According to Los Angeles police, a call came in around 6:30 a.m. about a body on the beach.
A jogger spotted the body and alerted authorities. The discovery was made near Ocean Front and Market Street.
Police said the body, which was still clothed, did not exhibit any obvious signs of violence or trauma and had not been attacked by marine life.
The woman, who was described to be in her 30s, was not immediately identified. Investigators said she did not fit the description of anyone who had been reported missing in the area.
The cause of her death was not known. The investigation was ongoing.