La Ventana is a small fishing village on the Sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur. In the 2020s it has grown popular with outdoor adventure travelers who come to kitesurf in the dependable coastal breezes, and for sportfishing, whale watching, and sea kayaking. In 2025, the town became the only location in Mexico to allow tour operators to conduct swimming with orcas and swimming with devil ray experiences.
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Understand
[edit]With a population of only 255 permanent residents (2010), La Ventana is little more than the tiniest of dots on a map, yet it has an idyllic seaside landscape that attracts foreign travelers looking for a quiet destination off the beaten path. There are no crowds in La Ventana.
The town is young by Mexican standards. It was established in 1940 by Salome Leon, a pearl diver from La Paz.
When people refer to La Ventana, they usually mean the entire contiguous populated area, which is actually two small towns: La Ventana and El Sargento. El Sargento is the northern part and La Ventana the southern part.
Get in
[edit]The closest major airport is Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) IATA, which is about a 3-hour drive from La Ventana if you take a taxi (expensive) or rent a car. From San Jose del Cabo or Cabo San Lucas, it is possible to take a bus to the town of San Antonio, which is about a half hour taxi ride from La Ventana. The least expensive and most convenient option will be to rent a car at the airport and drive yourself. Roads in Baja are not always in great condition, but it is generally an easy area to drive in.
Although it is smaller with fewer flights than Los Cabos, it is often easier to fly into La Paz Airport (LAP) IATA, which is a short 30-minute drive to La Ventana. La Paz is served by international flights from the United States on Alaska and Delta Airlines. Domestic flights arrive from other Mexican airports on Calafia, Señor Air, Volaris, and Aeromexico. From La Paz, drive southwest on state highway BCS-286 for about 40 km, then turn left on Corredor Isla Cerralvo for the last 5 km.
Get around
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It's such a small town that walking anywhere will only take a few minutes. A bike would be perfect for getting around in town and some hostels and guest houses have bikes to lend or rent to their guests. Many locals use small motorbikes or e-bikes to get around. You can also hire a boat on the beach.
See
[edit]- Isla Cerralvo - a 30-km long island in the Sea of Cortez offshore from La Ventana. The island has high cliffs in one area, but also many sandy beaches. It is known for its rich marine life offshore. In 2009, the Mexican government officially re-named the island Isla Jacques Cousteau after the famous French oceanographer. Though locals respect Cousteau's work, they object to the government's heavy-handed approach to renaming it without consulting local communities and their political representatives. As a result, nobody in Baja calls it by its new name and as a matter of respect, visitors should only use the original name.
Do
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- Kitesurfing
- Fishing
- Sea Kayaking
- Scuba Diving
- Paddleboarding
- Bicycling
- Swimming
- 1 Playa Agua Caliente (Hot Springs Beach), El Sargento. On the north side of El Sargento is a beach with geothermal hot springs just below the surface. At low tide, you can bring a shovel to pick a spot, move some rocks, and dig down about 2-3 feet into the sand to create your own hot tub by the sea. (There are also some hotels near this beach that offer thermal spas, but the do-it-yourself hot tub is free and a uniquely local experience.
- 2 Playa Sur Windsports, Calle Tuna, La Ventana Sur. Daily 11:00 - 17:00. Kitesurfing and windsurfing lessons and equipment rentals. Instructors speak Spanish and English.
- 3 Action on Board, Playa Rincon de la Bahia, Corredor Isla Cerralvo, ☏ +52 686 185 1452. Surfing and kitesurfing school. Patient bi-lingual instructors. Equipment provided.
- Orca Swim Baja, Playa La Ventana. Full-day expeditions into the Bahia La Ventana where schools of devil rays (also known as mobula rays) gather and often perform breaches, jumping high into the air. Full-day tours are conducted in small groups and include time in the water with the orcas.
- 4 Tango Azul Pickelball, El Sargento, ☏ +52 612 204 8177. Daily 07:00 - 00:00. New pickleball courts with ample free parking. Affordable drop-in fee for guests, though memberships are available for the local die-hards. Paddles available if you don't have your own. M$200.
- 5 Nomad Experience Kite and Wing Foil School, Corredor Mar de Cortez, El Sargento, ☏ +52 612 177 9097. Daily 09:00 - 18:00. Kitesurfing school with equipment rentals. Lessons are 12-hour days. Friendly staff. Dogs can come and hang out on beach while you learn to surf.
