Las mejores amigas de cabo! 🇲🇽

After an incredible vacation in Cancun we decided to plan another sunny trip down south but include a few more friends to tag along... 19 to be exact.

Cabo San Lucas was our chosen destination as we all wanted to see what was along the west coast and have the opportunity to explore the town of Cabo and enjoy some non resort food.

The vibrant blue ocean, coarse sand and beautiful Cabo arches in the distant made for the perfect getaway from our chilly Canadian winters.

January 25th - February 1st

Riu Palace - Resort

Arriving at the resort we were welcomed to iced cold margaritas in the lobby which was a lovely surprise. Thankfully we had checked in earlier which saved us about an hour in line. We headed to our room which was on the far side of the resort as we upgraded to have a swim-out pool.

It was so nice to finally be on the ground floor compared to our room in Cancun which was in the far back corner. We were super close to both buffets and Pepe's lunch bar as well as towel pickup which was a great bonus to get dry towels each morning.

I felt that the resort was super beautiful and although took a while to understand the layout we found our way around. This resort has two large pools and two swimsuit bars. The one we stuck to was on the further side which was a little cooler than the other pool. Many of us enjoyed that this area gave us more sun and a closer view of the Cabo arches. Compared to Cancun it was much easier getting chairs each morning and it wasn't a battle to snag ones all together.

We did eventually check out Riu Santa Fe which was the more "party" resort. They would host day parties in the pool which we ended up heading to on our second last day. This one was the jungle party, we all matched our jungle face paint to our swimsuits and headed over to the loud sound of EDM music. Once we grabbed a drink and headed to the pool it felt like an endless rave. We danced and sang and participated in the balloon and foam drops. It was a great amount of fun but made for an early night for most of us.

I don't think I would recommend Santa Fe for those who want a much more relaxing trip but it was nice that we were given access to go over for one day. Some friends even hit up the water park the next day.

Overall I really enjoyed this resort and the staff were very friendly and kind during our stay. We especially enjoyed chatting with the bartenders.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Food & Drinks

When I travel, my focus isn't typically on the food or drinks. I consider myself more of an experiential traveler, prioritizing activities and adventures over culinary delights. That being said, our group found the dining experience at this resort to be somewhat disappointing. Surprisingly, the buffet emerged as the preferred option over the restaurants we visited for dinner each night.

In comparison to our experience in Cancun, we felt that the culinary offerings here lacked diversity and fell short of our expectations in terms of enjoyment. However, I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the lunch buffet and the poolside food station, Pepe's. Daily offerings of tacos, burgers, and fries provided a great lunch option when we didn't want to fully sit down at the buffet.

As for the drinks, I would describe them as fairly average in taste, yet pleasantly strong - a quality one can never complain about. The bartenders were delightful and always up for a friendly chat, adding a warm touch to our overall experience.

Food ⭐⭐ Drinks ⭐⭐⭐

Excursions

We got to go on a group excursion party catamaran for a sunset cruise around the Cabo arches. Although the skies were filled with cloud and was fairly windy we had the best time being able to see the arches up close. We enjoyed some drinks and being able to see some cute sea lions relaxing on the rocks.

After our cruise, filled with dancing and laughter a bunch of us headed to a restaurant in town for some drinks and appetizers. After this Josh and I headed back to the resort for an early night while others went to see Cabo Wabo which is an iconic bar according to the locals.

The next day we had booked an excursion for just the two of us to go paddle boarding, kayaking and snorkelling but unfortunately the water was too rough so instead we did a little bit of whale watching and headed back to land. The tour company was nice enough to reimburse our payment. Hopefully next time we see Cabo or another tropical place we can snorkel as it's one of my favourite activities in the water.

Overall Experience

This trip was an essential escape for many of us, providing cherished moments to connect with our loved ones. Embarking on this journey with friends from various places in my life fills me with pure joy.

While it saddens me that this marks our final beach retreat for the foreseeable future, I'm immensely grateful for the delightful company of friends who consistently turn every travel experience into a delightful and unforgettable adventure.