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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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Conception Bay - A Guide to Camping, Beaches & Cafes
WELCOME TO THE BAY OF CONCEPTION
Bahia Concepcion - It doesn't get much better that this!
This is about a road trip along the western shore of Conception Bay and also a boat trip through the same. I've taken photos of all the beaches and
thier attractions. I'd like to invite you along on this beach trip report. We generally have a pretty good time....
I've included many photos that I have posted before, but any good guide book must contain all the pertinent places, so here is a complete photo
tour of the entire bay. Hopefully, it will give answers to anyone who is seeking information about the Bay of Conception.
I thought at first that this should go into the Baja Camping forum, but figured it was more of a Trip..and it turned into quite that...a real
trip!
If you have some favorite photos of your vacation to Conception Bay, please feel free to add them to this thread.
First some background information: Bahía Concepción lies just south of Mulegé and 625 miles south of the Tijuana border. (Figure a safe and scenic
13-14 hours total driving time.) One thing most all Baja travelers agree on is that Bahía Concepción is one of the most beautiful spots in Baja. The
bay is just over 20 miles long and varies in width from two to five miles. Bahía Concepción has, over the years, become the final destination for
many Baja travelers. A lot of seasoned Baja travelers simply aim straight for Bahía Concepción with no intention of going any farther. Many first
timers arrive and they are absolutely overwhelmed with the beauty and serenity of this area...somehow they just cannot manage to leave, often
extending their vacation plans by days or even weeks. In my case, it has stretched out to 45 consecutive winters...6 months at a time. 
The dramatic scenery along the western coastline of Bahía Concepción is the ultimate photo opportunity for almost all Baja visitors that travel this
far south. This giant bay, within the Sea of Cortez, offers travelers a close up of what "The Real Baja" is all about. The 28 miles of highway that
hug the coast below Mulegé offers direct access to what are considered by many to be the finest beaches in all of Baja. This spells FUN IN THE SUN.
Bahía Concepción is one of Baja's favored spots for kayakers, those with RV's, campers, sailors and anyone who just loves beautiful beaches and quiet
coves. The bay is especially good for novice kayaker's and sail boarder's as it is usually quite glassy with with light winds and not much in the way
of strong currents.
From personable experience, there are incredible anchorages too numerous to count, making this area a sailors dream come true.
Some neighbors in Coyote Bay.
Say Hi to...
Louie..now off in the South Pacific somewhere.
Ralph & Dawn ...he has a piano aboard.
Johnny & Cindy ..living the life.
John & Cristy..no worries.
The traveler will find excellent kayaking and boating adventures ....
...and around the many islands.
There are beach side campgrounds, with varying degrees of services for RV's and campers scattered along the coast below Mulegé. Some of these
campgrounds offer complete services and even a restaurant or two. Most others offer no services at all and many camping spots are rather impromptu,
discovered only as the need for a siesta arises. Fees range from sometimes free to about $8 night, but signs are usually posted at the entrances.
If you are camping, and unfamiliar with the area, it is suggested that you bring in all of your supplies as you may well end up staying longer than
you had originally planned to. The few small stores that serve this area keep irregular hours, at best, and may be closed for days, weeks or even
months at a time.
The rugged eastern finger of Bahía Concepción remains mostly unexplored, and almost completely uninhabited. A few primitive fish camps dot the shore,
but they are mostly seasonal and may be uninhabited depending on the current fishing conditions. Think twice before any attempt to experience the
truly unique adventure that this pristine piece of "The Real Baja" has to offer. I'll have more to offer on the peninsula in another thread.
In the interest of being 'fair and balanced' here is Some embarrassing truth and shame about The Bay. As an avid fisherman who is very aware
of the marine violations perpetuated by lax or non-existant law enforcement, I've had to rename this once incredibly diverse marine habitat from 'The
Bay of Conception' to "The Bay of Contrition".
This bay was once teeming with scallops, oysters, butter calms and nice-sized game fish of every species. My first remembrance of any mention of
Bahia Concepción was when someone told me (in the late 60s) that the bottom of this bay was paved with butter clams and scallops. The oysters and
scallops are long gone, as are most of the game fish. You can still see the huge piles of harvested scallop shells left scattered around the bay
shorelines.
