Okay, so my friend and I have been meaning to explore Baja for a couple years now, and it looks like we'll finally be able to take some time off
together and head south of the border. I dream of one day being able to take weeks at a time to drive down deserted dirt roads and discover untouched
beaches and vast breathtaking skylines. Our first trip, however, will unfortunately be a short one, so we won't get a chance to travel very far south.
My question to all you seasoned Baja afficionados is this:
Is it possible to find a quaint peaceful little hideaway to spend a long weekend in anywhere between tijuana and ensenada? I've been researching, and
so far the answer I've come up with is a resounding "NO!", that the entire area is now a tourist trap, all commercialized and built up--please say it
ain't so!!!!
We'd be willing to go a bit farther south, but we're only working with 3 or 4 days here. Any suggestions? Please?Oso - 6-13-2005 at 07:29 PM
Ditto NO. But, just a leetle bit farther, Punta Banda/Bufadora could work for you and if you can stretch it just a leetle bit farther than that-
Malibu Sur/Erendira/Coyote Cal's/Castro's camp. Of course if you don't mind crowds, Rosarito works for some. At least you can get great pastrami
there.David K - 6-13-2005 at 08:20 PM
Gee, if you got 4 days... go to L.A. Bay, only 8 hours from the border (if you like it warm)! Otherwise: Malibu Sur and south (from the Ejido Erendira
road... or San Antonio del Mar (the one west of Colonet... or San Quintin bay (Gypsy's at Cielito Lindo)...
What do you want to do? Just relax on a beach... or surf, swim, fish, eat, drink, explore???daffodil - 6-13-2005 at 08:40 PM
explore, eat, drink, relax--we love being on the shore, and we're big fans of hiking, but right now we basically just want to spend a lovely
extra-long weekend somewhere beautiful and not invaded by gringos (if we wanted shopping malls and dance clubs, we'd just stay here in LA, you know?)
i just hope that's possible on a short trip.David K - 6-13-2005 at 08:45 PM
Well... I guess I would suggest (if L.A. Bay wasn't what you had in mind) you go south from Malibu Sur (so. of Erendira) and find a spot... just keep
going south ... You have a 4WD, yes?Anonymous - 6-13-2005 at 08:58 PM
If you are going now, consider the Sea of Cortez side south of San Felipe....you may be delightfully surprised.Bajaboy - 6-13-2005 at 09:06 PM
Here's another option: get a place in Ensenada or nearby. Head up to the mountains one day (hwy 3), explore Ensenada the next, maybe head down to
Erindira, and then return via Tecate (great wine-tasting). I love just driving down to the Halfway House, sitting on the back patio overlooking the
Pacific, and ordering ceviche and a Pacifico or two.
There are many options...I think the more you can provide us about yourself, ie. type of vehicle, what type of accomodations you prefer, etc., the
better the advice/possibilities.
Regardless of what you decide, you owe us a trip report.
ZacMe No - 6-13-2005 at 09:19 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
. You have a 4WD, yes?
This simple question does make all the difference.BornFisher - 6-13-2005 at 09:25 PM
I`d start at Cantina Bahia Cantiles (K-43) and then just go with the flow!!!
Can`t really give you some recomendation on a beautiful and remote location north of Ensenada, but those tourist traps can be great for a few days!!
You might try Las Rocas.
San Quintin...
eetdrt88 - 6-13-2005 at 10:01 PM
El Pabellon a little south of town has a great beach camp with hot showers and a private bano and the owner is a fisherman who will cook you up fresh
lobster and crab that he brings in daily for a very small fee...did i mention its one of the prettiest beaches in the areameme - 6-14-2005 at 07:57 AM
My vote is For L.A. Bay also! You won't be sorry! But nice spots south of San Felipe which doesn't takelong to get there either. If it's camping I
hear Campo Matzatlan is a good spot too!
You can see the:
Cordon of SAN FELIPE (huge Catus valley)
White sandy beaches (Shell Beach)
Sulfur Mines
San Pedro Martir Mountains (off roads)
While running around in the back roads.....just leave this guy out there..It's DavidK, he tries to bum gasoline (and clothes).
