This post shares everything you need to know about visiting the small beach town of La Ventana on the east coast of Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico. We’ll share where to stay, what to eat and things to do – even if you’re not a kitesurfer!
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About La Ventana BCS
La Ventana is a small coastal town on the east coast of Baja California Sur, less than an hour south of the state’s capital La Paz.
Although you’ll usually only hear the name La Ventana, there are actually two separate towns here, along the Bay of La Ventana.
La Ventana and El Sargento are twin towns, and it’s difficult to tell when you’ve crossed from one to the other. La Ventana sits at the southern end of the bay, and El Sargento to the north.
La Ventana is a world-renowned kitesurfing destination, and each winter the population of the town swells with kiters from around the world.
Between November and March, the northerly winds (El Norte) blow most afternoons from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm, and the bay is filled with colourful kites.
La Ventana means ‘the window’ in English, and it’s named for the town’s position between the mountains and an offshore island, Isla Cerralvo. This opening or window funnels strong winds into the bay, creating the perfect conditions for kitesurfing.
Even if you’re not a kitesurfer (like us!), La Ventana is still a great place to visit in Baja, and there are plenty of other things to do.
The landscape around La Ventana is an incredibly scenic desert-meets-ocean vibe, with giant Cardon cacti forests practically falling into the dazzling blue Sea of Cortez.
From hiking, biking, beaching and fishing, La Ventana has a lot to offer outside of kitesurfing.
Grab a copy of my Baja California Sur Travel Guide!
After falling absolutely in love with Baja, I decided to put together a Baja California Sur Travel Guide Ebook to help anyone planning a trip to Baja California Sur.
This ebook is designed to be a go-to quick reference guide for the best places to visit around the state, allowing you to be confident you’re hitting all the highlights without needing to do hours of research.
This 125-page ebook covers 13 top destinations across the state, with recommendations for where to eat, stay and play, as well as regional information about climate, transport, and tour recommendations.
It’s filled with all our best tips and advice, and beautiful photos to excite and inspire you ahead of your trip to this incredible part of Mexico!
There is also the option to add a customised Google Map that has over 200 locations pinned by category, allowing you to easily visualise our recommendations across the state.
Find out more about the guide here.
Our experience in La Ventana Mexico
Prior to arriving in Baja California Sur, La Ventana was not on our radar at all.
It didn’t pop up in the information we read during our trip planning. And there wasn’t too much online about the town outside of kite surfing.
When we arrived in Baja and rented a car, we had complete freedom to stop in anywhere we wanted to, and a few locals had recommended La Ventana as a great place to visit.
Wow, we are so glad we decided to stop here on our Baja California Sur road trip!
La Ventana and El Sargento are funny little towns. They’re typical Baja, with dusty roads, desert landscapes and beautiful beaches. But they are very spread out, with no real central hub.
The beach is lined mainly with accommodation and stretches out miles around the Bahia de La Ventana, so even that doesn’t have one central point of action.
We visited in January during peak kite surfing season, and we found the towns overwhelmingly filled with foreigners. Mainly Americans and Canadians who either have a property in La Ventana or rent one of the many holiday houses for several months over the winter period.
I can’t say we blame them, it’s a beautiful spot to escape the cold northern winters, and if you love kitesurfing it’s the perfect place to be. But the towns didn’t feel very local, and a lot of foreigners were running restaurants, food stalls, bars, kite surf schools etc. which we have mixed feelings about.
But despite our first impressions, La Ventana really grew on us. The landscapes are spectacular and there is so much to do around the area, on land and in the sea.
It’s a special place and I’m already plotting my return outside kite season.
Some people toss up visiting La Ventana or neighbouring Los Barriles which is also a very popular kite surfing town.
We visited both, and we much, much preferred La Ventana. If La Ventana felt full of foreigners, Los Barriles was practically owned by gringoes!
The town is smaller and more central, but there is little else to do besides kite surfing and almost every café, restaurant, bar etc. was owned by foreigners.
We really didn’t love Los Barriles and haven’t written anything about it, because we don’t feel there is all that much to say.
So if you’re tossing up on a small beach town on the east coast of Baja – choose La Ventana.
Getting to La Ventana
✈️ BY AIR
If you’re flying into Baja, there are two airports to choose from.
LAP – La Paz International Airport is the closest to La Ventana, less than one hour away. However, it’s not as well connected internationally, and there aren’t many direct flights from the US or Canada.
SJD – Los Cabos International Airport is two hours away but has better international connections, with direct flights from multiple cities around Canada and the USA.
🚗 RENTING A CAR
If you’ve read any of my other posts you’ll know I sound like a broken record, but having your own car is by far the best way to get around Baja California Sur. In La Ventana even more so as there is virtually no public transport to or in town.
Browse for rental cars from Los Cabos Airport here, or from La Paz Airport here
If you’ve rented a car at the airport, or La Ventana is one stop on a broader road trip, getting here from neighbouring destinations is straightforward:
If you’re coming from the south, you’ll have a winding drive through the mountains but the views are spectacular! As you get closer to town you’ll hit the Cardon cactus forest, we stopped multiple times to take photos, it was incredible!
🚌 TAKING THE BUS
You can take the bus to La Ventana BCS if you don’t want to rent a car.
The town is off the main Highway 1, so the usual Aguila buses don’t stop here.
You would need to get yourself to La Paz (either fly in here, or take an Aguila bus from Cabo to La Paz), and then get a local bus to La Ventana.
We didn’t do this so I don’t have any personal experience, but this website has a schedule and location. I would recommend checking in with your accommodation to confirm if this is still current.
