The Apple of My Eye

I am admittedly biased towards Baja. You see, for kids growing up in San Diego, Baja is often our first taste of adventure and defiance of parental fiat, especially before passports were required to re-enter the United States. This was certainly the case for myself and my high school buddies. We began by driving to surf spots near the border, like Baja Malibu, but we slowly inched our way down the coast, becoming more confident with each trip. By the time we graduated from high school, we were surfing in more rural areas as far as three hours south of the border. But as soon as we turned 18, we were free to explore the entire Baja peninsula--which we have now done twice.

Here's what we discovered: Baja is a jewel; it is our desert princess. Really, it is beyond what can be described by travel guides or surf books. The empty waves on the Pacific coast are great, and the tranquility on the Sea of Cortez is therapeutic.

On the Pacific coast, we spent many weekends surfing at Punta San Jacinto, which is called shipwrecks because there is an old freight ship wreckage in the surf lineup. On these weekends we also frequented the beautiful winery at Santo Tomas, from which we sometimes did not make it back to the beach. Heading south, towards the desert and Cabo, we found wonderful beaches and waves at Punta Baja, Punta Santa Rosalita, Punta Abreojos, Scorpion Bay, and, of course, the noticeably more crowded spots in and around Cabo San Lucas.

Most surprising, though, was that we enjoyed the flat water in the Sea of Cortez as much as we did the waves of the Pacific. Over a period of a few years, we probably spent more than a month in Bahia de Los Angeles (about 8 hours south of the border), where we enjoyed nice lodging, friendly people, great food, and even better fishing. Heading towards Cabo from Bahia, there are several great towns on the Sea of Cortez. Santa Rosalia is an old mining town with wonderful nightlife and access by ferry to mainland Mexico. Mulege is a desert oasis, and perhaps the most beautiful town in Baja. Mulege has the crystal-clear water, huge sandbars, and mangroves that could inspire a Jimmy Buffet song. Loreto is a town famous for its old church, and is a great place to stop and spend a few days before completing the drive to Cabo.

Baja is great because of its culture, waves, weather, etc. But it is particularly special to me, as it is the place where my friends and I first cut our adventure teeth. After only six to twelve hours of driving from one of the most populated regions of the United States, Baja offers the isolation, adventure, and beauty that some travel around the world to find.