BajaNomad - Baja for first time

Baja for first time

DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 09:14 AM

I just wrote out a handful of questions about visiting Baja for the first time and I don't see that my message got posted. I don't know what I did wrong. I am trying again!

I fly in to Cabo (November) and after a few days there, my friend and I are thinking about driving to Loreto. I guess it's a long drive and it might be more comfortable to spend the night half way. What location would you suggest for that?

Is Loreto "the place" to kayak? Any good kayak excursions out of there for an overnight? I know there are longer ones out of Loreto but I can't afford them and don't have the time. But an overnight would be cool....

I have heard that one should not drive at night down there, but other than that, it sounds like travelers drive distances quite a bit down there and are OK. Is there anything I should be concerned about with driving from Cabo to Loreto?

Lastly what temperature can I expect in November? Do I need layers at night?

DianaT - 10-13-2007 at 09:39 AM

While we have traveled to both places, we are not as familiar with times, temps, etc. as are the nomads who live there.

However, I wanted to say welcome and bump this to the top so that is won't be missed by those with better information. :yes:

If you ask a question and it is not answered right away, keep asking---someone will answer even if they don't have good information. :lol:

Diane

Diver - 10-13-2007 at 10:06 AM

One thought is that Loreto is pretty torn up now and may not be the place you want to go - especially if kayaking is your main goal. Although the kayaking in that area can be pretty neat.

Maybe consider another hour or so of driving to Mulege area. Stay at Playa Frambes or Playa Naranjo. Kayaking south from their beach takes you to many more beaches and islands. I think they both have kayaks available.

You have heard correctly, most folks would tell you not to drive at night if you don't have to. The drive from Cabo to Loreto or Mulege can be done in one day fairly easily - maybe 7 hours; about 8+ to Mulege area.
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DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 11:05 AM

Thanks so much to both of you for your kind replies.
Is there somewhere on line to get a good map of Baja? Will I need a good driving map for doing the drive from Cabo to Loreto?

If I didn't want to drive 8 hours, is there anywhere nice before Loreto that is not torn up, and is good for kayaking?

I heard about the Danzante resort which I understand is about 25 miles before Loreto (coming from the Cabo direction). It sounds great (I like the "eco" focus) but I doubt I can afford it. Any recommendations for "eco" type places that aren't super costly?

woody with a view - 10-13-2007 at 11:08 AM

Is there somewhere on line to get a good map of Baja?

AAA club has good cheap maps.

comitan - 10-13-2007 at 11:29 AM

http://www.kayakbaja.com/

gnukid - 10-13-2007 at 11:37 AM

Hi Donna Marie

Welcome. November is beautiful. the north winds are picking up then and at times you might find a breeze. If you want to kayak and explore, you could do it all.

Head up north from Cabo along the east cape to Los Frailles and enjoy some kayaking there or Cabo Pulmo, visit la ribera's organic farm for a tour. Santiago has a great hike to see the waterfalls at agua caliente. If you want stay, in Los Barriles for a night they have kayaks or windsurfing and kitesurfing lessons too. Head to La Paz and enjoy some of the most amazing kayaking you can join tours or rent on your own and visit balandra bay, and even kayak to espirtu santo island and back its not hard. La Paz's peninsula and bays are only seen by kayak and they are breathtaking. La Paz has simple hotels or nice ones and the citys malecon (city front) makes for a beautiful walk in the morning and late afternoon evening. There is so much to see if you are interested just on a walking tour.

A trip to Loreto from La Paz is only 4 hours drive there are also tours that bring you to loreto and you can kayak downwind to La Paz with companies like Baja Expeditions.

The total distance from cabo to la paz is about 100 miles, so although the terrain and sea is diverse the driving distance is short between locales. La paz to Loreto is 225 miles or so.

DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 11:53 AM

Hi gnukid,

My name for this board is actually Donna Mare, meaning Sea Woman in Italian. Well, it should be Donna di Mare but that didn't work. But it has nothing to do with my real name

Thanks so much for all your tips. Is Todos Santos worth visiting on the way from Cabo to La Paz? Is it easy enough just to rent kayaks on our own in La Paz, versus paying for a "tour"? It sounds like you're saying that I could kayak on my own to Espiritu Santo? What would be the advantage of paying for a guided kayak excursion?

Thanks for the tip about the organic farm. I'd love to visit organic farms, stay at "eco" type places, etc.

Do you know of any organic type restaurants in Cabo, La Paz, or in-between?

