La Paz Travel Guide
Everything you need to know about planning a trip to La Paz Mexico
LA PAZ TRAVEL GUIDE CONTENTS
Quick Info | Book Your Trip | La Paz Blog | Things To Do | Hotels | Restaurants | Nightlife | Budget | FAQ
The city of La Paz is still one of the most Mexican cities filled with culture, food, and outdoor activities. Backed by the Sea of Cortez (the Aquarium of the World), La Paz is a great vacation destination for those who are looking for something different from the obligatory Los Cabos vacation circuit. It is just 2 hours of Los Cabos and La Paz is still cheaper than most destinations in Baja California Sur. Here’s a complete guide on how to do your vacation in La Paz Mexico.
✈️ La Paz Travel Guide: Quick Info
- 🇲🇽 State: Baja California Sur
- ⏰ Timezone: Mountain Standard Time (GMT-7)
- ✈️ Airport: La Paz International Airport
- 💲 Currency: Mexican pesos (MXN) with $ sign used. Don’t confuse it with US$ or USD.
- 🔌 Power plug: Mexico uses a type A socket (US, Canada). For more information about power plugs in Mexico, see this link (with photos)
- 📱 Mexico sim card: The best provider that works in Sayulita area and the Riviera Nayarit is Telcel. See our complete Mexico sim card guide for more information.
- 📡 Wifi: The average Wifi speed in La Paz is 15 Mbps with a fiber optic connection of up to 50 Mbps.
- 🛃 Visa: Mexico is no longer giving 180 days visa to tourists so make sure that you have proof of accommodation and outbound flight so you’ll get the right visa.
- 🤟 Language: La Paz is still a very Mexican city so not everyone can speak English very well. Most people who work in the travel industry has good English-speaking skills but in restaurants and street food carts, you have to practice your Spanish!
- 🌵 Culture: La Paz Mexico is one of the cities in Baja California Sur that still has a very rich Mexican culture. Many foreigners choose to live here because of the cheaper costs (compared to its neighbors, Cabo San Lucas or Todos Santos).
🗺️ La Paz Mexico Map
🚦 La Paz Transportation Guide
- 🚕 La Paz Airport transfer: La Paz Airport taxis start at $35 USD per ride. The trip from the airport is less than 30 minutes.
- 🚶♀️Walking: La Paz Mexico is very accessible by foot. Depending on where you are staying, you can use the location La Paz Malecon on Google maps to know how far the walks are. This is the center of town where you will find all the things to do, landmarks, and attractions.
- 🚌 Bus: Busses in La Paz are not that efficient and actually take time to pass at each bus stop. The minimum wait for the busses is around 20 minutes and it only costs less than $1 USD for a one-way ride. If you are planning to go to nearby destinations such as Los Cabos and Todos Santos, you can take the Aguila bus at La Paz bus station. These buses leave every 45 minutes and go around Baja California Sur!
- 🚗 Rental cars: The best way to get around La Paz is by renting a car at La Paz International Airport. The daily rate is about $35 USD for a Sedan (4-seater).
- 🚴♀️ Bicycle: La Paz is a bicycle city! This is actually the only city in Baja California Sur that has bike lanes. It is also very safe as cars prioritize bikers and pedestrians. You can rent a bike in La Paz for as low as $45 USD per day – this is one of the best and fastest modes of transportation in La Paz Mexico. Alternatively, you can also rent a scooter.
🌎 La Paz Travel Blog
🏄♀️ Things to do in La Paz
Swim with sea lions
Enjoy a boat ride from La Paz to Espiritu Santo Island, where you’ll find yourself surrounded by hundreds of playful sea lions. The two-hour trip will bring you close enough to the island to appreciate its beauty and observe these gentle creatures in their natural habitat. Don’t forget your camera! A guide will be on hand to explain the importance of native species and conservation efforts.
Whale shark experience
👉🏽 Book whale shark experience
Swim with majestic sea creatures while exploring the Gulf of California. Get up close and personal with humpback whales, manta rays, and more! You’ll also have time to explore Mexico’s charming La Paz city. When you arrive at La Paz Bay, get ready to jump into the crystal clear waters and observe these amazing animals in their natural habitat.
Mushroom rock boat tour
👉🏽 Book Mushroom rock boat tour
Get up close and personal with nature as you observe the diverse marine life from a unique perspective. During this adventure, you’ll approach Mushroom Rock, an iconic rock formation located in Balandra Bay. You’ll also be able to take part in snorkeling activities, kayaking and swimming – all while surrounded by breathtaking scenery.
Day trip to Espiritu Santo Island
👉🏽 Book Espiritu Santo Island tour
Spend the day lounging on secluded white sand beaches and swimming in crystal clear waters. In addition to soaking up some sun, you can explore caves and see stunning rock formations created by thousands of years of ocean waves. The highlight of this trip is undoubtedly the chance to snorkel with sea lions, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is sure to be unforgettable!
