Los Cabos: Why this Mexican town has become one of the fastest growing tourist spots in the world

Serving as a holiday home to some of the world’s biggest A-listers, this is why the once sleepy peninsula has become a mecca for Aussie travellers.

When it comes to beachside holidays, Australian travellers are pretty spoiled for choice.

We have the sunny Gold Coast, Sydney’s bustling eastern suburbs and of course the white sands that snake up and down our western state.

But when it comes to that key combo many of us look for in a destination (for me, it’s cocktails, cuisine and a lush coastline without moving an inch) there’s a reason why more and more of us are fleeing halfway around the world to a destination once dominated by the rich and famous.

When cocktails and canapes come with this view, you know you’re on to a winner. Picture: iStock

Thanks to the lavish 2018 wedding of Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarborough, Los Cabos has never been as hot for Aussie travellers as it is right now.

Dishing up mouth-watering Mexican fare, turquoise blue waters and enough tequila to put you straight into holiday mode — Cabos has launched itself as being one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world.

For the Americans, the southern tip of Baja California landed on the map as a sought after holiday destination nearly 50 years ago. But for the rest of us now catching on, the five-star resorts, endless eateries and authentic desert-meets-beach experiences are keeping it on top of the list.

Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough wedding in Cabo. One & Only Palmilla resort

Karl Stefanovic and his fiance Jasmine Yarbrough pictured at the One & Only Palmilla resort in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Having never explored the west coast of Mexico before, I’d only read about the sunny peninsula in glossy mags (thanks to lavish holiday pap snaps of George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Justin Bieber frolicking in the Pacific).

But despite what I’d seen, I was pretty confident I knew what to expect from the “resort town to the Stars”.

Bikinis, booze and beaches.

But within 12 hours of arriving, this Mexican destination proved to be so much more than a sanctuary for Hollywood’s elite.

Los Cabos is surrounded by some of the most luxurious resorts imaginable, like ‘Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort’ where I spent four nights.

As we made our descent in to the local airport, which is tucked away in the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula, the tropical oasis felt far more authentic than any other spot I’d travelled to in the country.

As we made our way to our first stop before check-in, we were met by one of the ‘two brothers’ of Mexico’s west coast.

You see, Los Cabos combines two major towns along the peninsula: Cabos San Lucas (think “spring break”) and San Jose del Cabo (the more cultured of the pair).

The two parts of town, like siblings, are pretty polar opposite and serve as a playground for various demographics seeking a multitude of experiences.

San Jose del Cabo brings art, architecture and Mexican ambience into one spot.

If you like to party, Cabos San Lucas offers bars and parties in spades.

San Jose was our first stop along the Pacific Coast towards our resort. Think art, architecture and an abundance of boutique shopping. With a total population of 69,788 inhabitants, this part of the peninsula felt somewhat more authentic than it’s slightly wilder sibling positioned just a 30 minute drive away.

Partying by night — and even a little during the day — Cabos San Lucas is like every spring break movie imaginable — and more.

Los Cabos brings the desert to the ocean.

Drinks, music and dancing — the town is, simply put, wild and free. It’s easy to get swept up in the commotion that spills from the clubs onto the kerb. But if you’re not so inclined, there are a few quieter bars by the marina.

But what both have in common is the beauty and accessibility from one experience to another that explains why tourists come time and time again.

TO STAY:

When it comes to finding accommodation, the peninsula that stretches along the Sea of Cortez offers tourists everything from family resorts to couples only retreats and even super luxe villas in tune with the “celebs on vacay” status Los Cabos has become synonymous for.

Just a 2½-hour flight from Los Angeles, it’s a quick connection following a flight from Australia.

On a coastline where the rugged desert meets the blue waves of the Pacific, Los Cabos has a few standouts along the 32km seafront corridor.

Inside the luxurious resort known as ‘Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort’.

I stayed at ‘Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort’ one of the newest resorts in the region. This luxury accommodation has been transformed into a breathtaking architectural destination that has kept indigenous culture at the forefront of their design.

As soon as you walk into the marbled foyer and gaze out to the panoramic sea views, you’re instantly in holiday mode.

The complex is huge, with 128 rooms in total broken up by cactus-filled gardens and water features.

