Baja California Sur

Baja California Sur (South Lower California) is the southern half of the Baja California peninsula. The state is known for its remote beaches, sport fishing, and breeding waters for whales and other marine mammals.

Cities

• 1 La Paz — state capital and the city made famous by John Steinbeck's novella, The Pearl, a story about paradise lost, the city still holds some glimpses of the old magic
• 2 Cabo San Lucas — a bustling resort town and hub for sport fishermen, cruise ships, handicraft vendors, water sport aficionados and nightlife seekers
• 3 Guerrero Negro — best known for the whale watching, and producing salt
• 4 Loreto — a resort town regarded as one of the best places for fishing
• 5 Los Barriles — a traditional Baja village that hasn't been overtaken by resorts (yet)
• 6 Mulegé — popular for deep sea fishing, kayaking, cave tours, and bird watching
• 7 San Carlos - fishing, surfing, sea kayaking, whale watching, and doing absolutely nothing at all
• 8 San Ignacio — has a beautiful old mission, and is the gateway to the wintertime sanctuary of the Pacific gray whale
• 9 San José del Cabo — a major tourist destination that is less commercial than Cabo San Lucas, and has retained its charming historic center
• 10 Santa Rosalía — more of a mining town than a tourist destination, it has a church designed by Gustav Eiffel
• 11 Todos Santos — famous for Hotel California, it is small and quaint with many artists and galleries; south of Todos Santos is one of Baja's better surfing destinations, Cerritos Beach

Other destinations

Rock paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco

A pelican in El Vizcaino

• 1 San Javier — a charming little village in the mountains behind Loreto. Most Baja visitors stick to the coast and miss a lot of the charming, very rustic little villages located in the interior backcountry. There's an impressive church, a few places to eat and drink, and a basic hotel. You can drive to San Javier, but the best way to go is to hire a horse or mule for the journey from Loreto.
• 2 Cabo Pulmo National Park — home to the oldest of only three coral reefs on the west coast of North America
• 3 Bahia de Loreto National Park - marine mammal sanctuary with great scuba diving and kayaking
• 4 Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco - 11,000 year old cave paintings in a remote mountain range. UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 5 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve - Huge protected natural area that includes desert, Pacific coastal areas, and Sea of Cortes coastal areas. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand

Baja California is one of the regions with the lowest rainfall in the world, so prehistoric settlement is concentrated in the vicinity of water holes along the coast. Even today, Baja California is sparsely populated, around ten people per square kilometer. Settlement is concentrated in the cities on the coast, of which Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo are among the fastest growing resorts in Mexico.

Climate

The west side, facing the Pacific with its cool temperatures, is impressively more pleasant than the east side facing the Gulf of California. Here the water temperature is up to 26 °C and it gets very hot during the day. The east side should therefore not be visited until November.

Get in

By plane

• La Paz International Airport (LAP ^IATA)
• Loreto International Airport (LTO ^IATA)
• Palo Verde Airport (SRL ^IATA)
• San Jose del Cabo International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional de Los Cabos) (SJD ^IATA)

By boat

Cruise ships frequently visit Los Cabos. Ferries cross the Sea of Cortez from ports in Sinaloa.

• Baja Ferries, ☏ +52 612 123 6600, toll-free: +1-800-337-7437. Operates overnight ferries crossing the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) from Topolobampo and Mazatlan to La Paz on two separate routes. Ferries are large enough to transport multiple trucks, RVs and large vehicles. Sailings are generally overnight, departing at midnight. Check schedules and fares on the website. (updated May 2020)

Get around

There is minimal public transportation in BCS and it is relatively complicated to use (e.g. Google Maps does not have the routes and schedules). Renting a car or using a car service is relatively convenient. Regional bus service between cities is good and is primarily provided by two companies: ABC or Aguila.

Rental Cars

To rent a car, make a reservation (ideally prepaid) before arrival. After you have your bags, exit the airport building entirely – without talking to the salespeople inside the terminal who will swear they can call your car rental agency for you, but are actually trying to upsell you on tourism packages – and cross the street to the first median where the taxis line up. There you will see a variety of people with car rental agency shirts (Hertz, Avis, etc.). These representatives will have your name on a clipboard and can get you to the car rental agency quickly and at no cost. Once at your car rental agency's building (there is a different building for each company but they are all on the same street) you will have to go through a long check-in process and will be asked to prepay for insurance, gas, tours, etc. You can decline everything except for third party liability insurance which is mandatory in Mexico. Since this is mandatory, it may be worthwhile to book a car that has it included rather than added on after you are already captive to that rental company. Though the company will try to sell other insurance to you, your credit card (e.g. premium cards for U.S. customers) may already include a collision damage waiver or other insurance packages at no cost.

There are a few tolls you may cross in BCS. Google Maps will warn you of them and they can be avoided by selecting the "avoid tolls" option in your navigation settings. Be sure to have some cash with you (e.g. 100 MXN) to pay the toll.

