Adventures in Cabo Under $100: What Actually Fits the Budget

We went through every tour we list and held each one up against a $100 bill. The honest result: exactly one guided adventure comes in under it before tax, a handful land just above it, and the best cheap days in Cabo cost nothing at all. Here is the whole picture, so you can build a day, or a week, without the sticker shock.

The one tour under $100

Cabo Snorkel & Land's End Arch

$98 USD per guest, plus 16% IVA. Three hours: a speedboat run to the Arch, Lover's Beach and Land's End past the sea lion colony, then snorkeling in a clear bay with sea turtles, rays and tropical fish. Kayaks, paddleboards and underwater scooters are on hand, and handmade quesadillas and drinks are part of it. Departures at 9am and 1pm from the Cabo San Lucas marina, minimum age 5, rated 4.7. If you do one paid thing on a budget, this is it. Take the morning slot for calmer water.

Free days that beat most paid ones

Cabo's beaches cost nothing to walk onto. Medano Beach is the swimming beach, with calm water and amenities along the sand. Chileno Bay and Santa Maria Beach are the snorkeling stops, with no entry fee. Bring your own mask. Pack snacks and drinks, and take a colectivo (a shared van) or the public bus along the Corridor to get there for very little. A day like that costs you a bus fare and a bag of ice.

Just over $100, and worth the stretch

Los Cabos Luxury Sunset Sail

$119 USD plus 16% IVA. Two and a half hours on a French-made sailboat past Land's End and the Arch at twilight, with a premium open bar and gourmet bento-box appetizers. Departs 5pm, minimum age 8, rated 4.9. The open bar alone closes most of the gap between $100 and $119.

Outback & Cabo Camel Ride

$128 USD plus 16% IVA. Three hours at a private desert ranch: a camel ride from the desert to the Pacific coastline, guided nature exploration, a tortilla-making lesson and an oceanfront Mexican buffet. The 1pm departure adds a sunset bonfire. Round-trip pickup is complimentary from most hotels. Minimum age 5, rated 4.8.

Scuba Diving at Land's End & The Arch

$128 USD plus 16% IVA for two guided dives beneath the Arch, past Neptune's Finger and the sea lion colony, with a PADI-certified instructor. Three hours, 8am or 11am, ages 10 and up, rated 4.8.

PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Cabo

$129 USD plus 16% IVA. Never dived? This is the starter: surface basics with a PADI instructor, then up to two dives at Pelican Rock, to 40 feet. Three hours, ages 10 to 60, rated 4.8.

Electric Biking Beach & Desert Adventure

$129 USD plus 16% IVA. Fat-tire e-bikes over desert trails and open Pacific beach, ending at a ranch with a Mexican buffet and a margarita-making class. Three hours, 9am or 1pm, minimum age 8, rated 4.5.

Cabo ATV Tour & Desert Adventure

$130 USD plus 16% IVA. An automatic ATV on the Sandy Snake circuit, 360-degree views from the top, then a buffet and tequila tasting at the ranch. Three hours, beginner-friendly, drivers 18 and up with a license, rated 4.8.

What is not a budget tour

So you can skip them without wondering: the Off-Road UTV Tour is $199 USD, the Signature Cabo Dolphin Swim is $209 USD for 40 minutes, and the PADI Open Water Diver Certification is $609 USD over three days. All plus IVA. Good tours. Different budget.

How to keep the whole trip cheap

• Shoulder season. May to early June and late September to October bring lower prices on flights and stays, with weather that is still good.
• Mornings. Book the early slot. Calmer water, cooler air, and your afternoon stays free for the beach.
• Lunch is built in. The camel, e-bike and ATV tours all end with a buffet, so that is one meal you do not buy.
• IVA. Every tour price above is before the 16% tax. Budget for it.

One tour under $100, six within about $30 of it, and free beaches that need nothing but a mask. Every price is on our adventures page.