Van life is awesome, but I must say, van life in Baja is something else! Both Kevin and I can agree that Baja, Mexico is our favorite van life destination to date! In addition to having so many things to see and do, Baja has plenty of delicious food for every palate, lots of free overlanding beaches, and so many water fill-up locations called Aqua Purificada. We are not going to get into where to eat or where to find water in this post, buuut we are going to tell you the best free camping beaches in Baja, Mexico, in our opinion!!
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The Best Free Camping Beaches in Baja
1. Nine Palms
Nine Palms is easily one of our favorite beaches on this list! Perfect for both sunbathing and surfing, this beach is any overlander’s dream! Nine Palms is located about one hour northeast of San Jose del Cabo, just far enough for the cell service to be non-existent but close enough to get anything you need without wasting the entire day!
No worries if you do run out of food though, The White Lodge is just up the road and serves up some AMAZING flatbreads and fish tacos. They also have WIFI for patrons and guests!
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video in Nine Palms!
2. La Ventana
La Ventana is located north of Nine Palms on the eastern side of Baja along the Sea of Cortez. Here windsurfing, snorkeling, swimming, and sunbathing are all common, and if you are lucky, maybe you’ll even get to enjoy the hot springs! That’s right! When the tide gets low enough folks can relax in the warm spring.
This was one of my favorite camping spots. There is nothing quite like waking up on the beach to the waves crashing on the sand!
However, do note that this beach is popular among both locals and overlanders, so it fills up pretty quickly on the weekends!
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video in La Ventana!
3. Playa El Tecolote
Playa El Tecolote is easily one of the most beautiful beaches on this list; though in the evening it does get quite windy!
Kevin and I spent one night here and I can honestly say the view alone could have kept me there for a full week! Located just outside of La Paz, Playa El Tecolote is one of the best beaches on this list for snorkeling and water sports. While here we spotted lots of people jet skiing, swimming, and spearfishing.
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video at Playa El Tecolote!
4. La Pastora
La Pastora was honestly our home away from home. Kevin and I spent weeks waking up at sunrise, enjoying the surf, and sipping on sunset cocktails here. It’s safe to say it is our favorite of the best free camping beaches in Baja, Mexico for sure!
Located just outside of Todos Santos, La Pastora has plenty of cell service and is close enough to town to get just about anything you need or to be able to enjoy a lovely meal at a beautiful sit-down restaurant!
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video at La Pastora!
5. La Ribera
Located just north of Nine Palms is La Ribera, home to our favorite tres leches cake in Baja, Mexico! La Ribera is a large beach with plenty of palapas for beachgoers and plenty of places to park for overlanders!
In addition to wonderful tres leches cake, La Ribera is also home to some amazing family-owned restaurants! We had some of the best fish tacos at Tacos Memo, right around the corner from this beautiful beach! For that reason, we can’t recommend checking out this town enough!
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video in La Ribera!
6. Bahía de Concepción
One of our favorite beaches on our way to Baja California Sur was along the Bahia Conception. Though this beach was not sandy, being along the bay was so peaceful. We woke up and went to bed listening to the small waves crash on the rocks and it was absolutely perfect after a day full of driving.
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video at the Bay of Conception!
7. Punta Abreojos
Located on the Pacific Ocean is another great overlanding beach on your way to or from Baja California Sur. Punta Abreojos is another great place for surfing and relaxing, however, it does get quite windy in the evenings here!
Though this beach does not have cell service it is close to town where you can purchase a WIFI code at the local grocery store.
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video in Punta Abreojos!
8. Santa Rosaliíta
Last but certainly not least is Santa Rosaliita! Santa Rosaliita is a small Pacific fishing village known for its fantastic surf in the winter months. It is during these months that this little town gets most of its visitors, however, we’d argue it’s worth the trip regardless of the time of the year!
There is no cell service in Santa Rosaliita but WIFI is available at the best and only restaurant, El Cactus, and I must say it is totally worth the trip. The owners, Antonio and Nidia, are absolutely incredible and their fish tacos are seriously the best! Oh and don’t forget to try the homemade Pina Coladas too!
Want to see for yourself? Check out our YouTube video in Santa Rosaliita!
What To Bring
That's All For Now
Well, that’s all folks! Those are, in our opinion, the best free camping beaches in Baja, Mexico. I hope this post not only got you excited about overlanding in Baja but helped you find your home in Baja for a few nights at least!
Thinking about checking out mainland Mexico? Head over to our review and itinerary for Vidanta in Nuevo Vallarta!