🚐 AIRPORT SHUTTLE / TRAVELLER RIDESHARE
If you don’t want to rent a car but aren’t keen to brave the public buses, community organisation Ventana View has a ride-sharing noticeboard on their website, where travellers list offered or desired trips to/from the Los Cabos International Airport, or La Paz International Airport.
At first glance it looks like most listings are ‘ride needed’ not ‘ride offered’, but at the very least you could use it to connect with other travellers heading in the same direction as you, and split the cost of a taxi or shuttle.
If you can’t find a shared ride and need to book a shuttle Ventana View also lists good options on their website here. Although more costly, this would be the most reliable option to get to/from town without a car.
Getting around La Ventana
Personally, I think having a car is the best way to experience La Ventana.
There is no public transport, taxis are around but not consistently, and the town is very spread out (remember it’s actually two towns!).
Walking might seem like a good option and it is possible within each town (e.g. staying in El Sargento and walking to El Sargento beaches, restaurants, bars etc.). But if you want to experience both towns and have the full choice of where to eat each day, visit the bar that has happy hour etc. walking won’t cut it.
There are great restaurants and bars spread miles up and down the bay, and trailheads for hikes, beaches and other activities are scattered around the area and unreachable on foot.
Driving in Baja is safe and straightforward, and renting a car at the airport means you’ve solved how to get to La Ventana, and you can reap the benefits in and around town.
If you’re coming for a kite trip, have accommodation booked on or near the beach and are happy to patronise the restaurants in your immediate area, I guess you could live without a car.
Mountain biking is a popular activity in La Ventana so you could use a bike to get around if you’re comfortable on rough, dirt roads and tracks (rental options below). The cost to rent bikes is very high though, as they are all very technical mountain bikes and might even be comparable to a car.
18 Things to do in La Ventana Mexico
There are so many things to do in La Ventana Mexico whether you’re into kiting or not. It’s an outdoor lovers paradise with hiking, mountain biking, beaches and ocean adventures.
1. Go kitesurfing
Kite surfing is the most popular thing to do in La Ventana. It’s what draws thousands of visitors here each year when the El Norte winds blow!
The kite season is from November to March, and the winds usually pick up at around 11:00 am – 12:00 pm each day and die off around 5:00 pm.
Check out MasViento for a daily wind forecast. Run by a retired meteorologist he gives detailed insights every morning for wind junkies!
The type of services you’ll need in town totally depends on your experience. If you know what you’re doing and you’ve got your own gear, then you can just jump in and get going!
If you’re newer to the sport and looking to learn, improve your skills or rent gear, you will find kitesurf schools all around town and along the beach. Reviews indicate that some of the best are Playa Central, Nomad and Elevation. There are countless other options though so this list is by no means extensive.
Many of the schools are attached to lodging options and offer multi-day packages with accommodation, lessons, gear etc. If you’re just starting out and want to get some solid experience under your belt, most schools offer beginner packages for at least a week.
2. Hit the beach
Although in the winter months the beach is full of kites, La Ventana is still a great place to flop on the beach.
The sand stretches pretty much the entire way around the way with minimal interruptions, so technically it’s all one beach! But to make it less confusing, different sections of the beach have been named, mostly after the businesses there e.g. Playa Tuna, so you have some sense of orientation.
The best area to relax, sunbathe and swim is South Beach with the nicest sand and calmest waters. This is the area around ChiloChill Glamping Resort.
If you want to jump in the car and find a quieter, beautiful beach, head a little further south to Playa Turquesa. This should have fewer kites in the windy season and is a perfect calm, turquoise bay at other times of the year.
If you do visit in kitesurf season (November – March), the best time to be on the beach is in the morning before the winds pick up (< 12:00 pm) and the kiters head out.
Outside of these months, the beach would be beautiful at all times of the day, as the waters inside Bahia de La Ventana are usually calm and swimmable.
If you want to enjoy a day with amenities, there are a handful of beach bars and beach clubs with lounges, music, restaurants, bars, bathrooms and rental gear to spend a day.
Check out:
- ChiloChill Glamping Resort (open to non-guests)
- La Tuna
- Cornamenta Beach Bar
- LAKO
3. Explore the giant cardón cacti forest
One of my favourite activities in La Ventana was exploring the giant cardón cacti forests.
On our drive to La Ventana from the south, we saw thousands of these spiked giants. But once you arrive, there is a whole forest right in the town!
The cardón cactus is the largest cactus in the world and is native to northwestern Mexico, including the Baja Peninsula. These huge plants can grow up to 18 metres (60 feet) tall, and weigh up to 25,000 kilograms (25 tons).
To find the forest, head south out of La Ventana on Corredor Isla Cerralvo. You will see some dirt tracks on the left side of the road and of course the cacti. A landmark you can put in your map is Ventusbay Hotel, which is tucked away inside the forested area.
There is a network of sandy tracks around the forest, which can be used for hiking, mountain biking or driving.
We had a 4WD Jeep Wrangler during our time in Baja, so we put it in 4×4 mode and whipped around the sandy tracks with no problem. You really need a 4×4 or ATV as some of the tracks are very very soft sand.
We didn’t have any particular direction in mind, and we just drove aimlessly through the tracks in the shadows of these gigantic plants. It was absolutely beautiful and we were blown away by the scenery.
The TrailForks app has some more specific routes you can follow if you’re hiking or biking. I also like this Bosque de Cactus hiking route on AllTrails.
