Baja California

Baja California is one of the most attractive places in Mexico for a true explorer.

Fantastic landscapes, giant cacti, rich marine life, cave paintings, Spanish missions, luxurious beaches and fabulous seafood. Baja is very different from the rest of Mexico. The peninsula is located more than 1,300 km west of Mexico City, and the enormous distances required to cross it - more than 1,700 km long - require time to explore.

Baja's main attraction is the gray whale migration, which occurs annually from December to April. 

The best places for whale watching are Ojo de Libre Lagoon, near Guerrero Negro, and San Ignacio Lagoon. The peninsula is also home to some of the most mesmerizing and thought-provoking rock art in the world, the Sierra de San Francisco.

Along the entire coastline you will find ocean and white sand beaches; Most towns in Baja California Sur offer diving, fishing and kayaking opportunities, but standouts include Bahia Concepción, Loreto, La Paz and the outlying communities of the Eastern Cape. At the very end of the peninsula, the thriving resort of Los Cabos offers a combination of boutique hotels, beach activities, top-notch restaurants and vibrant nightlife.

Tijuana

The city of Tijuana, founded in 1889, now has nearly two million residents, and despite its often squalid appearance, the region's duty-free status and dozens of "maquiladores" (assembly factories) have helped make it one of Mexico's richest cities. The city is developing contemporary arts and culinary arts, with institutions such as the Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT) becoming a breeding ground for Mexican artistic and cultural movements. In Zona Rio, you can find fine restaurants, clubs and modern concrete and glass buildings that offer a better glimpse of a different Tijuana life - one that has more in common with San Diego.

Tijuana Airport is usually the starting point for exploring the entire peninsula.

Lobster Town

A roadside community between Rosarito and Ensenada on Highway 1 km 44, Puerto Nuevo is now known for its almost fanatical devotion to the local specialty that bears its name: Puerto Nuevo style grill. Pacific lobster (actually it's a lobster).

Choosing where to try this dish is easy enough: almost every one of the more than thirty restaurants here serves lobster, grilled and split in half with beans, rice and tortillas. Most restaurants are open from 10:00 to 20:00. They only accept cash.

Legends of Baja California

• About 25 km south of Rosarito stands the legendary Halfway House (between Tijuana and Ensenada, on highway 1 km 53). This is a Mexican cantina that has been in business since 1922 and is located on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Old fashioned 1920's style dining room, seafood and Cadillac margaritas. Do not miss.

• A little further south, at km 59.5 in La Mission, La Fonda was founded in 1962 by Eva Stoker. Vintage, rustic Mexican inn with ocean views, great Sunday brunches and the best surfing in Baja California. Eclectic decor, handcrafted furniture, a cool porch and Bloody Marys at the bar.

Ensenada

Situated on the edge of Bahia de Todos Santos, 100 km south of Tijuana, the small port of Ensenada is much quieter and cheaper than Tijuana. Ensenada is a great base from which to explore nearby wineries. 

Like Tijuana, Ensenada is a relatively young city by Mexican standards. In 1872, gold was discovered in nearby Real de Castillo and Ensenada quickly became a port, a modern city efficiently planned and developed by American investor George H. Sisson and the British Mexican Land & Colonization Co. in the 1880s. 

Mercado de Mariscos (aka Mercado Negro) on the northwest promenade is a must-see. The variety of exhibits—from writhing eel and smoked fish to giant abalone—is impressive, and it's a good place to try the city's famous fish tacos, which were supposedly invented in Ensenada and have been served at the market since it opened in 1958.

Vineyards of Guadalupe Valley

The wine region has been developing since the 1990s, thanks to pioneer Hugo D'Acosta, and is on the right track, as evidenced by growing international recognition and a line-up of interesting wineries. Local wineries always welcome guests and, in addition to traditional tastings, usually offer generous refreshments. During the grape harvest it can get quite crowded. 

Wines of Baja California: Five of the region's best wines, once derided for their watery grapes and poor harvests, have amassed a loyal following since the late 1990s thanks to their limited production and high quality.

These are the top five: 

• Vino de Piedra, Casa de Piedra. Black fruit tones. A blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

• Vinas de Camou, Château Camou. A Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

• Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, Monte Chanique, dark red wine with a spicy aroma.

