BajaNomad

Anyone Camped at Malarrimo (GN) Lately?

DeMinimis - 3-3-2010 at 04:20 PM

Another post here mentioned motels in GN are booked solid these days due to whale watching. I've stayed at Malarrimo a couple times in the past (campers -not staying in a room) and have never had a problem finding open camper spaces. Can't reserve a camper site on their website and no responses to emails. Sooo, wondering if anyone has the 411 on whether the camper spots are filling up too (weekdays). Going to be there in a bit less than two weeks (mas/menos). Hate to roll into there only to find out I've got miles to go before I sleep. Thanks.

Bajahowodd - 3-3-2010 at 04:28 PM

First off, they can accommodate 45 campers. Personally, I've never seen it anywhere near full. Second, did you try calling? 615-157-0250.

DeMinimis - 3-3-2010 at 04:30 PM

Will call as a last resort. Thanks. I've been there when its been crowded, downright snug even, but never turned away.

absinvestor - 3-3-2010 at 04:34 PM

We were there two nights ago. We checked in at 3pm and we were the only motorhome!! By late night there were a total of 4 vehicles. 2 vw campers, our motorhome, a truck camper and a truck with small trailer. We have been down and up hwy 1 from Cabo San Lucas to Tecate and all the campgrounds are dead!! We checked into Posado Don Diegos at 1pm and we were the only motorhome here. Now, there are a couple more!! Have a safe trip. Ron and Patty ps we were in Malarrimos on our way south about a month ago. With the exception a one caravan of about 13 there were only two motorhomes.

DeMinimis - 3-3-2010 at 04:43 PM

You mentioned a couple of VW campers....As I hijack my own thread, I'm always impressed when I see VW campers in Baja. Having owned them (last one was running a new jetta motor/computer, etc. -Yes, very modified), I never felt it was Baja-Worthy. I've seen air-cooled bays that I wouldn't trust for a short trip to the local Safeway store, all that way at the bottom. You just got to love Wesfalias. Of course, some don't make it:

DeMinimis - 3-3-2010 at 04:45 PM

What happened to my first paragraph? Anyway, thank's for the update. Not going to worry about now. Thanks.

DeMinimis - 3-3-2010 at 04:56 PM

Well, not that I'm worried about it now, but they did rite back:

"If you are coming in your camper, you won't have problem to find space. Just make your registry upon arrival as always."

No worries.

MikeYounghusband - 3-3-2010 at 04:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DeMinimis
Another post here mentioned motels in GN are booked solid these days due to whale watching. I've stayed at Malarrimo a couple times in the past (campers -not staying in a room) and have never had a problem finding open camper spaces. Can't reserve a camper site on their website and no responses to emails. Sooo, wondering if anyone has the 411 on whether the camper spots are filling up too (weekdays). Going to be there in a bit less than two weeks (mas/menos). Hate to roll into there only to find out I've got miles to go before I sleep. Thanks.



Just got back and stayed in GN on Mon the 22nd. Got in about 5PM and was all booked up with whale watchers. But looks like they came in buses. Weren't too many RV's in the back. Had to stay down the road but no problem finding a room.

Bajahowodd - 3-3-2010 at 05:05 PM

Speaking of Westys, VW has this killer new version with a diesel that is available all over Europe, but won't pass the US environmental standards. It is a sweety, however, and I believe you can buy them in Mexico.

chippy - 3-3-2010 at 05:12 PM

I see the newer VW vans with the TDI motor all over mainland Mexico. I havn´t seen any westys though.

Bajahowodd - 3-3-2010 at 05:34 PM

Thought I saw one at the VW dealer in La Paz.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=250416

[Edited on 3-4-2010 by Bajahowodd]

DeMinimis - 3-3-2010 at 05:46 PM

My former Westy from a few years back (as a side note, buried the horse closest to it in the picture yesterday). It did okay, but it wasn't no 1-ton V-8 diesel:

jodiego - 3-3-2010 at 07:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DeMinimis
You mentioned a couple of VW campers....As I hijack my own thread, I'm always impressed when I see VW campers in Baja. Having owned them (last one was running a new jetta motor/computer, etc. -Yes, very modified), I never felt it was Baja-Worthy. I've seen air-cooled bays that I wouldn't trust for a short trip to the local Safeway store, all that way at the bottom. You just got to love Wesfalias. Of course, some don't make it:


Here's my baby (1967). Had it since 1981. Used to take it down to baja all the time, but as with me, age has rendered it pretty much to and from the beach. Notice the doors on the drivers side. Yes there are doors on the other side too. They call it a walk through. Very rare and much appreciated by my surfing buddies in PB.