4. Hike the Punta Gorda trail
This stunning trail is a 5.8 km (3.6 mi) out-and-back trail that winds around Punta Gorda (Fat Point) at the northern end of La Ventana Baja California Sur.
The scenery on the trail is stunning, showcasing the typical desert landscape of Baja, with towering cacti, mountains on one side and the glistening ocean on the other.
The trail leads to a small, pebbly beach and when we visited we had it all to ourselves. It’s a great spot for a swim and snorkel, so bring your gear.
The hike is great to do at sunrise, and you will get perfect views of the big flaming sun rising up from the Sea of Cortez.
It was nothing too strenuous, but bring water and snacks as there are no amenities and limited shade. We packed our breakfast and had it on the beach before turning around.
🚙 GETTING TO THE TRAILHEAD
We were super confused trying to find the starting point of the trail. You need to drive over a very rocky beach with areas of soft sand, and we were sure we had somehow missed it!
The route on AllTrails has recently been updated and now lists two options for starting the hike.
The listed trailhead is where you should park if you’re worried about the clearance of your vehicle. It’s about 1 km (0.6 mi) from the actual starting point of the hike.
There is a second marked point, the private property sign, where you can also park if you feel confident driving further.
To reach the trailhead, you need to drive along the dirt road that continues up the hill after Hot Springs Beach. You will stay on this for around 10 minutes winding past a few houses here and there and bumping over some rocks and potholes. This can be driven in any car if you’re slow and careful.
Eventually, the track will run alongside the beach again, and if you’re comfortable, you’ll drive over the rocky beach until you reach a small hut, and find an area to park on the left.
If you’re in a standard sedan and don’t want to go this far, park somewhere earlier and walk to the trailhead.
Look for the private property sign and a red barrel, this is where you start the trail. We were deterred by the sign and got ourselves slightly lost, but the landowners have given permission for hikers and bikers to enter their property and use the trail, so long as you respect and keep it clean.
5. Go mountain biking
La Ventana has grown into a premiere mountain biking destination with a couple of fantastic local organisations taking responsibility for creating and maintaining miles of trails across the region.
Next to kiting, this is the next biggest drawcard for the town.
La VAMBA (The La Ventana Area Mountain Bike Association) and LaVESTA – La Ventana & El Sargento Trail Association have worked tirelessly to develop a huge network of more than 70 interconnecting trails.
The trails are split into two sections: north (El Sargento) and south (La Ventana).
The northern trails are the most difficult and better for experienced riders. Most branch out from around Hot Springs Beach, and there is a lot more elevation gain here.
The southern trails branch out around the cactus forest. There is less elevation gain, and these trails are better for novice riders.
If you don’t drive to Baja with your mountain bike in tow, there are a couple of places where you can rent bikes or organise guided tours. There are standard mountain bikes, and eMTBikes if you need a little assistance!
- Tatehuari: eBike rental and guided tours
- Cacahilas Bike Hub: standard mountain bike rentals
- Aqua Ventana: standard mountain bike rentals
- Agua Salada: guided eBike tour
6. Hit some other hiking trails
Punta Gorda isn’t the only good hike to do in La Ventana!
There are countless other hikes around the area, with trails leading up arroyos into the mountains, along the coastline and through the cacti forest.
Although many of the trails in the area have primarily been created for mountain bikers, they are designed to be shared by hikers, bikers and trail runners.
You can check out all the trails on TrailForks as a hiker too. Just be careful on certain trails that have steep declines and sharp corners, and listen out for bikers who might be hurtling down at high speed!
7. Soak in thermal waters at Hot Springs Beach
One of the best things to do in La Ventana Mexico is to visit the unique Hot Springs Beach (Playa Agua Termales).
Yes, as the name suggests, this a beach that has hot springs! Cool right?
But I couldn’t believe it when I dipped my toe into the water and was almost scalded it was so hot! I don’t know why, but I think subconsciously I didn’t believe there would be proper hot springs at a beach. But there is, and it’s a really cool (well, hot!) phenomenon.
The water in the ocean is at normal temperature, but geothermal activity under the sand produces extremely hot water if you dig down.
It’s important to time your visit with the tides.
If you come at low tide, there won’t be enough seawater flowing in to make the pools cool enough to sit in. But if you come at high tide, it’s hard to find the hot areas as they’ve been flooded by the cool ocean water.
Planning to visit around mid-tide is the best.
It takes a bit of effort, but you can create your own natural spa bath with some digging and rearranging of rocks. If you’re lucky, you will arrive and find some pools already built by previous visitors.
It’s best to come with a shovel and a bucket to really level up your digging. But unless you’re vanning or camping around Baja, I don’t think a shovel and bucket are on anyone’s packing list… If you’re lucky you will find some locals who did pack a shovel and will lend it to you.
The beach is north of town, and easy to navigate with Google Maps.
8. Marine safari snorkelling trip to Isla Cerralvo
The waters of the Bahia de La Ventana are teeming with marine life. Jacques Cousteau didn’t call the Sea of Cortez the ‘aquarium of the world’ for nothing, and his namesake island (aka Isla Cerralvo) lies just offshore from La Ventana.
Humpback whales, sometimes with babies, huge pods of dolphins, mobula rays leaping out of the water, playful sea lions and even orcas on lucky occasions, this is one of the best places to experience Baja’s rich and diverse underwater world.
A day spent out on the water can be customised to your interests and will be dictated by the season and marine life in the area.
Experienced captains and guides know exactly what and where to look to find animals. If it’s safe and permitted, you’ll be able to snorkel alongside some incredible creatures.
