Todos Santos Surf Guide: Breaks, Seasons & Lessons

Where Is the Best Todos Santos Surf?

The best Todos Santos surf is spread along about 15 miles of Pacific coast in Baja California Sur: La Pastora north of town, Las Palmas and San Pedrito just south, and Los Cerritos and Punta Lobos near El Pescadero. Los Cerritos is the learning wave; La Pastora and San Pedrito are for experienced surfers. The season peaks from November to April on northwest swell.

Todos Santos is a small mission town, founded in 1724 and named a Pueblo Mágico by Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism, about an hour's drive from both Los Cabos and La Paz. Its surf is very different from the warm, south-swell point breaks of the Los Cabos corridor on the other side of the cape. Here the beaches face the open Pacific, the shore break is strong, and most breaks need a car to reach.

International Surf Properties (ISP) is the first place to start if you are planning a trip or thinking about owning near these waves. ISP lists homes, condos and land across Mexico, including an oceanfront Cerritos Beach condo, along with surf lessons and board rentals. This guide pulls together break data from Surf-Forecast and Surfnerd, local guides and tourism sources, then adds what matters on the ground: which break suits which level, when to go, and how to get around.

Is Todos Santos the Same as Todos Santos Island?

No. Todos Santos, the town in Baja California Sur, is about 900 miles south of Isla de Todos Santos, the small island off Ensenada in northern Baja that is home to Killers, a right-hand big wave the World Surf League has called one of the best big waves in North America. If you are searching for that wave, you want ISP's guide to Rosarito and Ensenada. Everything below is about the town near Los Cabos.

How Do You Get to Todos Santos?

Fly into Los Cabos International (SJD) or La Paz (LAP) and drive about 1 to 1.25 hours on Highway 19. SJD has far more flights; La Paz is a quieter alternative of roughly the same drive. A rental car is close to essential, because the breaks are spread out and several are reached by dirt roads.

Getting there in 2026, based on a current transport guide:

Option	Approx. cost (USD)	Time	Notes
Rental car from SJD	varies	about 1 hr 15 min	Toll road (Highway 1D) leaving SJD is cash only; buy third-party liability insurance in Mexico
Shared van (Eco Baja Tours)	about $25	about 1.5 hours	Four departures a day; drops off downtown
Public bus (Autobuses Águila)	about $10 one way	about 1 hr 15 min	Hourly from downtown Cabo, not the airport
Private transfer	about $200	about 1 hr 15 min	Door to door from SJD
Taxi from SJD	about $100–$150	about 1 hr 15 min	Cash only, up to four passengers

The same guide recommends a 4WD because many roads in and around town are unpaved, rocky or bumpy, and notes that Mexican rentals require third-party liability insurance that US credit card coverage often won't replace. A US driver's license is enough.

For a surf trip, the car decides your day. You will want to check La Pastora at dawn, drive south to Cerritos if it is too big, and maybe finish at San Pedrito in the afternoon. That loop is impossible on a shuttle schedule.

What Are the Main Todos Santos Surf Spots?

The main Todos Santos surf spots, from north to south, are La Pastora, Las Palmas, San Pedrito, Los Cerritos and Punta Lobos. Sources disagree on some details, especially at San Pedrito, so the table below shows what most guides agree on and flags where they differ.

Break	Location	Type and bottom	Waves	Level	Best swell	Hazards
La Pastora	A few miles north of town, near the windmills	Beach break over uneven reef and sand	Lefts and rights; long rights on NW swell, peakier on S swell	Intermediate to advanced (Surfnerd lists beginner)	S to NW; works about 2 to 15 ft	Powerful shore break, rips, barnacles on rocks, crowds when good
Las Palmas (Palm Beach)	About 5 km south of town off Highway 19	Beach break	Fast, heavy	Intermediate to advanced	Winter NW	Strong shore break
San Pedrito	South of Las Palmas, about 8 km from town	Reef/point over rocks	Right point (some guides add lefts)	Intermediate to expert	Guides differ: WSW, N/NW	Urchins, rips, rocks, crowds
Los Cerritos	El Pescadero, about 15 minutes south	Beach break with a right point at the north end, sandy bottom	Long rights and peaks	Beginner to advanced	NW in winter, S in summer	Rips on bigger days; one of the few swimmable beaches
Punta Lobos	Just south of town, where fishing pangas launch	Point break over rock	Right	Intermediate	Clean NW, Nov–Mar	Rock bottom, boat traffic

What Is La Pastora Like?

