How To Throw A Luxe Bach Party in Cabo
Ohhh, Mexico!
Planning a bachelorette party is just another one of those very useful skills they don’t teach you in school. These days, it’s as pertinent as knowing how to do your taxes or home improvement projects–especially with destination parties on the rise.
Luckily, my travel background came in handy as I planned my best friend’s bachelorette in Cabo, Mexico–Cabo San Lucas to be specific.
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First things first, Cabo’s Baja Peninsula is definitely more approachable (read: westernized) than Mexico’s east coast towns I’ve visited. It’s also more connected, so flying into Cabo International Airport (SJD) positions you within less than an hour of your destination. By the way, Cabo is split into two main areas: San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, the latter being the further destination and also the place we chose for our weekend of celebrations (about 45 minutes from the airport).
While there are some glamorous new accommodations, including the Waldorf Astoria and Villa La Valencia, not to mention established favorites like Esperanza Auberge Resorts Collection and Montage Los Cabos, as a party of 12, we opted for an Airbnb in Pedregal so that we could enjoy every moment together of the long weekend. I learned that Pedregal is the resort neighborhood where apparently the majority of sizable expat groups stay when visiting this part of Mexico; I received so many messages from my followers who had spent bachelor or bachelorette parties here (lads, it’s a wonderful golf getaway).
Pedregal
There are a plethora of multi-bedroom villas available when you filter your search to Pedregal, Los Cabos on Airbnb, which can cause some analysis paralysis. I think my friend and I narrowed the shortlist to five villas at one point, then decided we just had to choose and move forward! We ended up at the lovely Villa Vista Pacifica, a six bedroom, tri-story mansion carved into the very top of Pedregal (our driver told us we could walk up the hill if we wanted some “light” exercise but that quickly became the joke of the trip as it required more than ten minutes by car up a vertical incline). I digress…
The gated neighborhood is a row of beautifully landscaped and architecturally designed villas overlooking unparalleled views of the Pacific waves crashing on the beach below. Our villa felt private, safe and welcoming, with a wonderful staff of two chefs and three cleaners that helped keep us going throughout a marathon of a weekend. These perks were included as part of our stay and nightly rate, however, some of the Airbnbs we discovered charged an additional fee for staffing so it’s certainly something to scour the details for when you’re narrowing down Airbnbs. In my opinion, this extra perk was 100 percent worth it–though we spent our dinners out, we were greeted with fresh margaritas, tamales and guacamole that seemingly never ended. A breakfast spread was served daily of fresh fruit, bacon, fluffy pancakes and huevos rancheros, plus all the salsas that spice up any Mexican meal, any time of day. And lunch included tacos–some of the best shrimp tacos I’ve ever had!–Plus, coming back to a clean house after a day out imbibing on the boat or beach doesn’t hurt.
Downtown Impressions
As I mentioned, we were about 10 minutes from the main downtown drag of Los Cabos, where day clubs spill out into the streets and street bars advertise $2 beer all day. We didn’t spend much time downtown, save a late night pit-stop at Mandala nightclub (when in Cabo), however, on the last morning a couple of us went down to take out some cash and we felt so safe as Americans walked past with Starbucks-branded iced coffees, slightly relieved we hadn’t missed out on any hidden culture.
That’s not to say there isn’t culture downtown, however, from first impressions and drive bys to and from the airport, it felt very touristy. Of course, in a destination as popular as Cabo, we spent much of our time in places that were also very touristy, and I’m sure there are some veiled gems one could find when spending more time in the area.
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Highlights
I knew I wanted to craft an itinerary around a well-balanced mix of fine dining, experiencing the seaside locale, relaxing and partying, so we constructed what ultimately was an ideal schedule, starting with beach cocktails, dinner and dancing on the first night; lounging poolside at our villa the second day with a classy dinner in the evening; and a morning yacht trip that dropped us at Bagatelle Beach Club for our third (and final day).
