If you like cultural traditions around the world and discovering the origin of the celebrations, you have to discover Day of the Dead and experience it in Los Cabos. Unforgettable!Sara García
,regionOfInterest=(1992.5,1328.5))
,regionOfInterest=(719.0,822.5))
By Sara García
Journalist and in love with trips full of new experiences. Writing and traveling merge to allow him the privilege of telling about what he discovers in every corner of the world and sharing them with anyone who wants to follow in his footsteps.
Stay tuned in this post to discover the famous celebration in which life and death are the stars of the show. That is the essence of the Day of the Dead, one of the most iconic traditions in Mexico and named an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
In Los Cabos, the festival takes on a unique festive air along with golden beaches, live music and great hospitality. The ideal setting to honor those people who are no longer here, but who are still alive in our memories. Calaveras, candles, photographs and a thousand colors that come together to create wonderful altars. Would you like to learn more? I’ll tell you.
,regionOfInterest=(3000.0,2000.0))
,regionOfInterest=(1771.5,2657.5))
,regionOfInterest=(1936.0,1296.0))
,regionOfInterest=(1933.5,2900.5))
1. What is the Day of the Dead?
In Mexico the deceased are remembered with joy, forgetting all about black. On this day, the souls of the deceased return to share with the living and be nourished by the essence of food and objects that are left on altars, which contain photos of those who are no longer here.
Origin of the celebration
In pre-Hispanic times, the cult of death was important on a cultural level. Festivals were held when a relative passed away to help guide them along the way. Food was placed next to the deceased to ensure they would not go hungry on the trail. Death was a part of life, not an end to it.
Over time and with the arrival of the Spanish, religious rituals began to merge with indigenous rituals and a specific date was created to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1 and 2 to honor the deceased family and friends with a tradition full of love. November 1 is All Saints’ Day and is dedicated to the little ones, the “little angels”. On November 2, all the deceased are present, i.e. adults.
,regionOfInterest=(1838.5,2758.0))
2. What is needed to celebrate this tradition
Everything that involves this celebration revolves around the offerings designed to welcome the spirits of loved ones who are no longer living. Creating a connection between past and present through food and perfectly placed objects and flowers on altars.
Typical food on the Day of the Dead
Bread of the dead is one of the many local dishes enjoyed during the festival. It may vary depending on each region, but is usually a round-shaped sweet bread decorated with what are assumed to be crosses of the dough and a small ball in the center that is a symbol of the brains. They have a unique taste and smell of orange blossom. There are also traditional drinks atoles and hot chocolate to accompany you. Mexican tamales are also always available.
Flor de Muerto
The cempasúchil is a flower that symbolizes the reflection of heat and light from the sun, with its petals marking the path that the souls of the deceased must follow towards the altar. It ensures a connection between the two dimensions of life and death. You can make your own flowers with different colored paper if you wish to decorate your altar.
Day of the Dead calendars
One of the best-known symbols of the Day of the Dead. The calaveras appear with smiles as if they were laughing at death. You can see them in decorative figurines, on the made-up faces of those who celebrate the day, in sugar and clay moulds. One of the most recognizable symbols of the festival is La Catrina. A skeletal female figure wearing an elegant ornate hat. Its history is linked to the essence of Mexican traditions and roots.
,regionOfInterest=(2000.0,3000.0))
3. How the Day of the Dead is celebrated in Los Cabos
The streets are full of color between October 31 and November 2. On the 31st of October the Night of the Dead is celebrated, better known as Halloween. Our house gardens are transformed into genuine cemeteries. On November 1 and 2, the streets are full of parades, traditional music and people all dressed in traditional costume with make-up on their faces.
Day of the Dead 2025 events in Los Cabos
Every year the Altares at the Sea festival in Cabo San Lucas is held with decorated boats and parades in the marina, along with the Sea of Offerings event with altars and decorations in the town center ending with tastings of traditional local dishes and mezcal at the Plaza Amelia Wilkes on November 2. There is also a Catrinas festival in San José del Cabo.
