msrla - 11-5-2003 at 12:16 PM
Is mid March a nice time to be in La Paz? I'm thinking of taking my family down, grandma and kids included! I've been down there several times but not
in March. What can I expect weather-wise? Are there whales in the sea of cortez? Is the water warm enough for swimming? Thanks for all your input!
March is a great time of year to go.
Stephanie Jackter - 11-5-2003 at 11:26 PM
The water's still a little nippy, but you get nice warm days and by American standards, the water's still way warmer than at Manhattan Beach on the
hottest day of summer. If it's a windier day, just go to some of the warmer, shallower beaches like Balandra or El Tesoro. If your kids are small,
they're great beaches anyway. If you like a little depth and don't mind it a little cooler, go out to Tecolote or ride out to San Juan de los Planes
or San Jose. In any case, the beaches will be pretty much all yours. Mexicans don't come out of hibernation until semana santa, when the beaches
pack up with people who are camping out for a couple of weeks. The comeradery can be nice, but many people bring boom boxes and stay up drinking half
the night and throw a lot of trash out. If you can go before that, you get to see La Paz in the cleanest state it will be in all year. Also, if you
have a child that chills easily, I highly recommend buying a neoprene "shorty" suit. They can tolerate cool water really easily with them. Cost is
about 50 bucks at a dive shop. Although whales do come through, I've never seen one. You kind of have to be at the right place at the right time.
All in all, the mornings are cool, but March is one of the best times of the year to be in La Paz. Be sure and keep Saturday evenings or Sunday
afternoons open for strolling the Malecon. It's a really good thing to do with the whole family. I'd book those reservations if I had the chance. -
Stephanie
Correction: OOPS
Stephanie Jackter - 11-6-2003 at 10:19 PM
I meant to say San Juan de La Costa when I said San Jose. Don't know where that slipped out from. - Stephanie
msrla - 11-7-2003 at 10:14 AM
thanks for your input Stephanie. We actually have a timeshare at La Concha and have the choice of going down March or April. I thought March would be
better because we'd have a better chance of whales...Our little girl will be 2 1/2, so the shallow beach there is perfect for her (one of the reasons
we bought there).
I also see a lot of Blue Whale cruises in the sea of cortez around that time...maybe it's way out. Do you think April would be better weather wise?
It's hard to decide!