TOURISTS BASK IN BAJA
Party-hearty-meets-old-school vibe is region’s allure
South of the border lies a very different California — a land of
endless desert and jagged mountains framed by a largely un-Stouched coastline that stretches for nearly 2,000 miles. Seaside resorts, old Spanish missions and World Heritage Sites are part
of a mix that lures more and more visitors from the Golden State.
The “Baja” part of Baja California conjures all sorts of visions. For some it’s the swank hotels and fun-filled vibe of Cabo at the southern end of the peninsula, or perhaps the old-school ambience of secluded towns along the Sea of Cortez. For others it means surfing, off-roading, close encounters of the whale kind, fresh-from-the-dock fish tacos in palapa-roof restaurants, or even cage diving with great white sharks.
One of the region’s newest allures is the Guadalupe wine country near Ensenada. It’s nothing like the glitzy Napa Valley. But that’s the attraction — small, laidback vineyards producing vintages that are consistently popping up on wine menus at restaurants north of the border.
The area is spangled with more than 60 wineries, plus a growing number of restaurants and boutique hotels that cater to the wine crowd. The futuristic Endémico and Spanish-colonial-flavored La Villa del Valle are just two of the new abodes, while Restaurant Laja (with its four- and eight-course tasting menus) has already earned plaudits as one of the top 50 eateries in all of Latin America.
One of the world’s toughest off-road races, the legendary Baja 1000 is dominated by professional teams speeding through the waterfront towns along the Sea of Cortez. But amateurs can also challenge the cactus-and-boulder-studded route with outfitters like Go Baja Riding, which offers a full turn-key race program on a Honda dirt bike with a support team similar to the pros’. For those who want to experience Baja on the back of a bike but aren’t quite ready for the big enchilada, GBR offers shorter off-road adventures starting from various points along the peninsula.
Places like Loreto and La Paz are fairly quiet, with refreshingly old-school takes on the Baja experience. Rather than spring break frenzy or movie-star glam, the emphasis is on good-old-fashioned outdoor fun — desert mountain biking and hiking, caves decorated with paintings rendered by Baja’s prehistoric inhabitants and teeing off on a seaside golf course.
Loreto and La Paz also tender a variety of aquatic adventures, from sea kayaking and sailing to snorkeling and scuba in a body of water so rich in marine life that Jacques Cousteau once dubbed it “the world’s aquarium.”
Offshore, the scattered Islands of the Gulf of California World Heritage Site shelters hammerheads, giant squid and a spectacular whale shark migration.
At the bottom of the peninsula is Los Cabos, an oceanfront paradise that includes three distinct zones. With its nightclubs and poolside parties, Cabo San Lucas is the party town. It’s also one of the most stunning places in all of Mexico, with the towering ocher cliffs and natural arches of Los Arcos looming in the distance.
San Jose del Cabo offers an Old Mexico ambience of cobblestone streets, courtyard restaurants and tasty tequila bars. In between is the posh Corridor, home to some of the most upscale resorts and spas in North America.
The region is just now recovering from Hurricane Odile, which slammed the peninsula in September, devastating several coastal communities and damaging many of the hotels. Most resorts have bounced back and are running at full speed again.
The One&Only Palmilla reopened April 20 after extensive repairs. Often touted as the top Baja resort by travel magazines, the swanky hotel turned the hurricane hiatus into a plus by morphing its old spa into a sleek new beauty, grooming and fitness center. The resort’s romantic waterfront cabanas have also undergone a complete makeover.
Odile delayed the debut of new hotels like the Cape on Monument Beach in Cabo San Lucas. The second Mexico venture by Thompson Hotels is slated to launch in June.
“We were initially scheduled to open in April 2015,” said Thompson spokeswoman Karolina Kielbowicz. “So we were delayed by only two months, which is rather incredible given the intensity and widespread devastation caused by the hurricane.”
Designed by Mexican celebrity architect Javier Sanchez, the 161-room Cape will feature a gourmet restaurant skippered by a James Beard Award-winning chef, the only rooftop lounge in Cabo San Lucas and spacious guest rooms with sea views and copper-leafed bathtubs.