Life is good when you’ve got the Cabo San Lucas Bay as your playground.

 

By Beto Haro and Chris Sands

 

Let’s paint a picture: Gentle waves lap sun-soaked Médano beach. College coeds, blue-haired snowbirds, and energetic children dot the shore. Vendors dressed in all white traverse the sand, selling their wares; some have jewelry, others sunglasses, or pretty dresses. This is the backdrop, and the Cabo San Lucas Bay is our playground.

 

There are many exciting activities to enjoy while in Los Cabos, and we’ve outlined most in our activities guide on page TK. Here we highlight a handful of our favorite spring adventures, ones that are guaranteed to create lasting memories.

In 2011, French Jet Ski champion named Franky Zapata invented flyboarding, creating in the process an entirely new kind of water sport, one whose popularity is still spreading around the globe…quickly.
The way it works is this: Would-be adventurers strap into a pair of boots attached to the flyboard, which is itself attached to a jet ski by means of a long hose. When the wave runner rider revs the throttle, a surge of water gushes through the hose, propelling the flyboarder out of the water, and allowing him or her to ascend up to 45 feet above the surface, steering into flips and turns by means of subtle heel-to-toe foot pressure.

 

Cabo Flyboard (www.caboflyboard.com) was the first Flyboard company in Los Cabos. Its sales and check-in office is right behind Mango Deck, and it maintains a platform just offshore, in front of Cabo Villas Beach Resort. It has been offering Flyboard rentals since April 2013, making it one of the first in the world. You can be sure you are getting the most experienced instructors.

 

The equipment is top notch: 1800cc wave runners with special impellers for a smooth ride, original Zapata Racing Flyboards, a comfortable pontoon boat, and high-quality, well-maintained life jackets and helmets. The company also recently introduced the new Zapata Racing Jetpack and Hoverboard. The Jetpack is a back-mounted propulsion system that allows one to fly through the air and maneuver with his arms instead of his feet. The Hoverboard is basically a flying surfboard that allows you to cruise at speeds up to 35 miles per hour and fly in the air by leaning back; it’s insanely fun for people who love board sports.

 

After a quick training video and one-on-one instruction, flyboarders get to show off their cruising skills in one of the world’s most beautiful settings: soaring above the glittering blue waters of the Sea of Cortés, framed on one side by the evocatively shaped granitic monuments that stretch to Land’s End, and on the other by the sun-bronzed bikini- and board shorts–clad crowds that throng the beach.

 

In the wake of flyboarding’s popularity, a host of new adrenaline-fueled, wave runner–propelled adventures have also sprung up, including a few that seem straight out of science fiction.

 

Sea Cabo Activities (www.seacaboactivities.com) is Los Cabos’ home for the X-JetPack, as well as innovative high-octane activities options like the JetBlade and FlyBike. The JetBlade is similar to the traditional board; it has power and maneuverability. So if you tumble from the sky like Icarus, you can easily submerge and ascend again to resume your high-flying acrobatics.

 

The FlyBike, meanwhile, is, as the name suggests, a kind of flying bicycle. Jet thrusters funnel water at high-speeds to achieve takeoff, and the seat and handlebars provide balance as one navigates willy-nilly into airborne twists and turns. The first ascent engenders the surge or pure joy children get when learning to ride a normal bike, but in this case the learning curve doesn’t involve any training wheels.

 

Sea Cabo Activities is located right on Médano Beach, between Pueblo Bonito’s luxurious Blanco and Rosé resorts. Sea Cabo has its own offshore platform, and some of its powerful 1100cc Yamaha wave runners—the propulsive agents for its trio of aerial adventures—can be rented by the hour or half-hour, with guided tours available.

 

Cabo Expeditions (www.caboexpeditions.com.mx) has pioneered eco-friendly tourism in Baja California Sur, offering everything from whale watching to island expeditions and opportunities to swim with whale sharks. Its newest tour, though, is nothing short of magical. Now through April 15, you have the opportunity to enjoy a private whale concert under a blanket of stars. The intimate tour begins just before sunset and includes some traditional exploring of the Pacific Ocean and Cabo San Lucas Bay. You’ll see favorite landmarks as well as the occasional whale sighting. But the magic is what happens after the sun has set. Hydrophones are placed in the water, and, before you know it, you’re treated to the melodic, hypnotic sounds of singing humpbacks. Enjoy the private symphony as you snack on delicious hors d’oeuvres sip wine. And, just when you think things can’t get even better, the tour’s hosts have a surprise. But we’ll leave that one for you to find out. No spoilers here.

 

You may not have heard of Los Cabos’ pirate-y past, but there’s no missing the pair of pirate-themed galleons that daily navigate the Cabo San Lucas Bay. Our favorite ship, the 96-foot Buccaneer Queen (www.buccaneerloscabos.com), is a majestic beast of a boat whose swashbuckling crew give no quarter when it comes to ensuring you and your wee pirates have a blast during the midday Quest of the Bay snorkeling tour. The tour departs from the Cabo San Lucas Marina, and from the moment you step aboard you’re immersed in a delightful pirate adventure. After an exploration of the bay, you head north for a snorkeling and swim adventure. Walking the plank has never so fun before. You’re unlikely to find pirate’s booty, but the underwater sightseeing, bountiful lunch offering, and all-you-can-drink open bar would inspire any pirate to shout, “Yo-ho-ho!”

 

Looking for a more laidback way to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Cabo San Lucas Bay? SunRider (www.sunridertours.com) specializes in entertainment on the high seas, and each evening one of its boats transforms into a floating restaurant. The whole family can enjoy this sunset adventure and the 360-degree viewing deck. There’s an excellent, all-you-can-eat Mexican buffet (add lobster for only $12 U.S. more), an open bar, and incredible views of the arch at Land’s End, Neptune’s Finger, and the sea lion colony.

 

There are so many adventures to enjoy in Los Cabos and only so much time to enjoy them. So what are you waiting for? Let’s hit the beach!