- 6 Baja Underwater Expeditions, Corredor Isla Cerralvo, ☏ +52 987 117 1354. Daily 08:30 - 14:30. Full-service dive shop offering scuba lessons as well as diving and snorkeling excursions to see local marine life. Most trips are 6-hours. Offers some unusual experiences like trips to dive with the devil rays (aka, mobula)..
- 7 Salty Souls Freediving, Corredor Isla Cerralvo, ☏ +52 646 345 8151. Instruction in how to hold your breath and dive without the use of tanks or other bulky equipment. Excursions to marine life hotspots to dive with tiger sharks and other inhabitants of the deep.
- 8 ChiloChill, Calle Tuna, ☏ +52 612 200 3779. Kiteboarding school on the beach and a glamping resort with tents with permanent floors elevated off the sand and electricity in the tents, which each have their own bathroom. Paddleboards and kayaks for rent. M$1700/night.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 El Palmar, Corredor Isla Cerralvo, Sargento, ☏ +52 612 137 2715. Daily 13:00 - 21:00. Beachside palapa-style restaurant with tables overlooking the ocean. Menu is Mexican seafood entrees, including all the ways you might want fish prepared along with shrimp, lobster, and octopus dishes. Cold beer and margaritas. M$300.
- 2 El Rincon de la Bahia, Coredor Isla Cerralvo, ☏ +52 612 140 1082. Tu-Su 13:00 - 21:00, closed M. Fresh seafood restaurant serving yellowtail and other fish as well as huge shrimp cooked as you like, or in ceviche, shrimp tacos, shrimp burgers, shrimp rellenos, etc.. Beachside palapa restaurant with views of the ocean and people out windsurfing or doing other watersports. M$300.
- 3 Marlin Azul, Corredor Isla Cerralvo, ☏ +52 612 228 9284. Daily 14:00 - 21:00. Popular seafood restaurant known for large portions and big cocktails. Grilled fish steaks are a winner with different types available like marlin, wahoe, etc. Several shrimp dishes featuring enormous shrimp. Has some grilled meat entrees as well, such as ribs, burgers, and chicken. M$300.
- 4 Mariscos el Cone, Corredor Isla Cerralvo, ☏ +52 612 231 6848. M-F 12:00 - 21:00, Sa-Su 08:00 - 21:00. Baja style seafood restaurant with delicious fresh fish platters. The pescado en cilantro is recommended. Vegetarian friendly options include a vegetable fajita plate served with guacamole and beans. M$300.
- 5 Birrieria Don Manuel, ☏ +52 612 155 4585. Daily 08:00 - 13:30. Seafood may be tasty, but after a week or so of nothing but, you might be excused for wanting anything but. Don Manuel has your back! He serves tacos and birria, that delicious mutton stew that's popular in Jalisco. Birria can be ordered as a soup, as a filling for tacos, or on quesadillas. This is also some of the cheapest eats in town. M$100.
- 6 Baja Grill, Calle Tuna, ☏ +52 612 183 2602. Th-Sa 18:00 - 21:00, closed Su-W. Local hangout with tasty cocktails, happy hour specials, and of course, a grill on the beach serving up grilled fish steaks, beef, and pork. The pork shank served with mango habanero salsa is recommended. Live music. M$200.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
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Lodging
[edit]- 1 Casa Tara Retreat, Corredor Isla Cerralvo, ☏ +52 612 103 1112. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Holistic living place with yoga classes, spa services, outdoor swimming pool with hot tub. Spacious clean rooms with good quality linens and hammocks. Off-street parking available. Dogs allowed. M$2000.
- 2 Baja Joe's, Callejon 725, ☏ +52 612 204 4450. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Lively beach lodge with clean, comfortable rooms that are basically furnished. Common kitchen area for guests who wish to cook. Frequent evening parties with live music. Storage areas for kiteboarding equipment. M$1700.
- 3 La Ventana Hostel, Calle Medusa, ☏ +52 612 120 8803. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Tidy well-kept hostel with clean, comfortable rooms with daily housekeeping. Shared kitchen area. Rooftop patio. Scooter rentals available. M$800.
Camping
[edit]- 4 Campground del Ejido de La Ventana y El Sargento, Corredor Isla Cerralvo. Large camping area with beachfront access. RV spots, many with shade trees. Clean restrooms with hot showers. Dogs allowed. M$200 per day.
- 5 Bungalows and Campground El Sargento, Dom Conocido Poblado, El Sargento, ☏ +52 612 158 8927. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Campground next to the beach. RV spots with full hookups. Cannot get a spot without paying for hookups. The bungalows have AC, WiFi and kitchen. M$600/night.