El Arco de Cabo San Lucas

El Arco is the rock arch at Land's End, the last point of the Baja California peninsula, just south of the marina of Cabo San Lucas in the municipality of Los Cabos. It stands at the end of a ridge of weathered granite that runs out into the sea, with the Sea of Cortez on one side and the Pacific on the other, and it has become the emblem of Los Cabos. The rock is part of the granitic basement of the cape region, formed deep underground about 115 million years ago in the Cretaceous and carved by waves and wind into the arch and the pinnacles around it.

There is no road or trail to the arch: it is seen from the water. Water taxis, pangas and glass-bottom boats leave the Cabo San Lucas marina throughout the day for a loop of roughly 45 minutes to an hour past the arch, the sea lion colony on the rocks of Land's End, and Pelican Rock, a snorkelling spot reached only by tour boat. Boats can drop you at Playa del Amor, the beach on the inner side of the ridge, and pick you up later. Kayaks and paddleboards also make the trip from Médano Beach in calm weather.

The arch and its waters lie inside the Cabo San Lucas Flora and Fauna Protection Area, decreed in August 1973, which covers about 4,000 hectares, 95 percent of it sea. Its California sea lion colony, more than 30 animals, is one of the main things visitors come to see, and El Arco is the most visited and most pressured part of the reserve. The sea right at the arch can be rough, with water rising and falling sharply against the rock, so small craft should not go close or try to pass through when there is swell. Early morning, before the crowds of boats, and the late afternoon light are the best times for photographs.