Mother of Dragons
Nomad
Posts: 313
Registered: 4-30-2019
Location: California
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Mood: Waiting
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Adolfo Lopez Mateos...Magdalena Bay Whales
I’m interested to see the whales at this spot this year.
I HAVE been doing a lot of research but I’m looking to hear about experiences there.
Is there a lot of places to camp?
What is the best place to camp?
Is it only dry?
Are there recommended places to eat or alternative things to see there?
Ect..
Anyone been that could share their experiences please.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I was there in the summer researching for the road guide. I stayed in a motel. Facilities are almost non-existent for tourism when it is not whale
season. Baja Nomad 'Mula' is there, maybe she will see this and give you better intel? A sportfishing company, Mag Bay Outfitters is there and they
may have some facilities for RVs? The owners are friends of my son, who worked there one summer in 2012.
My Lopez Mateos notes and photos are on Day 3 of this trip report: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=87323
From 2017:
Day 3:
Nearing Ciudad Insurgentes, I take the paved road west to López Mateos, a fishing town and whale watching center on Magdalena Bay. It is 20 miles to
town. I drive around and go to the Hotel Refugio, recommended by 'Mula' on Baja Nomad forums, who has a home there. The hotel owner (Róman) was very
nice and the room was air conditioned, very small, but comfortable at 350 pesos (=US$20.17). The WiFi only works in the dining room area, which was
not serving food in the summer... because whales are not there then! I made a couple posts and checked email. I slept well... but the mosquitos got me
when I was in the dining room area and outside.
Day 4:
I don't want to say too much about López Mateos because I was not there very long and didn't have any Nomads to show me the highlights. My son lived
there for a couple months in 2012 working for Mag Bay Outfitters (their son and my son were best friends from 4th grade on and we used to take him
camping with us to Baja and the desert). It is off season, humid, mosquitos, and most restaurants were closed... again no whales or tourists in the
summer. There is a huge building that looked like a museum for whale watchers out at the dock where they must get on boats to see the beasties up
close. Closed now, naturally.
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boe4fun
Super Nomad
Posts: 1040
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Location: Margaritaville
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Mood: Circling the drain........
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Suzanna, you might also look into Puerto San Carlos (we used to camp by the boat launch in the estuary), also Puerte Chale in Bahia Almejas a little
further south of Cd. Constitución.
Two dirt roads diverged in Baja and I, I took the one less graveled by......
Soy ignorante, apático y ambivalente. No lo sé y no me importa, ni modo.
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1653
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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check your u2u.
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bajamary1952
Nomad
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Registered: 9-29-2016
Location: Ensenada
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There is only dry camping at the parking lot with no shade. Best time to see whales is mid-March.
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1617
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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Quote: Originally posted by boe4fun  | | Suzanna, you might also look into Puerto San Carlos (we used to camp by the boat launch in the estuary), also Puerte Chale in Bahia Almejas a little
further south of Cd. Constitución. |
FWIW I have been out of Pto Chale, Pto San Carlos and Pto Lopez Mateo
and have had the best experiences in Lopez Mateo. The bay itself is much smaller and we always seemed to have better access to the whales. The whales
are very spread out in the other areas and they didn't seem quite as interested in coming up to the pangas.
All of these trips are just day trips from La Paz for me so I can't speak to accommodations or camping.
In Memory of E-57
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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On my last trip back from Baja Sur, I decided to do a drive by and see what was at the end of the road to Puerto Chale. I actually spent more time
driving to and from the fish camp than I did at the port!
My impression is that it is nearly devoid of services, unless there is a company store at the commercial fish camp. I saw one house that looked like
it was set up as a restaurant, but it was closed. I did not see anything resembling a campground, but I did not actually encounter anyone who I could
ask about it.
Some of the side roads around there were interesting. They resembled some of the whoop de do's left over from a Baja 1k course, with pin striping
vegetation reclaiming the trail!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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HeyMulegeScott
Senior Nomad
Posts: 690
Registered: 8-25-2009
Location: Orygone/Mulege
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We stayed in the parking lot in our RV. Great tour with Piratas. I think my pictures got lost in the trip reports but here's my blog https://www.awaywewinnebago.com/touching-gray-whales/
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