flags: green is safe, red and black mean stay out.
Where is the nearest swimmable beach?
Palmilla is the closest, a short drive west along the corridor, with a protected cove and a sandy entry. Chileno and Santa María are farther along the same highway and both hold Blue Flag certification. Playa Acapulquito, at Costa Azul just southwest of the Hotel Zone, is also Blue Flag and swimmable when the surf is down.
How far is EMMA from the airport?
About twenty minutes by car from Los Cabos International Airport (SJD).
Can I walk into town?
Yes. The Paseo del Estero footpath runs from the Hotel Zone into the old town, past the estuary, to the plaza and the Art District.
Do I need a rental car?
Not for a stay centered on San José del Cabo, where the town is walkable and taxis and app rides are easy. A car helps for the corridor beaches, golf and the farm restaurants outside town.
When is whale season?
The official whale watching season runs from December 15 to April 15, with the best sightings from January through March.
What about drinking water?
Purified drinking water is provided in the residence, as it is everywhere in Los Cabos. Tell us if you would like extra bottles waiting when you arrive.
Reserve an EMMA residence direct
Tell us your dates and the size of your group. Every request is answered personally by email, and every stay is arranged for your group alone.
