Palmilla Beach, San José del Cabo: Calm Swimming Beach

San José del CaboSea of CortezSwimmable🔵 Blue Flag✓ Reviewed Oct 2026

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Can you swim here?Yes, usually calm

The cove is sheltered from the open sea and the water is usually calm. Snorkeling around the rocks near the pangas can be rewarding on clear days.

Palmilla Beach (Playa Palmilla) is a protected cove near San José del Cabo, around Km 27 of the Transpeninsular Highway, next to the One&Only Palmilla resort. It’s one of the calmest swimming beaches on this end of Los Cabos, which makes it a good choice for families. Local fishermen keep their pangas on the sand and head out in the morning, so it still feels like a working beach.

📍AreaSan José del Cabo
🌊WaterSea of Cortez
🏊SwimmingYes, usually calm
🚗Getting thereHwy 1, Km 27
🚻FacilitiesBasic, come prepared
🔵Blue FlagYes
⭐Best forSwimming, Families, Snorkeling
🗺️Map23.0105, -109.7180

Fishing pangas and palapas on the sand at Palmilla Beach near San José del Cabo

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Can you swim at Palmilla Beach?

Yes. The cove is sheltered from the open sea and the water is usually calm. Snorkeling around the rocks near the pangas can be rewarding on clear days. Check the beach flag before going in, especially after storms.

In May 2025 the Los Cabos municipality reported that Palmilla and Santa María were the only two beaches in Mexico with the top Blue Flag “A+” rating, and Palmilla was again rated A+ in the December 2025 control visit.

How to get to Palmilla Beach

Take the Transpeninsular Highway (Highway 1) to around Km 27 and follow the signs to the public beach access by the One&Only Palmilla entrance. It’s a short drive from downtown San José del Cabo.

Local tips before you go

1Facilities are basic, so bring water, food and shade.
2Come early: the morning light over the Sea of Cortez is lovely, and the fishermen are heading out.
3Walk a little along the beach if you’d like more space to yourself.

Check the beach flag

Los Cabos beaches use colored flags: green means good conditions, yellow means caution, red means dangerous conditions and no swimming, and black means the beach is closed. Flags change with the weather, so look for them when you arrive.