22 Things to Know Before Your First Trip to Los Cabos

Every destination has its unwritten manual. Here's the one we hand new guests — money, transport, water, and the small things that make a first Cabo trip feel like a fifth.

Money and tipping

• Pesos win: cards are accepted almost everywhere, but small vendors and tips run on cash
• Airport ATMs beat airport exchange desks; your bank card gets the fair rate
• If paying by card, choose to be charged in pesos, never USD — the 'convenience' conversion is a bad deal
• Tipping is real here: 10–15% at restaurants (check the bill first — it's occasionally included), 20–50 pesos per bag for porters, 10–15% for boat crews and drivers
• Grocery-store baggers work for tips only — a few pesos matters

Getting around

• Uber works in town but can't do airport curbside pickup — pre-book that transfer
• Taxis don't run meters: agree the price before the door closes
• Renting a car? Mexican liability insurance is legally required — the too-cheap online rate never includes it
• The Cabo–San José corridor is an easy 30-minute drive; day-tripping between towns is normal

Health and safety, honestly

• Los Cabos is one of Mexico's safest tourist regions; normal city awareness applies
• Don't drink tap water — villas stock filtered and bottled; ice in restaurants is purified and fine
• The sun is a stronger opponent than anything else here: SPF 50, hat, water, repeat
• Swim only at protected beaches (see our swimmable-beaches guide) and respect red flags
• Pharmacies are excellent and pharmacists genuinely helpful for small stuff

The rhythm

• Dinner runs late; 7 pm reservations are easy, 8:30 is the local hour
• Sunday is family beach day — Médano and Palmilla fill with local families; it's lovely, join in
• December–April evenings want a light jacket. Nobody believes this. Pack it anyway
• 'Mañana' is a pace, not a deadline — the sooner you adopt it, the better the trip

Guests of ours get the live version of this list — a concierge on WhatsApp who answers the 'is this taxi price fair?' questions in real time. First trip or fifteenth, that number is the best travel tip we know.