Do you know approx what the temp of the sea is in late Nov?

gnukid - 10-13-2007 at 01:44 PM

Donna Mare, Como stai?
En San Jose Del Cabo are amazing restaurants including a few nearly organic, I love them but can't recall the names. Finding one might be half the fun. Cabo is nice to visit on the main playita beach for as long as you enjoy crowds, drinking contests, and wave runners blasting the swimming area, but really it can be fun. Cabo central Mar de Cortez is nice walking distance to every thing and affordable. San Jose is a real traditional city, quite large 30-40 minutes drive to the north east which has a population of about 200k and many high quality vegan restaurants and nice beaches as well, though normally one doesn't do much kayaking there though you could and it is beautiful. As you head north up the sea of cortez you will see sierras, vastly changing flora fauna and each city has charm.

If instead you went west to the pacific to Todos Santos you find truly beautiful lush gardens and palms and beaches and an artists' community, depending on your point of view of their art. I like to visit for the day. Consider it is 45 mintues from Cabo or from La Paz so day trips are totally normal from either locale.

In La Paz there are about 50-100 kayak rental companies ranging from "we meet you where you want to launch and pick you up later" to organized and guided trips. Because its competitive they all do a very good job and costs are low. Plans and routes are commonly discussed and pamphlets are everywhere with suggested routes. Search on kayak espirtu santo or kayak tecolote or kayak balandra kayak la paz

So you can call around when you get there or they will approach you on the street or you can visit a eco-adventure office on the malecon. Basically the idea is to book it and they pick you up to start the day 7-8 am. The earlier the better.

Remember that it is hard to do everything in one day, so you might plan a simple day kayak trip, then a snorkel trip with a panga to isla ilsotes to swim with the seal lions.

I think one of the coolest things to do is be to be dropped off at Tecolote beach on the tip of the la paz and paddle across the san lorenzo channel to espirtu santo then back to the peninsula and paddle around and back into the bay along the shore by balandra all the way to la paz. The most you want to do is 15-20 miles and preferably downwind.

The sea temps range quite a bit from the region of Cabo (warmer) to La Paz which is (cooler) from typical upwelling beginning in Nov which brings cold water and diversity of sealife. In November in La Paz the water temp will move quickly from 79f down to 74f I am guessing from history. Its cold in the water but warm out. We wear simple 2-3 mm shorty wetsuits for water sports but for kayaking just wear a windbreaker and bathing suit, hat, sunglasses, water bottle. Bringing less is best on kayaks.

If thats not enough around the peninsula from la paz 30 miles is la ventana and el sargento, the center of kitesurfing and windsurfing in north america with november being one of the best times of the year. You can take classes or try your luck at getting them for free ;-).

check http://www.vivalapaz.net/english/kayak-surf.html

[Edited on 10-13-2007 by gnukid]

[Edited on 10-13-2007 by gnukid]

comitan - 10-13-2007 at 01:49 PM

Sea temp La Paz probably 74-76

DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 02:12 PM

Hi,
Thanks again! I don't plan on going to San Jose del Cabo. Maybe I'll find some organic type stuff around La Paz or around Todos Santos. I looked up the organic farm you mentioned (searched on net for it) and found nothing. Can you give me any more specifics?

The drop off at Tecolote beach and paddle to espirtu santo that you recommend, is that a route I'd get to do if I went on a guided thing, or is that something I arrange to do on my own? I know Mar y Aventuras has a trip they do espiritu Santo. I was going to contact them.

[Edited on 10-13-2007 by DonnaMare]

gnukid - 10-13-2007 at 03:32 PM

Donna Mare,

La Ribera is a small town near las Cuevas exit on the road from SJ, at the entrance to the town crossroads is a large, widely-known organic farm and seed bank. They offer farm tours for donations and you can usually buy some fresh vegetables after the tour. Its a little weird but worth the visit. The area is among the most bio-diverse in the entire world though you wouldn't know unless you look closely.

I did a google search on la ribera organic and found this
https://www.arashi.com/pipermail/sdpg/2003q3/000806.html

In the region, the land is low coming from the high sierras to the water making a perfect area for rich farming, with occasional water falls and many many farmers who don't know what organic is, they might laugh if you say organic, they just farm with no pesticides and use a variety of seed making some of the most flavorful vegetables you will ever taste.

As you leave SJ, if you look for color and green in the area of the city of Mire Flores and head inland toward the low land, at some point there will be farmers maybe and you can ask them if you can buy their vegetables. Then you can have salad parties. Apparently the nutrient content of fresh foods here are much greater than you will find in a store causing you have vitamin rushes (they say) and you feel very healthy.

The tours or routes you choose will be based on your presumed skill level, if you need to ask questions about what might happen and when and where and if you feel uncomfortable going it alone, you should be on a guided tour.

