Pearl

We've been to Acapulco, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta? Can anyone give some comparisons? We like nice beaches, good weather, shopping, good restaurants and nightlife. We've loved all our trips so far, but we've gone to larger cities so not sure if Cabo is for us. Please share any advice! Thanks

Fun for some

It is a lot of fun if you thinking kicking balls and humping skunk and getting drunk are fun. Ya it is Timeshare Hawkers paradise. Do a goolge on Timeshare Scams Cabo and read Latin Trade. It is beach vendoring at its worst and it is bloody expensive for anyone who appreciates value for your dollar. It is teenage hookers, young boys and drugs dealt out on the street. If you are a couple of old fogies they will leave you alone. It is loud, lewd, tacky tourist bars, overpriced silver shops and a polluted marina. <BR><BR>It is full of low lifes that have gravitated from the States to live the life of la la and the only way they can manage to live there {rules of employment] is to hawk a piece of real estate or time share on you. By the way the market is down, down down.<BR><BR>How much do you want to pay to sit in a dump of a town is the question you should ask yourself?

wishiwerethere

Above post is unfortunately true, BUT...there are some wonderful resorts nearby which are self-contained and therefore immune to most of the ills described. You won't get the shopping and nightlife though.

Dale

We usually spend the day there off a cruise. Take a local boat to Los Arcos.<BR>It's a city that has developed to appeal to Americans and unfortunately to<BR>much to fast. It's like the PV Marina area with more beach. It's enjoyable in moderation. Nice break from the cruise ship. Actually cruising to these ports is a better value and just enough exposure. Regards

Angielita

Help Dad send Money.<BR><BR>Message: They call me Doodly Squat<BR>Cuz I always have the trots<BR>Flim Flam is my game<BR>Bullshit is my middlename<BR><BR>I fly around Cabo Town<BR>in a spiffy white car<BR>The top is always down<BR>I think I am a star<BR>I believe I will go far<BR><BR>I am very easy to reach<BR>My office is Medano Beach<BR>I like to put on the airs<BR>The wind blowing thru my blond hair<BR>I live a life of no cares<BR>Just try to get you into Timeshare<BR><BR>Don't Call my name out loud<BR>I am no down here as a fraud<BR>I am ever so fat<BR>And really am a brat<BR><BR>I give out business advice<BR>Back home I am sought by the vice<BR>Someone of whom you should be careful<BR>I will try and hawk you a land deal special<BR><BR>I hang out with the Humdingers<BR>A gang of Gringo Dingers<BR>They call us the Cabo Lice<BR>we have paid off the local vice<BR><BR>We are on a permanent vacation<BR>Flim Flam is our occupation<BR>Anyone with common sense <BR>wouldn't lend us two cents<BR><BR>Come on down We will spin round the town <BR> my car the top is always down<BR>Its on a yearly lease <BR>from a company I have fleeced<BR><BR>Oh a tourist with cash I am happy to greet<BR>I have people for you to meet<BR>they have so many good deals<BR>from the tourist they do steal<BR>They call me Doodly Squat<BR>I always got the trots<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

XXX@xxx

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amber

OH my gosh! Such Negativity! Yeah Cabo is no Costa Rica but gosh Cabo is wonderful! Its definatly more &quot;American&quot; than say PV or Aculpulco....smaller too. But it has charm, lots of it. Ive came across drug dealers in PV and Cancun but NEVER in Cabo. Good clean fun and everything is in a walkable distance from each other. The nite life is wonderful...NO CANCUN mind you, but fun and relaxed, more of a mixed age crowd, the little open aired bars are fabulous. There are many wonderful resturants and as always the seafood in MX is to die for and cheap if you travel off the beaten path. Ask locals for good suggestions too. They are all too happy to help. You have been to MX before so you know what to expect. Beach Vendors are beach vendors. Just flag them away and they will leave you alone, want something? BARGIN! we all know the deal. You should go! The beaches are clean and bueatiful! The Golf Resorts are amazing! The Hotels are mostly all within 10 years old, so they are gorgeous! everyone speaks english, ect ect! Have fun, form your own opinion based on your own expierence! And dont forget to Let us know what you think!

Capt. Mike

Oh My gosh Cabo is no Costa Rica, it is no Maui or Cuba or Grand Caymans or Virgin Islands nor is it Greece or Turkey or anywhere else that is cultural interesting or exotic. <BR><BR>Cabo is Bullshit, Timeshare Hawkers, Bullshitin Realtors, Flim Flam and Scam. Cabo Is Murder on the Streets, Police ATM extortion, Cabo is overpriced, rough and dangerous beaches and American Fast Food joints, overpriced seedy bars, Strippers, hookers and drugs. Yes it is all there waiting for you. Cabo is Rich American developements surrounded by guards and stone walls. {Wonder when these rich Americans will become subject to the New Mexican Fad for getting hands on fast crime Kidnapping which is not viewed as an extreme crime at all in Mexico.}<BR><BR>Mexico is American developers, American entrepreneurs, American timeshare, American Real Estate develepoment all after your hard earned money. All trying to convince you that you have found a piece of heaven in Cabo. Bullshit. Overpriced and to close to the United States.

bob

How can anyone compare Cabo to PV, Cancun, or almost anywhere else except maybe a bombed out third world country. Cabo is unlike anywhere else. There is absolutely no community spirit in the place. Its a dirty rundown village inhabited by crooks, drug dealers, con artists, whores, gigolos, poor unfortunate locals who have no choice in the matter. If you go to Cabo (and I won't again) your best vacation choice is to get reservations at a very nice resort (expensive-everything is expensive in Cabo) and spend your vacation within the resort area. That's not the way I would want to spend a vacation but to each their own way. The area is desolute. There is nothing of any value to see except maybe that rock just offshore with a hole in it &amp; that won't take much of your time. If you liked Puerto Vallarta with all its sights &amp; friendly accommodating locals you will not like Cabo.

xxx

A Freaking hell hole sums it up quite nicely.

