Jet Ski Rentals & Tours

The honest truth about jet skiing in Cabo

Jet skiing off Médano Beach is pure, dumb fun — 30 to 60 minutes of bouncing across blue water with El Arco on the horizon. It's not a tour, it's not educational, and nobody pretends otherwise. The honest variables are price (wildly negotiable on the beach, fixed online), the condition of the machine they hand you, and the size of the riding area they actually let you use.

What the ride actually looks like

Most rentals run a supervised circuit off Médano Beach: you follow a guide's boat or stay within a marked buoy zone, with the Arch visible in the distance. Typical sessions are 30 minutes ($80–100) or 60 minutes ($130–160). You can ride solo or double — doubles are slower but half the price per person and better for nervous first-timers.

The water off Médano is usually calm in the morning and choppier by afternoon. If you want speed and air, book the morning. If you want to bounce around and laugh, anytime works.

What it costs (typical 2026 prices)

• 30 minutes, single: $80–100
• 60 minutes, single: $130–160
• Tandem (two riders, one ski): roughly 1.3x the single price, not 2x — ask
• Guided jet ski tour to the Arch area: $150–200, longer range, guide-led

Beach vendors negotiate — the opening quote is aspirational. Online pre-booking costs more but guarantees a machine during Christmas week and spring break, when the beach fleet sells out by noon.

How to pick (and not get burned)

1. Photograph the machine before you touch it. Every scratch, every scuff. The damage-claim shakedown is the oldest trick on Médano Beach, and timestamped photos are the only defense. Do a walk-around video too.
2. Ask where you're allowed to ride. Some operations confine you to a small buoy square; others give you a real stretch of coastline. The price should match the freedom.
3. Check the ski's condition. A well-maintained ski starts instantly, idles smoothly, and doesn't have warning lights on. If it looks beaten, the next one in line won't be better — switch vendors.
4. Confirm the timekeeping. "30 minutes" should be 30 minutes of riding, not 30 minutes including the safety lecture and the wetsuit faff. Start your own timer.
5. Life vests are mandatory and should be provided. If they're optional, leave.

What to bring

Swimsuit, reef-safe sunscreen (reapplied — the spray strips it fast), sunglasses with a strap, and cash. Leave your phone in a waterproof case or on the beach; it will get soaked. A rash guard beats sunscreen for a full hour. Don't wear anything you can't afford to lose to the Sea of Cortez.

Good to know

• You don't need a license or experience. The briefing is five minutes: throttle, steering (it only steers under power — the single most important thing beginners must learn), kill-switch lanyard, and stay away from swimmers.
• The kill-switch lanyard goes on your wrist. If you fall off, the engine cuts. Every year someone skips it and chases their own ski.
• Minimum age to drive is typically 16; younger kids ride as passengers. Age rules are enforced inconsistently — ask, don't assume.
• Alcohol and jet skis: the vendors won't breathalyze you, but impaired riding is how people get seriously hurt. Save the margaritas for after.
• Whale season bonus (Dec–Apr): you may spot spouts from the ski. Do NOT chase whales — it's illegal and the fine is real.

Frequently asked questions