Maps and tons of data are available to you by doing google searches, then make a folder on your computer and gather the relevant info you need to map your journey without planning too much.

Here is a short description with photos I did about kayaking la paz to loreto.
http://ooto.com/baja/loretolapaz.html

http://vps.ooto.com/032505/

[Edited on 10-13-2007 by gnukid]

comitan - 10-13-2007 at 03:43 PM

Donna

You would do better to follow Gnukid suggestions and going to La Paz via San Jose. La Ribeira, and Cabo Pulmo for 1 night and Kyaking, La Paz if you have time.

bajarich - 10-13-2007 at 03:59 PM

Donna Mare,

Drive out to Cabo Pulmo or Los Frailes on the East Cape. That is where they bring the kayak trips out of Cabo. There is a wonderful sea lion colony out on the point between the two. Save Loreto as a destination trip some other time.

DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 04:19 PM

Thanks everyone!

Yes, I have decided to not go as far as Loreto. I will start in Cabo. Then I'll drive to la Paz stopping in Todos Santos. (there are some things there I want to see.) I don't even know where San Jose del Cabo is... I have to get a hold of a map. But if it's not on that route I may not go there, unless I take a different route from La Paz back to Cabo, (I have to go back to Cabo to fly out.)

I think I'll kayak out of La Paz, and go to espiritu Santo, etc.

Do you guys strongly recommend San Jose del Cabo? Comitan: It seems like you're recommending staying in Cabo Pulmo instead of La Paz? I have often heard that La Paz is nice because it's a lot more traditional (more down to earth maybe?) than Cabo San Lucas.

Love the photo of the vegetables! Very pretty :spingrin:

trip

tehag - 10-13-2007 at 04:26 PM

There are two ways to go from/to La Paz/ Los Cabos. One goes through Todos Santos, the other through La Ribera and San Jose del Cabo. I recommend going one way and returning the other. There is much to see and do on either route.

Sallysouth - 10-13-2007 at 04:57 PM

If you are flying into the Los Cabos airport, you are much closer to San Jose than Cabo.It is about a 45 min drive to downtown Cabo from the airport!And BTW, nothing about Cabo is what you call"down to earth" compared to mostly all other places in B.S., but it can be a lot of fun! :rolleyes:

I agree with tehag, try do go one way and then the other.

[Edited on 10-13-2007 by Sallysouth]

greta-inbaja - 10-13-2007 at 04:58 PM

Hi Donnamare,
glad to see you found bajanomad. I think we met you at Little lakes valley in the pie place. Have a blast... these people will give you lots of good info. espiritu santo is fun. we have been diving with the sea lions there, they are oh so friendly. The kayaking there and around Frailes is pretty nice. mountains meet the the sea of cortez, the contrast is beautiful. Have Fun,
greta

comitan - 10-13-2007 at 05:02 PM

Donna

Yes a traditional flavor, with all of the beautiful water ways, with a feeling like your still in the states. :lol:

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DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 05:10 PM

Oh, I realize that there's nothing down to earth about Cabo. I will do the bar thing there, for a few nights, and then I'll be ready for some nature, some quiet, something more down to earth. I guess I'll drive back the other way then... But is there any point in keeping the car for 4 days in La Paz? Do you recommend turning it in, when I get to La Paz, so as not to pay for it for the whole time, and renting something else just for one day, to do the drive back?

DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by greta-inbaja
Hi Donnamare,
glad to see you found bajanomad. I think we met you at Little lakes valley in the pie place. Have a blast... these people will give you lots of good info. espiritu santo is fun. we have been diving with the sea lions there, they are oh so friendly. The kayaking there and around Frailes is pretty nice. mountains meet the the sea of cortez, the contrast is beautiful. Have Fun,
greta

Ummm, if you met someone called Donna, it wasn't me. My name isn't Donna. I was just creating a name for this forum that hadn't been taken yet, and I came up with Sea Woman -- Donna di Mare

I am not at all sure where little lakes valley is???

greta-inbaja - 10-13-2007 at 05:40 PM

Hi, I think the name of the place is little lakes valley. it is south of mammoth, ca. we met a women, (don't know her name) had your same possible itinerary at the same time . she was going with a friend. I gave her this website. this was last week. Thats funny. still.... Have fun

DonnaMare - 10-13-2007 at 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by greta-inbaja
Hi, I think the name of the place is little lakes valley. it is south of mammoth, ca. we met a women, (don't know her name) had your same possible itinerary at the same time . she was going with a friend. I gave her this website. this was last week. Thats funny. still.... Have fun

Oh, no, that wasn't me. I am in Colorado.