You can choose to touch land on Isla Cerralvo and hang out on pristine, empty beaches or snorkel in coral reefs fringing the island.
You won’t know exactly what to expect until you’re out there, but any time spent on the water in Baja can lead to magical experiences!
We highly recommend booking your tour with Agua Salada. They’re a locally owned and operated company, with a sustainable ethos.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t do this when we visited as the winds were too strong, I was so disappointed!
If you’re visiting in the windy season, get in touch with Agua Salada a few days before you arrive, so they can let you know the forecast for the coming days, and you have some flexibility on the best day for a tour.
9. Check out Punta Arena de La Ventana
Punta Arena is a lighthouse and beach area about a 30-minute drive south of La Ventana. The beach is deserted and the colour of the water is simply beautiful with stunning views to the south end of Isla Cerralvo.
When we visited, it was extremely windy so we couldn’t really enjoy the beach. But at other times of the year, this would be a great spot to have a patch of sand to yourself.
There were no facilities here so be sure to pack all your beach gear and some food and drinks.
The drive there was half the fun. Once you turn off the main road heading for Ensenada de Muertos, it turns to dirt tracks that pass through salt flats. It’s doable in any car, just be careful when you get to the beach and don’t drive onto the softer sand.
Combine a visit here with nearby Ensenada de Muertos…
10. Relax at Ensenada de Muertos and Bahia de los Sueños
We think this small beach and bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in Baja California Sur!
About 30-minute drive from La Ventana, this east-facing bay is sheltered from the winds.
If you’re looking for a quiet, calm beach to relax and swim in, the waters of Bahia de Los Sueños (Bay of Dreams) are perfect!
The beach is more rocky than sandy, but the waters were so calm, and when we visited the most beautiful transparent blue.
Lots of local fishermen launch their boats from here, and it’s common for sailboats to dock in the protected bay.
There is a small restaurant on the edge of the beach, Restaurant 1535, offering seafood dishes and epic views.
At the other end of the bay, there are two small resorts, Rancho de Costa and Gran Sueño, which look like they would be an incredible place to really unwind and get away from it all.
11. Enjoy calm mornings stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking
You would never guess La Ventana is a kitesurfing town between 6:00 am – 12:00 pm. The bay is glassy and calm like a lake!
This is the perfect time to get out on a paddleboard or kayak. The water is so blue and transparent that you can look down to see the rocky reef underwater and watch colourful fish swim past your board.
Most beachfront accommodations offer free SUPs and/or kayaks for their guests. If you need to rent one, try Aqua Ventana, Casa Tara, or Playa Central.
12. Go snorkelling
Taking a marine safari trip out towards Isla Cerralvo is the best snorkelling experience, but there are many places you can jump in and snorkel right from the beach!
There’s a rocky reef just offshore that runs the length of the bay, so you can pretty much swim in anywhere and at least check out some hard corals and colourful reef fish.
Punta Gorda is also a great place to snorkel from the beach, so pack your gear for the hike!
Snorkelling at Punta Gorda
13. Scuba diving or freediving
The ocean is a special place in La Ventana and if you want to spend even more time hanging out under the surface and increasing your chances of encountering amazing marine life, you can scuba or free dive!
You can do courses for either option if you’re not qualified, or if you’ve already got your certification you can go out for some fun dives.
Here are some recommended options:
- Salty Souls Freediving (freediving)
- La Ventana Dive Center (scuba and freediving)
- Baja Wild Encounters (scuba diving)
- Baja Underwater Expeditions (scuba diving and freediving)
- Palapas Ventana (scuba and freediving)
14. Take a yoga class
Whether you’ve got sore muscles from kiting, or just looking to find some zen, there are yoga classes you can join all over La Ventana.
The Ventana View community noticeboard page has a health and wellness calendar with a weekly class schedule. Different accommodations have yoga spaces and instructors hop around.
The rooftop at Baja Joe’s is a fan favourite! Casa Tara is a dedicated wellness/yoga retreat.
15. Go fishing
While it might seem a far cry from a small fishing village these days, that’s La Ventana’s origins. There are still plenty of expert local fishermen around who can take you out for a day of fishing.
Sport fishing, fly fishing, spearfishing or just plain old fishing, you can take your pick. There is a chance to catch some pretty big fish, depending on the time of year. You can hook dorado, yellowfin tuna, yellowtail, wahoo, marlin and more.
Most accommodations can connect you with a local captain. Otherwise, Palapas Ventana offers tours, as does Agua Salada.
16. Visit Rancho Cacachilas
A local ranch in the desert just outside El Sargento, Rancho Cachilas is an ecotourism paradise! Their beautiful property has miles of hiking and biking trails and an authentic working ranch.
They offer a range of day tours on their property, with guided hikes of varying lengths, mountain bike trails and mule rides.
All tours include a delicious lunch in their ranch-to-table restaurant.
17. Browse the farmers market
Every week in the winter season on Thursdays from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm is the La Ventana Farmers Market.
There is a variety of stalls selling everything from produce, food, drinks, artisan homewares, jewellery, clothes, and more! You can get fresh bread, jams, some locally made crafts and wares to take home and yummy local dishes like tamales.
The market is held on the main road, between La Ventana and El Sargento located here.
18. Take a day trip
If you’re visiting La Ventana as part of a broader Baja California Sur road trip like we were, you won’t need to worry about day trips.
But if you’re basing yourself in La Ventana for the windy season and have weeks or months in town, you should definitely plan a few day trips!
