12 Best Things to Do in Todos Santos Mexico Travel Guide

This post shares everything you need to know about visiting Todos Santos, a charming pueblo magico in Baja California Sur, Mexico. We’ll share the best things to do in Todos Santos, essential travel info, where to stay and what to eat.

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About Todos Santos

One of just two pueblo magicos, or magic towns, in Baja California Sur, the small town of Todos Santos is a magnet for artists, creatives and surfers.

Located in the southwest of the state, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, it is just over an hour from the wild resort cities of Los Cabos.

But Todos Santos couldn’t be more different. Where Cabo has grown into a raucous resort city, Todos Santos has managed to retain its small-town, laid-back feel, escaping the large-scale tourism development (for now).

Small as it may be, this charming little pueblo packs a punch and is oozing with cool. A dizzying number of beautiful boutique hotels will give even the most seasoned travellers FOMO when it comes time to choose just one.

Add in aesthetic cafes, farm-to-table restaurants, boho boutiques and a painfully quaint historic centre and Todos Santos really has the vibe. It is the perfect combination of chic and chill.

I haven’t even mentioned the miles of golden sand beaches, spectacular sunsets, epic surfing waves and hiking opportunities in desert mountains. Oh and don’t forget the chance to spot whales from the beach and release baby turtles into the ocean. Does it get much better than this?

Whilst Todos Santos is definitely not undiscovered, it has remained lowkey and small-scale. The centre can get busy with day trippers, but the town has spread outwards, meaning you can still find a quiet corner.

Unfortunately, there have been battles with the community and developers in the past few years, and chances are this small-town paradise is about to get a lot bigger. Now is the time to explore this charming pueblo.

Want the quick answer? Skip straight to 12 things to do in Todos Santos 👇🏼

Areas of Todos Santos

Todos Santos is a very small town compared to the likes of Los Cabos or La Paz. But despite its size, it is quite spread out.

Some of the larger hotels in the area are quite isolated and have become landmarks in their own right, and there are a few different neighbourhoods worth mentioning.

I will list the major areas here before we get into what to do in Todos Santos, so the rest of the post makes sense. 

• 🌈 Todos Santos Centro – the centre of town, and the first place you will arrive in Todos Santos. A well-made little grid of cobblestone streets, this is the most established area. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and cafes in this area, and you can easily explore the area on foot. It is not near the beach.

• 🌴 El Otro Lado – meaning ‘the other side’ in Spanish, this isn’t technically an official area, but rather a local term to collectively refer to everything north of the centro. Avenida General Topete runs out of the main town, and within a few minutes, you will be amongst a number of small neighbourhoods. This area is home to a lot of Airbnbs, popular cafes and restaurants. It still feels like a work in progress, with a lot of dirt roads and new buildings going up, but it is the up-and-coming area of Todos Santos. It is more affordable to stay here, and this is the closest beach access to town.

• 🐢 Las Tunas – technically encompassed in ‘El Otro Lado’, Las Tunas is one of these smaller neighbourhoods, that has gained a bit more name recognition. It’s around a 10-minute drive from the centre of town and has a number of cute cafes, restaurants and funky Airbnbs. Playa Las Tunas is the beach where the turtles are released, and it is becoming a more sought-after part of Todos Santos.

• 🏄🏼 Cerritos Beach and El Pescadero – Cerritos Beach is a popular surf spot, and most visitors to Todos Santos would spend at least some of their time here. The beach has become a bit of a suburb of its own, with new hotels and restaurants popping up around it. Technically it is part of the town of El Pescadero, which is a small agricultural area about 20 minutes south of Todos Santos. We split our time between the two areas and stayed in both Todos Santos and Cerritos/El Pescadero.

Our experience in Todos Santos

Todos Santos surprised us. We had very high expectations after seeing so much hype around it.

Personally, I loved it and the chilled-out vibe drew me in. But Brayden was a bit more hesitant. It is very spread out, and it can feel a bit fragmented having things to see and do in several different areas.