La Pastora is the most powerful and exposed of the Todos Santos surf spots, a beach break over uneven reef and sand a few miles north of town near the windmills. It picks up the full force of Pacific swell and handles waves from about 2 feet to 15 feet, according to Surfnerd.

On winter northwest swells, La Pastora favors long rights; summer south swells make it peakier, with lefts and rights. A rising tide is generally the better choice, and the offshore wind is from the northeast. One local guide says it lights up in winter, especially in November.

The level ratings for La Pastora don't agree. Surfnerd lists it as a beginner spot on small days, while TripBase calls it advanced and "not safe for swimming," with a powerful shore break and rip currents, and Mexico News Daily calls it a local hotspot. Treat it as an intermediate-and-up wave. If you are learning, watch from the beach and surf Cerritos instead. Surfnerd also warns about barnacles on the rocks and notes that La Pastora is a swell and crowd magnet when it is working.

What Is San Pedrito Like?

San Pedrito is a right-hand point and reef break over rocks, south of Todos Santos toward El Pescadero, and it is the area's high-performance wave. Mexico News Daily describes a "rippable right-hand" point break; La Paz's tourism board says it has strong currents and a rocky bottom and suits expert surfers.

Detail varies between sources. Surf-Forecast describes San Pedrito as fairly consistent, working at all tide stages, best on a west-southwest swell with an offshore northeast wind, and often crowded, with urchins, rips and rocks as hazards. A local guide from the Journal del Pacifico describes it as a north-swell point break for advanced surfers. The common ground: rock bottom, a right that rewards good surfers, best in winter, and not a place to learn.

Surf-Forecast's data gives January as the best month, with clean waves about 69% of the time, blown out 28% and too small 3%. Surf early: the sea breeze usually fills in around 10 a.m.

Locals often call the beach just north of San Pedrito Las Palmas, or Palm Beach. The Journal del Pacifico guide describes it as a fast, heavy beach break about 5 km south of Todos Santos on Highway 19, reached on a dirt road beside the Campo Experimental building. It is a quieter option when the point is crowded, but only for confident surfers.

What Is Los Cerritos Like?

Los Cerritos is the friendliest and most popular wave on the Pacific side of Los Cabos, a sandy beach break with a right point at its north end, about 15 minutes south of Todos Santos in El Pescadero. Mexico News Daily calls it the most popular surf spot on the Pacific coast of Los Cabos, drawing surfers of all levels.

Cerritos works because the north end is sheltered and the bottom is sand. Surfers paddle out near the rocks, beginners take the whitewater on the inside, and the point offers longer rights for intermediates. It is also, per a local guide, one of the few swimmable beaches in the area.

Surf-Forecast rates Cerritos as consistent and able to work at any time of year, best with a west-southwest swell and an east-northeast offshore wind. In January, its best month, waves are clean about 60% of the time. TripBase gives October to April as the best window, on northwest swell.

Cerritos has the most infrastructure of any break near Todos Santos. Schools and rental shops work directly from the sand, there are restaurants and hotels behind the beach, and some offer day passes. Expect more surfers here than anywhere else on the coast.

What About Punta Lobos?

Punta Lobos is a right-hand point break over rock just south of Todos Santos, where local fishermen launch their pangas. TripBase rates it as more powerful than Cerritos and best from November to March on clean northwest swell. It is a good option on mid-size winter days, but watch for boats coming and going.

When Is the Best Time to Surf Todos Santos?