- 🪙 El Triunfo | 30 minutes: a cute old silver mining town with a bright yellow mission church, a couple of museums, a few nice places to eat and a cool cactus garden just outside of town.
- 🏄🏼 Cerritos Beach | 1 hour 30 minutes: one of the best surf breaks in Baja, cross to the Pacific Coast to explore this dusty beach town, not too dissimilar to La Ventana, but swap kitesurfing for real surfing!
- 🌈 Todos Santos | 1 hour 20 minutes: one of Baja’s two pueblo magicos (magic towns), Todos Santos is a charming, artsy town with gorgeous historic buildings, great cafes and dining, aesthetic boutiques and beautiful Pacific Beaches. You can combine this with Cerritos.
- 🌵 Santiago | 1 hour 30 minutes: nestled in the Sierra de la Laguna, Santiago has some gorgeous hot springs and a spectacular waterfall and desert oasis.
- 🪁 Los Barriles | 1 hour 10 minutes: another kitesurfing town, we personally didn’t like Los Barriles as much as La Ventana, but it’s worth checking out for a day.
- 🐋 Magdalena Bay | 3 hours: this is a very lengthy day trip that’s best done as a multi-day trip, or on an organised day tour from La Ventana where someone else is driving! The reason you want to go here is to experience Baja’s friendly grey whales who come to mate and calve in the lagoons. Agua Salada offers tours.
- ⛱️ La Paz | 40 minutes: if you’re staying in La Ventana for a significant amount of time, you should take multiple day trips into La Paz as there is so much to see and do here (it’s also a great place to stock up on groceries!). Visit world-famous Balandra Beach and other gorgeous non-windy beaches, take a day trip to Isla Espiritu Santo (a neighbouring island to Isla Cerralvo) and swim with whale sharks in season.
Sustainable travel in La Ventana
There is a lot of foreign ownership in La Ventana Baja and on a few occasions, we ended up at restaurants and food stalls that were owned and staffed purely by foreigners.
I can’t speak personally for the kitesurfing schools and other accommodations, but I think it is a similar scenario.
This isn’t always a bad thing, but it is something that I encourage you to be conscious of.
If you are visiting a town, but the only businesses you frequent are not owned by the locals, it raises issues about where your money is going.
Is any of the money you are spending in the community, actually staying in that community?
Tourism can be a power for economic good when it provides employment and income for local residents, which then stimulates the economy and creates a flow-on effect to support other, residual businesses.
This positive effect is less likely to occur if businesses are owned by foreigners, and your dollars are ‘leaked’ out of the local economy to the owner’s home country.
This is not to smear expat-owned businesses that do employ local staff and support residual local businesses through their operations, but it is an important issue to raise awareness of, and spreading the love (aka your money) is always a good idea!
Where to eat in La Ventana
Something to note is that if you are visiting outside of kite season, many of these restaurants are likely to be closed. A lot of businesses only operate during the season when the majority of visitors are in town, so be aware if you’re visiting during the off-season.
CAFES ☕️
- Polvora: the new cool kid on the block in La Ventana, Polvora is all your desert dreams come true. Hidden on the outskirts of town amongst the giant cactus, this café has unique breakfast dishes, fresh juices and great coffee. They’re open late on the weekend and often host events, so check their Instagram.
- Booster House: a health-focused café with a gorgeous outdoor patio area. They make nice coffee, healthy smoothies, and some tasty, clean breakfast options.
- Café KM-0: if you need some proper, Italian-style espresso coffee look no further. They also have a cute upstairs patio where you can enjoy their freshly baked pastries and bread.
- Renaissance Coffee Box: cute little container-style café serving up delicious coffee and yummy pastries with a nice shaded outdoor seating area overlooking the bay.
- Silvestre Coffee: another little coffee shack with impeccable desert vibes in their garden area, tasty coffee and a good variety of cakes and pastries.
TACOS 🌮
- Taqueria Doña Paty: this great, cheap local option serves up mostly meat rather than seafood, you can get tacos al pastor, asada, pollo and more. They also have burritos, papas rellenas, quesadillas and all the other usual options. Amazing salsa and salad trays.
- Taqueria Rancho La Ventana: affordable, good Mexican food! Seafood tacos are the go here if you visit during the day, and they also serve up a good range of breakfast options. But come night, they have weekly rib specials which people rave about. I can’t recall which nights they offered them, I think Thursday and Friday. But visit for breakfast or lunch and suss out the rib deal!
- Baja Bites: a unique twist on classic Baja seafood tacos. The fish and prawns are grilled, not battered and the tacos feature some cheese on top and a more crispy tortilla. They were really different but delicious. They also had some amazing and unique salsas, like chilli oil and flavoured chipotle sauces.
- Tacos de Pescado y Camaron Rosy – a lovely local spot with mouthwatering fish and shrimp tacos, your choice of plancha (grilled) or frito (battered and fried). They also offer quesadillas and seafood empanadas!
- Las Guacamayas – tacos and other Mexican dishes in a lovely open-air restaurant. It’s a slightly ‘fancy’ option for a meal to sit down in a nice space, but still local and affordable. Especially on Wednesdays with 2-for-1 al pastor tacos!
SEAFOOD AND OTHER LOCAL OPTIONS 🐟
- El Palmar: a great local spot for seafood, with yummy and extravagant ceviche and sashimi (mango yes please!), a seafood tower and good fish tacos with a gorgeous view of the bay and Isla Cerralvo.
- Mariscos El Cone: a beloved local spot serving up the freshest seafood. Ceviche and sashimi are delicious, their range of cooked shrimp dishes are very tasty and the margaritas are huge and hit the spot!
