The Dangerous Reason Swimming Is Prohibited At This Beautiful Beach In Mexico

Among its many, many amazing attractions, Cabo San Lucas is well known for having some of the best beaches in the world. Located at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, Cabo San Lucas is surrounded on most sides by a gorgeous stretch of the Pacific Ocean. Add the area's warm, tropical climate and lovely weather year-round, and you get a superb destination for relaxing beach vacations. 

But while each of Cabo San Lucas' beaches is sublime to look at, not all of them are ideal for swimming. The Pacific Ocean can be just as dangerous as it is beautiful, and even in a tropical paradise like Cabo San Lucas, the ocean's hazards can lead to tragic outcomes. Some of Cabo's many serene beaches are often too perilous for swimming due to a high risk of drowning or injury, whether due to dangerous currents, environmental concerns, or other unsafe conditions. Likewise, not every beach in Cabo has lifeguards or emergency personnel, increasing the risk of tragedy in the event of an emergency. 

One excellent example of a Cabo beach with dangers that match its beauty is the formidable Playa Solmar (or "Solmar Beach"). From the shore, Playa Solmar is arguably the most beautiful beach in all of Cabo San Lucas. But with extremely dangerous undertow, powerful waves, and generally unsafe conditions, Playa Solmar is currently off-limits for swimmers. If you're lucky enough to visit Cabo San Lucas, Playa Solmar is one beach where you're going to want to take a "look but don't touch" approach. 

On paper, Playa Solmar occupies some of the best real estate in Cabo San Lucas. The beach lies along Cabo's Land's End, where the warm, blue waters of the Gulf of California meet the Pacific Ocean. These spectacular ocean views are enough to justify a visit. But Playa Solmar also offers amazing views of the land as well. Visitors can bask in the shadow of the stunning prominence of Mt. Solmar, one of Cabo's most striking seaside natural features. To the west, Playa Solmar is bordered by the upscale community of El Pedregal. All this considered, Playa Solmar should be one of Mexico's top, lesser-known "hidden paradise" beaches. 

But the same geography that makes Playa Solmar so beautiful also makes it so dangerous for swimming. The waters just off Playa Solmar are prone to strong undertow that can make swimming particularly dangerous. Even worse, Playa Solmar experiences higher-than-average instances of dangerous rip currents. Rip currents are narrow, fast-moving currents moving against the incoming waves. When caught in a rip current, swimmers can be pulled away from the beach quickly and without warning. Though you can escape rip currents by swimming perpendicular to shore, many swimmers panic and try to swim directly against it. This often ends up with the swimmer becoming exhausted and tragically drowning. 

Another major hazard at Playa Solmar is the possibility of rogue waves. Rogue waves are large, powerful, unpredictable waves that can easily injure or drown swimmers. Though rogue waves are rare, Playa Solmar appears particularly prone to them. These numerous hazards make drowning deaths far more likely at Playa Solmar compared to other beaches in Cabo. As a result, swimming at Playa Solmar is currently prohibited. 

The good news is that, even without swimming, Playa Solmar and the surrounding area have plenty of amazing experiences to offer vacationers. Visitors can still experience many of the best outdoor activities that Cabo San Lucas has to offer without ever going into the water. In sharp contrast to its dangers for swimmers, Playa Solmar may be the best destination in Cabo for peaceful and relaxing seaside walks. Located on Cabo's southern tip, Playa Solmar offers sublime views of both the sunrise to the east and the sunset to the west. No matter the time of day, the views from the beach are further enhanced by Playa Solmar's perfect golden sands juxtaposed against the blue waters of the Pacific. 

A romantic beach walk along Playa Solmar also gives you excellent views of the gorgeous rock formations bracketing Cabo's Land's End. Most notably, Playa Solmar sits adjacent to the prominent Mt. Solmar, which provides one of the best hikes (and best views) of any spot in Cabo. If you're more keen on relaxing, you can indulge yourself at one of the many luxurious resorts along Playa Solmar, including the Solmar Resort and the Terrasol Beach Resort. Playa Solmar is also one of Cabo's best spots for whale watching, particularly between January and March when whales migrate to the region's warm, tropical waters to escape cold winter weather further north and reproduce. No matter your preference, Playa Solmar has more than enough wonderful experiences to make you forget about swimming entirely!