How to save money on your visit to Los Cabos

How to save money on your visit to Los Cabos

This post is based on my personal experience on how I make my vacation and how I had the opportunity to come to Los Cabos on several occasions and until by chance of destiny it became my home. I hope it will serve as motivation for you to visit, remember that you don't have to be a millionaire to travel and see Mexico.

If you are planning to visit Los Cabos in the near future, but you have a tight budget or you do not want to spend a considerable amount of money, this post we put some tips that will be very useful to save money.

Los Cabos has a reputation for being an expensive place, and the reason is that it is in an area far from the rest of the Mexican Republic, the vast majority of food has to come by boat from Mazatlán to La Paz, this makes the prices of the products a little more expensive than in central Mexico.

However, there are different tips that can be followed to avoid spending huge amounts of money on your visit to this city.

The focus that will be given to this post is backpacking style, so it won't be very glamorous, but trust me you will see the same places as a person who moves in luxury cars

Have a total and daily budget

It is important to have control of your finances and know how far your limits are and what you can and cannot do. This way you will know if the destination fits your characteristics, that is why this part is one of the first you should keep in mind.

If you are not careful, you are only going to spend and spend and when you realize it the account is empty or you have the credit cards full

Have a plan - study the place to visit -

It may seem like a joke, but there are people who do not do the homework about the activities to do and do not have an overview of the prices of the excursions.

It is important to identify what activities are available and what you would like to do, as well as being within your budget so that you can compare prices and make a decision from there.

I always recommend having 3 quotes from different places and deciding based on a concept of price and quality. Depending on how confident they make you feel, how they respond to you, how fast they do it, contact phones, payment methods, cancellation policies, all are factors to take into account. In addition to what type of transportation would be included without forgetting what things are included and what is not, the more detailes the better, it is synonymous of quality and experience.

This time of analysis and reflection is very important because it will allow you to identify the companies that best suit your budgets and make the best decision without the pressure of making a hasty decision.

There is nothing worse than waking up and not knowing what to do, after spending so much money to get to Los Cabos or not being able to visit those places or activities because there were no more spaces (especially during vacation time)

I always recommend booking two days in advance, so that on those days different providers can be compared, whether online or physical, and from there make the most appropriate decision.

Listen in the same way to the advice and recommendations of friends or family who have already visited and you have the confidence that they will give you an answer based on your characteristics. Watch videos on YouTube and read the blogs of the travelers who have been there, sometimes we have a wrong idea of the place or they can give you more ideas of places maybe not so well known but very nice to visit

Quote, Quote Everywhere

You have to compare prices and quality, because you can find great deals in the least thought-of places. Try to buy direct from suppliers to avoid third parties, but always keep in mind your budget that is the basis of how much you can pay.

Here I want to pause and make some very important things clear, DO NOT go for the cheapest, you have to analyze the quality of the service, what it includes, what type of boat it is, how long it lasts.

Of course if it is cheap and meets your expectations, then one less thing to quote.

Your quote must be based on your expectations, and have a good balance of quality and price.

How to move

Public transport

The short answer is by bus, in the Los Cabos area there is only one main road, it is called the Transpeninsular Highway, and there are different bus lines that run the route between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas and have stops at the most popular places. Important in both cities, they can leave you in Playa El Chileno or Bahía de Santa María which are very nice public beaches, or if you are in San José and want to go to San Lucas this is the best option.

There are two options: desert route (yellow or purple) or Cabo Baja (blue).

Uber

As of today (2019), Uber is already in place in Los Cabos, however, to date, there are still many problems with the taxi union and the service is not yet 100% established.

Rent a car

It is the most comfortable option, especially if you plan on knowing the surroundings of Los Cabos such as Todos los Santos, Cerritos, Los Barriles, La Paz etc. It gives you a lot of freedom of movement, although it is not the cheapest way.