[Edited on 6-15-2005 by yankeeirishman]wilderone - 6-14-2005 at 09:07 AM
You could get a rental at the Las Gaviotas community. I think you can find available rentals online. It's a gated community just south of Rosarito
and has it's own beach. A short drive north or south will take you to restaurants, shopping if you want. Sometimes they have a BBQ on the grounds,
or sell fresh fish. There is a small market across the street where you can get groceries.Debra - 6-14-2005 at 12:26 PM
My opinion might be different thatnothers here since they are coming from So. Ca. like you.....I come from the Seattle area, so for me it's a 3 day
drive just to cross the border....anyway,
With just 4 days to spend (I wouldn't like spending it driving) I would go to the Sea of Cortez side, San Felipe area, there are several areas around
there that might be what you are looking for. Beaches not too busy...If I might do a "shameless plug" (not mine.) Grab yourself a copy of Fred and
Gloria Jones's book "Baja Camping" You can find it on the "Vagabondso's" web-site......or maybe even here? It's a wealth of information.pokey - 6-14-2005 at 12:34 PM
Just a reminder- it gets very hot on the Sea of Cortez side of Baja this time of year. I drove to San Felipe a couple of weeks ago and it was in the
90's at 7pm. Way too hot for me. The good news is that there are fewer tourist there now.Arthur - 6-14-2005 at 02:34 PM
You didn't say if your destination had to include a beach. Coming from San Diego, I can take 'em or leave 'em. Anyway, if you don't need one, and
want to minimize your time in the car:
Head back up northeast from Ensenada on Highway 3 to the lush Valle de Guadalupe, and ask around for the Mother Teresa Trailer Park. Didn't see any
trailers when were there, but it makes a beautiful base camp -- set in an orange grove, with camping spots, cabins, and a restaurant. There's a winery
just down the road, and beyond that a hot springs canyon. Ask at Mother Teresa's how to get there, or to other destinations.
You can day-trip it or camp at the canyon if your vehicle has any kind of clearance at all. You could spend a couple of days just exploring that
canyon system and checking out the creek, which I hope is still running. If you want more, you could head southeast on #3 just a little bit (toward
San Felipe) and visit Laguna Hanson. Someone just posted some good pictures of that beautiful place.
Lots to see, and very little driving involved. Let us know how it goes!daffodil - 6-15-2005 at 12:02 PM
Thanks so much for all your suggestions!!
I've got a lot more research ahead of me!
I was really wanting to camp, but my friend Ryan told me last night that he'd rather get a room somewhere (because we rarely do). I'd never have
guessed he'd wimp out on me, but I suppose people do get tired of always roughing it (I just haven't yet--ha ha).
ANYWAY, I will certainly keep all your camping suggestions for future trips. And I will write up a full report upon my return. Thanks again!
p.s. Soooo...if anyone has any cool hotel recommendations...daffodil - 6-15-2005 at 01:18 PM
by the way--nice pic, yankeeirishman!
i can tell this trip is gonna be AWESOME. bajalou - 6-15-2005 at 01:24 PM
This spring a goup of us went to Camalu and stayed at the Pirates Cove motel/resturant/bar. Reasonable prices for rooms and nice rooms - good food.
located onverlooking the beach. Made a day trip up to the observatory and another to other towns in the area, San Quintin, etc. Think all of us
would stay there again if in the area. "La Cueva Del Pirata". Turn west at the signal light by the Pemex and continue to the end of the road. Nice
looking beach and they were putting in a swiming pool.
[Edited on 6-15-2005 by bajalou]Me No - 6-15-2005 at 05:50 PM
Nice pic Lou. Mi bueno amigo Lee Moreno lives in the brown house on the left just as you make the rise. You then fork to the right for the new
motel. He is the one I fished with during the BBBB II. I caught so many fish that I had to give DK 5 Kilos.
The observitory is a long day trip from there, though. You could spend the night at Meling, then head to the top, if you want to keep it mellow.
Then again, who needs anything more than a few days at the Meling ranch?David K - 6-15-2005 at 05:57 PM
It was BBBB I, but Tom (Minnow, Me No) did give me several (mucho) filets which Mike Humfreville cooked up for us (riding in the Viva Baja van) for
4th of July dinner, 2001.
They were cooked up at Herman's place (Guillermo's compound) where a party was going on with students from the turtle research station...bajalou - 6-15-2005 at 06:56 PM
It was in early April we went and didn't seem too bad for a day trip - left about 8:30, stopped at Melings for about a hour or a little more, they
gave us a tour of the place. Had lunch at the fire station campground, then on to the observitory. Got a tour of the place including getting on the
catwalk outside the dome. Stop for a cool one break at the fire camp on the way down and back to the motel by about 6 (at least before dark). This
time of year the days are a lot longer. They are doing a lot of work on the road - cement roadbed on the steepest hill you have to climb and widening
miles of it a little farthur up.
[Edited on 6-16-2005 by bajalou]David K - 6-15-2005 at 09:11 PM
Lou, how far does the pavement go from Highway One... San Telmo de Arriba or even Rancho Sinaloa I heard??
In 2000, the last 2 km. were paved (from the gate to the end at the big dome, elev. 9,280')... where you took the photo.bajalou - 6-15-2005 at 09:40 PM
Probably Rancho Sinaloa - maybe farthur now as they have several crews working on the road at different locations. Even where it was not paved, it
was a good road easily passible by any 2WD vehicles. Noticed the staff had several fairly new old style VWs. They drove 13 of us up that lost couple
miles of paved and very steep road so we could have the tour. 13 of us plus driver in a F150 pickup.