[Edited on 3-4-2010 by jodiego]

wilderone - 3-4-2010 at 09:22 AM

You know, you don't have to go to GN and book with a bus tour to see whales. Just drive your camper to the whale viewing site - turnoff 5 miles past GN. Very good 13 mile drive in - you can drive 40 mph. Free Camping with palapas - plenty of space - beautiful sites, no crowds, brewed coffee at the sign-up building, with breakfast and lunch available. I had the fish tacos for breakfast - really yummy. If you have a camper, no reason to stay in town or pay for a parking space. Get to the sign-up building about 7:30 am, sign up and go out on one of the first boats before the tour buses come. Afterward, go out further for beachcombing, a dip in the bay, exploring, beautiful views. If you don't want to cook dinner the night before you go whale watching, pick up some tamales at the Jesus Maria gas station (you filled up there, right?). Also, want to pass along the wonderful stuff at the Vizcaino gas station. There's a guy on the street selling oranges (not the huge bag, but individually), mango spread, candied figs, honey, and other stuff. The oranges are the sweetest jusiest ever; the mango spread is excellent and the honey the best I've ever had.

David K - 3-4-2010 at 09:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
You know, you don't have to go to GN and book with a bus tour to see whales. Just drive your camper to the whale viewing site - turnoff 5 miles past GN. Very good 13 mile drive in - you can drive 40 mph. Free Camping with palapas - plenty of space - beautiful sites, no crowds, brewed coffee at the sign-up building, with breakfast and lunch available. I had the fish tacos for breakfast - really yummy. If you have a camper, no reason to stay in town or pay for a parking space. Get to the sign-up building about 7:30 am, sign up and go out on one of the first boats before the tour buses come. Afterward, go out further for beachcombing, a dip in the bay, exploring, beautiful views. If you don't want to cook dinner the night before you go whale watching, pick up some tamales at the Jesus Maria gas station (you filled up there, right?). Also, want to pass along the wonderful stuff at the Vizcaino gas station. There's a guy on the street selling oranges (not the huge bag, but individually), mango spread, candied figs, honey, and other stuff. The oranges are the sweetest jusiest ever; the mango spread is excellent and the honey the best I've ever had.


This needs to be in the trip report forum with photos... EXCELLENT!

I want to hear all about your trip Cindi... We are bumbed the Santa Maria trip was called off, but better safe than sorry! The weather was good afterall, it seems.

Baja Angel and I have never done the whale watching thing, but the camping at the lagoon sounds great! Maybe next year?

shari - 3-4-2010 at 09:50 AM

ditto that Wilderone....this campground is fantastic and not many people know about it. Apart from free camping as long as you want...for the $5 park entrance fee....it is so quiet and at night you can hear the whales blowing and watch whales all day long from the beach. Plus you can choose when you want to go out on a panga...choose the best weather, the guide you like, go when there are not lots of people waiting and you get a panga to yourselves or with just a few people on it...you have lots of flexibility that way...I like slack high tide and no wind on a sunny day!

DeMinimis - 3-4-2010 at 09:50 AM

Wildone, are you talking about camping at the beach near the whale skeleton? Really only 13 miles in from Mex 1? I'm thinking I like the cut of your jib.

DeMinimis - 3-4-2010 at 01:03 PM

Lencho, I was looking at Google Earth too. Its a 2005 or 2006 image, but that's got to be it. It has become our Plan A, should we arrive in the area in time. If its getting too late in the day, then we'll probably just stay in GN.

