Is This Hidden Beach Destination the “Next Cabo”?

It's Like Cabo…But Without the Crowds

DAILY POSTCARD  | MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026 Dear International Living reader, For more than 20 years, our real estate expert Ronan McMahon has been identifying the "next places" before the mainstream crowds arrive. Ronan was head in Portugal's Algarve…Spain's Costa del Sol…Playa del Carmen on Mexico's Riviera Maya…Los Cabos in Baja California…to name just a few. Now he's got his sights fixed on a new destination—a place that's been dubbed "the next Cabo." Today, he tells you about this destination, and why the title the "next Cabo" is accurate…and not. Read on… P.S. Ronan recently went live to reveal his RETA Index—his full ranking of the 25 best places in the world to buy real estate this year. The destination dubbed the "next Cabo" ranked No. 8.  The full reveal event is now available on demand. Learn how you can get instant access to it—and the accompanying 181-page 2026 RETA Index Report—for just $7 here.  Is This Hidden Beach City the "Next Cabo"?  By Ronan McMahon Picture this… You wake to soft desert light. Outside, palm fronds sway gently in the breeze and the Sea of Cortez lies glassy and calm, shimmering turquoise by the shore. You take your coffee out onto the terrace. In the distance, fishing boats idle in the bay. Pelicans skim the water's surface. By mid-morning, you'll walk the malecón, stop for fresh ceviche, and later—if you feel like it—laze on the white-sand beaches. Some people have started calling this place the "next Cabo". You can see why… The beaches here often top lists of the most beautiful in Mexico. I've rated this destination the 8th best place to buy real estate in the world in 2026. That's according to my brand-new RETA Index, the result of a year of boots on the ground research and analysis. Get access here for $7. This destination has the warm, swimmable waters…the dramatic desert-meets-sea landscapes…the sunshine, the climate, and natural beauty that made Cabo famous… But life here is different. There are no all-inclusive resorts lining the beaches. No waves of tourists rolling in and out.  Instead, refurbished colonial homes host cafés, galleries, and intimate restaurants. Fishermen still work the harbor. Life centers on the three-mile malecón—a place where couples walk in the evenings, families gather for sunset, and the Sea of Cortez lights up gold and pink at day's end. This is a real city…it feels authentic. And it's one of the region's most overlooked coastal markets. For more than two decades, I've circled the globe in search of places like this—rare corners where you can still live richly without being rich. Places where the sun shines bright, the pace slows, and owning a piece of paradise still makes financial sense. And this one has ranked #8 on my RETA Index—the definitive list of the 25 best places in the world to buy real estate in 2026. Recently, I went live with my Editorial Director, Ciaran Madden, to reveal the full RETA Index.  And now, for the first time, the full Index Reveal event replay and the complete 181-page Index Report are available on demand for just $7. Get instant access here. Now here's why this destination ranks among the best in the world to own real estate in 2026… The palm tree-lined malecón stretches for some three miles along the coast of this city. The promenade was fully refurbished in recent years. This city lacks the international name recognition of Los Cabos, which lies just a few hours away. But its natural beauty is no less astounding. It sits on a long, gracefully curving bay on the Sea of Cortez. The beating heart of the town is its three-mile malecón, beautifully refurbished in recent years. All along the malecón, you'll find restaurants, bars, cafés and stores. For the most part, these are not tourist traps, but great-value businesses serving excellent food, with a strong emphasis on locally caught seafood. Each evening as the heat of the day fades, the malecón comes alive. The vibe is one of family and community. Children ride skateboards and oversized novelty tricycles. Elderly couples walk hand in hand. Dating teenagers sit on the piers snacking on ice creams, their feet dangling over the water. And everyone pauses to take in the sunsets. The sunsets here rival the most explosive you'll see anywhere. As the sun drifts below the sea, the sky explodes in a fireball of molten copper.  