Guide to Baja California Sur

San Jose del Cabo

Quaint San Jose del Cabo has grown into a a chic resort, with several good art galleries, some stylish wine bars, and sophisticated restaurants. If you are staying at one of the secluded hotels along the corridor between San Jose and Cabo San Lucas, we recommend visiting at least for the evening. Make reservations at one of the top restaurants (such as "Mi Cocina" at Casa Natalia), and allow plenty of time to explore the bars and boutiques too.

La Paz

This colonial city is located on the East coast of Baja California and is now a thriving port. There are some beautiful beaches on the outskirts of the city and La Paz is a good base for picking up whale watching tours or trips to beautiful Isla Espiritu Santo, though we don't find the city itself particularly attractive. A ferry service operates between la Paz and Topolobampo near Mazatlan on the mainland.

Isla Espiritu Santo

A few miles off the coast of la Paz lies the starkly beautiful Isla Espiritu Santo. This island is virtually inhabited but it's possible to camp on the shoreline (follow the link below for the luxury tent hotel Baja Camp). The island is home to a colony of sea lions and there is excellent snorkeling and diving in the transparent blue waters offshore.

Todos Santos

Around mid-way between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz, Todos Santos is an interesting place to visit for a day, or (preferably) for a few days. This laid-back town is a haven for artists and boasts numerous galleries. There's also a fantastic selection of elegant restaurants (the Cafe Santa Fe is acknowledged as one of the best restaurants in Baja California). Just outside the town there are some wild beaches popular with surfers.

Golf

This area is renowned for its world class golf courses, many with spectacular vistas of ocean and desert landscape.  Any of our recommended hotels between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas would make a good base for a golfing vacation.

Fishing

Baja California is Mexico's top destination for sports fishing. Visit between mid-June and mid-November for the best chance of catching a big fish, though you can enjoy the sport year-round here. Marlin and sailfish are the most popular catches.

Whale watching

Gray whales migrate from the cool waters of the Bering Sea down the Pacific coast, with the females arriving first in Baja California around January. Calving takes place in January and February in the salt water lagoons of Bahia Magdalena, Laguna Ojo de Liebre and Laguna San Ignacio on Baja's Pacific coast.  These lagoons are the best place to observe the whales, with sightings almost guaranteed in February.  The magnificent Blue whales might also be spotted around the Baja coastline between January and April.

Guests at any of the beachfront properties around Los Cabos may be treated to the sight of whales spouting off shore between January and March.  For the best sightings and the chance to interact with the whales, it is best to visit one of the lagoons (Aereo Calafia offers day trips by air from Cabo San Lucas and most hotels can help you to arrange a trip).