25°48.48N 111°15.52W

Anchoring - Snorkeling - Hiking

Overview

Honeymoon Cove is on the north end of Isla Danzante between Marina Puerto Escondido and the southern point of Isla Carmen by about 3NM on each side. This is a popular spot because it is well protected from the typical winter and summer winds/swell and is a quick day escape for the boats berthed at MPE. Honeymoon Cove is made up of three lobes that allow for anchoring in less than 50’ of water. You will also see many large yachts anchored farther out in 100 feet of water. There is some great snorkeling around the peninsula that is on the west side of the north lobe.

You can get some cell signal if you are in the SE Lobe, but the peninsula on the west side of the cove blocks the signal in the other lobes. There isn’t any trash service here, so plan on making a run to MPE to dump trash and get water, fuel, and some groceries from the market.

Google Maps Link: Honeymoon Cove

Anchoring Options

Anchoring here can be a little tricky. The north lobe is pretty narrow and requires a stern anchor if you put out the correct amount of scope. The bottom is sand and holds well. The middle lobe is the largest at around 213 meters wide. The water is deep and slopes up fast to the beach. If you use a 5/1 scope, you will end up pretty close to the beach and may sleep better if you have a large primary anchor with a lot of chain to compensate for the steep slope of the sea bed.

Last but not least, the southeast lobe has an opening approximately 152 meters wide. This is the easiest spot to drop the anchor. You can put the anchor in a relatively flat spot and have plenty of swing room for one boat. I think the view is also the best from here as you have a great view of the sunsets over the Sierra de la Giganta mountains.

North & Middle Lobes

North Lobe

Middle Lobe

SE Lobe

Beaches

Each lobe has its own sand/gravel beach, and they are easy to beach a dinghy or paddleboard. The beach at the north lobe is the nicest sand, but at times it is roped off with a buoy line. I’ve been told but haven’t confirmed that this is to protect a species of fish that breed and lay eggs here. The middle lobe is mostly gravel with a bit of sand, and the SE lobe is a mix of sand/gravel.

Hiking

There is a hiking trail that starts from the north beach. It goes up a small hill to a vista point just north of the beach. You can also continue uphill to the east to a vista that overlooks Isla Carmen. It is a beautiful view, but also a steep climb. There is a trail up from the middle beach, but it isn’t very user-friendly for the initial ascent from the beach. You can see where other people have walked, but it is pretty loose. The SE beach has another lightly used trail up the hills to the east. The trail is mostly gone in many places but just keep going up. Look for the trailhead just above the large rock that splits the beach in half. While climbing the hills, be on the lookout for 16 species of reptiles, including the Baja California Rattlesnake!

Snorkeling

The peninsula by the north lobe will have the most to see. Both sides of the peninsula and the rocks off the point are good snorkeling. Sergeant Majors and King Angelfish are a couple of the favorite tropical fish to see here.

You’re also almost guaranteed to see dolphins at this cove if you stay there long enough because of pods that pass by multiple times a day.

Nearby Anchorages

If all the good spots are taken at Honeymoon Cove, you can head south about 1nm to Divorce Cove. It is an easy place to drop anchor and well protected from southern winds and swell.

On the SW end of Isla Carmen, you can anchor with moderate protection from swell from the north. The beach is fantastic with beautiful white sand, and the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular. There is a lot of room to drop in 15’ of water, but the bottom is mostly rock with sand over the top. It does not hold well, so it is pretty much a fair-weather anchorage. As of 2021, a lot of seagrass has been growing in and has to be dealt with when raising anchor.

Marina Puerto Escondido is a few miles away and has guest slips and mooring balls available. On the approach to MPE, there is a large cove on your starboard side named the Waiting Room. Anchoring there is currently not allowed, and you will be asked to move if you drop there. You can drop on the east side before you get to the Navy dock.

Improvements & Links

Please email me or leave a comment if you have valuable information to add to this post. I’ll continue to improve the information on this page as I learn more about this spot. Please send me any relevant links that you think would be good to share here.