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About Baja California and Los Cabos
At the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortéz), meet, and the land ends in a rocky point called El Arco (The Arch). It is a place of rugged beauty. In the late 16th and 17th centuries, the Gulf side of the area was a favorite hiding place for pirates who plundered Spanish galleons stopping there to take on fresh water. Later in its history, it was the mooring spot for the yachts of wealthy, vacationing Americans who came to the warm waters of the Sea of Cortés to relax and to the Pacific Ocean to fish for the marlin and sailfish that leap out of the waves of the pounding surf.
Once solitary, sleepy villages, and now joined to create one of Mexico's fastest growing resorts are the two Capes. Located 1050 miles from the US border, Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, are 18 miles apart via a four lane, divided highway (Carretera Transpeninsular, also known as the Corridor). The view along the road is spectacular! In the 1970's the Mexican government decided to combine the two towns into one resort area, called Los Cabos (the Capes). This was the beginning of what is now a major resort consisting of Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo, and the stretch of highway that connects them, called the Corridor.
Los Cabos has become one of Mexico's most popular and most expensive coastal getaways, with deluxe hotels, championship golf courses, and some of the best sport fishing in the world. The population is growing faster than in any other part of Mexico. Yet, Los Cabos retains an air of mystery and of pristine beauty.
The area is readily accessible through the San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD) which is serviced by major airlines. Plan ahead and bring your favorite fishing rod and golf clubs, or rent them locally. The waters of the Gulf abound with hundreds of species of game fish including marlin, amberjack, bonito, black sea bass, mahi mahi, roosterfish, sailfish, snapper, wahoo, yellowfin tuna and yellowtail. There are many excellent fishing charters, and all of the major hotels arrange daily fishing expeditions. A catch and release policy is an option observed in order to perpetuate the sport for years to come.
The many beaches offer opportunities for snorkeling, surfing, water skiing, and windsurfing. Diving, kayaking, and sailing can also be arranged. Whale watching is popular along the mid-Baja coastline and tours depart regularly from Los Cabos. Golf is a major sport thanks to a process that recycles purified waste water and uses it to irrigate the greens and fairways. There are at least six courses between the two Cabos. Golfers play against a backdrop of rugged seaside scenes and desert terrain.
Nightlife in Cabo San Lucas is full of youthful vitality with many legendary venues such as The Giggling Marlin, The Squid Roe, and Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo. The nightly entertainment in the slightly more staid San José del Cabo consists of live bands playing a combination of international pop and Latino music as well as disco and folk music.
The weather in Los Cabos is sunny and mild year round. The Gulf is calm and warm, and the Pacific is surging with energy. Many great beaches extend between the two Capes. In addition to the many sports offerings, there is an underwater nature preserve and endless miles of natural rock formations that defy description of their beauty. Standing on the beach and looking out at the Pacific or at the Sea of Cortés is like being in another world.
Writer John Steinbeck in his Log from the Sea of Cortés said of the area, "The very air here is miraculous, and outlines of reality change with the moment." This is one of the reasons why over 250,000 visitors are drawn annually to the wonders of Los Cabos.
San José del Cabo is the municipal headquarters for the two Los Cabos towns, and the downtown area with its adobe houses and jacaranda trees still maintains the languid pace of a Mexican village, although bumper-to-bumper traffic often clogs the streets during weekday business hours. Most of the shops, services, and restaurants are located between Avenida Cárdenas and the waterfront. There is a small, shaded plaza beside the little yellow building that serves as the municipal center. The town's church is located on a hill above the city hall plaza. The front of the building displays a tile mural of a martyr priest being dragged by Indians.
Connecting the two towns, the Corridor has developed as a distinct destination with a number of legendary fishing lodges, exclusive resorts, and three championship golf courses. The highway has been widened to four lanes and is often maintained.
Villa Oceano is minutes from world-class golf courses including, but not limited to, Eldorado Golf Club (a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at Cabo Real Resort), Cabo del Sol Golf Course (a Jack Nicklaus Signature Ocean Course co-designed by Tom Weiskopf), Cabo Real Golf Club (a Robert Trent Jones II-designed course at Cabo Real Resort), and the tony Palmilla Golf Club.
The sportfishing fleet is headquartered in Cabo San Lucas, and cruise ships anchor off the marina dock so that passengers can visit the town. Trendy restaurants and bars line the streets, and massive hotels have risen on every available piece of land along the waterfront. To become acquainted with Los Cabos, take a short boat ride out to the natural rock arch and Playa de Amor, the beach underneath it.
A spectacular natural rock arch at the point of intersection of the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean is visible from the marina and from some of the hotels, but is most impressive from the water.
Playa De Amor is a secluded cove at the very end of the peninsula, with the Sea of Cortés on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. The contrast between the peaceful cove on the Sea of Cortés and the pounding white surf of the Pacific is dramatic.
Playa Medano, just north of Cabo San Lucas, is the most popular stretch of beach in Los Cabos and possibly in all of Baja. The 2 mile long span of white sand is always crowded, especially on weekends.
There are many fishing charters, which include a captain and mate, tackle, bait, licenses, and refreshments. There are numerous charter companies.
Bahía Chileno is an underwater preserve, which is inhabited with a variety of marine life and is a wonderful place for snorkeling and diving. Visitors must bring their own equipment.
Bahía Santa María, a picture-perfect white-sand cove protected by towering brown cliffs, has superb snorkeling, with hundreds of colorful fish swarming through chunks of white coral.
Costa Azul is the most popular surfing beach in Los Cabos. A few small campgrounds and casual restaurants line the beach facing the waves.
Located at the end of the tourist area of San José del Cabo, Estero de San José is where the freshwater Rio San José flows into the sea. The estuary is a natural preserve closed to boats. More than 200 species of birds can be seen here. A building on the edge of the estuary serves as a nature center with exhibits explaining the culture of Baja's indigenous people.
If you would like to explore the rest of the Cape, a rental car is a good idea. Todos Santos, an enchantingly Bohemian artist's colony, is a little more than an hour north going up the Pacific Coast. La Paz, the tranquil state capital built on a calm bay in the Sea of Cortez, is about two hours away. In La Paz, you can stay at Club El Moro, which has extremely reasonable rates: mention you are staying at Villa Oceano. You can also drive about an hour north on the Sea of Cortez side to Cabo Pulmo, a marine reserve that is a world-renowed scuba wonderland.
PHOTOS | TRAVEL | ABOUT LOS CABOS | MAPS | CONTACT