Airport

Los Cabos airport is on the outskirts of San José del Cabo, quite far from Cabo San Lucas, the transport service from the airport to San Lucas is quite expensive at approximately 1000 pesos mxn, there is an option that is economical, if you walk 10- 15 minutes there is a bus stop, you just have to ask someone where it is located, check this link

The service is quite decent, some buses have AC, and they pass very often, this option is the one used by local people who have to work at the airport or in nearby places and have no way of getting there in their own car. This is honestly the cheapest option

Where to eat

A very effective way to save money is to observe the local people who work in the tourist area, who have long working hours, where do they eat?

If you are looking to save money, you should not eat in the Cabo San Lucas marina, The prices are very high, my recommendation is to go one or two blocks inland from the city, where you will find cheap kitchens. It is easy to know if the food is good if there are local people eating it is a sign of good, nice and cheap.

Another option is to eat in the OXXO with the packages that are in force such as hot dogs, they are another economic option, there is also the possibility of eating at McDonald’s, there is one near Puerto Paraíso.

Although the best option is to go to a large store like the mega or in the OXXO, it is also a good option and buy food and make it in your condo, Try to rent an apartment with a kitchen and a small refrigerator for a quick breakfast.

You can take your lunch to the beach, or some places that are going to visit.

Where to Stay

What you should always check are 3 things, location, comments and if they offer breakfast.

This is an answer that depends on the travel expectation. If you are like me, who only uses the hotel to sleep, you want to take advantage of the day and get to know as many places as possible (remember that going on vacation is very expensive and time is money).

I recommend renting a clean hotel that is close to the places you want to visit, there are also AIRBNB options, if that is the case try to have a kitchen and a refrigerator to store some fruit, milk, juices etc.

You can also do something like hybrid, which is the first 2-3 days to stay in a cheap hotel / condo and do as many activities and then the last few days to enter an All-Inclusive hotel, where you can rest, enjoy the facilities , pools, food, drinks etc. And that way you have the best of both worlds.

Bargain

Yes. Some people don't like it (I am one of those people), but if you are looking to save you can do it with subtlety, let me explain.

You have to start the haggling process (it is an art) as follows, you can say that you are interested in a certain product and say that you are very interested but that you are thinking about it, that you want to see other options and what is the best price and if they give you a good price, you will probably buy more products, etc.

You can leave the establishment to see other options and then return to see if they dare to give you a better price.

However, there are certain stores where there is no haggling since they are established prices, usually large stores, but good places are craft stores, excursions, even jewelry stores. Believe me do not go with the first price, check the product carefully, check if it is in good condition, that it does not have hanging threads or small damages that make you regret the purchase, and do not waste time returning to request a refund.

Vacation season

Try not to travel during the holidays, as prices are more expensive for accommodation and plane tickets, for example, Christmas - New Year, Easter, the dates with the lowest rates are summer and the best month is September, Although it is also a hurricane season. If you can come in February this is the whale season.

Keep this in mind so that you do not pay more, although the same if there is no other option but to travel on those dates, try to buy the flights in advance to take advantage of any promotion or discount.

Bring what is necessary

What I am refering to is if you re going snorkeling, it is important to bring your own gear so you don't have to waste money renting. Another great idea is to bring a cooler to put drinks or food to bring along to the beach

If you are going to the beach several times, consider buying a cheap umbrella in the supermarket, likewise bring swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, glasses, hats or caps, so you do not have to be buying anything in a hurry and of course everything more expensive.

Enjoy

These are just some tips, there may be more, they are small things or attitudes, It is important that the whole family is on the same channel when going to have fun, but always with clear and simple rules

My last tip, read a lot of information about the place, blogs, videos, the preparation process is very rewarding and if you are one of those people who likes research and knows all the options in Los Cabos, we recommend that you read this Los Cabos blog, is one of the most complete and quality in the area, click here

Although you do not think about it much, have a plan, but be flexible, but the most important thing and the main reason is to have fun with your family or with your loved ones. Remember that vacations are to enjoy and discover new places. I hope you enjoy Los Cabos as much as I did.

If this information has been interested for you, we ask you to share it through your social networks, but if you have a blog or a website, we ask you to put a link to this article, for us it means a lot, in advance Thanks a lot!

"Paul Zamora"