Some of the suites have their own plunge pool just 10 steps from your bed.

Come for the view, stay for the cocktails.

Each room is designed with local Mexican materials, like Huanacaxtle wood and bamboo, textured marble floors and wall sculptures.

But it’s the outside area where the real heritage lies.

Inside the stunning rooms at ‘Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort’ with some having their own private plunge pool.

Inside the luxurious resort known as ‘Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort’ which is one of the newest and most luxurious resorts on the peninsula.

Dotted around the property is 500-year-old cactus flanked by local shrubs and plunge pools.

The main pool serves truckloads of guac and mixes cocktails by the bucketload, and you don’t have to move a finger.

It’s the perfect combination of desert-meets-ocean, and easily sits on my list of best hotels ever.

TO EAT:

If there is one food I think I could live off for good, it would be a bowl of corn chips and a hefty serving of guac drenched in lime juice.

In Los Cabos — from the hotels to beachside bars — the food is aplenty and honestly puts any other Mexican fare I’d consumed elsewhere to shame.

But for a place where you spend most of your time in a bikini, it can be a challenging combination.

The tacos are full of colour and flavour.

Come for the cocktails, but stay for the tacos.

The guacamole served poolside at ‘Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort’ is like nothing I’d ever tasted.

With balmy nights and warm days (Los Cabos receives next to no rain) most dining takes place under the stars.

One of the best dinners I experienced was by the clifftops that overlooked Chileno Bay Beach (which sits around halfway between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo).

The restaurant — which has won a string of awards — brings regional flavours to your table, where fresh seafood is cooked at your table. Don’t pass up on the BBQ octopus!

Flora Farm has serious paddock to plate vibes.

The 10-acre property is an Instagrammers dream.

If you’re after a paddock-to-plate vibe, which gives off major The Farm Byron Bay vibes, you have to pay a visit to Flora Farms.

The 10-acre property is often frequented by George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio, and even hosted the lavish wedding of Maroon 5 frontman, Adam Levine.

The property also hosts weddings, including Maroon 5's frontman Adam Levine.

Flora Farms was created by a couple from Napa, California.

Flora Farms is in the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains in San Jose del Cabo, where the kitchen is all about handmade food using a multitude of ingredients from their farm. The property has an organic brewery, a bakery, accommodation on site and even a spa. But the main attraction would have to be the restaurant, which dishes up a modern twist on Mexican fare.

Flora Farms has serious paddock to plate vibes.

Founded by an American couple from Napa, it’s an Instagrammers dream — especially at sunset.

TO EXPLORE:

Probably the closest must-do stop if you’re staying in San Jose is the weekly Art Walk which offers visitors a complete culture fix.

Each Thursday night between November and June, you grab a glass of wine and meander around the thriving local art scene and small boutiques, taking in everything from street food to incredible architecture.

The art walk in San Jose del Cabo happens each Thursday evening between November and June.

The event was established by the Gallery District Association in the hopes of drawing art lovers and tourists away from the Main Square and into the colour-filled backstreets located behind the church.

The art walk in San Jose del Cabo was created to lure tourists away from the main square and to check out other areas of town.

During the art walk, often galleries will have special events like an “artist in attendance” talks or openings of new exhibitions.

Make sure you stop to hydrate at La Lupita just off the main art walk drag — and maybe sneak in a late night taco too.

But if you feel like getting your heart racing — and taking a dip with the largest shark in the world isn’t quite to your liking — perhaps heading to the desert and exploring on horseback is.

Set among the cactus sits Cuadra San Francisco, a working ranch just off the Sea of Cortez.

Set among the cactus sits Cuadra San Francisco, a working ranch just off the Sea of Cortez.

Surrounded with brightly coloured stables and woven horse blankets, the ranch was founded in October 1994 by Francisco J Barrena.

As an actual working ranch training Spanish horses, the tours offered include a combination of private arena-based lessons or private trail rides through the desert hills.

It’s hot — and dusty — on the trails, but totally worth the trip. The sandy tracks wind up the mountains, and offering riders uninterrupted views of the peninsula below.

Why Los Cabos is becoming a holiday hotspot for Aussie travellers.

The writer was a guest of Visit Los Cabos.