We were very happy to have a rental car, and would not have enjoyed our time at all without one. We were constantly in the car driving to the beach, out for breakfast, to activities etc. It’s not one of those places where you park the car and forget about it, we needed it every day.

But these concerns didn’t sway me, and after grasping the lay of the land, we thoroughly enjoyed a week in the area.

We spent three nights staying in the centre of Todos Santos, and another three nights staying further south in El Pescadero. We clustered the activities around the centro and northern area for the first few days and saved activities south of the town and at Cerritos Beach for the second half of the week.

🏄🏼 I have written a separate guide for the El Pescadero and Cerritos Beach area. I will mention a few highlights in this post, but we really think these spots are worthy of their own recognition, and not just as an add-on to Todos Santos.

There are so many things to do in Todos Santos, but I loved that many of those things were simply relaxing on the beaches, soaking up the café culture, enjoying daily sunsets and strolling around the town. It’s not an endless list of sightseeing and attractions to tick off.

After a busy few weeks of whale watching in Magdalena Bay, jam-packed days in Loreto and plenty of activities in and around La Paz, Todos Santos was the perfect place for us to slow down a little.

We did find Todos Santos very expensive and prices seem to be continuously increasing as the area gets more popular. The standard of restaurants and hotels is fantastic, so in most cases, it’s worth it, but we weren’t prepared for just how pricey things would be.

Sustainable travel in Todos Santos

Getting to Todos Santos

✈️ AIRPORTS NEAR TODOS SANTOS

Todos Santos doesn’t have an airport, but there are two nearby if you’re flying in:

• SJD – Los Cabos International Airport: 1-hour drive, well connected to the USA and Canada
• LAP – La Paz International Airport: 1.5-hour drive, mainly receives domestic flights

🚗 GETTING FROM THE AIRPORT TO TODOS SANTOS

The best way to see Todos Santos is via car, so we would suggest picking up a rental car from wherever you land.

🚗 Browse for rental cars from La Paz Airport or from Los Cabos Airport

Alternatively, Eco Baja Tours offers a shared shuttle service. They have a route departing from the Los Cabos International Airport and a route from the Malecon in La Paz (about 15 minutes from the airport).

🚌 GETTING TO TODOS SANTOS VIA BUS

If you’re already travelling around Baja without a car, you can reach Todos Santos from La Paz, Los Cabos or other parts of Baja California Sur via the Aguila bus.

These buses are new and comfortable long-distance buses and can be booked online.

Getting around Todos Santos

A road trip is the best way to see Baja California Sur, and Todos Santos is no exception. If a car is recommended in Baja, it is practically essential in Todos Santos.

Anyone who says otherwise is doing you a disservice, and having a car is really the only way to see the best of the area. There aren’t too many alternatives.

Although the centre of Todos Santos is very small and walkable, the town is not on the beach, and many of the best things to do in Todos Santos are outside of the centre. Todos Santos has spread out into multiple mini suburbs, and popular Cerritos Beach and El Pescadero are more than 20 minutes drive away.

If you want to enjoy the beaches, hikes, cafes and other Todos Santos activities, having a car is your best bet.

Some people rent bicycles, which could be a good option to get around the main town, the beach and possibly El Otro Lado and Las Tunas if you’re fit. But it would be difficult to get further than that, and I would not want to be riding a bike along the highway to Cerritos Beach.

There are a handful of taxis that usually hang around the bus terminal in town. Alternatively, hotels and restaurants can call a taxi for you but expect long wait times (and high prices!).

Driving gives you the most flexibility and you will be able to get a lot further than on two feet (or two wheels!).

There aren’t any car rental agencies in Todos Santos itself, so you need to arrive in town with a car. The best places to rent from is either La Paz or Los Cabos, and that takes care of your trip into Todos Santos too.

Besides the main town and the highway, the roads are mostly unpaved and can be bumpy in places. Nothing too crazy and a 4WD is not essential, you just need to take it easy.

That was part of the charm for us in Todos Santos, and we loved cruising down the dusty tracks to the beach.