These days the clams that are available and the bigger fish are only found only along the beaches of the eastern shore. Humanity just seems to have a
natural talent for depleting nature's bounty...more's the pity for those who care. This should not deter you from the great camping available in
this most scenic bay in all of Baja.
Sadly, fishing conditions along the western shore of Bahía Concepción are not the best in Baja although some smaller, yet tasty, fish can still be
caught within the bay. At one time the fishing for tuna, yellowtail, and dorado was fantastic inside the bay. This little yellowtail was fun on
my light rig and huge schools of much bigger ones were literally everywhere..circa 1974.
Angling fishermen made their camps in the bay and fished there, too...no need to go outside back then. I recall a couple of annual angler's
campsites...one at Burros by a group of San Diego dorado fishermen and another at the southern end for yellowtail. This was during the Golden Age of
Baja. I'm very glad to have seen a part of it.
A nice cabrilla at the mouth of the bay.
If Mexico decides to actually enforce it's own marine conservation laws, perhaps those golden days can return.
The eastern shoreline offers a completely different set of circumstances, mainly because of the great effort it takes to get there. The rugged
eastern shore is not easily reached and is largely uninhabited. Visits to the eastern shore should only be attempted in 4x4, high clearance vehicles,
that are well equipped for extreme conditions. More on this in another thread.
If you are planning a camping trip to Conception Bay, the following photos should help you find a good location.
Beach summary & index:
These are the most popular BOC beaches as you drive south from Mulege.
- North Bay Straits
- Suenos
- Flambes
- Naranja
- Santispac
- Posada
- Escondido
- Coco
- Burros
- Coyote
- Requeson
- Perla
- Armenta
- South Beach
Those pictures don't begin to touch the reality of what it is like being & living here. I was fortunate to move here before the earth
cooled..and it still thrills me to this day.
Cafes:
Some general information on cafes in BOC:
General and seasonal hours. Summertime hours and weekly specials could be different….and it MAY temporarily close according to business activity.
This is common practice for all the Coyote Bay area beach cafes. It’s all about the amount of customers. The Bay in summer is
rather un-crowded….it might have something to do with the HEAT...which a lot of folks actually enjoy.
THE WHOLE ENCHILADA
AERIALS
THIS PHOTO SHOWS BEACHES AND BAYS OF SANTISPAC - POSADA - ESCONDIDO - BURROS
COYOTE CAMPING BEACH - BARGA ISLAND & DEAD DOG (NUDE) BEACH
MAP
NORTH BAY - THE STRAITS
Here's the mouth of the Bay as seen from the microwave tower access trail. Note: The service road to the tower may be gated and locked these days.
This is the view I look forward to at the start of my particular season. First look at Coyote Bay driving south. Playa Santispac is just over the
hill.
HEADING SOUTH VIEW FROM THE BOAT
PLAYA SUENOS - HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
BEACH PALAPAS SOUTH OF PLAYA SUENOS - SOME RENTALS
LIGHTHOUSE RESORT AT PLAYA FLAMBES - RENTALS (NOMADS BOB Y SUSAN)
GOOD WIND IN THIS AREA - WINDSURFERS & KITE SURFERS HEAVEN
If you're into the wind and water sports, then this is the place for you, as it has been a destination for wind lovers ever since the highway was
built.
PLAYA NARANJOS
Heading around the corner to Pta. Arena and Playa Naranjos. Lots of room ..because the old palapa houses at
Pta. Arena are now long gone....from fire. Playa Naranjos is still intact, though.
MARINA
That 2-story palapa was built by some Oregon amigos...and was where I enjoyed many a good cup of coffee with Grand Mariner on the way to the fishing
grounds in my boat. Ahoy, Pollo del Mar!
PLAYA SANTISPAC
Santispac - The Annex beachcamp & mangrove lagoon
Fire at Anna's Cafe (don't worry, it was a long time ago...)
Sometimes it's almost deserted...and there seems to be plenty of room for you on this day.
Ana's (the old Russ y Lupe's) at Playa Santispac with some happy patrons at the cantina.
Ample parking in front
Russ, Lupe, and Co-pilot at front table
Good times on the dance floor for all ages.
Always plenty of pretty sailboats here..like this one.
