La Paz
Baja California is better known for Cabo San Lucas. But, just a few hours north is the hidden gem of La Paz. Located on the eastern side of the peninsula, it is the perfect gateway to the Sea of Cortez and the abundant sea and marine life that is best described as the “world’s aquarium” due to its biodiversity.
Getting There
There are a few ways to arrive. The easiest is a direct flight into the La Paz airport. But, if you happen to already be in Los Cabos then it’s far easy to use ground transportation. Transportation to La Paz is easy from the central bus terminal near the Chedraui in Cabo San Lucas. The 3-hour bus trip costs 300 pesos and leaves multiple times per day. Of course, it’s nice to know a few locals in Cabo San Lucas who just so happened to have planned a day trip to La Ventana, a small village 42km south of La Paz, to go snorkeling with hopefully see some dolphins, sharks, sea lions, and whales. So, not only did I catch a ride north but I also joined them for a day on the water.
La Ventana
While La Ventana is well known for its kite-surfing schools, the best way to get out into the sea is by boat. Typically, it’s a flat price so invite your friends and split the cost. The boat wasn’t huge but it was very maneuverable for changing directions quickly when we saw sea life in the distance. Of course, we stayed a respectable distance from them. The dolphins had other ideas though.
Dolphins (delfines in Spanish) really enjoyed swimming at the bow and on the sides of the ship. There are many theories for this to include dolphin’s innate curiosity and that using a ship’s wake allows dolphins to swim faster with minimal extra effort.
We did see a few humpback whales which we, and a few other boats, tried to swim along with but the whales weren’t interested in swimming with us and kept changing directions so we only saw them from a distance. Humpback whales don’t like boats coming at them fast so they tend to swim away quickly. The key is to position the boat where the whales are anticipated to be instead of chasing them (which is also not nice and can raise the whales’ stress levels). Oh well, it’s better to give the whales their space when they want it and to be more conscious of the natural environment.
It beats being swallowed by a whale like what recently to a New England lobsterman 🦞🐋
Keep your eyes open and you might just see a few Sea Turtles. These animals can live to be over 50 years old, just like humans. They typically take 20-30 years to fully mature, whereas some humans never mature. 😜
Sea Lion (Lobo Marinos in Spanish) seem to be plentiful in these waters. They definitley have a relaxed life because it seems like they’re always just floating near the surface relaxing. Even if we approaches slowly, these beautiful creatures would casually swim off before we got close. Sea Lions are extremely maneuverable under water and can turn on a dime. This skill not only helps them capture their next seafood dinner but also helps them stay away from boats.
There was one mako shark but unlike swimming with dolphins, nobody on the boat wanted to swim with the sharks. The mako was very quick with its tail and dorsal fin breaking the surface of the water for fractions of a second at a time. Swimming with a mako could literally make you “swim with the fishes” since the mako is the fastest of all sharks as it can reach 20 mph. They are also listed as “near threatened” by the world observation union due to overfishing for shark fin soup.
We were hoping to see Mobula Rays and Orcas (aka Killer Whales), which are supposed to be in these waters but we didn’t see any this day. Apparently, the Rays and Orcas didn’t get the memo that we were coming. 😔
Unfortunately, our Cabo San Lucas friends had to get back home and didn’t have time for the 84km round trip to La Paz to complete my journey so out came the thumb to hitchhike. Within 10 minutes a fellow boater recognized us from the boat launch and brought us to La Paz (where she was going anyway).
For those wanting to go out on a boat, I highly recommend Capitain Juan (+52 612 176 5052), small lancha, but quality (except the engine’s filter was having problems)
Covid-19 Testing Procedures
Since I was within 3 days of returning to the USA I would need a negative Covid-19 test.
The La Paz airport has this service for a very low price relative to what I’ve seen other places advertise. The airport’s antigen test was only 450 pesos ($25 USD) with results in 30-45 minutes. Technically, I could have gone the day of my flight and saved the extra Uber costs to and from the airport but even with 170 pesos in Uber costs, the 630 pesos total was still much cheaper than the 2000 pesos the Hyatt hotel was charging for covid testing.
Travel Hint: At the La Paz airport, just like all across Mexico, Ubers are prohibited from picking up at the airport. Perhaps the taxi mafia has a lot of influence. When leaving the airport you can pay the taxis 350 pesos to get downtown or you can walk 200 meters to the main road and then request an Uber for only 85 pesos.
The Covid-19 tests are done right inside the airport terminal and were very easy. Well, other than having a cotton swab rammed up your nose like you were removing a tracking beacon like Arnold Swartzenegger’s character did in the movie Total Recall. (https://youtu.be/mSiFXhrxE3Y)
Results were emailed to me within 15 minutes but since I waited in the seats directly in front of the testing area the test administrator also brought me a paper copy of the results. Hey, as important as the Covid-19 test is I didn’t want to risk not getting the email and then having to return to the airport another time. Waiting up to 45 minutes was worth the piece of mind.