12 Best things to do in Todos Santos

There are many things to do in Todos Santos to keep even the most active travellers busy! But the beauty of Todos Santos is that many of the best things to do are simply being present and enjoying the beautiful environment and laid-back atmosphere.

1. Stroll the gorgeous historic centre

The small town centre of Todos Santos is beautiful.

Like, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a town this beautiful, beautiful.

Cobblestone streets, colourful flags flapping in the breeze, old brick buildings and flowers blooming everywhere, I absolutely fell in love.

If you appreciate aesthetics, you are going to adore Todos Santos. The vibe here is impeccable. Art galleries sit next to boho boutiques, and patterned pottery spills out onto the footpath from the many market stalls.

The best way to see the centre is to start at one end and work your way through the grid-like streets to the other end.

I did not want to miss anything, so we may have done this walk on a few different occasions… Every street is prettier than the last, and it’s not a large area, so be sure to see it all!

The appeal of Todos Santos is the sum of its parts blended to create this charming centro. But there are a few popular spots to keep an eye out for on your stroll through town:

• 🏩 Hotel California – despite popular belief, this hotel was not the inspiration for the famous song by The Eagles. Nevertheless, it has become an iconic part of Todos Santos. We didn’t find it all that interesting, but you will no doubt wander past it.

• 🖼️ Casa de la Cultura – this historic building houses a small museum (nothing special), and some beautiful historic murals. It’s nothing too exciting but worth popping your head into.

• 💒 Todos Santos Mision – also known as Iglesia de Nuestra Señora Pilar, this is the original Jesuit mission in Todos Santos. A gorgeous old, colourful building on the outside, it has been renovated as the town’s main church on the inside.

• 🌈 Plaza Centro – the central plaza in Todos Santos, with the mission across the road, a beautiful theatre building and the typical Todos Santos letters.

• 🛍️ Cielito Lindo Market – this small, undercover market area features a number of stalls selling things like jewellery, clothes, candles, souvenirs and more. But what it’s most popular for is as a photo spot. If you’ve seen pictures of Todos Santos on Instagram, you’ve most likely seen the colourful patterned curved roof of a market, that’s here. And the wall of custom number plates – that’s here too.

• 🎨 Galleries – we aren’t big on art, but you will come across a number of beautiful galleries when wandering around the centro. Some of the best ones to visit are Galeria Logan, La Sonrisa de la Muerte and Galeria de Todos Santos.

• 👗 Boutique stores – I had to forcibly remove myself from some of the stunning boho-style boutiques around Todos Santos. Beautiful, ethical clothing, handmade jewellery and sustainable homewares are just some of the things for sale in these stores. As lovely and sustainable as they were, the price tag was well out of our budget, unfortunately. But if you’re looking for some shopping, some amazing stores to support are Nomad Chic, Etnica and Besame Mucho Bazaar.

• 🌿 Santa Terra building – a restored historic sugar mill, the Santa Terra building is one you can’t miss. The design here is gorgeous, preserving some of the old brickwork, and oozing with plants and lights. Best known for its oyster bar, Oystera, the building houses a number of shops, cafes and galleries. We splurged on a drink at the bar at Oystera, which was very pricey but worth it to feel a bit fancy for half an hour!

2. Hit the beach

Being on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula, the beaches in Todos Santos are pretty rough. But what they lack in the swimming department, they make up for in other ways!

The beaches here are big, wide-open expanses of golden sand that go on for miles and miles. They are perfect for a long walk in the sand, an incredible vantage point for sunset, and you can even spot whales playing close to shore in the winter months (more on that below!).

The very best part of the beaches in Todos Santos is that for the most part, they are completely undeveloped. Sure there are a couple of hotels and houses close to the beach, but the majority are set quite far back off the sand, and certainly don’t take up the entire beach.

With the exception of Cerritos Beach, there are no restaurants, no vendors and no one trying to sell you anything. You can lay on a towel in the sun, dip your toes in the water and enjoy the completely natural surroundings. A far cry from the jam-packed and noisy Medano Beach in Cabo.

