Mexico Guide
Baja California and the Pacific Northwest
Mexico's northwest mainland is something of a bizarre – and initially uninviting – introduction to the country. Certain aspects of what you see here resonate as you travel south, yet in many ways it's atypical: at once fertile, wealthy and heavily Americanized, in parts it is also strikingly impoverished, drab and barren. The climate's not exactly welcoming, either – although the ocean and local conditions help produce one or two mild spots, summer temperatures can hit 50°C, while winter nights in the desert drop to freezing levels.
Baja California, on the other hand, is a destination in itself and only infrequently a part of trips to the rest of the country. Its plentiful devotees arrive in trucks and SUVs laden with outdoor gear, or in private boats and light planes that allow access to remote areas. Early in the year, visitors flock to the peninsula's west coast, near Guerrero Negro, to witness hordes of whales – participating in the longest-known mammal migration – congregating to calve. Further south, you'll find turquoise waters and white-sand beaches; most coastal towns in Baja California Sur offer fantastic opportunities for diving, fishing and kayaking, but Loreto, La Paz and the remote settlements on the East Cape are the standouts among them. All the way at the end of the peninsula, a booming resort industry in Los Cabos attracts crowds that fly in for week-long stays at self-contained hotels. It can be difficult to reach many of Baja's attractions – completely isolated beaches, prehistoric cave paintings, excellent fishing, snorkelling, surfing and windsurfing spots – without your own vehicle, but there is still plenty to see and do if you have to rely on public transport and stick to the more developed areas. Intra-peninsular bus lines connect Tijuana, Ensenada, La Paz and Los Cabos. There are also a number of flights that take advantage of deregulated airspace to link the major towns all the way down the coast.
Highlights
1 Tijuana No longer ruled by cheap souvenirs and sex tourism, TJ is on the cutting edge of cross-border culinary, musical and artistic innovation.
2 Valle de Guadalupe Though still young, the wine industry here is rapidly maturing.
3 The Transpeninsular Highway If you have the opportunity to travel the length of the peninsula, do so. There is no other drive so consistently beautiful and adventurous.
4 Laguna San Ignacio Each winter migrating grey whales journey from the Arctic Circle to nurse their calves in the warm waters of this pristine lagoon.
5 Bahía Concepcíon Camp underneath a star-filled sky and kayak alongside dolphins in these serene aquamarine waters.
6 La Paz An amalgamation of the peninsula's best qualities: great restaurants, cheap rooms, vibrant street life and outdoor adventure opportunities aplenty.
7 Puerto Peñasco Visit the massive Pinacate Biosphere Reserve, a fifty-kilometre-wide volcanic field of giant craters home to all manner of wildlife.
8 Guaymas One of the best sunsets in Mexico, as the sun drops between the mountain ridges.
9 Mazatlán A tropical resort that has managed to stay relatively true to its roots.