David K - 3-4-2010 at 05:29 PM

The Whale Watch access road is well signed. The Auto Club map has it at 5.4 miles from the BIG Y intersection (with the road into Guerrero Negro and the Transpeninsular Highway), south of the Eagle Monument. Then it is 15.4 miles to the whale watch.

wilderone - 3-4-2010 at 06:39 PM

Yes, the turnoff has a huge whale figure and a couple signs - turnaround large enough for a few buses - you could even do this road in the dark. Follow the signs, drive in to the panga launch entrance (whale skeleton), and turn right on the road (only one road) where you see several palapas and pick one. They really help with the afternoon wind. There are some very nice camping sites further down on the bluff on the beach too, but don't have the wind protection of the palapas.
I can't figure out how to post photos from my CVS photo CD. Do I have to upload to another site, like photobucket? Do I do that using "share"? I have some great photos of my trip.
And I didn't pay a $5 entrance fee - nobody there. I camped there on the way back too - still didn't collect.
And if anyone is interested, there are hundreds of scraper tools and obsidian flakes in the area (as in indigenous habitation), as well as fossil shells, and a large variety of birds.

wilderone - 3-4-2010 at 06:42 PM

Oh, and Shari, I went out with Gil - I don't know if he truly attracted the whales, but we had whales at the boat the entire time.

DeMinimis - 3-4-2010 at 08:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
Oh, and Shari, I went out with Gil - I don't know if he truly attracted the whales, but we had whales at the boat the entire time.

Had a pool at our last house and had similar problems during Summer months

Thanks again for the heads up. Looking forward to camping there.

David K - 3-4-2010 at 09:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
Yes, the turnoff has a huge whale figure and a couple signs - turnaround large enough for a few buses - you could even do this road in the dark. Follow the signs, drive in to the panga launch entrance (whale skeleton), and turn right on the road (only one road) where you see several palapas and pick one. They really help with the afternoon wind. There are some very nice camping sites further down on the bluff on the beach too, but don't have the wind protection of the palapas.
I can't figure out how to post photos from my CVS photo CD. Do I have to upload to another site, like photobucket? Do I do that using "share"? I have some great photos of my trip.
And I didn't pay a $5 entrance fee - nobody there. I camped there on the way back too - still didn't collect.
And if anyone is interested, there are hundreds of scraper tools and obsidian flakes in the area (as in indigenous habitation), as well as fossil shells, and a large variety of birds.


Make a folder in your computer My Pictures area for the trip photos.

Download the CD in direct the photos to the new folder you made.

Once in there, check the image size by moving your mouse over the image thumbnail... a little pop up will give that data (kbs). If they are under 50 kbs, you can go to Nomad and use 'browse' to insert one photo per post from that folder.

If they are bigger, (and they probably are), you can either make a duplicate of each and reduce the duplicate to under 50 kb and post those.

Even easier, is to use photobucket.com, upload the pictures (pre-select the size at 15" monitor or Large)... then just copy and pasre each photo's URL onto your Nomad post... several per post, not just one.

I have better details of all this in the Nomad Photos Forum... in a post 'How to Post your photos on Nomad'.

If all else fails... email them to me, and I will post them here for you!

shari - 3-5-2010 at 08:09 AM

Wilderone....something new the ejido did this year which improves whale/panga relations...I will explain this in a new thread because this one is supposed to be about Malarrimo....see ya on the new thread.

Malarrimos

BobM - 3-5-2010 at 10:10 AM

We were there a week ago and were the only trailer in the camp, We are in Bahia de Los Angeles now and there is very few tourists here.

sharktooth - 3-5-2010 at 12:24 PM

I just camped there about a week ago - and only 3 other vehicles (Europeans all in the same group).

Here is my personal suggetsion:

The campsite is in the middle of town, and the night I was there they were burning trash somewhere close by - it stunk!

If you want a cool campsite, go to the Laguna Ojo de Liebre campground. It is on the lagoon, and you can see the whales blowing out in the water. It does not have RV hookups, but you can park on the beach and chill with the whales and other animals for $3 per night - and pangas will pick you up right by your campsite for less than the Malarrimo boats. This is a different part of the lagoon, but there should be plenty of whales in this area as well.

The campsite is about a 30 minute drive from Malarrimos - go 5 miles south of GN on highway 1, and turn at the sign for the park. Then drive about 15 miles on a well maintained dirt road to the park. Only $3 per night, safe.

If you decide to do the tour from the area where Malarrimo's is, go with Laguna Tours.

The word on the street is that Malarrimo's boats are always cutting the other tour operators off and 'stealing' the whales. I saw this first hand on my tour - we were looking at a whale close by, and sure enough Malarrimo's boats came over and got between us and the whale and then scared the whale off - really rude and bad vibes. Another customer said Malarrimo's does this all of the time - so we pointed at fake whales and Malarrimo's went following after the fake whale we pointed at - problem solved.