El Arco — the Arch of Cabo San Lucas — is a natural rock formation at the very tip of the Baja peninsula, where the Pacific becomes the Gulf of California. Standing three storeys tall, it is the defining image of Cabo and the single sight that every visitor makes a point of seeing. It is accessible only by water; glass-bottom water taxis run from the marina for a few dollars and take about 20 minutes for a circuit of the arch, Pelican Rock, and the nearby beaches.
The boat trip lands passengers at Playa del Amor (Lover's Beach), a narrow strip of sand wedged between two seas. Walking across the beach from the calm Gulf side to the Pacific side takes less than a minute — the waves on the Pacific end can be substantial, and the water there is not safe for swimming. The Gulf side is calm and perfect. The sea lion colony at Pelican Rock is visible throughout the boat ride, sprawled on rocks and occasionally diving after fish. Approach the arch from the water at low tide if possible; at high tide the passage beneath it is sometimes too rough for small boats.