The best beaches on Isla Cerralvo line the western shore of Mexico’s ninth-largest island. This uninhabited landmass sits in the Sea of Cortez channel between La Ventana and the open Pacific depths. As a result, upwelling currents push visibility past 25 metres and attract everything from mobula rays to humpback whales.
Jacques Cousteau explored these waters for good reason. In fact, the Mexican government renamed the island Isla Jacques Cousteau in 2009 to honour the French oceanographer. For a full overview of Baja’s coastal options, see our guide to the best beaches in Baja.
We scouted the island’s western beaches by panga from La Ventana. Each beach below passed our two-part test: real sand and a boat landing spot where a panga captain will actually drop you. Also, every stop earned a photo worth keeping.
West Coast Beaches
The Scouting Report
The western shore stretches roughly 20 kilometres from the southern tip to the island’s midsection. Several crescent-shaped sand beaches sit between rocky headlands. Each one is backed by cardón cactus and low desert scrub.
Furthermore, the sand is pale tan to white, compact near the waterline and soft higher up. Water colour shifts from turquoise in the shallows to deep blue within 30 metres of shore. Panga boats from La Ventana typically anchor at three or four west coast landings.
Also, the west coast sits in the island’s wind shadow for most of the year. Morning conditions are usually flat calm from October through April.
However, afternoon thermal winds can pick up by 1 p.m. Therefore, most tour operators schedule beach time before lunch.
What You Will Find
Reef snorkeling starts within wading distance of the sand at several west coast beaches. Damselfish, king angelfish, and parrotfish move through the rocky edges. Meanwhile, sea turtles cruise the shallows between May and November.
On land, blue-footed boobies nest on the rocky points between beaches. In addition, giant barrel cacti dot the slopes above the tideline.
The island is uninhabited except for seasonal fish camps. Consequently, you will not find palapa restaurants, bathrooms, or shade structures. Tour operators bring shade canopies, lunch, and drinking water aboard the panga.
Then pack reef-safe sunscreen and a rashguard. There is no cell service on the island.
Also, kayakers sometimes paddle the west coast over multiple days, camping on the beaches. However, the 10-kilometre crossing from La Ventana favours experienced paddlers only.
Before You Go
Drive from La Paz to La Ventana on the paved La Paz-San Juan de los Planes highway. The trip takes about 50 minutes. Alternatively, from Cabo San Lucas, take Highway 1 north to San Antonio and turn east toward San Juan de los Planes.
That drive runs about 2.5 hours. In La Ventana, book a panga day trip through a local dive shop or tour operator.
Boats leave around 8 to 9 a.m. and return by early afternoon. Expect to pay roughly 2,000 to 4,000 pesos per person depending on group size.
Similarly, the boat ride to the west coast beaches takes 30 to 45 minutes in calm conditions. Therefore, plan for a full morning on the water.
La Reina Reef and North Shore
The Scouting Report
La Reina sits just off the northern tip of Isla Cerralvo. It is a small rocky islet surrounded by a reef system that drops to about 20 metres. However, the islet itself has no sandy beach.
Instead, a short panga ride south brings you to a sandy cove on the island’s north shore. This cove has a gradual entry with firm sand and calm water. In fact, the island’s bulk protects this spot from the open channel swell.
Meanwhile, the reef at La Reina hosts a resident sea lion colony. Snorkelers regularly count 20 to 30 sea lions in the water at once. The animals are curious and playful, circling divers and blowing bubbles.
Also, visibility at La Reina regularly reaches 25 to 30 metres. These conditions come from the upwelling currents that push nutrient-rich water past the pinnacle.
What You Will Find
The north shore cove offers calmer water than most west coast beaches. The sand is coarse and pale, mixed with shell fragments. After snorkeling La Reina, most visitors rest here while the panga captain sets up lunch.
Consequently, this is the best spot on the island for combining world-class snorkeling with a quiet beach stop. Giant Pacific manta rays pass through La Reina between October and March. Their wingspans reach four metres.
Between April and June, schools of mobula rays numbering in the thousands gather near the island’s north end. Similarly, whale sightings are common from January through March. Humpbacks, fin whales, and occasional blue whales use the channel as a migration corridor.
In particular, the north shore cove is more sheltered during winter months when norte winds blow. Therefore, tour operators often shift their beach lunch stop here when the western shore gets rough.
Before You Go
Access follows the same route as the west coast beaches. Book a panga from La Ventana. However, trips that include La Reina typically run a full day of 6 to 8 hours.
Expect to pay 3,000 to 5,000 pesos per person. Also, bring a wetsuit or thick rashguard for the water. Temperatures drop to 22 degrees Celsius in winter.
Winter visits from November through February face strong wind days. As a result, check conditions with your operator on the morning of departure.
If winds top 20 knots, most captains will postpone. Still, calm days in winter offer the best manta ray and whale encounters of the year.