The taxi drops you at a dirt parking lot 10 miles north of La Paz. Desert hills rise behind white sand. Turquoise water extends so far into the shallows you can walk 250 meters before it reaches your waist. One palapa restaurant sits at the beach’s center. No entrance fee. No crowds. Free parking. This is Playa El Tesoro, the beach Balandra visitors miss entirely.
The bay Balandra visitors miss
Playa El Tesoro sits 12.4 kilometers from La Paz city center, roughly half the distance to Balandra Beach. The cove measures 250 meters long, protected by desert mountains that block wind and create calm water year-round. White sand meets turquoise shallows where fish swim visibly in 2-3 feet of water. The bay opens to the Sea of Cortez, but the shallow zone extends so far offshore that sailboats anchor in deep water 250 meters out.
La Paz has 250,000 residents. Most spend weekends at Balandra, 23 kilometers south, where limited visiting times now restrict access and long queues form by mid-morning. El Tesoro stays quiet. Free parking holds maybe 20 cars. No reservations needed. No time limits. Just show up.
The restaurant that keeps it real
How the trust system works
Staff arrive between 11:30am and noon. Before then, the beach is yours. After they arrive, you can rent a palapa (250 pesos for table, four chairs, and shade) or order food. Fresh ceviche costs around $15-20 per person. Grilled fish runs $20-25. Camarones (shrimp) dishes hit $25-30. The menu changes based on morning catch.
This flexible, honor-based setup is rare in modern Mexican tourism. You can swim for two hours before staff arrive, then decide if you want lunch. No pressure. No tourist markup. Just a single restaurant operating on local trust.
What locals know
According to recent visitor surveys, families from La Paz call this “our go-to weekend beach.” Crowds thin past the restaurant area. The protected cove geometry keeps conditions favorable even when nearby beaches turn choppy. Local tourism boards confirm the beach remains largely unknown to international visitors, who concentrate at Balandra’s more famous mushroom rock formations 14 minutes south.
December through March
Why winter changes everything
Temperature holds between 65-75°F from December through March. Clear skies dominate. Gray whales migrate through these waters during this exact window, visible from shore on calm mornings. Water temperature stays in the mid-70s°F, warming quickly in the shallow zone by 10am. Morning fog burns off by 9am, leaving brilliant light that illuminates fish in the shallows.
Balandra enforces restricted visiting times and capacity limits. El Tesoro stays open all day. No reservations. No entrance fees. The contrast matters during peak winter season when North American visitors flood La Paz seeking warm-weather escapes. For more coastal options, these Caribbean bays offer similar winter calm.
Getting there without the tourist bus
Taxi from La Paz Centro costs 100 pesos (roughly $6-8). Public buses run from the Malecón terminal mid-morning through late afternoon, connecting El Tesoro with Balandra, Pichilingue, and El Tecolote beaches. Drive time from La Paz: 10-15 minutes north on Highway 11. From Los Cabos International Airport (SJD): 2-2.5 hours via Highway 19 through Todos Santos.
Parking is free and holds about 20 vehicles. No attendant. No fee collector. Just pull in and walk 50 meters to sand. Compare this to Balandra’s increasingly complex access system, where parking fills by 9am and entry may require advance booking during high season.
What makes it feel different
The soundscape: gentle waves, no jet skis, no parasailing. Morning light hits the turquoise water at a low angle, making fish visible as dark shadows in the shallows. By midday, brightness requires polarized sunglasses. The white sand reflects intensely. Afternoon brings softer, golden-hour light around 4-5pm as sun descends behind distant peninsulas.
Multigenerational La Paz families arrive on weekends. Kids wade in the shallows while parents set up under palapas. Fishing boats occasionally pass offshore. The pace is unhurried. Siesta mentality. No manufactured tourist experience. Just a working beach where locals eat fresh fish and swim in calm water. Similar authentic coastal experiences exist at this Belize island with equally clear water.
Your questions about Playa El Tesoro answered
How much does a day trip cost?
Free parking plus free beach access. Meal at the restaurant: $20-30 for two people. Snorkel rental in La Paz: $15-25. Taxi round-trip: roughly $16. Total budget: under $50 for two people for a full day. Palapa rental (250 pesos) is optional. You can bring your own shade and pay nothing beyond food if you choose to eat.
What’s the difference from Balandra?
Balandra sits 23 kilometers from La Paz and enforces limited visiting times with likely fee-based entry. El Tesoro is 12.4 kilometers away, has no time restrictions, stays less crowded, and charges no entry fee. Both offer the same turquoise water quality and white sand. El Tesoro has one restaurant. Balandra has none. For travelers seeking similar turquoise water elsewhere, these tropical islands cost significantly less than Aruba.
Is it safe to swim?
Yes. The cove is shallow, calm, and protected. Watch for stingrays (shuffle your feet when entering water). Water clarity is excellent. No lifeguard on duty (standard for Mexican beaches), so swim at your own risk. The shallow zone extends 250 meters before dropping to deeper water where sailboats anchor. Families with small children use this beach regularly due to the gradual depth.
The ferry back to La Paz leaves at 4:30pm from Pichilingue, 6 miles south. Most visitors make it with time to spare. I almost missed it once because someone at the restaurant started talking about where the best fish come from. The conversation lasted an hour. The turquoise water stayed calm the entire time.