C-Pilot goes wading to check out some pretty shells and keep a lookout for sting rays...
SANTISPAC FROM OFFSHORE - Ana's Cafe is far right. A newer beach cafe is to the far left.
Back In The Day....For you movie buffs, the former beach home of film director, JOHN STURGES after he relocated from a Posada beach home. (Dirty
Dozen, Magnificent Seven, Gunfight at OK Corral, The Great Escape, etc.) Someday I might post a hilarious story about how this came about.
Other Hollywood people frequented this bay, too.
PTA. PIEDRITA - A hidden beach just over a small hill from Santispac. Most times you can have it all to yourself.
From my boat I noticed the solitary camper..a fifth wheel...on this relatively unused stretch of camping beach. I doubt many people know of it's
existence. You can reach this nice spot by driving all the way through on the Santispac beach road...continueing on out towards the point, then
taking the left turn that will take you over a slight rise and onto the beach. Your home for the vacation's duration.
Driving a little south we come to ...
POSADA COMMUNITY
Hillside homes. I noted that my old hillside casa had a Se Vende sign out. Hope that works out.
My old house above Posada and my pickup camper. Hi to Co-pilot. Hah...whenever I look at the white water tank on that roof, I am reminded of the
time a buzzard lost his grip, fell and drowned in there...phew!
Here's a flashback photo taken from my old balcony in 1978.
And another from 2012 taken from the same place.
The community tennis court. Back in the day, I played the old 'craters' like everyone else..fair fouls to all. Pulled an achilles tendon on that
court...
The now-defunct Eco-Mundo Cafe. Had drinks, snacks, and kayak rentals. Ranger Roy's enterprise.
In that same place this caravan of 100 Airstreams camped for a few days in 1974...probably the first large organized caravan to come down the new
highway. We had a lot of fun making up stories about the 'locust horde' drinking all the beer supplies.
Taking a shallow run between shore and an island, we see hard to port the Posada community of homes as we leave the scene by boat.
It's constant changes have always caught my eye since it was just a cluster of trailer palapas started by Herman, Sr. back in the day. Those were
wonderful times! When we played the love ballad, "A Thousand Bullets." ... You had to be there....
PLAYA ESCONDIDO ... The Hidden Beach
Offshore view
Our old volleyball beach is always uncrowded with pristine water.
We always had plenty of volunteers to maintain the volley ball court. We hauled many loads of sand & small shell in my old army trailer. The
little guy thought it was his personal sand box.
On past Escondido, where it's still semi-deserted..few campers, lots of room. Just a really bad entry road.
PLAYA COCOS to the left and PLAYA ESCONDIDO to the right
PLAYA COCOS
I didn't notice the US and Canadian flags yet this year?? Come ON, you people..let's get with it. Get that border UP!
SHRINE OF THE BAY
FROM THE SHRINE PULLOUTis one of thee best locations for photos.
A very calm Coyote Bay.
Great landmark for kayakers.
A great place to pull over...for a prayer or simply a superb overlook of the Bay. Bring the camera.
The shrine is precious to the faithful and gets a fresh coat of paint every year.
Lots of candle votives are placed with a special prayer.
A lone kayaker passes below the shrine.
On down the road to.....PLAYA BURROS
As seen from atop a hill to the south.
Bertha's Cafe before the remodel. Now under new management. Good luck to 'Bob'.
Flashback photo....Hiking up above Burros Beach to view some rock art..this was about 1980.
Back to the present...
PLAYA COYOTE
I've watched a few sunrises from my home in Coyote Bay...and loved every one.
AERIAL OF COYOTE BAY & BARGA ISLAND..looking for some perfect anchorages?.
CAMPING BEACH AT COYOTE BAY
Coyote Cafe - "Estrella del Mar" (Old Boney's place on the highway at Rcho Coyote, another place where we used to play volleyball.)
Drill marks for new highway in 1973. Used in blasting with very loud TNT. I remember one huge rock chunk that arched out over the bay and splashed
about 20 feet away from my sloop. A tense moment!
Old Baja Road above Coyote Camping Beach. Co-pilot gives me directions.
