BajaNomad

How far south of TJ is "safe" for surfing and camping these days?

sherwood - 12-27-2007 at 11:42 AM

Myself and some friends are planning a camping surf trip starting in a couple days (leaving early on the 31st from san diego (anyone else heading out then?)) and I was hoping to get any info/advice on security/safety at some the spots just south of ensenada (punta san jose etc).
We are thinking to just blast on through further south just to get well away from what someone called in another post "the black triangle" of the boarder area.
Any thoughts on where a worry free zone may begin? Is it silly to skip these sweet spots just because of some sketchy press or should we take them as a warning and not set ourselves up for problems?
I guess the bandito fever has gotten me as some other friends have bailed on this trip for a "safer" holiday in california.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

thanks from a first time poster

PS When our friends leave after two weeks we will be continuing on south crossing at la paz and making our way down through the rest of mexico, guatemala, el salvador, honduras and into nicaragua so if anyone out there is on the same schedule let me know and maybe we can connect along the way.

sherwood - 12-27-2007 at 12:27 PM

sorry it was the "devils triangle"

rob - 12-27-2007 at 04:38 PM

The board consensus seems to be that "real" Baja begins at El Rosario - north of there is increasingly dicey for tourists, ESPECIALLY in big, expensive trucks with surfboards . . .

Oso - 12-27-2007 at 04:47 PM

Costa Rica:lol:

David K - 12-27-2007 at 04:54 PM

While I am not a board surfer, I traveled along some of the areas north and south of Punta San Jose (ie. Seven Sisters) last July... Except for local fishermen, you will be all alone in most of the places.

I have photos, map, and road log if you think it could be usefull: July, 2007 Baja Trip (Remote Pacific Coast & more)

surfer jim - 12-27-2007 at 05:54 PM

I would start to breathe easier past SANTO TOMAS ......with the exception of CUATRO CASAS it seems like the beach areas have been safe....the problem has been going through town to get there.....

best call....sisters area....:yes:

backninedan - 12-27-2007 at 06:16 PM

Nicaragua has some great surf this time of year....

Gadget - 12-27-2007 at 08:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sherwood
Myself and some friends are planning a camping surf trip starting in a couple days (leaving early on the 31st from san diego (anyone else heading out then?)) and I was hoping to get any info/advice on security/safety at some the spots just south of ensenada (punta san jose etc).
We are thinking to just blast on through further south just to get well away from what someone called in another post "the black triangle" of the boarder area.
Any thoughts on where a worry free zone may begin? Is it silly to skip these sweet spots just because of some sketchy press or should we take them as a warning and not set ourselves up for problems?
I guess the bandito fever has gotten me as some other friends have bailed on this trip for a "safer" holiday in california.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

thanks from a first time poster

PS When our friends leave after two weeks we will be continuing on south crossing at la paz and making our way down through the rest of mexico, guatemala, el salvador, honduras and into nicaragua so if anyone out there is on the same schedule let me know and maybe we can connect along the way.


Sounds like a great trip. You have alot of country to travel through where things could go down. Some of the northern countries in Central America still have some issues. Butting heads with a few dirt bag crack heads in BCN could be good training for a tangle with some seasoned mercenary jungle fighters. But heh, that's what it's all about, the unknown and the adventure. :o

My travels through those areas in the 70s was met by all our friends and family calling us nuts. It wasn't always easy but it sure was fun.

I personally think Punta San Jose and Punta Cabras are still pretty safe and you may find some surf, real nice freezing cold water and some pretty friendly locals. Again, good training for the tropics. Keep a low profile if you leave to the south through Erendira. Cops can be b-tchy there.

Avoid anywhere else until south of El Rosario IMHO.

Good skill to ya and keep your heads up.

We'll be looking for a trip report from you newby when you get back. :biggrin:

Baja to Nicaragua

Cardon Man - 12-28-2007 at 03:53 PM

Sherwood...I made the road trip from Baja to Nicaragua a couple of years ago. Quite an adventure that's for sure. The border crossings were the worst of it in my opinion. They can be long, tedious and sometimes a little crazy. It's along drive and it takes you through some possibly "sketchy" stiuations. But you wil see some great country along the way. Be safe and enjoy.

mgray - 12-28-2007 at 05:39 PM

We won't be leaving until the first week of February so you maybe be too far ahead of us. We're planning no further south than Acapulco, but with the right friends we can be coherst into going anywhere.

I backpacked around Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama for 4 months last year. Boy did I wish I had a vehicle. We ended up renting one in Costa Rica for a week. Nicaragua had better roads than Costa Rica, and Panama was the best. We met some guys from Victoria BC who drove their Land Cruiser all the way down to Costa Rica. I was so jelous.

Anyways, Nicaragua surf was awesome. Especially around San Juan Del Sur, the most crowded area and its not even that crowded. Offshores all day, nice nice waves. CHEAP! Also check out Las Penitas on the coast, close to Leon

Gracias

sherwood - 1-12-2008 at 03:01 PM

gracias a todos!
all's well and we're already in san jose del cabo having dropped some freinds off at the airport. great camping on the pacific and the of cortez.
ready to get back to camping after all the city driving and expensive restaurants.
mgray keep in touch about where you are. you never know where we'll get "stuck"...

Debra - 1-12-2008 at 06:12 PM

I've heard a few comments here about Costa Rica being safer than Baja.............

I was there last year and I had a great time, but.....

I also was warned about places to stay away from (just like in Baja) also met some people that had the same thing happen to them that has been happening on the toll road in Baja..........

I heard many more stories about bad stuff happening in Costa than in Baja and I spend much more time and know many more people in Baja than I will ever meet or speak to in Costa Rica.

On the up side, Land is cheaper, cost of living cheaper they have a 98% litercy (way more than the USA as you can tell from my spelling) most everyone speaks English also. It's CLEAN, CLEAN.....(at least where I was) Bottom line..........we all need to do our home work, I started going to mainland Mexico about 30 yrs. ago. Got burned out on all the crap going on there...........sooooooooooo, on to Baja. I think what is most scary to us is that most of us have been going to Baja for years and knew that we were safe........now, We, (at least me) are having to take a second thought because its hard to avoid problem areas with the limited routes to get to where we want to go. It sucks!

I'm so glad that all of you are speaking out about what is happening and where. as I said in another thread, I want to know, I need to know so I can use the information to keep a heads up...........Will I stop going? No, not yet.........but, I will keep reading, watching and listening. When I start to really get worried, no more!

Thanks to all of you that keep the info. coming!

AND A HUGE! Thanks to Doug for keeping this place for us to come to get the information!