The sunsets here over the glistening waters of the Sea of Cortez are famous for their striking orange hue. You'll find small, attractive beaches along the malecón and on the edges of the city. But the best beaches are a short drive away. Head 20 minutes from the downtown and you'll come upon vast sweeps of pristine white sand fronted by turquoise waters and backed by fields of towering cardón cacti and red-ridged desert mountains. It's a setting of otherworldly natural beauty. The waters off these beaches are among the most wildlife-rich and biodiverse in the world. Within the city, you'll find at least a half-dozen marinas. From these marinas, you can catch a boat to snorkel and scuba among whale sharks and sea turtles…fish for tuna, dorado, or marlin…or journey out to a marine national park to swim with sea lions. This is a beach- and marine-lover's paradise, while also offering everything you'd expect of a city of 250,000 people, from big-box stores to hospitals. Put it all together and it's a compelling proposition, which raises the question: Why hasn't this city been discovered? This island close to our destination is a national park and popular for day-trips… Accessibility is key for a destination like this. The city has an airport, but for most of its history it has only handled domestic flights. Back in the mid- to late-2000s, though, direct routes opened up to the US and it seemed its time had arrived. Then the global financial crisis hit. Flights from the US stopped.  Now, though, a new era is beginning… Because this city is in Baja California, a few hours from Cabo, you'll sometimes see it described as "next Cabo" or the "new Cabo".  As I say, that's a lazy shorthand. The atmosphere and the offering here are different than in Cabo, more laidback and local. Though there's no question the destinations are linked.  Cabo's runaway success is now directly feeding this city's growth. Last year was another record-breaking one for tourism in Los Cabos. As Cabo has boomed, growing numbers of folks have been seeking a quieter, more affordable alternative in Baja California. This city is uniquely positioned to benefit. And now direct flights from the US are back… The stunning beaches here are beginning to attract more visitors…even in what is traditionally off-season.  Recently, a major US airline launched year-round direct flights from Los Angeles.  The flights have been such a huge success that the airline has already expanded from two to three flights per week to four. On the back of these flights, foreign visitor numbers are shooting higher. Rental managers no longer reduce their short-term rates in summer...during what was traditionally off-season. For the first time in decades, this city has all the ingredients in place—improved access, surging demand, and well-preserved natural beauty—to leap from hidden gem to international hotspot. But right now you can still get in ahead and buy ocean-view condos with stunning sunset views from prices like $245,500.  You can buy ocean-view condos here, overlooking the town, in the $250,000 range. This is what it looks like when a destination is about to explode. Across the world, new destinations are rising like this… Places where property is still affordable, the lifestyle is exceptional, and the early movers stand to benefit. Recently, I went live to reveal my top discoveries at the 2026 RETA Index Reveal—the definitive ranking of the 25 best places in the world to buy real estate in 2026, including this breakout Baja destination.  Now for the first time, the full Index Reveal event replay and the complete 181-page report are available on demand for just $7 today. Claim instant access for $7 here.  If you're trying to decide where to buy, where to retire, where to invest, or simply want to know what your best options are…the 2026 Index gives you a global map of possibilities. Within the Index report, you'll also get a Personal Index Tool that lets you compare all 25 destinations side by side—so you can rank them by what matters most to you: income potential, lifestyle, climate, stability, ease of ownership, or long-term upside.  The index helps you see—clearly—where your ideal destination is. When you claim access today, you'll get…  The full Index Reveal replay video The complete 181-page 2026 RETA Index Report The sortable Index data table Your 60-day trial to Real Estate Trend Alert with all my research, scouting intel, contacts, and member-only deals. Get Instant Access to the 2026 RETA Index for $7 here. Recommended Resource: Doors Closing on 2nd Passport Options Have you seen the headlines? Countries around the world are making it more challenging to get a visa or citizenship. Let me show you how to act now, while doors are still open, and you could get a 2nd passport in as little as 3 months.   Inbox too crowded? 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