ENTRANCE TO COYOTE CAMP BEACH FROM HIGHWAY - GOING NORTH
BEACH CAMP ENTRY ROAD GOING SOUTH
OFFSHORE VIEW
A HAPPY CAMPER BUILDING A PALAPA FOR SHADE
Playa Coyote
Still lots of room left..and the beach road is okay for any rig.
Perfect to kayak in the mornings, before the wind comes up.
PLAYA BUENAVENTURA
THE WATCHDOG IS ON DUTY AND READY TO ANNOUNCE YOU..OR TO USE AS A DOORMAT?
MEETING SOME PATRONS ...
PLAYA BUENAVENTURA'S HOSTS MARK & OLIVIA
Day of the Shotguns
The cafe as seen coming from the South.
More Playa Buenaventura
An afternoon at Playa Buenaventura - Mark & Olivia's
The other day,we were coming back north towards home base, pulled into Mark & Olivia's, met some new folks, and had
a good discussion about kayak fishing around Roca Frijoles...and some other things.
As always in Baja, we are met by the parking attendant who checks our tires for free.
Just a nice Baja beach bar, great hamburgers, with a killer view.
A funky, cozy haven..full of Baja memorabilia and interesting stories as told by the interesting parrots..er... patrons..
.
.
I listen to a tale of woe from a local and offer a shoulder to cry on..or whatever..?
Things go sour when .....
.. I find he's put all his drinks on MY tab. Carumba!
Andiamo!
Playa Buenaventura - Mark & Olivia's Open for business as usual.
.
A short drive down the road will bring you to this....
UNNAMED CAMPING BEACH - You should camp there and give it a name.
A little used beach just before Playa Requeson. We've had many a private picnic here. The steamers and chocolates in the little bay were
outstanding.
Now comes a real jewel for campers.... with it's own isthmus.
PLAYA REQUESON
Flashback for next 4 photos: 1974 Clamming at Requeson...and it hasn't changed much in the last 40 years.
Those clams were sooo delicious!!
We'd just bring a folding table, go for a little wading, and set out the feast...
Lots of room on the other side..??.
Boating into Playa Requeson so Co-pilot can go clamming.
Highway entry to Requeson
A few long-term setups. Nice place for it!
As you can see, all these beaches, Armenta, Perla, Requeson and the entire southern shore...are not crowded and easily accessible to any size rig.
Come find your spot and relax.
PLAYA PERLA A real 'gem'...
We LOVED this familiar & fun sign. Some Happy Farts! And I'M happy that there was NO smell!
Public rooms
Looking back at Playa Perla.
Going from Perla to Requeson
All these trails were in GREAT shape..
...for off-road Baja .
Playa Requeson ahead...and a chance for a fixer-upper beachfront condo?
PLAYA ARMENTA
PLAYA ALMEJAS - SOUTH END OF BAY CLAMMING BEACH - DEFUNCT RV PARK
(Be advised that this beach is not the best place to leave any belongings unattended or out of sight, as there has been a history of petty thefts
here.)
SOUTH CLAMMING BEACH
BOC SOUTH END SHELL MONUMENT
Well, that's the west side of the Bay of Conception and it's best-in-Baja beaches. Hope to see you there.
Happy Camping, amigos!
[Edited on 5-6-2015 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Maron
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As always, SUPER
thks
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Howard
Super Nomad
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Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
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Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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Thank you Roger! I hope it was a labor of love putting this together as it must of been extremely time consuming.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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mooose29
Nomad
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Thank you for taking the time. Brought back tons of memories.
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ehall
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Location: Buckeye, Az
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Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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Thanks. Loved all the old pictures.
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alacran
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Nice pictures, Roger, I played tennis with Herman Sr. There, when all it was 3 palapas, and Sr. Sweeping the beach with a broom every morning.
Good old days.
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güéribo
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What a beautiful thread. Thank you.
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healthdetective
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Pompano
You were the first person I met on my first trip to Bahia Concepcion in 2004. I walked into Ana's on Santispac that Saturday night and you walked
over, stuck out your hand and welcomed me. I was grateful then and I thank you now. Those pictures brought joy over my morning coffee. Steinbeck
was wrong. I know why I must return.