Playa La Cachora

Also referred to as Playa Todos Santos, Playa La Cachora is the closest beach to the centre of town. This wild beach is pretty rough, but it has expansive golden sands and is a great spot for sunset and whale watching.

There are no facilities here, so pack whatever drinks and snacks you need. Most of our afternoons were spent reading and relaxing on the beach, and watching as the sky changed from blue to golden to a blend of reds, oranges and pinks.

Oh and don’t forget the whales playing just off the shore!

It takes under 10 minutes to drive from central Todos Santos. The road to get there is unpaved and quite narrow, but there is a parking area at the end. If you are staying in El Otro Lado, you could probably walk to the beach in under half an hour.

Playa Las Tunas (Playa Los Mangos)

This beach is a popular one, as it is where baby turtles are released. It’s the same stretch of sand as Playa La Cachora, just a little further north.

The waves here are even rougher though, so it’s not a good option for swimming unless you are a very confident swimmer. Again, a completely undeveloped and wild beach, the perfect spot for a long walk.

Unless you’re staying in Las Tunas, you’ll need to drive here. Yes – the road is bumpy!

Playa Punta Lobos

A popular beach with locals, Playa Punta Lobos is the best option for swimming as it is sheltered by a large rocky point.

What was once a beautiful natural beach has sadly been damaged by the luxury Hotel San Cristobal, which was questionably built despite environmental concerns. The beach is still public access without cost, but sadly it doesn’t have the same natural touch that it used to.

This beach is known as the fisherman’s beach, as each day they launch their boats in the morning, and return in the afternoon with their catch. There is no marina in Todos Santos, and it is amazing to see how the fishermen time their entrance to the beach with the waves. Riding into the sand at full speed, and pulling their engines up just in time!

If you’re on the beach in the mid-afternoon, you can ask to buy some of the day’s catch directly off the boats!

Playa Las Palmas

This is a beautiful deserted beach hidden away in a palm grove. The waters are rough, but sometimes small tidal pools form on the beach, offering a calm shallow spot for a splash around.

There are occasionally wild horses here, and we have been told they can get a little aggressive sometimes – so be aware!

The road to get here is quite bumpy with lots of potholes. A 4WD is best, or take it slow in a smaller car. There is a car park area, but a short walk through the palms is required to reach the beach.

Playa San Pedrito

This stunning beach is popular with campers and RV’ers, as they can set up right on the sand.

Located closer to El Pescadero than Todos Santos, the drive here is half the fun. You follow a sandy track through the arroyo (a dry riverbed) past the cacti onto the beach.

The only facility here is a great beach club, Amaya. We had an amazing afternoon here watching the sunset with a drink in hand and stayed into the evening with a bonfire on the beach.

Cerritos Beach

Cerritos Beach is the most developed beach in Todos Santos.

It’s best known as a surf beach, but whether you’re a surfer or not, this is a great spot to spend a day. You can rent chairs and umbrellas, there are vendors selling drinks and snacks, you can get massages on the beach and there are bathrooms available for a fee.

There are waves here (it is a surf beach after all!), but if you want to swim this is one of the calmer spots to try between the waves.

3. Release baby turtles into the ocean

Without a doubt, one of the cutest things to do in Todos Santos is to release baby sea turtles into the ocean at sunset.

Three types of endangered sea turtles come to the beaches of Todos Santos to lay their eggs each year. The Olive Ridley, Green (often referred to as Black here) and the critically endangered Leatherback. Tortugueros Las Playitas is a local non-profit environmental group that collects and protects sea turtle nests, by moving them to an incubated greenhouse in the cold winter months.

During the nesting season (from October – March), volunteers patrol the beaches nightly to find nests and transplant the eggs to the greenhouse. The greenhouse regulates the sand temperature, which is too cold in Todos Santos over the winter months for the eggs to properly incubate without deformities.

The greenhouse is monitored daily, and once the baby turtles hatch and climb to the surface they will be released that evening. Just after the sun has gone down, the little guys are sent on their way into the rough Pacific Ocean to start their journey of life!

