Roadtrip in Baja California Sur, Mexico
Baja California, the so-called "Aquarium of the World" by Jacques Cousteau, is the place where 30% of the world's marine mammals are concentrated.
By @charlie_nomade - 14/Jul/2022
Picture: @charlie_nomade
Currency: Mexican Peso (MXN)
Language: Spanish
Climate: 14 / 30ºC all year round
Lodging in Baja California
The average price of accommodation in Baja California is quite high compared to the rest of Mexico, especially in the Los Cabos area (gringo area) and not to mention the famous resorts. A very positive point is that you can camp in almost the entire peninsula, in fact it is something that I recommend 100% since in this way we will enjoy much more of nature during our roadtrip.
Farther north in Baja California Sur (from Ciudad Insurgentes) prices drop significantly.
Transportation in Baja California
One piece of advice that I received before going to Baja California and that I can now share with you is Rent a car! There are many incredible places that we will not be able to get to by public transport. Another recommendation is to arrive at the airport and rent a car. We have found that online prices are three and even four times more expensive, of course and without wishing to offend, these are North American prices.
What to eat in Baja California?
In Baja California, the cuisine is typically Mexican, although in some places it is mixed with Tex-Mex. Fish tacos (mainly made with marlin) and shrimp tacos are some of the best in Mexico. In general, fish and seafood in the region are of the highest quality.
If you plan to camp, you will need to buy supplies, but this is not a problem as there are towns along the way with supermarkets and grocery stores.
Finally, Baja California is home to a very good wine region. In fact, it is the oldest wine-producing region in the Americas and has received significant international recognition. There is a famous wine route in the north of Baja California that is well worth a visit.
What to do in Baja California?
Cetaceans watching tours: The Gulf of California is a privileged place for whale and dolphin watching. There are several points where the whales are concentrated according to their species. Grey whales are the most curious and playful and it is possible to have contact with them and their calves. They can be seen from December to April along the entire Pacific coast, especially in Puerto San Carlos, Laguna San Ignacio and further north in Laguna Ojo de Liebre and Guerrero Negro. We chose the latter for this trip because of the grey whale camp in a spectacular salt mine. Guerrero Negro is also home to a natural sanctuary for migratory birds and, a little further north, a peninsular pronghorn recovery centre, which I will talk about later. Humpback whales can be seen in Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Loreto Bay throughout the spring and winter, while the larger blue whales are found in the Gulf, in the Sea of Cortez. These whales can be seen from November to May.
Beautiful Beaches: It is possible to visit many beaches along the entire coast and in almost all of them we can pitch our tent and sleep peacefully. Some of the most recommended beaches are Playa Arbolitos and Los Frailes in Cabo Pulmo, Playa Balandra in La Paz (probably one of the most beautiful beaches in Baja California), Playa El Requesón, Los Cocos and Playa Coyote in Bahía Concepción. The beaches of Todos Santos and El Pescadero offer incredible sunsets and good surfing. Finally, in Cabo San Lucas, Playa del Amor is a must, where we can see the famous Arch.
Scuba diving: Diving is a must in Baja California, as is snorkelling. Some of the best places for these activities are The Cabo Pulmo Nature Reserve, Isla Espiritu Santo in La Paz, where it is possible to swim with sea lions, and in Cabo San Lucas, specifically at its famous Arch. Depending on the season, it is possible to dive with a variety of marine life such as bull sharks, hammerheads, mantas, turtles, sea lions, dolphins, etc.
Visit to the center for the recovery of the Peninsular Pronghorn: About 30 minutes from Guerrero Negro, you can visit the Recovery Centre for the Berrendo Peninsular, a species of American antelope that was on the verge of extinction (less than 150 individuals in 1990), but which has now increased to more than 500 individuals thanks to various actions in the Vizcaíno Reserve. The visit is completely free and includes a guide.
Let's start the roadtrip!
