Los Barriles, Baja California Sur, Mexico Travel Guide

It has been so long since I've blogged about anything. I really hope that I have more inspiration and motivation to blog more this year. In December 2018, I went on a 5 week trip with my boyfriend (now fiance). The first 10 days of the trip we were in Los Barriles, a small town in  Baja California Sur for a family event. This part of the trip was a lot of relaxation and family time, we didn't do too much exploring of the area. We didn't really have a chance to explore Cabo San Lucus or San Jose del Cabo which are the major resort cities in the area which was one regret of the trip. In this blog post, I will talk about what we did, where we stayed, where we ate and other tips for anyone that is looking to plan a trip in this area.

Getting there

We flew from Prince George, BC to  Vancouver BC and then to Los Cabos. We decided to fly with Air Canada, which of course is not the best airline when it comes to leaving on time. Our flight to Los Cabos was actually delayed about 30 mins. We landed in Los Cabos International Airport and then we had to stand in line to go through immigration. The timing of our flight was also in conjunction of other flights, therefore it took an hour to get through immigration. It's definitely not the most comfortable experience when you're in your winter clothes standing in a hot airport. From the airport our family had picked us up in a rental car and drove us to Los Barriles. The drive took approximately an hour. If you don't have a rental, there is a bus that take you to Los Barriles but they only operate at certain time slots. Another option would be to take a taxi to where you are staying.

Where to Stay

In Los Barriles, there aren't too many hotel options in the area. There is also airbnb where you can find accommodations for the area. For the first 9 days, we stayed at the Agave Hotel. This hotel was located about 5 mins from the Los Barriles town if you drive and 15 minutes if you walk. This hotel was a great mid range accommodation, I don't know much it costed us since we did not pay for it thanks to our family. The beach was of close proximity which made for greats views and good opportunities to get into the water.

Overall I would recommend this hotel to anyone that wants to stay in the Los Barriles area. It is a modest and comfortable hotel so don't expect 5 star service or quality. 

For the last night we stayed at the Hotel Palmas de Cortez. This is a high end hotel in the area which also has a beach in close proximity. We paid approximately $200 CAD a night when we stayed here (I used my credit card points to book this place). The hotel itself was quite nice with hot tubs, pools, bar and restaurants inside. If you order from the bar, the drinks are quite expensive compared to other establishments in town but the drinks were very strong. We had breakfast at the restaurant and we were pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was! I think the food for lunch and dinner would be good as well but we didn't have a chance to try it. I didn't take any photos of the hotel unfortunately due to the limited time we had here. Overall if you have the budget, this hotel is a great choice but it isn't a necessity for that price. There are more affordable options that would also allow travellers to have a great experience. 

Food

Food is the most exciting part for me when I travel anywhere. There aren't too many restaurant options in Los Barriles, but here are some of the ones we went to. 

El Pirata

I think this is my favourite restaurant in this town! The seafood was fresh and the chefs prepared the food with great flavours. Everything was cooked on a wooden stove so everything had a smoky taste to it. 

This aguachiles was over half eaten already, sorry about that! This dish was fresh and spicy, definitely delicious. Please note aguachiles is raw fish. 

Grilled shrimp with cheese, scallops and fish. This dish was so delicious, the shrimp was the highlight for sure.

Restaurant Piscis

This restaurant served local Mexican food, the food was delicious and filling.

Taqueria El Viejo

We went to this restaurant a few times, they have a lot of variety here. The tacos and the fish and chips are delicious here. Unfortunately I never took any photos, I must have devoured all the food once it arrived.

La Casita Restaurant and Sushi Bar

If you're craving sushi, this is a decent option. However the food was quite pricey so I don't feel like it's worth coming here.

If you want churros for a snack or dessert, you should stop by this stand. It's near the entrance of the Hotel Palmas de Cortez.

What to do

There isn't too much to do in this small town but it's relaxing and laid back. Here are some ideas:

1) Relaxing on the beach/swimming

2) Try kitesurfing! We saw so many people trying this sport, we didn't do it but it looked like fun. There are a few stands by the beach that offer lessons.

3) Rent a ATV: A few of our family members rented ATVs and took us on a adventure. If you want to explore the surrounding region this is a great option.

4) Fishing: If you love fishing, this area provides lots of opportunities. Inquire with your hotel whether they can arrange something for you.

5) Day trips to Cabo San Lucus and to Todos Santos. If you have a car you will have the flexibility to venture to the big city or to the surrounding towns. I also believe that there is a bus that takes you to Cabo San Lucus. We didn't use the bus but Ecobajatours does transfers between various cities and to the airport.

The 10 days we had in Los Barriles was relaxing and we had our fair share of sun during our time here. I hope this post will help someone if they plan to visit this town. If you have any questions, leave a comment below.

Until next time

Vivian