-Baja

  • Destination Info

    About -Baja

    With a direct flight from Toronto to San Jose del Cabo, it’s a no-brainer to go on vacation here (and our Sunwing flight was only $650). Most people go from the airport to Cabo San Lucas to stay at an all-inclusive but we prefer to be more intrepid travellers. We rented a car and headed out to explore the southern part of this region. What we loved was having a dessert on one side and the ocean on another. It was also whale migration season so through the day whenever we looked out at the ocean, we would see whales breaching.

    Car Renters Beware: When we rented our car, the rate showed as $10 each day. It seemed cheap and once we checked in we realized why: it is mandatory to pay for 3rd party insurance (and it’s not something you are automatically covered for when you used your credit card). It’s the law to pay for it separately. So, what we thought was going to be $79 turned out to be $450. Just make sure to read the fine print when you rent a car in Mexico.

    Some interesting websites to check out before you leave:

    http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/the-best-of-baja

    http://www.loscabosguide.com/natures-hot-tubs/

  • Eat / Play / Shop

    Eat / Play / Shop

    Eat:

    San Jose del Cabo: Lateral Crudo y Asado (great garlic shrimp taco)

    Todos Santos: YerbaBueno garden; El Compa Chava (ceviche); Micael’s; La Esquina; La Palapa del Sabor (great huevos rancheros)

    La Paz: El Molinito (try the “huachinango zarandeado”)

    Los Barriles: Beans and Rice

    Cabo Pulmo: Tito’s Restaurant; El Caballero

    Santiago: Palomar Restaurant (garlicky octopus)

     

    Play:

    Todos Santos: surf at Playa Cerritos

    Todos Santos: visit the turtle sanctuary and release turtles into the ocean: Tortugueros Las Playitas (http://www.todostortugueros.org)

    La Paz: snorkel with Whale Sharks

    La Paz: sail to beaches at Isla Espiritu Santo (swim with sea lions, whales, fish)

    Los Barriles: go kitesurfing

    Santiago: desert guide Marco Hernández of Nómadas de Baja (52-624/146-9612)

     

  • Itinerary

    Itinerary

    Baja Sur

    Feb 3:

    -fly to San Jose del Cabo (SJD)

    -15 min south =  eat at Las Guacamayas (taco stand)

    -hotel in SJdC = Marisol Boutique Hotel (20 min from airport; $77) – nothing special but a good place to lay our head after a long day of travel; Acre Hotel seems very cool

    -Lateral Crudo y Asado (great garlic shrimp taco)

    Feb 4-6:

    -drive to Todos Santos (1 hour – on new road); stay at Villas La Mar Baja  – INCREDIBLE; Pachamama and Rancho Pescadero are cool too

    -Playa San Pedro (Las Palmas); Todos Santos Shallow water protected by promontories. Look for a sandy road next to a palm grove at Km 57 off Highway 19.

    -surfing at Playa Cerrito (El Pescadero)

    -eat a YerbaBueno garden; El Compa Chava (ceviche); Micael’s; La Esquina; La Palapa del Sabor (great huevos rancheros)

    -visit the turtle sanctuary and release turtles into the ocean: Tortugueros Las Playitas (http://www.todostortugueros.org)

    Feb 6-8:

    -drive to La Paz (1 hour)

    -hotel in La Paz = Hacienda Paraiso de la Paz; eat at El Molinito (try the “huachinango zarandeado”)

    -Balandra Beach

    -boat to snorkel with Whale Sharks

    -sail to beaches at Isla Espiritu Santo (swim with sea lions, whales, fish)

    Feb 8-10:

    -drive down to Los Barriles (we looked into Rancho Leonero and Hotel Los Pescadreos but they were booked; ended up staying at Playa del Sol which was filled with kite surfers); 1.5 hours from La Paz

    -we ate at Beans and Rice which was delicious

    –Cabo Pulmo National Park and Marine Reserve (40 min south Los Barriles; 2.5 hours from La Paz); Vista Sea Sport (52-624/141-0031; two-hour trips $35 per person) takes you snorkeling among sea turtles or diving under the reef of El Bajo de los Morros, hike from Los Arbolitos beach –snorkel right from the beach;  Stay: Baja Bungalows Eat: Tito’s Resto; El Caballero

    Feb 10:

    -Santiago (foothills of Sierra de la Laguna): Resto: Palomar Restaurant (garlicky octopus); desert guide Marco Hernández of Nómadas de Baja (52-624/146-9612); Santa Rita cattle ranch’s hot spring and  El Chorro hot sulfur springs (Canon de Agua Caliente);

    -impressive waterfall at the Cañon de la Zorra –nice hike to it; can swim.

    Feb 10:

    -drive to San Jose del Cabo and fly home

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