BajaNomad

Todos Santos in the news

pauldavidmena - 2-12-2026 at 02:15 PM

I hesitate to describe the Cabo Sun as "news," but I thought this article was fairly interesting in that it implied that the bloom would soon be off the rose for this erstwhile artist colony turned expat playground. The same could be said for nearby El Pescadero, which has even more recently evolved (?) from sleepy surfer haven to an escape for Millennial millionaires. Having visited the area since around 2010, the "secret" was out as soon as Highway 19 was completed between Cabo and Todos Santos. The COVID shutdowns accelerated that trend. driving development that far outpaced underlying infrastructure. The article, however, is at least 5 years too late, maybe 10, making it yet another puff piece.

Having just come back from two weeks in El Pescadero (specifically El Gavilán), my jaw drops at the development I've seen in the relatively short time I've been visiting, but I can't help still feeling enchanted. I suppose part of it is that the Northeast U.S. has had a particularly brutal winter, but it's more than that. It's possible to re-calibrate one's mindset in Todos Santos without cleansing one's chakra, although there are plenty of kindred spirits for the spirtiually inclined. It's also still possible to cook one's own meals in a rental home for a fraction of what one would pay at a high-end restaurant. Truthfully, given that I live on Cape Cod. I found fantastic meals at places like Hierbabuena and Jazamango to be quite reasonable compared to seasonal dining here on the Cape. So for us, it's still a wonderful escape.

Hasta la próxima, México.

Lee - 2-12-2026 at 11:23 PM

Think you’re right. It’s a puff piece. The drama of Todos losing the vibe so hurry before that happens might beg the question how bad can it get?

I’ve seen California prices for 10+ years. Agricole sells IPA’s for 100 pesos a bottle. No one is blinking.

Water has always been an issue. Ejido turns on the water Thursday p.m. and after filling the cisterns, turns off for a week. When water doesn’t arrive, home owners get nervous. Beats waiting for the water truck esp. when they say they’ll be in the area, don’t show up, then say they ran out of water.

No one seems to care. Todos is managed from La Paz — they’re not concerned either.

pauldavidmena - 2-13-2026 at 08:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee  
Think you’re right. It’s a puff piece. The drama of Todos losing the vibe so hurry before that happens might beg the question how bad can it get?


Part of me thinks it's a marketing ploy. If the author of the piece pretends that the Gringofication of Todos Santos is about to happen instead of something that's been over a decade in the making, why not get there before that happens? Be part of the problem before it's too late!
Quote: Originally posted by Lee  

I’ve seen California prices for 10+ years. Agricole sells IPA’s for 100 pesos a bottle. No one is blinking.


The visitors and well-heeled expats aren't blinking, and for the most part the locals aren't going to Agricole, Docecuarenta, Ostera, etc. Visitors with some knowledge of Spanish (I describe mine as "básico") and local geography can shop in local markets or dine at sidewalk eateries. Those options still exist, but they're somewhat hidden.
Quote: Originally posted by Lee  

Water has always been an issue. Ejido turns on the water Thursday p.m. and after filling the cisterns, turns off for a week. When water doesn’t arrive, home owners get nervous. Beats waiting for the water truck esp. when they say they’ll be in the area, don’t show up, then say they ran out of water.

No one seems to care. Todos is managed from La Paz — they’re not concerned either.


Water was an issue when I first came for a long weekend in 2012. Since then, megadeveloprs have promised sustainable water solutions and other myths. During our two weeks in El Gavilán, we only caught wind of the dump situation for part of one day. That's another problem not exactly on the agenda of those in La Paz.

mtgoat666 - 2-13-2026 at 09:28 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee  
Think you’re right. It’s a puff piece. The drama of Todos losing the vibe so hurry before that happens might beg the question how bad can it get?


todos santos lost the vibe 30 years ago. today it is touristy faux-mexico kitsch, with cheesy orange county mcmansions for vapid gringos

Don Jorge - 2-14-2026 at 11:08 AM

Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena  
The same could be said for nearby El Pescadero, which has even more recently evolved (?) from sleepy surfer haven to an escape for Millennial millionaires. Having visited the area since around 2010, the "secret" was out as soon as Highway 19 was completed between Cabo and Todos Santos.

Always was grateful we knew the area starting in the early 70s. I had a plant pathology professor at Cal Poly Pomona, Jerry Dimitman, in the 70s who established a tropical research station near Todos Santos starting in the 60s. He spoke kindly of the area. But by the mid 70s hurricanes had flattened it out and it became a memory.

Now that was before it all. But even by the mid 70s you could see the area was in development boom danger as the trustafarians along with the successful sailing smugglers flocked to the surf spots of southern Baja. The mainland was getting hot so they took Pacificos from Mazatlan at $4 a case and flojo chanclas from Jalisco and began the ending. You know, birds defecating in their own nest syndrome. :lol:

Yup, its all relative isn't it.

pacificobob - 2-14-2026 at 01:14 PM

As late as the late 80s todos didn't have a paved street yet.... if I recall correctly

AKgringo - 2-14-2026 at 02:38 PM

I first passed through Todos Santos in 1986, and I believe the main road was paved then. I remember the Hotel California was a thing way back when, but I am not sure what year I first experienced it.

I could be wrong about the pavement, that was a long time ago!

[Edited on 2-15-2026 by AKgringo]

SFandH - 2-14-2026 at 07:08 PM

Highway 19 from La Paz to Cabo, which ran through town, was paved when I drove it in '86. I think the street that paralleled the highway in town was paved as well. Other streets in town were probably all dirt.

[Edited on 2-15-2026 by SFandH]