Malecon
Today I finally walked along the famous Malecon, or the waterfront promenade. It’s a nice area that can be a bit touristy but that’s where you go to book the boat tours to Espiritu Santo Island, where I wanted to visit the following day.
There are many boat tour operators. Some are smaller and must be booked in person while others can be booked on their website. Interestingly, the websites often had prices much higher in USD than when paying in Mexican pesos (e.g. $105 USD vs 1500 pesos) so you’ll get a much better price if you pay in pesos. Since they all seemed to offer the same tour with the same length and amenities that were included, I opted for the 1200 peso tour. But, time will tell if my frugality meant accepting bad service.
Dinner was at Marinera Poke & Seafood. It’s just up the hill from the Malecon and worth the slight uphill climb. Being so close to the sea you know the seafood was fresh. It’s an upscale restaurant with middle-scale prices. Sure you can get street tacos for cheaper but for around 240 pesos ($12 USD) per person, it was definitely worth it based on food quality alone.
Espiritu Santo Island:
Getting to the boat was easy since all we had to do was meet at “The Hook” restaurant where the reservations were made. The guide, Victor, met all of us there and we walked to the boat which was just a short distance away at the pier.
As the boat motored to Espiritu Santo Island, Victor gave us a little history of the area. I won’t regurgitate it for you so you’ll have something to look forward to but it was interesting.
The geology of the island is amazing with the striations in the rocks forming different layers of sediment from millions of years ago. You can totally see it in the photos.
We stopped at various key rock formations which were pretty interesting.
We then arrived at a secluded beach for lunch which was highlighted by triggerfish ceviche.
The island is the home of a handful of fishermen who live there and use it as a base for transferring their catch to market. The fishermen’s catch is weighed, recorded, and then brought to shore by other boats who in turn bring resupplies to the fishermen and of course ice to preserve the fish. After all, there is no electricity on the island.
A pod of dolphins decided to come over and say hello. They really love boats and seemed to be enjoying themselves while they swam alongside and jumped near the boat.
Afterward we swam over a coral reef. I say “over” because it’s important to not touch the coral as it can damage it. Considering the number of tourists that come here this is a very important thing to be aware of. A stray hand or flipper can cause damage that’ll take many years for nature to repair. Of course, nature has its own way of reinforcing this as one of the other ladies on the boat banged her knee on some coral and was bleeding profusely. As for the coral reef, it was home to a multitude of aquatic life including starfish, eels, and a variety of fish species.
Balandra beach is another natural reserve. We were able to see it from the boat but not swim there as it required a different pass to get into the water. It was still cool though.
Next up was a visit to the sea lion. Swimming with them is a huge draw for tourists. However, from June to August it is mating season and therefore prohibited. But, not everyone follows the rules since there was a group of snorkelers swimming near the sea lions. Our boat however followed the rules and admired the sea lions from the boat.
As we returned back to the port we thanked the guide and the boat’s captain for a great day on the water. It was a little overcast today but the clouds were welcome considering temperatures have been blisteringly hot in the mid-90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s celsius).
Final Day!
Ok, I’m not really excited about leaving but I’ve got other fun adventures scheduled.
Before heading to the airport I’m going to hit up the museums. These are where I like to go when I need s break from the sun because I may have gotten a slight sunburn 😥
Two notable museums in La Paz are the Anthropology Museum (aka Museo Regional de Antropología E Historia de Baja California Sur) and the Art Museum (aka Museo de Arte de Baja California).
The Art Museum has only a small exhibit of Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo but is considered nice. At the end of the month, the museum is supposed to have a different exhibit. The building itself is beautiful. But they have a “no photos” policy inside so you’ll have to see the exhibits for yourself.
As far as the Anthropology Museum goes, well that was closed due to a recent increase in covid cases in Baja California. It looks like I’ll have to return for another visit when there isn’t a need for safety closures.
There are still more things to do here in La Paz such as: sand surfing, 4X4 adventures, etc. But, due to a combination of time limitations & I’ve already done those things I prioritized activities that interested me more. This is what most people do on a daily basis but with more mundane activities such as choosing to play your favourite sport with friends instead of washing laundry. Plus, sometimes it’s kind of difficult to do absolutely everything in a town. Besides, if I told you about everything then you would have nothing to discover on your own…and that is what makes things even more magical!
While Scuba diving is a big activity here in La Paz I passed on it for safety reasons. During my first day snorkeling in La Ventana I swam deep. In doing so, I felt some pain in my sinuses as I went deeper. Apparently, the pain was caused by the normal pressure from diving but in my case, it happened to rupture a blood vessel because I filled my snorkel mask with blood from my nose and I was spitting up blood that was draining down the back of my throat. This residual bleeding lasted a few days until it eventually stopped. But, since I knew I’d be flying within a few days I opted to let the vascular system heal so I could dive another time.
Well, it’s time to get on that big ol’ jet airliner to carry me too far away. I hope you’ve learned a little more about what the La Paz area has to offer. Feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions. Hasta Luego!