“The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.” — Mencken
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fish101
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Posts: 132
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Location: Loreto BCS
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Pompano, great pictures and thread.. Although we have never met, I have been coming down here since 2004 and have camped at nearly every one of
those beaches with my 38ft Motorhome.. Presently, living in Loreto but visit Bahia Conception often. Hope to meet up with you one of these days. Have
followed your posts for all these years and have enjoyed all of your pictures.. Keep up the good work..
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cliffh
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Thanks Roger, great way to have coffee in the am. First trip to stay at Hermans 75 or 76, have been driving by on my way south every year since.
Thanks for the memories Cliff H
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Fastbird
Junior Nomad
Posts: 39
Registered: 10-20-2013
Location: Chivato
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The Best Photo Guide -EVER
Thanks, That is the Best photo / description EVER of the BOC! No guide book comes close. Well done. We will drive down from Chivato and see how many
beaches we can identify!
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BornFisher
Super Nomad
Posts: 2103
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
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Amazing, that was great! Thanks for the effort you took to do this report.
Dang I feel like getting down there!!!
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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Thank you for the kind & flattering replies, they are greatly appreciated. One of my main hobbies is recording scenes by camera, while others
include road trips and boating, so it's my pleasure to put together a photo journal like this one. Conception Bay and the Mulege area are easy ones
for me as it's been my home for over 4 decades, giving me lots of times to tramp around the neighborhood with a trusty Nikon. Right now I am putting
together a photo collection of islands of the Bay and the peninsula. I hope you find it interesting and entertaining.
Some replies to posters:
Maron, Howard, moose29, ehall, alacran, güéribo, healthdetective, cliffh, Fastbird, fish101, Bornfisher...my sincere thanks to you all. Your comments
have spurred the same thoughts and jogged up some memories.
alacran, I also remember Herman Morante, Sr. with his busy broom. He was fastidious about keeping his piece of paradise clean and orderly. When a
few of us helped in completing the first tennis court, I gave him a box of Cuban cigars for it's inauguration..which smoothed the way to dating his
daughter..
healthdetective, I'm glad we met all those years ago at Ana's. It is/was a great place to meet new Baja folks. And indeed, like Steinbeck..you must
return.
Again, it's been a pleasure and I'm happy you all could make the trip with me.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Marc
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Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
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Thanks Roger! It's always great to see your posts and photos and especially these since I am in one of them. Conception Bay is truly a wonderful and
unique place.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64476
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Nice to see the photos, no matter how often! Viva Baja!! When Requeson is full, we go next door to La Perla... A favorite little bay, in 2012,
southbound:
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Vince
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Good show there, Roger! That seaplane reminded me of the time two old WWll pilots flew a PBY down from Long Beach and landed right in front of our
place on Coyote bay in the late '70's. That big bird was all decked out like a modern yacht inside. The two couples came up to our porch for drinks
and dinner and the next AM took off for parts unknown in the Gulf. I also remember Ralph with his trimaran and the piano inside, my kids loved
playing that piano. Thanks for the memories.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Quote: Originally posted by Vince  | | Good show there, Roger! That seaplane reminded me of the time two old WWll pilots flew a PBY down from Long Beach and landed right in front of our
place on Coyote bay in the late '70's. That big bird was all decked out like a modern yacht inside. The two couples came up to our porch for drinks
and dinner and the next AM took off for parts unknown in the Gulf. I also remember Ralph with his trimaran and the piano inside, my kids loved
playing that piano. Thanks for the memories. |
I knew you would like it, Vince. Looking back, mi amigo, both of us are blessed with such great memories courtesy of the Bay..but then, that was the
plan, right?
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Kgryfon
Senior Nomad
Posts: 624
Registered: 1-27-2009
Location: East Bay, CA
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This was awesome, Roger. Thank you very much for the journey!
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4Cata
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Location: Yosemite area
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Thank you to the voices in your tackle box. This was super! Can't wait to try it myself.
Agaveros, silk in a bottle, a beautiful bottle!
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bajabuddha
Banned
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Location: Baja New Mexico
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Señor Pompano; your pics of La Perla have a particular joy for me. Notice anything similar in my avatar? That's my 5th wheel! And my better half
and I are sharing a brewski with you at the Aaaarrrrr- Bar with Georgia on your shoulder.
Small world, isn't it? Great pics.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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