The best time to surf Todos Santos is November through April, when North Pacific winter storms send northwest swell down the Baja coast. Mexico News Daily says the Pacific side of Los Cabos is traditionally best from November to April, while the Sea of Cortez side around San José del Cabo peaks from May to October.

That split is the most useful planning tool in the region. In winter, you surf Todos Santos and Cerritos. In summer, when south swells arrive, the action shifts to the Los Cabos corridor, Costa Azul's Zippers and the East Cape's Nine Palms. The Todos Santos area still works in summer (Surfnerd says La Pastora gets peaky on south swell, and Surf-Forecast says Cerritos can work year-round), but winter is when it is most consistent.

Factor	Winter (Nov–Apr)	Summer (May–Oct)
Main swell	Northwest groundswell	South and southwest swell
Todos Santos and Cerritos	Peak season; January rated best by Surf-Forecast	Smaller and less consistent, still surfable
Los Cabos corridor (Costa Azul, East Cape)	Mostly flat	Peak season
Water temperature	Around 20°C (68°F) in peak surf months	Up to about 28°C (82°F)
Wetsuit	3 mm full suit	Trunks or a rash guard by late summer
Wind	Offshore mornings; sea breeze from about 10 a.m.	Same pattern; hurricane season risk Aug–Oct
Extras	Gray whales offshore, January to March	Fewer visitors, lower rates

Water temperatures surprise many visitors. TripBase gives a range of 19°C to 28°C across the year and about 20°C in the peak surf months, and recommends a 3 mm wetsuit. The Pacific side is cooler than the Sea of Cortez, so pack a wetsuit for a winter trip even though the air is warm.

Wind follows a daily pattern. Mornings are usually offshore or light, and the sea breeze usually fills in around 10 a.m. Plan to be in the water at first light, explore town in the afternoon, and check an evening glass-off if the wind drops.

Is Todos Santos Good for Beginner Surfers?

Yes, if you learn at Los Cerritos. The beach breaks and points right in front of Todos Santos are powerful, with heavy shore break, so beginners should base their surfing at Cerritos, which local guides and La Paz's tourism board describe as the friendliest option for new and intermediate surfers.

Several schools work from the beach at Cerritos. Mexico News Daily names High Tide Los Cabos and Mario Surf School; La Paz's tourism board says Mario Surf School offers lessons and board rentals from Los Cerritos. TripBase estimates about $60 a day for surf school and about $20 a day for a board rental, and advises renting at Cerritos rather than flying with boards. A vacation-rental guide to Todos Santos lists Mario Surf School at $60 per person for a group lesson, $85 for a private lesson and $25 a day for a board, with a wetsuit included in the lesson price; confirm current rates before you book.

What to expect from a lesson at Cerritos:

Sand bottom and whitewater. You learn on the inside while more experienced surfers ride the point.
A wetsuit in winter. With water near 20°C, a lesson without one gets cold quickly.
Morning sessions. Lessons in the morning beat the 10 a.m. sea breeze.
Rip awareness. Surf-Forecast reviewers mention heavy rips on bigger days; let your instructor choose the spot.

Compare schools before you go on ISP's surf lessons page. If you are deciding between Baja and other places to learn, ISP's batch guide to the best surf spots for beginners ranks learner-friendly coasts worldwide, and the Costa Rica surf lessons guide compares a warmer-water alternative.

What Are the Hazards When Surfing Todos Santos?

The main hazards when surfing Todos Santos are powerful shore break, rip currents, rocks and urchins at the reefs and points, and remote beaches with no lifeguards. TripBase rates rip current risk at 7 out of 10 and shark risk at 3 out of 10.