SandGypsy

I noticed all these replies are VERY old and really out of date. So, let's set the record straight.

Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas and Cabo San Jose) are quite developed going into 2013. Big box stores like Lowes and Walmart now mar the desert landscape. CONVIENCE provided for tourists as well as full time expats so you can live and visit a foreign country and fee just like you are at home. That being said, let's talk about the REAL Cabos.

There are 2 corridors of hotels strung along the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez. The sea side is more tranquil and has plenty of swmming beaches. The ocean side is less swimmable as you have strong currents and under tows due to the sea meeting the ocean. More beach activities are available on the sea side vs the ocean side due to that.

Cabo San Lucas is quite diverse. From multi-million dollar homes to BoHo style apartments renting at less than $500 USD per month. There is the "new downtown" with growth near the main Marina and there is the "old downtown" here locals live and shop.

The cruise ships come into the Marina area, and it is very carnival/Disney like as you see tour guides in white and green polo shirts, with numbered ping pong type paddles up in the air as they walk the cruise tours from the ships to their destinations: glass bottom boats, pirate ship cruises, mini-sub diving, etc. There are actually arrows painted on the sidewalks so the tours know which way to go.

In the older area of Cabo, you'll find the traditional "Mexican" style markets selling blankets, hats, etc. Grab a fresh fish taco from a local vendor - YUM

You also have the mega bars like Hard Rock Cafe, Squid Roe, Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo along with local favorites like Tanga Tanga, Cabo Cafe, Cabo Lounge, the newer Pier 19, Besos (temp closed for repairs as of Oct 2012) and others.

So, you can party all night at the mega bars or hang out at the local places, hear some great music and enjoy good food.

My suggestion, go to both. Enjoy the true flavors of the town you are visiting.

In Cabo San Jose, about 20 minutes away, is the other hotel corridor. Most of the resorts are all inclusive, so those tourists typically just say on resort property. That's fine, but they really don't get to see "what's out there"

We stayed an the all-inclusive, all adult Temptations in Jan 2012. It has since changed to a clothing-optional resort and is now called Desire. It had a great vibe, lots of parties, and a great crowd of tourists from the U.S. and Canada. (FYI Cabo is to Canada what Flordia is to the U.S.)

I used to own and manage restaurants, so my professional opinion of the food was Very Good - Excellent at Tempations. They offer food basically from 7 am - 3 am. Start off breakfast with an enormous buffet that includes cook to order omeletes as well as fresh pastries, bread, cheese, fruit at at least 6 hot entrees including Spanish/Mex tradional.

Lunch is lighter fare poolside. Includes salad bar, buffet entrees and cook to order sandwiches, burgers etc. If you don't see something featured, just ask. They'll grill you up fresh fish, chicken, etc.

Dinner has 2 options: Theme buffet with grill to order fish, steaks, etc. or Miko's Japanese. Personally, if you go to Miko's do the Hibatchi grill. Their off menu items were just "ok" when we stayed there.

Multiple bars here, carrying all the standard top shelf drinks, but beer is pretty much limited to local Mx beer. There is a Mega store nearby so if you REALLY need that Miller Light, go there, buy it and keep it in your room. Buy cans, no glass in the pool areas.

At the time, you could also get a day pass into Temptations for $75 USD. I don't know if they do that now under the Desire brand. I give Tempations 4 stars (would be 5 but its on the Pacific side, so you can enjoy the beach, but not really swim in the ocean - wade yes, swim at your own risk)

Yes, both places - Cabo San Jose and Cabo San Lucas are wild, puking drunk parties during Spring Break - same goes for most Spring Break destinations. If you don't like that scene, then don't go there at that time of year. Common sense, people.

Timeshares - well, I can't remember ANY place touristy that I have been that DOESN'T have timeshare hawkers: Florida, Hawaii, Flordia, Aruba, The Bahamas, St. Maartin, etc. Did I mention Florida???

Just ignore the sales people. A firm NO GRACIAS usually does it. Either that or just look at them cross-eyed, babble like an idiot in some made up language and they'll probably ignore YOU !

Los Cabos are filled with wonderful people from all over the world. Cabo San Lucas prides itself on being clean and as crime free as possible.

Yes, they are party towns, but they are also places where people LIVE and WORK full time. The locals are gracious, inviting gente who put up with nasty Americans, with bad attitudes who want Starbucks, McDonalds, and Walmarts.

Well, one out of 3 ain't bad - if you want everything to be like it is where you live, then why bother leaving home in the first place???

Go - Enjoy - Be a good Tourist/Visitor - Embrace the Diversity

Or, just stay home and read stuff like this on the internet.

suze

SandGypsy,
Why not just start a new thread to share your current information? Instead of dredging up one from a decade ago. By topping such an old post, you're only causing people to read thru all the information you say is incorrect.

suze

and Welcome to Fodor's btw!

Stewbear

Wow Suze!
You know I'm not a big fan of Cabo but IT AIN'T as Bad as These people say.
Some very unfair/untrue comments here. Shame on them.

suze

i know i know!!!

but that's why if sandgypsy wants to say GOOD things about Cabo better to start a new thread (not bring this old one up so everyone reads all this junk one more time)