Detour #153: Baja California Sur, Mexico
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Baja is a wild ride. From adrenaline sports to natural wonders, easy highways and serious off-road excursions, Ruksana Hussain experiences it all.
Starting in the capital city of La Paz along the Sea of Cortez/Gulf of California in the east and ending in Cabo San Lucas in the southwest, the Land's End of the Baja California Peninsula on the Pacific Ocean, every stop on this route brings me closer to the natural wonders this region is famed for.
Baja Club Hotel is my chosen base for the visit, right along the malecon (pier), allowing for a peek into the heart of the city (on the weekends, consider it a rather pulsating one thanks to loud reggaeton music) as residents and visitors enjoy not just the eateries along the water but also the sculptures and installations by national artists dotting the walk beside a stunning sunset or sunrise. Driving up and down the pier –or maleconing as the locals call it – is my initiation into the city.
Museo de Arte La Paz
I time my visit for two experiences simply not to be missed – swimming with whale sharks and getting up close with some grey whales. So, off I drive to Marina Costa Baja for the first of my aquatic adventures. It’s just a short ride from the malecon and surprising how quickly I get there for an activity I assumed I’d have to cover considerable distance to experience. Winding roads give way to glimpses of the water as I head closer to the marina. I end up at what feels like a boater’s paradise – rows of yachts and personal cruise boats lined up ready to head out to the ocean. The adventure outfitting company does a great job of finding the whale sharks that have arrived to feed in these rich waters. If you're considering extending your stay in Mexico, these all-inclusive resorts offer a great experience.
The grey whales are further away and I drive through small towns in the desert toward Puerto Chale on the opposite coast. Most of the ride is along Federal Highway 1 but I am warned that beyond a certain point restroom facilities will be rare to find, and if found, would be rather rustic. About an hour into my drive, a pit stop at a little eatery en route substantiates that fact.
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Another hour or so later, a vast majority of that driving through arid cacti-kissed land, colourful little houses make way to a clearing with multiple small, motorised boats, organised by local expedition groups, ready for the day’s trip. Racing out to open water, it isn’t long before the first sightings of grey whales breaching is reported. I have a whale of a time (pun absolutely intended) sharing my day with these cetaceans.
As if that isn’t adrenaline rush enough, I sign up for an introduction to kitesurfing so off I head next to Chilochill in La Ventana to meet my instructor. This takes me along BCS route 286 which glides over the mountains behind La Paz. It’s a pleasant drive without any road bumps and leads me to a spot along the east coast that many an avid kite surfer calls home this time of year. Watching others take flight is about all the adventure I’m primed for now, participating in the sport is a plan for another day.
Which brings me to glamping under the night sky at Rancho Cacachilas—a welcome end and a stable heartbeat, I think. But the 14,000 hectares of this private working ranch prove the most challenging mountainous terrain to drive on as we zip from one end to the other, to visit the many smaller ranches that make up the secluded getaway. Hiking, biking, and mule rides are all advertised as recommended activities, but the safety of a car appeals to my senses as the sun begins to set.
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It would take one truly familiar with this landscape and some serious off-roading skills in the right vehicle to make it from one point to the other without drama. Luckily a member of our group possesses just the right control over our van (yes, we came prepared … not!), to bring us to our tents in time for dinner and stargazing.
A night of almost eerie silence and uninterrupted sleep readies me for the two-hour drive to Cabo San Lucas where I end my visit to BCS. The paved route on Federal Highway 19 makes for a smooth and easy drive straight to the airport. Artsy Todos Santos beckons along the way and provides a few options for souvenir shopping and some farewell dining before I bid adieu to Mexico.
Despite packing in the activities I barely scratched the surface of all that La Paz has to offer and I just might have to plan another drive around soon.