Car services

Uber is widely available in Cabo San Lucas and at the airport. For other destinations, it may be preferable to get an airport transfer from your resort or hotel. Book this in advance of your arrival and bring cash for gratuity. U.S. Dollars are widely accepted for gratuity in Mexico.

See

Some of the main attractions in this state are the beaches, whale sightings, observations of dolphins, sea lions and other marine species.

The rock paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco are cave paintings and petroglyphs that form a set of pre-Columbian murals representative of the "Great Mural" style that flourished in the center of the Baja California peninsula. The cave paintings have been a World Heritage Site since 1993. The paintings are found in different parts of the Sierra de San Francisco, within the El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve.

Do

Whale watching is a popular activity. The waters off Baja California are home to several species of great whales including Blue, Fin, Bryde's, Humpback, Orca, Sperm, and many others. This is perhaps the richest area in the world for whale and dolphin diversity. The Baja Whale Trail is an itinerary to some of Baja's most interesting whale habitats.

Diving and snorkeling is excellent because of the fantastic diversity of marine life. The convergence of tropical influences from the south and temperate conditions from the north bring together an amazing array of species. Local dive shops and charters are available.

Kayaking tours of the wilderness islands in the Loreto Marine National Park provide access to prime whale watching and snorkeling.

There are opportunities for surfing on many of the beaches on the Pacific coast, with the appropriate infrastructure such as surf schools and equipment rental.

This region has long been regarded as one of the best places for fishing. Marlin, sailfish, tuna, yellowtail, wahoo, roosterfish, and dorado are abundant in the blue waters surrounding the peninsula.

The Cabo San Lucas Flora and Fauna Protection Area is a protected area that is part of the UNESCO Natural Heritage that belongs to the group of islands and protected natural areas of the Gulf of California. The Arch of Cabo San Lucas and Cerro El Vigía are in this protected area.

Bahía de Loreto National Park is a protected natural area that is located in the Bay of Loreto to the south of the city of Loreto where you can see dolphins, sea lions and manta rays.

Cabo Pulmo National Park is a great place for diving, sport fishing, boating, rowing and kayaking. It is 63 km west of San José del Cabo.

El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve and the lagoons of Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio on the Pacific coast in the north of the state are a retreat for whales. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

Eat

Food in Baja California Sur is much like it is in northern Baja with a very loud emphasis on fish tacos. Fish tacos are sublime and a perfect complement to a sunny day on the beach. Although you find fish tacos everywhere around Los Cabos, La Paz and the small towns that dot the shores of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez, the dish most probably originated in the north. Ensenada lays claim to inventing the fish taco, but so does the smaller town of San Felipe. More important though is how the taco is made. Most restaurants cut boneless filets into small chunks, dip them in batter, and fry them hot and fast, wrap it in a warm corn tortilla and top it with cabbage or slaw and add a sauce (often a creamy mild salsa).

Clams are a signature dish of Baja California Sur, especially clams baked in a brick oven. If you hear the term "chocolate" used in describing a clams dish it doesn't mean the dish will taste like chocolate, but rather that brown clams will be served.

Of course, you'll find a wide range of seafood being served everywhere. Fresh fish is ubiquitous (and delicious). You'll also find octopus (pulpo) on the menu throughout the state. One of the more interesting ways to serve octopus is as a quesadilla. Que rico!

Drink

Baja California Sur isn't known for producing wine, beer, or distilled spirits though that certainly doesn't stop them from consuming the tasty beverages produced in other states.

In truth, the "think small, drink local" philosophy hasn't completely skipped over Baja Sur. A few artesanal mezcal distilleries have popped up and quite a few craft breweries have opened (especially in San Jose del Cabo). Some of the local beers you'll find in San Jose del Cabo include:

• Sierra de la Laguna - produces a basic pale ale, a Mexican ale (light-bodied blonde ale), and an excessive number of IPAs
• Baja Brewing Company - interesting selection of beers including a smooth black ale (similar to a porter), a red ale, a stout, an IPA, a mead, and a cider
• La Micro Brewery - produces three main beers including a pale ale and an IPA, visitors (and their dogs) are welcome to the brewery's tap room
• Cerveceria de Mexico - produces three main beers
• Tap Room SJ - produces two main beers

Stay safe

Baja California Sur is one of the safest states in Mexico and travelers rarely experience crime problems.

The problems travelers are likely to face are those related to being outdoors in a very hot, sunny climate. Use sunblock but be aware that most brands contain chemicals that destroy sensitive marine environments. Look for brands marked as "reef safe" and be aware that some tour operators may restrict the use of environmentally unfriendly products.

Long stretches of remote beaches seem to beg for people to camp on the beach. Although generally safe, it is probably wise to camp with others or in organized campgrounds.

Go next

• Baja California
• Sinaloa
• Mazatlan