Baja California: Playground of the U.S!

Baja California: Playground of the U.S!

Mainland Mexico is very different to Baja California; the former is ‘Mexican’, whilst Baja feels like the US’s backyard! Our ferry docked north of La Paz and very shortly afterwards we were parked on the beach at Tecolote. From there we circumnavigated the southern tip of the peninsula before heading north to the US border crossing at Tecate.

Unless you love beaches, Baja California is not so interesting as the mainland. Here are our highlights.

Tecolote

A really nice beach close to the ferry port with plenty of birdlife and some good restaurants. We chilled here for a few days after our 17 hour ferry crossing from the mainland.

La Paz

A very nice city with a long waterfront promenade on which to walk and watch the sun go down, with plenty of bars for the mandatory ‘sundowner’. On our second visit we took a tour into the bay to swim with the whale sharks.

Todos Santos

Still with the feel of a quaint town (unlike the neighbouring megatroplois of Cabo San Lucas), Todos Santos was very nice to visit and eat seafood (although camping was not so easy here). Home of Hotel California – some say the subject of the Eagles’ famous song. Just south of the town is the Tropic of Cancer.

Agua Verde

A charming beach requiring a certain commitment to reach it! About two hours from the tarmac, the dirt road leads steeply down the mountainside before reaching the coast and snaking along it for another hour to arrive at this idylic beach. Our fellow camper, Ryan, was a fisherman and presented us with a large fish which Francine gutted and Dave then made into fish tacos.

Loreto

A Pablo Magico town with seafront parking in which we stayed for three nights. A taco truck even set up next to us and we dined on some wonderful fish tacos and fresh ceviche. Dave went fishing and caught twenty odd Sierra Mackerel and Rooster fish, some of which he had gutted and bought home. As we had so much, we gave some fish to our neighbouring campers, Barbara and Johannes.

San Javier

Inland from Loreto, this small down has a beautiful mission with very old olive plantations behind it (one tree was reportedly 300 years old), We bought some olive oil made from the crops.

Canipole Cave Paintings

Again inland, we drove up a long dirt road to this seldom visited site. After a one and half hour hike, up some dry river beds, one can see ancient drawings (totally unprotected). The night sky here was pitch black and the stars were something to behold.

Faro del Morro de Santo Domingo

Just north of Guerrero Negro on the Pacific Coast is a quiet beach near the lighthouse. We camped on a hillside next to the beach which afforded wonderful views. Unfortunately, we picked up a nasty puncture, but luckily we found Fernando, a really friendly mechanic in Rosarito. Dave removed the tyre and wheel, Fernando patched it.

Santa Rosalia

This is an old copper mining town which has retained it historic buildings. There is an interesting iron church, designed by Gustav Eiffel. We really enjoyed exploring the town and buying some bread at the famous bakery there.

Playa La Gringa

Another nice beach adjacent to some wetlands with wonderful birdlife. We stayed here a few days and just chilled. We also rescued a police car!

Ensenada

Not an especially interesting place, but deserves a mention as the place where the Margarita cocktail was invented (or so it claims!).

Valle de Guadalupe

This valley is know for its vinyards and what better place to spend our last night in Mexico. Free camping and in return we bought a few bottles of Sauvignon Blanc for lubrication.