- Marlin Azul: an OG restaurant in La Ventana, Marlin Azul serves up mostly Mexican dishes, with some traditional options like mole, enchiladas, parilla plates and seafood. It’s a very local-style restaurant in a huge palapa. We didn’t love our meal here, but it’s very well-rated and worth trying yourself.
- Radorama: a very unassuming location that produces some of the finest food in the area! Chef Ruben serves up exceptional seafood dishes with unique fusions of sauces and flavours. Book a table as there are only a few available.
- El Anzuelo: the restaurant inside Palapas Ventana resort serves up a nice range of Mexican and seafood-focused dishes. It’s their location that’s the real winner though, perched on a cliff above the beach with amazing vistas of the bay and kitesurfers!
INTERNATIONAL OPTIONS 🍕
- Playa Central: this kite school cum restaurant cum rooftop was the funkiest venue in La Ventana! An enormous warehouse that would be at home in Melbourne, we loved spending an afternoon on their rooftop overlooking the beach. Woodfired pizza is the star of the menu, as well as some other nibbles. But what really brings people in is the daily happy hour from 5 pm – 6 pm. 2 for 1 margaritas, clocking in at a total of 150 pesos which is less than $5 per margarita! Enjoy the sunset on the rooftop with a margarita in hand, before heading downstairs to play one of many games like ping pong or shuffleboard.
- Choripanes La Paz: you only have one opportunity per week to try these delicious choripanes, but you will want to plan your week around them! Each Thursday Choripanes La Paz sets up a little stall on the side of the road. Every element of the roll was delicious, from the bread, the chorizo, cheese and chimichurri.
- Pitaya Farm to Table: tucked away in the desert outside of town on a local ranch, this unique dining experience is as fresh as it gets, with ingredients grown on their farm. It’s a gorgeous, romantic setting, especially at sunset and a really special evening. They offer a free tuk-tuk service from town if you don’t have a car (or want to enjoy a mixologist cocktail or two!). Make a reservation and organise transport via their website.
- San Siro: a really cute Italian restaurant with a range of pasta (seafood is good!) and wood-fired pizzas with a thin crust. It’s not cheap, but a nice treat. Don’t forget to add a dessert too!
- Baja Grill: a fun, laidback place with 80s tunes playing in the background and yummy, affordable cocktails. If you need some comfort food and a break from tacos, they make good burgers, famous pork shanks and onion rings.
BEACH CLUBS AND BARS 🍸
- La Tuna: this very cool establishment is right on the sand, with the best vibes! Think string lights, neon signs and funky cocktails. Their food is pricey as you’d expect, but the location is fantastic and the atmosphere is great. As their name suggests, tuna is their speciality and they’ve got it in ceviche, tacos, poke bowls and more.
- ChiloChill: this funky glamping spot is also open to non-guests at their beach club. They charge 500 pesos for a day pass, and you get 80% back to spend on food and drinks. You can hang out for the day on their lounge chairs and day beds and use their facilities, in one of the best areas of the beach.
- Cornamenta Beach Bar: a little shack right on the beach serving up amazing margaritas. It’s so laidback, with great music, incredible views and a lovely atmosphere at night with string lights.
- LAKO: located inside the La Ventana Beach Resort this cool little beach bar is right on the sand. They have happy hour every day from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm with 2-for-1 on a range of cocktails and drinks.
- Joe’s Garage Brewery: part of the iconic Baja Joe’s establishment (resort, kite school, shop, café, restaurant etc.) is a brewery too! This is the best spot in town to get craft beers on top, with a friendly, laid-back atmosphere.
Where to stay in La Ventana
We (typically) left finding accommodation in La Ventana to the very last minute, which is not a great idea in the busy kitesurfing season. You have to book in advance if you are visiting between November – March, as many kiters come down for weeks or months at a time and book out the best options.
BUDGET 💰
- La Ventana Hostel: there aren’t too many hostels in Baja, but La Ventana Hostel is one of the original and best. We left it too late to get a room here, but there is the choice of privates with ensuites or dorm rooms. The hostel is bright, light and airy and has a rooftop deck, communal kitchen and plenty of hang-out spaces.
- ChangoMango: a super cool concept with cylindrical pod-style rooms surrounding a pool and central hangout area. The bathrooms are shared, but exceptionally clean. Wifi is good, they have a co-work room and breakfast is included daily. Fantastic private but affordable option.
- Baja Joe’s Hotel: a La Ventana icon and long-standing pillar of the community, Baja Joe’s can be a cheap option depending on the room type you’re after (and how far in advance you book!). Right on the beachfront with a kite school on-site, this is a great choice for kiters. The cheapest rooms have shared bathrooms with access to a communal kitchen, and the most expensive are fully self-contained apartments.
- La Window Glamping: a new glamping spot with several bell tents in a small garden area. The price is comparable to the amenities and is a really affordable private option. Bathrooms are shared but the water is hot. Short walk to the beach.
MID-RANGE 💰💰
- Desert Wind: exceptional apartment-style casitas in a desert environment. You’ll have everything you need in your room with a bathroom, kitchenette, private rooftop terrace and hammock on the balcony! Don’t forget a great shared pool too.
- ChiloChill Glamping Resort: for a unique (albeit expensive!) accommodation experience in La Ventana BCS, you can’t go past ChiloChill Glamping Resort. Located beachfront in the South Beach area of La Ventana, this funky spot offers glam teepee tents, with private open-air bathrooms. The property also hosts a beach bar and restaurant and oozes Instagram vibes.