Tortugueros Las Playitas plans for daily releases in December and January, most days in February and sporadically in March and April.

But, this is nature, and no one can control or predict it, so it’s best to check their Facebook page if you are visiting outside of the initial peak period to confirm when there will be releases.

Releases start at 5:00 pm in December, 5:30 pm in January, and from 6:00 pm in February onwards in line with the changing sunset times. Put ‘Tortugueros Las Playitas A.C.‘ in your map to find the release site on Playa Las Tunas.

There is no fee to watch the release, but it is encouraged to leave a donation. They rely on volunteers and don’t receive any government funding, so any support you can give helps them to continue the great work that they do.

4. Hike at Punta Lobos

Todos Santos is surrounded by the beautiful Sierra de la Laguna mountains, with miles of hiking trails to explore. One of the best hikes close to town is at Punta Lobos, to the ‘Puerto Viejo’ or old port.

We followed this trail on AllTrails, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) out-and-back. It leads to a stunning bay where you can see the remnants of the old port that was used to transport sugar cane. You can also climb down some steep rocks to the pebbly beach to have a swim.

To reach the trailhead, drive to Hotel San Cristobal and keep your eyes out for the abandoned building just before you reach the hotel. Park your car near the building, walk through it and towards the hill, where you should see a sign to Puerto Viejo.

The trail wasn’t too strenuous, with a gradual incline but absolutely stunning views! It is not shaded at all, so wear a hat and sunscreen, and bring plenty of water.

5. Whale watching

Every year in the wintertime, from November – March, the oceans around Todos Santos are teeming with whales.

Humpback and grey whales migrate south to the warm waters of the Baja Peninsula to mate and give birth, and in Todos Santos you are almost guaranteed to see them!

The best thing about whale watching in Todos Santos is that you don’t even need to do a tour.

Honestly, we just turned up at the beach, and within minutes there were multiple humpback whales blowing puffs of water, breaching, playing and splashing around! Humpbacks are more active and acrobatic than their grey counterparts, so they are the ones you are most likely to spot from the shore.

This happened on multiple occasions for us in February at a few different beaches along the coast. I have never seen whales hang around so close to the shore, and there were a few times when we were ready to grab our snorkels and jump in the chilly water because they were that close!

The whales can be seen from most beaches in Todos Santos, but we had the best luck spotting them from Playa La Cachora and Playa Las Tunas. We also saw them a few times at Cerritos Beach, but they weren’t as close to shore.

If you want to get a bit closer to the whales, it is possible to organise a whale watching tour. You will spend a few hours out on a boat with a local fisherman, searching for the whales and getting a better look at these acrobatic creatures.

There aren’t a whole lot of whale watching tours available from Todos Santos, compared with whale watching in Cabo, because there is no marina here and not so many tour companies.

Instead, you would be chartering an entire boat with a local captain, rather than paying a per-person fee on a tour. La Sirena Eco Adventures organises charters and is happy to connect smaller groups of travellers to reduce the cost if you can’t fill an entire boat. Omega Tours also offers private charters.

6. Enjoy a sunset

Being on the western coast of the Baja Peninsula, the sunsets in Todos Santos are really something special. Head down to any of the beaches, and you will be treated to a show.

Without the beachfront restaurants and vendors found in many other parts of Mexico, you can sit down on a near-empty beach, bring some Pacifico beers and simply enjoy nature in complete serenity.

If you can’t make it to the beach for sunset, head to the Todos Santos letters in Plaza Centro, and you will get a beautiful sunset view over the palm groves surrounding the town.

7. Take a yoga class

Todos Santos attracts a spiritual, wellness crowd and taking a yoga class is a quintessential experience.

Cuatro Vientos is a beautiful studio space in El Otro Lado that hosts a variety of different yoga, meditation and fitness classes each day. All classes are walk-in and you pay directly to the teacher. Check the schedule here.