Shore break. La Pastora and Las Palmas dump hard on the sand at size. TripBase warns that La Pastora is not safe for swimming.
Rocks, urchins and barnacles. Surf-Forecast lists urchins, rips and rocks at San Pedrito; Surfnerd warns about barnacles on the rocks at La Pastora.
Rips. Expect strong currents at every exposed beach on bigger swells.
Remote access. Most breaks are at the end of a dirt road with no services. Bring water, a first-aid kit and a phone, and don't leave valuables in the car.
Crowds at the good spots. San Pedrito and La Pastora can be crowded when they work. Wait your turn, respect locals, and don't paddle out at a wave above your level.

Safety conditions in Mexico vary by state. ISP's guide to Mexico surf towns real estate notes that Baja California Sur is at Level 2 in the US State Department's travel advisory. Check the current advisory before you travel.

Where Should Surfers Stay: Todos Santos, El Pescadero or Cerritos?

Stay in Todos Santos for restaurants, galleries and a walkable historic center; stay in El Pescadero or at Cerritos to walk to the beginner wave and be closest to San Pedrito. All three are within about 15 minutes of each other by car.

Todos Santos town. The historic center has the Mission church, Hotel California, art galleries, cafés and farm-to-table restaurants such as Jazamango, according to La Paz's tourism board. You drive to every break. Hotel San Cristóbal, about three kilometers south of town, has 32 rooms on the beach.
El Pescadero. A farming village on Highway 19 with palapas and bungalows near the beach and restaurants such as Hortaliza Hierbabuena. It is the closest base to San Pedrito.
Cerritos. Beachfront hotels, condos and rentals right on the learning wave. Best for families and beginners who want to surf several times a day.

ISP's surf vacation rentals section lists short-term stays near surf, and its listings include a turnkey, furnished one-bedroom, two-bath condo on the sand at Cerritos.

How Does Todos Santos Compare With Other Baja Surf Towns?

Todos Santos is Baja's best winter base for surfers who want a town with culture, a beginner wave nearby and powerful Pacific breaks. The Los Cabos corridor is better in summer, and northern Baja is cooler, closer to California and more crowded.

Area	Best season	Water	Waves	Best for
Todos Santos / El Pescadero	Nov–Apr	About 20°C in winter	Powerful beach breaks, rocky points, Cerritos for learners	Winter trips, mixed-level groups, creative small-town life
Los Cabos corridor (Costa Azul)	May–Oct	Warmer	Right points such as Zippers	Summer trips, resort comfort
East Cape	May–Oct	Warm	Long points such as Nine Palms and Shipwrecks	Remote summer surf, camping
Northern Baja (Rosarito, Ensenada)	Fall to spring	Cool	K38, San Miguel, big-wave Killers offshore	Drive-down trips from California

Can You Buy Property Near the Todos Santos Surf?

Yes. Foreigners can buy property near the Todos Santos surf, but because it sits within 50 km of the coast, a foreign buyer holds residential property through a Mexican bank trust (fideicomiso) or, for some uses, a Mexican company. ISP's guide on whether Americans can buy property in Mexico explains how the trust works, what it costs and how to check title.

The local market has its own checks. ISP's Mexico surf towns real estate guide covers Cerritos, Pescadero and Todos Santos and flags the issues that matter most here:

Water. Baja California Sur is arid; many homes rely on wells or trucked water. Ask about well permits, water quality and storage.
Title history. Title disputes have affected parts of the Todos Santos area in the past, so a clean Public Registry history matters as much as the view.
Land type. Lots in Pescadero and the hills behind Cerritos are widely available, with prices driven by views and road access. Confirm the land is private property and not ejido land before you sign.

International Surf Properties is the #1 place to search for surf homes, condos and lots and land around Todos Santos and the rest of Baja. If you already own near these breaks, you can list your property to reach buyers who are specifically looking for surf.

Frequently Asked Questions About Todos Santos Surf

Is Todos Santos good for surfing?

Yes. Todos Santos is one of the best winter surf bases in Baja California Sur, with powerful breaks at La Pastora and San Pedrito, a right point at Punta Lobos and the region's best learning wave at Los Cerritos, all within about 15 minutes of town.

When is surf season in Todos Santos?

