My first visit to Mexico’s state of Baja California Sur (BCS) was at the invitation of the newly established BCS tourism office in the early ‘80s. As a Vancouver PR professional, I’d met the state’s tourism director at a trade show. He wanted to develop public awareness of his destination in Western Canada. I had the contacts to make it happen. Together, we organized a Vancouver Magazine fashion shoot set in the four major centres – Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, La Paz (the state’s capital) and Loreto, further north along the Sea of Cortez.
In those days the land was pristine desert populated by over 1,100 different types of cacti, seaside cliffs overlooking sweeping white sand beaches, and sleepy fishing villages with tiny harbours, all back-dropped by distant mountain ranges. Our locations featured crystal clear, turquoise bays, white-washed lighthouses, tropical flower-filled gardens, charming church squares, and a few typically Mexican buildings and crafts markets. The only southern road was a meandering, two-lane track along the coastline, then basic blacktop through the mountains from San Jose del Cabo to La Paz and on to Loreto. We stayed in local, Mexican-owned hotels.
That was Baja California Sur at its most natural. However, the Mexican government understandably had big plans to create thousands of jobs for its people by developing the state for visitors seeking accessible sun, sand, water sports, shopping and sports fishing. I’ve witnessed the transformation during various visits.
Today Cabo San Lucas, at Land’s End, glitters with hotels, resorts, condominiums and timeshare complexes. Its harbour has been expanded to accommodate hundreds of yachts and cruise ships. A high-end mall dominates the downtown waterfront. Restaurant menus range from ultimate gourmet to local seafood. Discos and clubs abound.
I prefer San Jose del Cabo, about 40 minutes north on the Sea of Cortez, which has managed to retain some of the traditional Mexican charm, with a central plaza surrounded by charming, colour-splashed buildings that house small stores, restaurants and about 20 art galleries. Go to the Thursday night Art Walk. The bandstand and historic Catholic church help to preserve the original character.
Together, San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas make up Los Cabos. I did visit La Paz, the state’s capital, and Todos Santos, home to Hotel California when I was there in 2013. There is nothing to recommend La Paz. Just skip it – it’s a busy, dirty city. Todos Santos, on the Pacific side of the southern peninsula, is worth a day trip, if for no other reason than to visit the hotel named for The Eagles song. Loreto is apparently quite lovely, but I haven’t been recently.
If you need a beach vacation at a great price from YVR, Los Cabos is a convenient choice. My travelling companion and I felt very safe there. Some of the Mexican vendors and taxi drivers will still try to charge far too much, but asking your hotel in advance about pricing makes it possible for you to negotiate fair rates. We stayed at Posada Real Los Cabos, right on the beach. It’s a comfortable, three-star hotel, clean, pool, swim-up bar, massage therapy, excellent service, comfortable beds. Book through Expedia and travel on WestJet. That way you don’t have to go through the U.S.