8. Go surfing at Cerritos Beach

Cerritos Beach is a world-famous surf break and one of the most popular surfing spots in all of Mexico.

If you’re an experienced shredder, you can just head down to the beach and rent a board from one of the many companies along the sand. If you’re a newbie, book a lesson with Mario Surf School which has fantastic reviews.

Brayden rented a board and spent a day in and out of the waves. The conditions were a little choppy, but he had fun as an intermediate surfer.

9. Go fishing

Fishing is a huge part of the Todos Santos community, with Playa Punta Lobos at its core. Each day, local fishermen time their departure into the waves and head out in search of fish.

You can join them on a sportfishing tour with Explora Baja or Omega Tours.

You’ll jump onboard a panga boat with a local fisherman, sharing insider knowledge and experience to increase your chances of reeling in something good! You’ll be looking for tuna, mahi-mahi, marlin and mackerel.

If you’re very lucky, you might spot sea lions and humpback whales too!

10. Get a day pool pass

Accommodation in Todos Santos is very expensive compared to other parts of Mexico. Unless you’re on a big budget, you’re probably going to end up staying somewhere with less-than-ideal views, and in our case, a swimming pool that was green and looked like it hadn’t been swum in for five years…

But, never fear! If you want a lazy day by a pool and a chance to experience some of the beautiful design and styling Todos Santos is known for without the high price tag, there are options to buy a day pass.

Rancho Corazon is not actually a hotel, but a gorgeous multi-use space in a palm grove just outside town. It hosts two popular restaurants, DUM and Pescado.

They sell a day pass for $25 USD, which gives you access to their pool, a lounge chair and towel, bathroom and changing facilities and a free drink. You can then choose if you want to eat in any of their restaurants.

El Faro Beach Club is another option, a beachfront restaurant and pool bar. There is a cover charge of 650 pesos to access the pool and beach area, with use of all their facilities (towels, bathrooms, changerooms etc.). You can then order food and drinks on top of this fee if you wish.

The popular boutique beachfront hotel, Hotel San Cristobal offers limited day passes for $75 USD. I encourage you to please avoid this place. Choose to spend your valuable tourist dollars elsewhere.

12. Take a day trip

If Todos Santos is one part of a broader road trip around Baja Sur, you don’t need to worry about day trips. But if you’re staying for a week or longer, you should jump in the car and explore further afield!

All these options are within 1.5 hours drive and are best done with your own vehicle.

Although, local tour companies like Todos Santos Eco Adventures, Omega Tours and Explora Baja do offer some day trips departing from Todos Santos, mostly for boat/water-related activities.

• 🛥️ Cabo San Lucas | 1 hour: the rowdy, resort hub of southern Baja, you may be in Todos Santos as a means to escape from Cabo, but I do think it’s worth spending a day here! You can hike Mt Solmar with a group of dogs, take a water taxi out to El Arco and enjoy a more lively atmosphere with some great local restaurants.

• 🌈 San Jose del Cabo I 1 hour 15 minutes: the more sophisticated sibling to Cabo San Lucas, San Jose actually feels quite similar to Todos Santos. There is a charming historic centre with lots of galleries, great farm-to-table restaurants and beautiful empty beaches.

• 🏖️ La Paz | 1 hour: if you’re staying in Todos Santos for a significant amount of time, you should take multiple day trips into La Paz. There is so much to see and do here you can’t fit it into one day! Visit world-famous Balandra Beach and other gorgeous swimmable beaches, take a day trip to Isla Espiritu Santo to snorkel with sea lions, and swim with whale sharks in season.

• 🪁 La Ventana | 1 hour 30 minutes: best known as a kitesurfing town, La Ventana is the eastern counterpart to Todos Santos, swapping the rough Pacific Ocean for the calm Sea of Cortez. Hike amongst giant Cardon cactus, soak in hot springs or go on a marine snorkelling safari to look for rays, sea lions, dolphins and whales.

Where to eat in Todos Santos

If you love food and appreciate that the vibe of a place is just as important as what’s on the plate, Todos Santos is for you.