- Nomada Hotel: a collection of 4 different themed rooms, each uniquely styled based on the owner’s travels through Africa, India and Asia. From Indian antiques to Moroccan-style tiles, the property is artistic and beautifully designed. There is a rooftop terrace offering perfect sunrise views over the bay and the on-site restaurant is one of the most popular in town.
- La Ventana Beach Resort: perfectly located right on the beachfront, this is a fantastic option if you want your feet in the sand constantly! There is a bar and restaurant on-site, and general good vibes around the property. Rooms are spacious and clean but basic, but you’re there for the location.
HIGH END 💰💰💰
- Hotel Todo Bien: the best hotel in La Ventana, hands down. Perched on a hill with sweeping views of the Sea of Cortez, the pool and hot tub are spectacular. The rooms are bright and airy with an industrial minimalist design, and the service is exceptional.
- Beach Front Lofts: situated on the sand on a quiet stretch of beach, these lofts are fully equipped for self-catering. 4 apartments share communal patios with a small hot tub, and umbrellas and lounges on the beach.
- Ventana Bay Resort: colourful Mexican-style rooms in a gorgeous beachfront location. Plenty of communal areas dotted around the property with hammocks and lounges to soak up the views, and direct beach access. Friendly and helpful staff that aren’t overbearing.
- Baja and Kite: two separate fully equipped apartments with everything you need to feel at home. The desert industrial design is exceptional, and the two apartments share communal areas on the property with a rooftop terrace, pool and jacuzzi.
When to visit La Ventana
If you’re a kitesurfer, it’s an easy choice. Between November and March, with December, January and February usually being peak wind months.
If you’re not a kitesurfer, you’re kind of damned if you do, damned if you don’t when it comes to planning your visit.
KITE SEASON (WINTER) 🪁
If you visit in winter, the town will be full of kite surfers, who book out accommodation months in advance, for weeks at a time. And of course, fill the beach with kites each day.
The weather is windy too, which isn’t ideal for a beach getaway. But the milder temperatures mean this is a great time for other activities like hiking.
It gets quite chilly when the sun goes down, but the days are blue skies and sunshine for most of the season with very little rain.
OFF-SEASON (SUMMER) ☀️
If you visit outside of kite season, between April/May – September/October, a lot of the establishments in town will be closed. You won’t get to experience the good vibes and liveliness.
The start of the summer season (April – June) is the perfect time to visit if you want beach time. The days heat up, the wind dies down and the water is very appealing! This is a great time for ocean safaris and snorkelling, with huge aggregations of mobula rays.
As the season progresses, the temperatures soar to uncomfortable and the chance of rain and storms increases. I would personally avoid July – September.
Tips for your visit to La Ventana Baja California Sur
- 🏧 ATMs: there aren’t any banks in town and only a handful of ATMs that frequently run out of cash. There is one inside the OXXO and one inside Playa Central.
- 💰 Cash rules: considering there is no bank in town, a lot of businesses will only accept cash. So come prepared with plenty of cash from La Paz or Cabo (pesos are best).
- 🛒 Grocery stores: there are no major grocery stores in La Ventana. There are small tiendas and a couple of fruit and veg stores, but if you’re staying for a while and have kitchen facilities, I would recommend doing a big shop in La Paz or Cabo before you arrive.
- 💧 Drinking water: you can’t drink the tap water. Most accommodations will have filtered water available. If you don’t, go and buy a large container from Oxxo instead of single-use plastic bottles.
- 🚿 Water usage: La Ventana, and most of Baja, is a very dry place. The town has expanded rapidly and the water reserves can’t keep up with the amount of people. Please use water sparingly!
Final thoughts on La Ventana Mexico
We are so glad we decided to visit La Ventana. We came in with zero expectations, but we were pleasantly surprised!
While we did take a while to warm up to the town itself, the scenery and things to do won us over.
Even as non-kite surfers, our days were full of other activities so don’t be deterred if you aren’t interested in trying kiting.
If you’re tossing up between La Ventana and Los Barriles, we would suggest La Ventana without a doubt!
OUR BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR TRAVEL GUIDES
The Comments
John Mercer
Good article on La Ventana. We have been going there for over 20 years.
Best restaurants are Taqueria Rancho Ventana, Baja Grill, Marlin Azul, and Las Palmas. All are Mexican owned and have reasonably priced food.The wind sports as you know are huge there but mountain biking is becoming world class there.The northern trails are for advanced riders and the southern trails are more beginner/intermediate trails.Hope you can return there before it becomes too big!
John the Canadian
Sally
John MercerHey John the Canadian! Thanks so much for reading. You’ve found a great spot for your annual holiday, we loved La Ventana. And thanks for the extra restaurant recommendations. Locally owned is always best, and you’ve added a few restaurants to my list for the next time we return! We aren’t bikers but we did notice some of the trails were made for mountain bikes and hikers, it would be a great place for it. I hope it retains its small-town feel forever – fingers crossed! Sally
Doris
Hello Sally,
thanks for this fantastic article about La Ventana. I am only here for the second time (staying for more than two months, last year Nov to Jan, and now from early Jan to the end of March.
I am staying at the wonderful small resort Tango Azul, 5 minute’s walk to the beach, but also with a small pool, and a palapa where you can cook (in case you didn’t rent the 2-bedroom apartments with their own full kitchen), and where you get every day a small free breakfast and fruits. (Prizes from $60/day).