• Special Reserve Chardonnay, Château Camou. One of the best white wines in the valley.

• Gabriel, Adobe Guadalupe. Another exquisite blend of red wines (55 percent Merlot) produced by Hugo D'Acosta.

Tides of San Felipe

The small town of San Felipe in the northern Sea of Cortez experiences the third highest tides in the world, reaching 6–7 meters. The water splashing along the beach in the morning can recede a kilometer by mid-afternoon.

Bahia de Los Angeles

A small village with a population of less than a thousand people on the shores of the Sea of Cortez. The city retains an underdeveloped, frontier atmosphere that has changed little since John Steinbeck (author of the best-selling The Log from the Sea of Cortez) sailed past the area in 1941. The bay of the same name is teeming with marine life and is surrounded by picturesque mountains and many enticing beaches. Due to the difficulty of getting supplies into the bay, accommodation and food here are quite expensive.

In 2016, a local stray dog stole a piece of lard and smoked sausage from us, brought from Chelyabinsk, right from the trunk of our Suburban.

Guerrero Negro

Exactly on the border of Northern and Southern Baja California is the small town of Guerrero Negro. It was founded in the 1950s as a center for Exportadora de Sal, the world's largest salt producer, and is surrounded by huge salt plantations and giant warehouses. From January to April, hundreds, maybe thousands of gray whales gather in Guerrero Negro Bay.

Whale watching is the main reason people visit Guerrero Negro, as thousands of friendly California gray whales, which spend most of their lives in the icy Bering Sea around Alaska, can be observed at very close range from the nearby Ojo de Libre lagoon ( also known as Scammon's Lagoon), three minutes south of the city.

San Ignacio: Whales and Cave Art

San Ignacio Lagoon is another great spot for whale watching.

Cave art in the Sierra de San Francisco about 45 km north of San Ignacio. 320 monuments were discovered, the age of which is about eight thousand years. For a quick look, it is enough to explore Cueva del Raton, but for a detailed exploration, you need to visit the Cueva Pintada and Cueva de las Flejas caves in Canyon San Pablo, which requires at least two days.

Bahia Concepcion

Blue-green waters, calm coves and white sand beaches. There are usually few tourists here, with the exception of campers from the USA. Here you can go diving and fishing.

La Paz

La Paz is the state capital and largest city in Baja California Sur. The old city center and the embankment have retained the atmosphere of a small provincial resort. During the last week of February, La Paz comes alive with a bustling carnival that transforms the city. La Paz is a diving center and a place where all food is delicious all year round. The suburbs have many beautiful beaches and a boat trip to Isla Espiritu Santo, rich in marine life, is not to be missed.

Sea lions, whale sharks and Espiritu Santo Island

The Espiritu Santo Archipelago (including the nearby Los Islotes Islands) is home to sea lions, dolphins, rays, manta rays and, depending on the time of year, fin whales and whale sharks (November to March).

Loreto

Loreto was the first permanent settlement in California. Founded in 1697 by Juan Maria Salvatierra as the first Jesuit mission in the region, Loreto served as the administrative capital of the entire California territory until it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1829 and the capital moved to La Paz. Today Loreto is a developed tourist center. Much of the center is dedicated to craft workshops, art galleries and restaurants.

About 8 km south of the city is the village of Nopolo, one of the most ambitious residential developments in Mexico, and the resort of Villa del Palmar. Mexico's largest marine park, Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto, is nearby.

Los Cabos

South of La Paz, Baja California finally ends and the Pacific Ocean merges with the Sea of Cortez. Ocean and sea meet in the twin cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, collectively known as Los Cabos, and it is the most exclusive piece of land in Baja California. This area is one of the fastest growing regions in Mexico.

Sea of Cortez

The Sea of Cortez is home to more than 850 species of reef fish, including large tuna, wahoo and large groups of jack fish. This place is also well known as a meeting place for giant manta rays. Stingrays readily swim up to divers and remain close to them throughout the dive. Seven species of sharks live here: whale sharks, silky sharks, silverfin sharks, whitefin sharks, and sometimes tiger sharks.