Cholla Bay
La Choya, Sonora, Mexico
Cholla Bay, also called Playa La Choya, is a small beach town on Bahia La Choya west of Puerto Penasco in Sonora, Mexico, popular with Arizona families. Huge tidal swings expose rock and sand flats and the tide pools at low tide, full of crabs, shells and sea stars. Calm water makes it good for kayaking and paddleboarding.
Great tide pools, calm water and a loyal Arizona crowd, though the tide swings make timing important.
How we score beachesGo at low tide in the morning for the tide pools, and check a tide chart first. Stay for the sunset and a seafood stop at a beachside cantina.
Park along the beach streets of the small residential community. Access is easier in daylight.
The shore mixes rocky and sandy zones, and tide flats are uneven at low tide.
Swimming season runs roughly April through November, with the water near 28 C in summer and closer to 17 C in February. Summers are very hot, and August and September can bring storms.
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