Sand dune boarding
👉🏽 Book sand dune boarding tour
This exciting adventure allows you to explore the sand dunes of La Paz, Baja California Sur while enjoying an adrenaline-filled day. From riding dune buggies and zip lining over lagoons to sand boarding and relaxing on secluded beaches, this action-packed tour is for everyone, including kids!
SUP at Balandra Beach
This tour is perfect for exploring one of Mexico’s most beautiful beaches. La Paz’s Balandra Beach is a must-see, and this tour gives you the chance to take it all in! Located just outside of the city, you’ll get to experience pristine white sands and crystal clear waters, with plenty of opportunities for exploration along the way.
🛏️ Hotels in La Paz
Most of the options of accommodations in La Paz are hotels. There are some resorts but not as many as Cabo San Lucas. Below are the best hotels we love in La Paz, all in a good location with different price range (from $35 USD per night)
- Hotel Catedral (from $55 USD)
- Casa Juarez (from $35 USD)
- La Ventana Resort (from $75 USD)
- Adventure Inn (from $85 USD)
- Ancla Baja (from $85 USD)
- Puerto Cortes (from $350 USD)
- Costa Baja Resort (from $200 USD)
- Hotel H Blue (from $45 USD)
🌮 Essential La Paz restaurants
☕ Best cafes in La Paz Mexico
🎉 La Paz Bars and Nightlife
💲 Money and Costs
- 💵 US dollars: Most of Baja California Sur accepts US dollars. However, in La Paz, some establishments still require payments in pesos. You can change your US dollars at the airport or in the money exchange house in La Paz called Pacifica.
- 🏧 ATMs: Your bank from your home country may charge a withdrawal fee of up to $7 USD per transaction. There are many ATM machines in La Paz but the best places to withdraw are the main banks like Santander, Banorte, or BBVA. All these banks are located in the Malecon area of La Paz.
- 💳 Credit/debit cards: Most establishments in La Paz accept Visa/Mastercard and only a few take American Express. If you are going to a local place (street food carts, Mexican restaurants, basic B&B), always bring cash as they don’t accept credit cards.
- 💸 Tipping: Tipping is mandatory in La Paz as the average daily salary in Mexico is only $7 USD per day. The tipping culture in Mexico and the US is the same so you can also tip as you would do it back home in the US.
✨ Helpful La Paz Travel Tips
- The capital of Bolivia is also called La Paz. Make sure to type “La Paz Mexico” in your Google searches as La Paz in Bolivia is also a popular destination. Don’t make this common traveler mistake!
- Use La Paz Malecon on Google maps to know the distance of your accommodation to the main tourist attractions in La Paz. This is the center of the city and you will find all the things to do and activities here!
- There are over 6 beaches in La Paz and you can visit them all for FREE. You don’t even have to drive out of the city to go to these beaches! FYI, Balandra Beach in La Paz is one of the best beaches in the world according to Conde Nast Traveler.
- La Paz is a safe city. The streets are 100% pedestrian-friendly and this is a favorite destination for families traveling with kids.
- The best restaurants in La Paz are not in the Malecon area. In fact, those restaurants are quite overpriced. Go to the backstreets and find the best local restaurants and eateries!
- Apart from being a bicycle city, you can skate, and rent a scooter or motorbike in La Paz. The cars in La Paz drive slowly because of this. Pedestrians are always a high priority!
- Practice your Spanish before traveling to La Paz Mexico as not everyone can speak English.
- You need travel insurance when you travel to La Paz Mexico. Use SafetyWing to get the best deals (from $40 USD per month).
Arnav Mathur
Friday 13th of January 2023
Quite an exhaustive guide you have managed to pull off. Haven't been to Mexico yet, but now it's on my bucket list. It's amazing to learn about the plethora of awesome stuff to do in La Paz. And am definitely going to self drive as 35 USD / day is a decent rate if shared between a group. Thanks for this amazing guide.
Puloma Bhattacharya
Thursday 12th of January 2023
La Paz, Mexico is a wonderful destination to explore with loads of activities and sight seeing like street art tour, paddle boarding in Saltito beach, whale watching and swimming with sea lions. It great that the city can be easily explored by walking and even bus ride is as cheap as $1 and biking is convenient too. And I'm bowled over by those mouth watering food options from cinnamon buns, shakes, cocktails and sea food. And the hotels look exotic with spectacular views and comforts. I would definitely love a picture with La Paz sign in the background!
Angela
Tuesday 10th of January 2023
I had heard of La Paz before but didn't realise it was more than just a beach resort. I am heading to Mexico for the first time next week and looking forward to doing similar activities in Cancun.
Clarice
Tuesday 10th of January 2023
This detailed guide is very helpful for first-time visitors like me. Appreciate the heads-up about the visa. I love the idea of renting a bike or scooter to go around the city. Thank you for sharing this.
Anne
Monday 9th of January 2023
Wow, what a comprehensive and helpful post! I've been to La Paz multiple times and still discovered new things. And best yet, we're going back in February so I'm going to try some of these new digital nomad cafes :)