It was truly a weekend full of laughter and love at every turn, but my three highlights–like you cannot arrange a luxury bach weekend without including these stops–are as follows:
Yachting experience
There are a number of charters for large parties, running fishing vessels to catamarans, 37-foot private boats to 62-foot yachts. We booked through Seashine Adventures, who advised a 62-foot yacht for our 12-person party. I loved how accommodating they were when it came to the type of day we desired, as they can run everything from snorkeling to sunset tours. Given that we were a party of 12 girls, we wanted to lounge, tan and sip some ice cold Coronas in the Cabo sun, while putting around the Bay of Cabo San Lucas (and take photos of course!). I also loved how everything was included–they said light apps, but they really took care of us with chips, salsa and guacamole, and our choice of quesadillas for an appetizer, plus a tres leches cake for the bride–and premium spirits were available as an open bar tab included in our rate. They made everything so seamless and that’s certainly why this is a standout.
Located in San Jose del Cabo (the other part of the Baja Peninsula that is closer to the airport), this field-to-table restaurant relies on its farm to source ingredients for their staple pizzas. For meats, they rely on a longtime partner, "Jefe" Guadalupe Espinoza, who has been raising livestock for his whole life; together Flora Farms and Espinoza have created a sustainable ranching operation. It’s the place to come to connect with nature, their terraced-eating area surrounded by crops and a stage floating live music from local bands. Though we were skeptical about the 45-minute drive eating up time, I would do it all again; the drive is completely worth it.
Bagatelle
You simply can’t throw a Cabo bachelorette without a little club action–and beach club at that. So, we took to the French-Mediterranean hotspot with a cult-international following (with destinations from London to St Barths to Dubai) and settled in for the afternoon. We started with lunch and bubbles (the tartare and avocado pizza are a must) before hitting the beach where cups and ice buckets quickly replaced our cutlery and napkins. It’s certainly a splurge, but at a celebration as once-in-a-lifetime as your best friend getting married, one that is par with the course. It also felt great to mingle with the other tables, with everyone radiating so much simple joy, and hearing about what they were celebrating, from birthdays to other bachelorette parties.
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Things I learned...
You really do need to plan ahead–I spent the better half of a year ensuring we were going to experience the best Cabo had to offer, before locking down reservations. Since things were scheduled, and I provided that schedule to each girl before the trip, everyone knew where they had to be, when they had to be there, which made herding 11 girls slightly easier. It also left little room for drama about people being late or not knowing the details of the day, and I feel very grateful to report everything ran smoothly without cattiness, injury or drama. There are a few tips for any destination bach that I recommend, though, based off this experience:
#1 Book a photographer for your group on the first night. It’s a perfect way to break the ice and capture candid memories. I used Flytographer, the site that matches you with a local photographer in more than 380 destinations across the globe. The lead image in this newsletter is credited to Diana from Flytographer who was amazing in bringing my vision of opening champagne at sunset to life.
#2 There’s so much hype around a matching item for the attendees (since the bride usually wears white on outings) but don’t overthink it. Choose a matching item that everyone can feel comfortable in, like an accessory (sunglasses or a hat) or can use in the future (like a bag). Never Knew I Needed on Etsy has some fabulous inspiration at reasonable prices. While you’re at it, order a selection of veils and sashes for the bride, to spice up her outfits during the day and night (and in case one flies off on the boat!)
#3 Hire a driver. Though we thought a driver might raise costs for the weekend, after adding up all our taxi bills (which when a bunch of girls are paying cash after a few drinks is hard to keep track of) we probably spent the same amount as if we had hired a driver for the weekend, especially as a large group. It also removes the stress from the few select girls calling Ubers and dealing with instruction. Just another way to keep it carefree.
#4 Keep track of expenses in a spreadsheet. Sure, apps like SplitWise can be convenient, but they can also be a headache if no one is adding their expenses and you have to keep on top of them. Nominate one person to keep track of expenses and add them all up in a spreadsheet for everyone to review at the end of the trip.
#5 Don’t take it too seriously! I was overwhelmed on the first day with trying to put up decorations and make everything perfect for my best friend. When in reality, all of us being there and the setting itself was perfect. The balloons, photo props and party favors sure didn’t hurt, but they weren’t the star of the show.
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Xo,
J