EsperanzArte 2025 at Esperanza on 31/10/2025. The 9th annual EsperanzArte Festival takes place, where talented artists create spectacular exhibitions that showcase the fusion of contemporary art and traditional Mexican crafts.
Day of the Dead at One&Only Palmilla on November 1, 2025 with Catrinas parade and immersive dinner. Guests can take a DIY kit to take part in the Catrina fashion show and make-up application in the spa. The path will lead you to end a special evening of mixology at Agua Bar.
Dance of the Spirit at ME Cabo
There are many resorts in Mexico that choose to celebrate Christmas and New Year every year. A festive spirit will inspire you to celebrate ME Cabo’s Day of the Dead 2025 celebrations in style. The Dance of Spirits event is organized by ME Cabo and Grupo Rosa Negra. A weekend full of music, energy, inspired by cultural intensity, colors and fun. The event will be led by the international DJ Sistek and the epicenter of the celebration will be the hotel's Taboo restaurant. Get ready for a night full of rhythm, beauty and tradition. Book a package for this weekend and dance with the spirits.
,regionOfInterest=(2743.0,1828.5))
4. What is celebrated in other parts of the world
The Day of the Dead is a very important celebration in Mexico, but in other parts of the world there are also days to remember the deceased. Out of curiosity, I would like to tell you about other cultural celebrations that include events dedicated to the death or the souls of loved ones who are no longer here.
🕯️Ireland celebrates Samhain, the origin of what we now know as Halloween. It was believed that this was the time when spirits visited the land.
🕯️In Japan they have Obon, a Buddhist festival in which families remember their ancestors by lighting floating lanterns to guide souls back to the afterlife.
🕯️All Saints’ Day in Spain and other European countries. Families visit cemeteries and light candles in memory of the deceased.
🕯️Famadihana in Madagascar, better known as "the turning of the bone", is a ritual in which families exhume the bodies of their ancestors, wrap them in new shrouds and dance with them as a sign of respect.
,regionOfInterest=(2736.0,1824.0))
5. What’s the difference between Day of the Dead and Halloween
Halloween and the Day of the Dead celebrations can often be mixed up. They are all different and each with its own particular characteristics. The date, origin and how they are celebrated have nothing to do with them. Take note:
Different date
Halloween is celebrated on the last night of October, on the 31st. The Day of the Dead is celebrated on both November 1 and 2, and is held throughout the day and not just the night.
Origin and meaning
As I mentioned above, the origin of Halloween comes from the Celts of Ireland and marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. It evolved into a celebration focused on the supernatural, scary stories and costumes designed to have fun. The origin of the Day of the Dead is based on rituals and indigenous culture that celebrated death as part of the journey of life, and is a memory of those who are no longer with us.
Meaning of death
On Halloween, death is represented in a dark and frightening way: scary characters and terrifying scenes. On the Day of the Dead, death is seen with laughter and happiness in a much more festive setting full of bright colors and music. They are treated with the greatest affection and love.
Practices and symbols
For Halloween, scary costumes and decoration based on pumpkins, cobwebs and black are the most popular, along with the famous door-to-door "trick or treat" asking for sweets. On the Day of the Dead, the most popular events are the altars with photos of the deceased, the cempasúchil flower and multi-coloured calendars. And all the parades and music that accompany the two days of celebration.
,regionOfInterest=(2150.0,1210.0))
The Day of the Dead in Los Cabos is much more than just a tradition: is an experience that combines history, culture, cuisine and community in a heavenly setting. Celebrating the event here means paying tribute to those who are no longer here, but also discovering Mexican hospitality in all its splendour. If you want to celebrate the Day of the Dead in a very special way, Los Cabos awaits you with open arms.
,regionOfInterest=(1824.0,2736.0))
,regionOfInterest=(683.0,446.0))
,regionOfInterest=(2712.5,1808.5))
,regionOfInterest=(2693.0,3590.5))
,regionOfInterest=(2500.0,1735.5))