LA PAZ · BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR · THE CITY GUIDE
La Paz sits on a bay with two headline acts in it. From October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, the Bay of La Paz whale shark refuge is open for swimming alongside the biggest fish in the sea. In the same bay lies Isla Espíritu Santo, a national park since 2007 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
That pairing organizes the trip. You base yourself in the city and spend the best days on the water. The rest is logistics you can settle in an evening: LAP for flying in, a Baja Ferries route linking to Topolobampo, a 4% lodging tax to add to hotel quotes, and a Level 2 State Department advisory to read before you book.
THE CITY AT A GLANCE · LA PAZ
Plan La Paz around the whale shark season (October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027) and a day on Isla Espíritu Santo, and fly into LAP.
WHALE SHARK SEASON: OCT 1, 2026–APR 30, 2027 · U.S. ADVISORY: LEVEL 2 · LODGING TAX: 4% (2026)
Go for: swimming with whale sharks in a federally regulated refuge, a national park island that is also a UNESCO site, and a ferry link to the mainland.
Think twice if: a Level 2 (Exercise increased caution) advisory for Baja California Sur gives you pause: read the State Department text before you book.
Whale sharks: SEMARNAT · Park: CONANP and UNESCO · Airport: GAP · Ferry: Baja Ferries · Advisory: U.S. Department of State · full sources below
On this page
- What is there to do in La PazIsla Espíritu Santo and the whale shark refuge
- Flying into La Paz (LAP) or taking the ferryLAP passenger count and the Baja Ferries sailings to Topolobampo
- La Paz hotel cost and taxesThe 4% lodging tax in 2026
- Best time to visit La PazWhale shark dates, October 1 to April 30
- Is La Paz safe?The Level 2 advisory for Baja California Sur
La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, the state behind the 4% lodging tax and the Level 2 advisory quoted here. If it is one candidate among several Mexican bases, our destinations hub has the others.
What is there to do in La Paz?
Isla Espíritu Santo is the day out. It lies in the Bay of La Paz, has been a national park since 2007, and has belonged since 2005 to the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California.” Park hours, entry fees, boat fares and crossing times all change, and we could not confirm them from a primary source, so we quote none. Ask the boat operator for the current figures when you book.
Whale shark swimming happens in the Bay of La Paz refuge and falls under a federal management plan that covers three seasons between 2026 and 2029. SEMARNAT published the notice for the 2026-2027 season on September 17, 2026. The plan sets the terms for every swimmer, so an operator whose rules differ from that notice deserves a second question before you pay a deposit.
Which airport do you fly into for La Paz?
| Way in | Verified detail | Still to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Fly into LAP | La Paz International Airport (Manuel Márquez de León), operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico · 1,337,600 passengers in 2025 | Airline routes, fares, ground transfer into the city |
| Ferry, Monday to Friday | Baja Ferries, La Paz–Topolobampo · check-in 12:00 · departs 13:30 · arrives 20:30 | Fares, vehicle rules, direction of each sailing |
| Ferry, Saturday | Check-in 21:30 · departs 23:00 · arrives 08:00 the next morning | Fares, vehicle rules, direction of each sailing |
LAP is the airport for La Paz, and in 2025 it recorded 1,337,600 passengers. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) runs it. Airline routes and fares shift with the season, so we name none.
The ferry is the other way in, and it is a real option for anyone arriving from the mainland. Baja Ferries lists weekday sailings and one Saturday night sailing on the La Paz–Topolobampo route. Before you build a plan around the 20:30 or 08:00 arrival, confirm on bajaferries.com.mx which end each listed sailing leaves from.
The last leg from LAP into the city is where we hit a gap: mode, fare, frequency and drop-off point for taxis and shuttles were not confirmed from a primary source. Ask your hotel to arrange the pickup before you fly, and get the price in writing.
What does a hotel night cost in La Paz?
Baja California Sur charges a lodging tax (Impuesto sobre la Prestación de Servicios de Hospedaje) of 4% in 2026. On every $100 of room charge, that is $4 more. Before booking, ask whether the rate on screen includes it, because the difference shows up at checkout. We quote no nightly rates, since they move through the year and we would not crown one month the cheapest.
When is the best time to visit La Paz?
Sources & data for La Paz
- Whale shark refuge, 2026-2027 season · SEMARNAT official notice of September 17, 2026, gob.mx · checked Sep 29, 2026
- Isla Espíritu Santo status · CONANP (national park) and UNESCO listing (2005), corroborated by El Sol de México, Aug 10, 2024 · checked Sep 29, 2026
- Airport passenger count (2025) · Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico · checked Sep 29, 2026
- Ferry schedule · Baja Ferries, Rutas y Horarios · checked Sep 29, 2026
- Lodging tax, 4% in 2026 · Ley de Hacienda del Estado de Baja California Sur, art. 13, cross-checked with El Contribuyente’s 2026 table · checked Sep 29, 2026
- Travel advisory · U.S. Department of State, Mexico Travel Advisory, reissued May 29, 2026 · checked Sep 29, 2026
- Ground transfers from LAP, boat fares, park fees, hotel rates and climate normals are not covered by a source we could read, so none are quoted · check operators when you book.
Whale shark season in the Bay of La Paz refuge runs from October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. Those seven months are the window for the swim, and a trip outside them should not count on it. Dates matter more here than anywhere else on the page, so build the flights around them.
The federal plan covers three seasons between 2026 and 2029, and we read only the notice for 2026-2027. Dates for the later two seasons were not in it. If you are planning for 2027 or 2028, look for the newer SEMARNAT notice before you commit to a month. Cancun runs on a different calendar, covered in our Cancun best-time guide.
The U.S. Department of State rates Baja California Sur Level 2, Exercise increased caution, due to terrorism and crime, in the Mexico Travel Advisory reissued May 29, 2026. The same entry states there are no specific restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in the state. Advisories are reissued from time to time, so read the current text the week you fly.
Choose a date between October 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027 and La Paz offers a swim with a whale shark in its own bay, then a day on Isla Espíritu Santo, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. Ask the hotel for a total with the 4% lodging tax counted, and the rest of the trip can be booked around those two days.