Baja Travel Guidebook

Whether you drive down with your own recreational equipment or fly in you can find outdoor recreational activities to suit your interests. The larger the center the more services are offered. Guide books are often your best source of information. Both local and US based tour companies are set up to serve the visitor which means that arrangements can be made in advance or when you arrive.

SNORKELING
Snorkeling abounds on the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula. Some of the best is from the many islands along the coastline. Snorkel trips with a marine biologist off of Espiritu Santo Island out of La Paz and out of Cabo Pulmo are good.

FISHING
The Sea of Cortez has hundreds of varieties of fish that have been identified. Sports fishing is available throughout the peninsula if you have your own boat. Surf fishing along the Pacific coast is popular. Charter boat fishing is available from Ensenada, San Felipe, Mulege, Loreto, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Deep sea fishing is available throughout the year.

HIKING
Trail hiking can be done within the San Pedro Martir National Park accessible from Ensenada or San Telmo turnoff. In southern Baja access to the Sierra Lagunas can be made from Todos Santos on the western side or Santiago and Miraflores on the eastern side.

HORSEBACK RIDING
Horseback riding is a peaceful way to explore the backcountry or the beaches. Tours and rentals available in Rosarito Beach, Loreto, La Paz and Los Cabos.

MOUNTAIN BIKING
The peninsula is rich with dirt roads used by locals. Tour companies advertise but you can do some of it on your own. Use a topo map and be sure to check if the route will have water and food sources unless you have a support vehicle. Some bike rentals are available in Loreto, La Paz, Todos Santos and San Jose del Cabo but may not be good enough to take off road.

ROCK ART AND CAVE PAINTINGS
The biggest and highest concentration of cave paintings are out of San Ignacio in the mountains and canyons north of town in the Sierra de San Francisco. Arrange for a guide in town or drive to the village of San Francisco de la Sierra and find a guide there. Other paintings can be found out of Mulege, Santa Rosalia, Loreto, La Paz and Todos Santos.

SEA KAYAKING
Bahia de los Angeles, Bahia Concepcion, Loreto, Agua Verde, Evaristo, La Paz and San Jose del Cabo are all popular kayaking areas and served by outfitters. Tour companies advertise in magazines. Day trips and rentals are available in some towns.

WHALE WATCHING
The great gray whale calves in the protected bays along the Pacific Ocean of Baja. You can also see them at a distance all along the Pacific coastline as they spout water or breach. The prime months are January to through March. The best places to view them in numbers are Scammons Lagoon out of Guerrero Negro, San Ignacio Bay out of San Ignacio and Lopez Mateos or San Carlos on Magdalena Bay. Find a bilingual guide that has been trained as a naturalist for best value.

Humpback whale watching tours are arranged in La Paz, although the trip is from San Jose del Cabo.

WINDSURFING
Los Barilles claims to be the windsurfing capital of Baja where winds can blow 15-30 knots during the winter. The whole Cabo del Este region has suitable winds throughout the winter months. Windsurfing centers offer packages of instruction, equipment and accommodation. Rentals also available.

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