San Carlos (Mexico)

San Carlos is a small coastal town on the Sea of Cortez in the Northern Mexico state of Sonora. Popular with retirees who migrate seasonally to escape cold Canadian and northern U.S. winters, the town is famous among scuba divers who come for the clear waters and the abundance of interesting dive sites. National Geographic magazine named San Carlos as one of the top 10 ocean views in the world. It is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Mágicos.

By plane
The closest airport to San Carlos is in Guaymas, but as of 2024 it serves only private aircraft. The best airport for commercial flights is Hermosillo (officially, but never called "General Ignacio Pesqueira García International Airport"). Hermosillo is served by AeroMexico, Delta, and Volaris via Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. From the U.S., Hermosillo is served by American Airlines via connections through Phoenix.

By car
San Carlos is an 8-hour drive south of the U.S. border (Nogales crossing). From the border crossing, drive south on federal highway MEX-15. After about 5 hours, you'll pass through the city of Hermosillo. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants, and gas stations here if you're planning a highway break. From Hermosillo, continue south on highway MEX-15 another 3 hours and you'll reach San Carlos. There are tolls along the way and tolls must be paid in cash, which means pesos, not dollars or any other foreign currency.

By bus
Tufesa operates first-class buses every 2 hours from Hermosillo to Guaymas. The 2-hour trip costs about M$200. Taxis from Guaymas to San Carlos will cost about M$100 for the 10-minute ride. Local buses serve San Carlos (see Getting around).

Get around
The marina area of San Carlos is easily walkable but you'll probably want a car to get around the area. Local buses are available. Outdated travel guides may refer to ferry service across the Sea of Cortez. Unfortunately, Baja Ferries discontinued its service to San Carlos several years ago.

By car
Rental cars are available in the Hermosillo airport from several international companies. Taxis are commonly used and your hotel front desk can call a radio taxi on request. You will also find taxis at sitios near the Plaza Los Jitos and near the Marina Terra Hotel. Taxis are usually available at the sitios between 08:00 and 20:00.

By bus
Local buses serve San Carlos and Guaymas. Buses run every 20 minutes from 06:15 to 19:00, and then hourly until 23:00. The bus route through San Carlos runs down Blvr. Beltrones, past Marina Terra to Marina San Carlos. Fares range from M$50 to M$100 for a ride to Guaymas.

By boat
San Carlos has two marinas and a large number of boats that can be hired for fishing trips, scuba diving, or sightseeing.





See
San Carlos is known for its spectacular natural landscapes of beaches, canyons and rugged rock formations straddling land and sea.


 * Mount Tetakawi is the iconic peak, looming 200 meters above San Carlos. Many hiking trails criss-cross the park.
 * Playa los Algodones (Cotton Beach) gets its name from its delicate white sand dunes.
 * San Pedro Nolasco Island is a protected natural area known for its offshore dive sites and its colony of sea lions.
 * Cañon de Nacapule is a deep ravine with a hiking trail that passes through tunnels and open vistas.
 * Sahuaral is a forest of cacti up to 20 meters tall. Some of the cacti were young when the Jesuit missionaries passed through the area 500 years ago.

Do

 * Snorkeling
 * Golf
 * Fish
 * Kayak
 * Windsurf
 * Sail
 * Whale watching

Diving
Scuba diving is a major reason why visitors travel to San Carlos. Several protected islands in nothern Sea of Cortez have off shore reefs that are home to myriad species of fish, seabirds, and aquatic mammals. San Pedro Nolasco Island is particularly well-known with more than a dozen dive sites along its shores. Various bays, islands, points, and wrecks provide abundant chances to see a rich diversity of aquatic life and spectacular underwater scenery.







Golf
The only publicly accessible course is San Carlos Golf Club. There may be other golf courses in Hermosillo.



Pickleball
Pickleball is the world's fastest growing sport and it's very popular among the Canadian and American expat community in San Carlos.



Buy
Pearls are harvested in the waters near San Carlos. Local shops in San Carlos and in Guaymas offer locally harvested pearls.

Drink
Along the beach are dozens of seaside bars and grills serving cold drinks and antojitos (light snacks).

Connect
High-speed broadband internet is widely available in most hotels and restaurants. Cell coverage is good in town and on the roads to Guaymas. Expect 4G coverage throughout town, though as of 2024, the infrastructure is being upgraded to 5G, particularly in the downtown area near the marina.

Go next

 * Guaymas
 * Hermosillo
 * Ciudad Obregón