There are so many amazing farm-to-table and fine dining restaurants that unfortunately our budget wouldn’t allow for. Places like The Green Room, Hierbabuena and Jazamango get a lot of publicity and I’m sure they are fantastic, but we couldn’t justify the cost despite their quality.

If you’re on a budget too, don’t worry! We still managed to find the vibes we were chasing without the high price tags. The café culture in Todos Santos is next level and felt exactly like home to us (Melbourne, Australia – the café capital!). There is also a range of funky new midrange restaurants popping up that won’t break the bank.

CAFES ☕️

• Doce Cuarenta: the café in Todos Santos, Doce Cuarenta is a coffee roastery and bakery housed in a huge industrial-style building on the edge of town. Full of digital nomads, it’s a great spot to come with your laptop for a few hours. The internet is very fast (rare in Todos Santos), and you can get access for an hour with a code. All the pastries are delicious, and they have a breakfast menu with all the classics. Don’t miss their branch in La Paz too.

• La Esquina: located in El Otro Lado, La Esquina is a big open courtyard space hidden behind big brick walls. They serve up nice coffee, local options, and fresh smoothie bowls, salads and sandwiches. Another popular spot to work, or as a pre or post-yoga snack, being right across the road from Cuatro Vientos.

• Coffee Shop Las Tunas: hidden further away from the centro in the up-and-coming Las Tunas neighbourhood, this café is housed in a cute outdoor area, which also has an Airbnb on site (which looked beautiful!). Famous for their acai bowls, we can vouch for them, and the delicious coffee.

• Taller 17: known for its cold brew and cinnamon buns – a perfect combo in our opinion! The café is quite small, more takeaway than work-at-your-laptop, but this is a great spot for a caffeine hit as you explore the centro. Be prepared for a line!

TACOS AND MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS 🌮

• Santo Chilote: if you’re looking for fish tacos in Todos Santos, go no further than Santo Chilote. The options here are far wider than just pescado (fish) or camaron (prawn). You can choose from unique flavours like coconut-covered prawns, pastor fish, and even breaded crunchy avocado! Top it off with a big DIY salad bar full of delicious salsas and toppings, and you’ve got some very delicious seafood tacos.

• El Poblano: if Santo Chilote has a monopoly on fish tacos, El Poblano has the meat category covered. Mouth-watering al pastor and asada, this place doesn’t look like much from the outside but is well worth a visit. We absolutely loved the burritos here, but the tacos were delicious too. If you can take your eyes off your plate for a minute, be sure to watch the amazing chefs working the al pastor trompo (spit). Their knife work is seriously impressive, both for their speed and precision!

• Tacos La Paceña: this unassuming street stall is a Todos Santos institution for fish and seafood tacos. Located on Calle Manuel Marques de Leon, in front of the Banorte and Coppel, you can pull up a chair and enjoy fish, prawn, scallop and marlin tacos at a very affordable price. Hours online are incorrect, wander past for the latest.

• 5 Tacos and a Beer: located in Las Tunas, 5 Tacos and a Beer is as the name suggests – you can get five tacos and a beer for 195 pesos (at the time of writing). You get a little menu sheet where you fill in what you want, with classic choices like asada, cochinita and adobado. The tacos aren’t the best or biggest in town, but the setting is a cute outdoor space, strung up with fairy lights and some great tunes playing. This is the perfect spot to head for dinner after the turtle release, which is just up the road.

• Pacifica Fish Market: another popular spot in El Otro Lado, serving up seafood in a slightly more upscale way. They have the classics, fish tacos and burritos, with some unique twists, as well as seasonal specials like poke bowls and sushi rolls. The burritos are delicious and huge, and we definitely could have shared one between two.

• Poke Loko: just as much a live music venue/bar, as it is a restaurant. With a busy calendar of bands, DJs and events, this is a great spot to head for a drink with your meal. As the name suggests, poke bowls are a main feature on the menu, pizzas are also available in this gorgeous outdoor space.