Yes, kite-surfing is not the only sport, scuba diving, snorkeling, SUP, fishing, kayaking, etc. are other water sports. If there is a car available, I recommend visiting El Triunfo, a former gold and silver mining town, with its (Mexican-owned) restaurants, an outstanding coffee shop, and museums.
Or visit several hot springs near Santiago (on HWY 1, towards Cabo). There is also a marvelous local-owned restaurant: Palomar.
North-west of La Ventana is Rancho Cacachilas, an eco ranch, and a nature preserve. It offers exceptional outdoor adventures, led by knowledgeable guides. Visitors can learn about the cultural, mining, and natural history of the Sierra Cacachilas, an eco ranch, and a nature preserve.
Enjoy your next stay,
happy traveling, Doris
Sally
DorisHi Doris, thanks so much for your comment.
How fantastic you have so long in La Ventana. It sounds like you are having a great time, and Tango Azul sounds great! Having a kitchen is always handy, especially for a longer stay.
El Triunfo is one spot we sadly didn’t make it to in southern Baja Sur – one for next time I think! We adored Santiago and spent a couple of days staying in town and hiking, soaking in the hot springs and swimming in the rivers and waterfalls.
I haven’t heard of Rancho Cacachilas before but it sounds like a fantastic place. I just did a quick Google search and it looks stunning, I just cannot get enough of the Baja landscape, a truly special place.
Enjoy the rest of your time, I hope it’s amazing.
Sally x
Stephanie
You absolutely do not need a high clearance vehicle to get to the Punta Gorda trail: I got there with my rental Volkswagen Jetta with no problem — rocky beach and all. Just drive slowly!
Sally
StephanieHey Stephanie, so glad you made it! The hike is beautiful, isn’t it? I get so many conflicting comments about rental cars and what conditions are appropriate – it’s so individual and completely up to everyone’s own level of comfort with risk. I thought this was a pretty challenging drive on the rocks, but I appreciate another opinion that might be handy to other readers 🙂 Hope you enjoy your time in La Ventana! Sally
Gloria
Cost to advertise on your website
I have a business in town.
My name is Gloria and I am from Mexico City.
Name of my business is
Brisa del Mar RV Park in El Sargento.
Full hook ups
Up to 30 ft rigs
Pool
Palapa
Kitchen
Pet friendly
Laundry room
Sally
GloriaHi Gloria,
Thanks for your comment.
At this stage, I’m not doing any advertising on my site.
We are planning to come back to Baja Sur in the next year, so I would love to visit your park, stay and experience it ourselves, and add it to the post if we think it fits our audience ☺️
Thanks, Sally
Gloria
Hello , my name is Gloria Hernandez, and I have a RV park in El Sargento.
We have full hook ups (electricity, water and sewage) as well as fast wifi, restrooms, hot showers, swimming pool, terrace, palapa with fully equipped communal kitchen.
Property is fully fenced and we are pet friendly.
How can I advertise my business (Brisa del Mar RV park) on your site?
Thanks and have a good day.
Sally
GloriaHi Gloria,
Thanks for your comment.
At this stage, I’m not doing any advertising on my site.
We are planning to come back to Baja Sur in the next year, so I would love to visit your park, stay and experience it ourselves, and add it to the post if we think it fits our audience ☺️
Thanks, Sally
Michael
Hey Sally,
thanks so much for the article – I’m coming over to La Ventana in December and staying for about a month. Mainly for kiting but I’m super stoked about all your hikes and other experiences for no wind days!
Thanks a ton!
Best
Michael
Sally Rodrick
MichaelHey Michael,
Ahh that is so exciting! A month in La Ventana sounds like a dream!
I’m sure you’ve got all the kiting covered, but so glad my post helped with the other stuff! There is so much to do and see around town.
Are you planning any day trips? You can easily pop into La Paz, Santiago and even to Todos Santos/Cerritos Beach.
Have the BEST time, and if you have any questions, reach out!
Sally
Giovanna
I am Mexican and feel that when we immigrate to the US, we are treated as less-than. Conversely, when Euro-Americans and Europeans come to Mexico, they do not come to integrate but with an exploiter mentality and their ownership of businesses in Mexico benefits them mostly or solely. Prices and cost of living goes up for the locals as well as for Mexican tourists so I encourage people to use businesses and services owned by Mexicans. This is another way of white superiority, imperialism. I could go on but I remember how as a child, at a beach, we were not allowed access because our beach was reserved for foreigners. I will leave it at that, but I am glad that you are pointing this out.
Sally Rodrick
GiovannaHi Giovanna, I don’t have your perspective, and as a white Australia, I can never say ‘I understand’. But having studied tourism at university for many years, I am very familiar with this common problem, and the continuation of colonialism/imperialism through tourism services. It’s a complex and challenging problem, and Mexico has unfortunately suffered a lot in this way in the pursuit of $$. Which in the long term as you say, usually only benefits the foreign owners anyway. Big issues that cannot be resolved in blog posts, and even as individual travellers. But I think we can all do our part to be aware of the issue, and try and ensure our travels leave a positive impact on the communities we visit. Even if that’s just a drop in the ocean of the entire tourism industry, it’s better than nothing! Safe travels, Sally.
Julie k
I just got back from La Ventana
Baja Bites – Rocked!!! Def a place to feel social!
Booster House – Brunch –
Must go to POLVORA – amazing restaurant and beautiful.
Pataya was amazing too!
Sally Rodrick
Julie kHey Julie, sounds like you had some good foodie experiences! Isn’t it surprising how a tiny little desert town like La Ventana has so many good places to eat and drink!!