San Jose del Cabo
San José del Cabo will be the starting point of our road trip, and although there is not much to see here, the price of flights and car rentals is usually much lower than in Cabo San Lucas. The city centre is very colourful and lively, and on Thursdays there are usually art and painting exhibitions on the so-called "Calle del Arte".
Cabo Pulmo
Cabo Pulmo is a protected marine reserve that has the largest coral reef in the Gulf of California and is also the area with the highest concentration of fish. It is a world-class example of truly sustainable conservation and tourism development.
For camping I recommend Playa Arbolitos, a spectacular bay where we will sleep right on the beach under a huge blanket of stars. Finally, Cabo Pulmo has many dive sites and it is very likely that you will see the great bull shark.
La Paz
La Paz - the city I liked best in Baja California Sur, the urban planning blends perfectly with nature. The boardwalk allows you to enjoy incredible sunsets, and the city offers all kinds of fun without going to the extreme of the usual Los Cabos mass tourism. Some must-do activities are A trip to Isla Espiritu Santo for snorkelling, diving with sea lions and whale sharks, and whale watching.
Finally, Balandra Beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico. It has an unusual rock formation in the shape of a mushroom.
Loretto
Loreto is one of Mexico's magical cities, the first human settlement in Baja California and the capital of the entire Gulf of California until a hurricane destroyed it in 1829.
The cobbled streets define the historic centre of the town and it has a long promenade with views of the Isla del Carmen.
Concepcion Bay
This bay has some of the best beaches in all of Baja California, the contrast between the crystal clear water and the white sand mixed with the cactus on top of the mountains makes for an amazing landscape. It is ideal to camp on several of its beaches, each one has a unique charm, among my favourites are: Playa El Requesón, Playa El Coyote and Playa El Burro, although there are many more.
Mulege
The town of Mulegé is an oasis of palm trees and lush vegetation where a river flows into the sea and where it is possible to practice various water activities such as snorkelling, kayaking and jungle canoeing.
Guerrero Negro
As I mentioned before, Guerrero Negro is an ideal place to visit because of what we can find in the area. At the Gray Whale Camp we can do the whale tour and sleep in the middle of a huge salt mine, then we can visit the bird sanctuary and the Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Centre.
San Francisco de la Sierra
Access to this Pop side is not an easy task, we have to cross the desert and drive along a dirt road on the edge of incredible canyons for more than an hour and a half, in this place it is possible to visit an archaeological zone full of cave paintings with more than 10,500 years old. Only about 50 people live in the town, which has a small shelter where we can spend the night.
Todos Santos / El Pescadero
Todos Santos is another magical town, personally the most beautiful in Baja California. The sunsets from these beaches are truly magnificent and it is possible to practice good surfing due to the large waves that form during the season. El Pescadero is about a ten minute drive from Todos Santos and is a real surf village. It is possible to camp in surf campsites and there are skate paths for those who like to practice this sport.
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas is, if you will, the nerve centre of Baja California. This is where all the tourism (mainly North American) is concentrated and it is the party area par excellence. A must-do is a trip to Playa del Amor, home to the famous Arco de Los Cabos, a natural arch-shaped rock formation that is home to sea lions. I highly recommend a dive, either scuba diving or snorkelling.
Tips
- Jacques Cousteau named the Gulf of California: "The Aquarium of the World" and he was right, the diversity of marine fauna and flora is enormous. It is estimated that 35% of the world's marine mammals are concentrated here and, depending on the time of year, various species arrive to reproduce and feed after long migrations.
- It is possible to rent sports equipment (snorkel, kayak, fishing rods) in the most popular beaches of Baja California.
- The Gulf of California, or also called the Sea of Cortez, is the only gulf in the world that belongs to a single country.
Recommendations
- Due to the desert climate, the temperature in Baja California drops quite a bit at night and especially towards the north. It is important to have warm clothing and a blanket or sleeping bag for camping.
- In Mexico it is quite easy to distinguish the planets in the sky and with the naked eye, in Baja California even more so. An application that I always carry on my mobile is Sky Map, with this you can point to the sky and discover what planet or star it is.