DESSERTS AND SWEET TREATS 🍦

• Churro Cart: the most delicious spot of all, the churro cart! Located on Calle Manuel Marques de Leon in front of Banorte, just next to the Tacos La Paceña. Hours are irregular, but it’s worth popping past in the evening to check if they are open. It’s worth the wait for the warm, sugary churros slathered in your choice of toppings like chocolate, condensed milk or caramel.

• Neveria Rocco: grabbing an ice cream, or paleta (popsicle) is a quintessential Todos Santos activity, and Neveria Rocco is a great spot for it. Housed in a charming historic building, this handmade ice cream is the perfect treat on a sunny day.

Where to stay in Todos Santos

The accommodation options in Todos Santos are incredible. There are so many stunning boutique hotels to choose from it is overwhelming.

And for someone on a tight budget, extremely disappointing!

The prices here are very high in comparison to other parts of Baja. You get what you pay for, and if you have a bit of coin to play with, you can enjoy some seriously nice accommodation. Some of our top picks are below.

🏩 For more information about where to stay, check out our Todos Santos accommodation guide. It breaks down the main neighbourhoods in Todos Santos and suggests hotels in each area (including in Cerritos Beach), for a range of budgets.

BUDGET OPTIONS

• 💰 Perro Surfero: located in El Otro Lado, you’ve got easy access to town and the beach. This funky, laidback option has a communal hostel vibe, but with boutique private rooms. Guests share a communal kitchen, fire pit and a pool.
• 💰 Cien Palmas: all your boho desert dreams come true, Cien Palmas is located in a palm grove in the heart of the historic centre. With three fully equipped casitas, you’ll enjoy tranquil outdoor spaces filled with hammocks and day beds amongst cacti and bougainvillea.
• 💰 Todos Santos Hostel: with traditional dorm beds and private glamping tents, this is the best option if you’re on a tight budget. A short walk from town, you can keep costs down with a communal kitchen. There is speedy Wi-Fi and lots of nice hangout spaces.

MID-RANGE OPTIONS

• 💰💰 Tribu Todos Santos: located on an empty beachfront in Las Tunas, Tribu has funky adobe tepees and gorgeous villa-style rooms. They have a focus on wellness, with ample space for yoga and all the equipment.

• 💰💰 Hotel Casa Tota: a gorgeous boutique option in the centre of town, Casa Tota is the perfect blend of historic and modern. With a preserved brick façade outside, and sleek lines and polished concrete inside, you get the best of both worlds.

• 💰💰 Los Calibris Casitas: overlooking the gorgeous Playa La Cachora and palm-filled lagoon, you can watch whales from your balcony and enjoy stunning sunsets. Many rooms have kitchen facilities, and the grounds and pool are lovely.

HIGH-END OPTIONS

• 💰💰💰 Desierto Azul: set inside an arroyo, with views of the stunning Sierra de la Laguna mountains and a short walk to an empty beach, you can really reconnect with nature here. Architecturally designed with sustainable operations, the desert aesthetic here is unparalleled.

• 💰💰💰 Villa Santa Cruz: the epitome of romantic luxury, Villa Santa Cruz is set on the shores of Playa La Pastora. With just 15 rooms with categories like beachfront tented suites, you will immediately fall in love with everything about this property.

• 💰💰💰 Guaycura Boutique Hotel, Beach Club & Spa: situated in the heart of Todos Santos, Guaycura is housed in a historic red-brick building that is so emblematic of the town. Their rooftop pool is the perfect sunset vantage point, and the hotel is connected to El Faro Beach Club too.

Final thoughts on Todos Santos

Todos Santos is the perfect antidote to the busier, more wild Los Cabos.

You get the best of both worlds, enjoying a laidback, small-town vibe, without forgoing the chic hotels, stunning interiors and charming centro.

This, combined with the beautiful empty beaches, miles of desert hiking trails and some amazing wildlife encounters, Todos Santos really has it all.

There are so many things to do in Todos Santos, and I hope this post has helped plan your itinerary in this quaint town.

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