Skip the glitz and take in the real, rustic Cabo
Pristine beaches, exotic wildlife and delicious food abound in the Baja Peninsula’s East Cape
“We’re heading down to Cabo for two weeks at the beginning of the month,” I overhear a middle-aged man tell his buddy over their Americanos the other morning. “It’s a wonderful place to go,” he says of the most popular tourist destination on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. I loved hearing him speak so enthusiastically about his upcoming trip because, in my opinion, there’s a lot more to Los Cabos than the location’s cameos on reality television shows like The Real Housewives of Wherever give it credit for.
The three-town amalgam (Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and the connecting resort strip known as The Corridor), located at the southwest tip of Baja, offers visitors the best of both the Mexican and Californian worlds. There’s striking desert scenery and lush tropical vegetation, and the roll-out-the-red-carpet Mexican hospitality combines with all the familiar comforts of home (and then some if you opt for one of the many luxe accommodation options in the region) and the best damn tacos you’ve ever tasted cost a dollar a pop, served alongside popping Champagne corks, if that’s the way you like to roll.
For those travellers who aren’t convinced a trip to Mexico is worth the pesos, Los Cabos is the ideal destination. The diversity means there is something to appeal to every type of traveller: you can party in San Lucas, splash out on sheer luxury in the Corridor, or stray from the beaten path and get a taste of the old town in San Jose.
The real hidden gem, though — at least for the next few years — is an 80-kilometre stretch of pristine beach and perfect swell courtesy of the Sea of Cortez, known as the East Cape.
Currently only frequented by those seeking out great surf (and camping on the beach to find it) and divers headed for Cabo Pulmo National Park, home of the only hard coral reef in North America, wandering the East Cape feels like you’ve stumbled onto a deserted island — well, a deserted island with a few multimillion-dollar homes and chic boutique hotels dotting the landscape. It’s a throwback to the Cabo of the 1950s and ’60s. It’s a bit of a trek to get out there, but the effort is rewarded.
Take the stunning Vidasoul hotel, for example. This 16-room modernist property is one of a handful of new developments luring surfers, foodies, oenophiles and bohemians alike out to the cape. Outfitted with all the modern bells and whistles travellers have come to expect from a five-star property (flat screens, Wi-Fi, soaker tubs) and just strides above the crashing Sea of Cortez, Vidasoul allows guests to indulge in the peace and tranquillity of the Baja outback without ever having to feel like they’re roughing it.
Should you tire of the property’s pool, plethora of original local artwork and laid-back loungey vibe, you can always stroll for miles down the shoreline. It’s not likely that you’ll run into any other tourists, but the area’s donkeys are always happy to accept a snack if you have one. If you aren’t in a sharing mood, be sure to keep it out of reach. If given the chance, these locals are friendly enough to take it right out of your hand.
Watch the sunset over a feast of locally sourced seafood and an impressive selection of tequilas at Vidasoul’s beachfront restaurant, Crossroads. Then look up at a night sky so full of stars you’d swear it was fake — no light pollution is another bonus of wandering off the beaten path.
In the next decade, as more people catch on to the beauty and adventure just beyond Cabo’s city limits up the East Cape (and the road conditions improve), properties like Vidasoul and the almost completed eco-chic retreat White Lodge will continue to sprout up, and that feeling of isolation will lessen. For now though, those travellers who are interested in a truly Mexican experience — like navigating the Nine Palms surf break, watching migrating humpback whales or catching a glimpse of bobcats, antelope and foxes scavenging at sunset — need only step outside of the all-inclusive gates and have a look around. And don’t worry, there are still plenty of margaritas and Coronas to be found up the cape, if that’s part of your authentic vision.