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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
San Felipe
Go for 2 nights if you drive: fish tacos on the malecón, the 7 m tide flats and the Baja 250. No car, no town — skip it.
San Felipe is a small fishing port on the Gulf of California that turned into a weekend resort for drivers from Mexicali, California and Arizona. The malecón is walkable, the beach camps sit a few km north, and the sea pulls back about a kilometre at low tide. It is a driving destination: without a car you are stuck on one strip.
- Country
- Mexico
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (heat and humidity, storm season)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget MXN 700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid MXN 1,200–2,200 excl. bed · High MXN 2,200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Tourist assistance 078 · Green Angels roadside help 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Fish taco | MXN 35–70 |
| Plate of shrimp (camarones) | MXN 180–320 |
| Beer: bottle at a bar / case at a distributor | MXN 40–70 / MXN 350–500 |
| Coffee | MXN 40–70 |
| Beach camp pitch, per night | MXN 150–400 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | MXN 250–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SFH · San Felipe International (general aviation)
- Small field a few km south of town; mostly private and charter traffic — check current commercial service.
- TIJ · Tijuana
- Cross the border and drive; about 4–5 h via Mexicali or Ensenada.
- MXL · Mexicali
- Closest crossing for the short desert run south on Highway 5.
Typical fares
- Bus Mexicali → San Felipe
- about 2 h; fare check with the operator
- Drive Tijuana → San Felipe
- about 4–5 h via Mexicali or Ensenada; tolls and fuel extra (check)
- Boat fishing trip, half day
- from about MXN 1,200 per person (check)
Get around
Walk the malecón; everything else needs a car. There are no local buses. Long-distance buses from Mexicali drop you in town but do not serve the beach camps. Beach driving is a bad idea: soft sand and a fast tide will bury a 4x4.
See and do
Known for
- Fish tacos
- Seven-metre tides on the Sea of Cortez
- Baja 250 off-road race
- Beach camps and RV parks
- Shrimp boats in the commercial harbour
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Valle de los Gigantes (cardón cactus reserve) | Drive south on Highway 5, then the signed turn-off | About 1 h each way |
| Puertecitos | Paved Highway 5 south along the gulf | About 1.5 h each way |
| Bahía de los Ángeles | Highway 5 south, then Highway 1 | 5–6 h each way |
| Mexicali | Highway 5 north through the desert | About 2 h each way |
Sleep
- Malecón / downtown
- Bars, restaurants and motels within walking distance; best if you want to park once.
- Beach camps north of town
- Campos and playas with palapas, bathrooms and some showers; a few km out, so you need a car to reach the malecón.
- South of town near the harbour
- Larger hotels and condos with pools and beach frontage; quiet, car needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedees-KOOL-peh |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Do not park on the beach. The tide comes in fast and can reach a car or bike within minutes.
- Fill the tank before leaving Mexicali or San Felipe; fuel stops on Highway 5 are few.
- Carry extra drinking water for the desert drive.
- Expect Mexican Army checkpoints on Highway 3 and around San Felipe; keep ID and vehicle papers handy and state your destination.
- Highway 3 has potholes and a poor reputation after dark — drive it in daylight.
- Fishing from a boat needs a permit; collecting clams and shellfish is for locals only.
The town is calm and the malecón is fine at night. The real risks are the tide, summer heat, desert driving and unlit Highway 3 — not crime.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Felipe yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fish tacos
- Seven-metre tides on the Sea of Cortez
- Baja 250 off-road race
- Beach camps and RV parks
- Shrimp boats in the commercial harbour
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Baja California: www.visitbajacalifornia.com/
- Mexico tourism (SECTUR): www.gob.mx/sectur
- Wikivoyage: San Felipe, revision 5191507 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5191507
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Felipe
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No US or other consulate in San Felipe; the US consulate general is in Tijuana and embassies are in Mexico City.
Tipping: 10–15% in restaurants; MXN 20–50 for porters and boat helpers.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-felipe). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.