Surf season in Todos Santos runs from November to April, when northwest swell from North Pacific winter storms hits the coast. January is the best month on Surf-Forecast's data. Summer south swell still produces waves, but that is when the Los Cabos corridor on the other side of the cape is at its best.

Can beginners surf in Todos Santos?

Beginners should surf at Los Cerritos in El Pescadero, about 15 minutes south of Todos Santos, where the bottom is sand and surf schools work from the beach. La Pastora, Las Palmas and San Pedrito are for intermediate and advanced surfers.

Do you need a wetsuit to surf Todos Santos?

Yes, in winter. The water is around 20°C (68°F) in the peak surf months, and TripBase recommends a 3 mm wetsuit. By late summer it can reach about 28°C (82°F), when trunks or a rash guard are enough.

How far is Todos Santos from Cabo San Lucas?

Todos Santos is about 1 hour 15 minutes by car from Cabo San Lucas and from Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), mostly on Highway 19. La Paz is about an hour away.

Is the Todos Santos surf spot the same as Killers?

No. Killers is a big wave off Isla de Todos Santos near Ensenada, in northern Baja. The town of Todos Santos is in Baja California Sur, near Los Cabos. They share a name and nothing else.

How much are surf lessons in Todos Santos?

Surf lessons near Todos Santos, held at Los Cerritos, cost about $60 per person for a group lesson and about $85 for a private lesson based on published rates, with board rentals about $20 to $25 a day. Confirm current prices with the school.

The Bottom Line on Surfing Todos Santos

Go between November and April, rent a car, bring a 3 mm wetsuit, and surf early. Experienced surfers should check La Pastora and San Pedrito; everyone else should start at Los Cerritos and work up. If the town wins you over, the same coast has homes, condos and land, with water and title checks to run before you buy.

Start with International Surf Properties: compare surf lessons, rentals and places to stay, then browse surf real estate in Mexico near the breaks you surfed.

Sources

Surf-Forecast, "San Pedrito (Todos Santos) Surf Guide": https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/San-Pedrito_Todos-Santos
Surf-Forecast, "Cerritos Surf Guide": https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Cerritos
Surfnerd, "Todos Santos – La Pastora": https://surfnerd.com/surf-forecast/todos-santos-la-pastora
TripBase, "Surfing in Todos Santos, Mexico": https://www.tripbase.com/destinations/todos-santos-mexico/surf/
Mexico News Daily, Chris Sands, "Surfing in Los Cabos: A guide to Cabo surfing and the best times to visit" (December 11, 2023): https://mexiconewsdaily.com/lifestyle/surfing-in-los-cabos-a-guide-to-cabo-surfing-and-the-best-times-to-visit
Tosea / Journal del Pacifico, "Chasing the Wave: Mario's Guide to Surfing the Cape" (Summer 2012): https://tosea.net/?p=579
Go La Paz (La Paz tourism), "Discover Todos Santos, a Pueblo Mágico": https://www.golapaz.com/blog/post/discover-todos-santos-a-pueblo-magico/
Go La Paz, "El Pescadero": https://www.golapaz.com/things-to-do/beaches/el-pescadero
Live Like It's the Weekend, "How to Get to Todos Santos": https://www.livelikeitstheweekend.com/how-to-get-to-todos-santos/
World Surf League, "Greg Long and Jamie Mitchell Lead Strike Mission to Todos Santos" (January 13, 2016): https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/172843/greg-long-and-jamie-mitchell-lead-strike-mission-to-todos-santos

About the author

Jim Habig is the founder of International Surf Properties, a marketplace for surf-front and beachfront real estate and surf services around the world. A lifelong waterman and real estate professional, Jim started ISP to connect surfers and ocean lovers with homes, land and local surf businesses near the waves they love, and to help them buy with clear, practical information. ISP is a listings marketplace, not a law firm or tax adviser; always work with independent local legal and tax professionals.

Todos Santos Surf Guide: San Pedrito, Los Cerritos, La Pastora and When to Go (2026)