BajaNomad

First Timers with Dogs, Snorkel Gear, and Surfboards

Truck - 11-19-2018 at 12:34 PM

Hey everyone,

Planning our first trip to Baja. I'm in Quartzsite AZ right now at the Library. We printed our dogs rabies vacc certificates here. Anything else we should know about bringing our dogs in?

I've read about getting auto insurance so I will be contacted the right folks on that shortly.

We are traveling in this 2WD van on all terrains and a LS Differential. We can't go very far offroad but we can go offroad. We weight around 8000 lbs me and my GF. We have several months at our disposal. I am kinda in a hurry to get into Baja and be on the coast, she is a little nervous I think and saying things like, let's go to Joshua Tree and I"m like... we've already been there twice. Let's go to Baja. Anyway, I am looking for tips on:

-will there be places to refill our water jugs with clean water? Preferably reverse osmosis (pay by the gallon/liter type deal?) We have three 7 gallon water jugs.
-where to snorkel
-where to surf (i'm a novice with a longboard)
-we will be camping in the van the whole time so any advice there
-where to cross the border - I am read about all the differences between Mexicali/Tijuana/Tecate. I am leaning towards Tecate or Mexicali. I just want to get through the easiest and no trouble with our dogs (have nothing to hide but I just don't want any attention)

-Best places to see sea creatures - whale sharks or any type of whales. We are open to doing whale watching tours but I like to be in the water with them when possible. Most of the time this means being on a scuba diving boat but just checking with y'all.

Thanks in advance!

tobias - 11-19-2018 at 12:46 PM

Water is no problem, purificadas are in most small towns.
Curious to see how your lsd does in sand. Remember to air down tires to 20 lbs or so before you try to drive on the beach.

Truck - 11-19-2018 at 12:52 PM

We've driven on sand in Oregon but just on the packed damp stuff. Copy that on airing down.

I also am carrying x-bull recovery traction boards

Do most people get full coverage insurance? I guess this is a personal decision obviously. I am really confident in my ability to not run into anything. Do most other motorists have insurance if they run into you? I am guessing that most mexican residents get away without it.

Maderita - 11-19-2018 at 01:04 PM

"Curious to see how your lsd does in sand. Remember to air down tires to 20 lbs or so before you try to drive on the beach."

Don't even think about driving on sand. A limited slip differential in a 2WD vehicle adds little capability. It's not even remotely close to having a locking differential. With an 8,000 lb. rig, you would need 4WD and preferably at least one locking diff for driving on sand.
And my advice is to never drive below the high tide line.

RnR - 11-19-2018 at 01:08 PM

Whale tours are in Guerrero Negro and San Ignacio lagoons. You can not swim them but you can observe them from a panga. Sometimes at a distance of about 6 inches from the boat. Probably closer than you could ever get to them by diving!

Whale shark snorkel tours are in La Paz. Just went a week ago. 40 ft visibility and a 25 ft shark. Hung out with that shark for over two hours. Must go with a licensed tour.

Snorkel/diving with sea creatures. Loreto or Cabo Pulmo Marine Parks. Outside of the parks there are fish on just about every rock pile but every rock pile also gets netted fairly frequently. Inside the parks - an incredible variety of fish.

Purified water stores are in every town. Most are the R.O. method.

Oregon has very firm sand beaches. Baja, not so much. Use caution in the sand.

Enjoy the trip. It won't be your last …..

StuckSucks - 11-19-2018 at 01:10 PM

There is clear water for snorkling in the Sea of Cortez, Baja Sur, eg Bahia Concepcion, Loreto, on down south. For surfable waves, head to the Pacific side. Remember that climate on opposite coasts can be radically different.

BajaBlanca - 11-19-2018 at 01:16 PM

I bet your girlfriend falls in love with Baja!

If this is your first time, be aware that there are military checkpoints every so often. Take all docs and cash with you as you step out of the vehicle. Watch the guys searching very carefully. If they ask for your passport, it is to see how your name is spelled.

As you head south, fill up in el Rosario for it is really far to the next gas station!

There must be some surfer sites that will give you the lowdown on where to camp. In my opinion, seek those sites out.

Driving at night is pretty much considered unsafe. Cows love the warm roads and whamming into them is not fun!

Have a fun trip!!

JZ - 11-19-2018 at 01:44 PM

You can drive that to Agua Verde no problems. Beautiful bay below Loreto. Your girl will love it.

For about $80-90 you can have a panga take you out to Isla Coronado from Loreto. Most beautiful water in all of the sea of cortez.

Show the video in my sig to her and she'll forget all about Joshua Tree.

Truck - 11-19-2018 at 01:45 PM

Is it best to get pesos at a bank near the border on the US side before going in? Or just get pesos as soon as you cross?

Should I keep US cash on hand while in Baja?

How much cash do y'all like to carry? I have several good hiding spots in my rig that I don't think anyone can find but me.

On the stateside, I mostly use my credit card for everything. I am imagining credit cards are not as widely accepted in Baja - what's the case?

JZ - 11-19-2018 at 01:51 PM

Better to get at a bank on the US side. Avoids ATM fees and you can only take so much out of MX ATMs at once.

We take $2-3K for a 10-14 day trip. Better to use pesos than dollars.

At hotels and some restaurants we pay with CC. Make sure it doesn't charge for international fees.

Truck - 11-19-2018 at 01:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
You can drive that to Agua Verde no problems. Beautiful bay below Loreto. Your girl will love it.

For about $80-90 you can have a panga take you out to Isla Coronado from Loreto. Most beautiful water in all of the sea of cortez.

Show the video in my sig to her and she'll forget all about Joshua Tree.


Awesome videos. I'm getting pretty excited! I think we are going to shoot to cross over Wed or Thurs this week.

Truck - 11-19-2018 at 01:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Better to get at a bank on the US side. Avoids ATM fees and you can only take so much out of MX ATMs at once.

We take $2-3K for a 10-14 day trip. Better to use pesos than dollars.

At hotels and some restaurants we pay with CC. Make sure it doesn't charge for international fees.


Great info, thanks. I did sign up for CapitalOne Venture Visa - no annual fee the first year, no foreign transaction fees, and 50k points if you do xyz in the first three months. I forgot about foreign transaction fees when we just did Canada and wasted some hard earned money! Learned from that mistake :)

tobias - 11-19-2018 at 01:56 PM

ATM for cash , always use one at a bank during business hours in case the machine tries to eat your card.
Credit cards are hit and miss but most larger grocery stores and some gas stations will take them.
I never carry USD . Always use pesos for many reasons.

Truck - 11-19-2018 at 02:04 PM

We are thinking to head right over to Ensenada and then following highway 1 stopping wherever and whenever we see interesting things. We will probably do highway 5 on the way back.

Agua Verde is now on the list as a stop for sure.

I am bad at planning things out I just like to figure it out as we go, but any other "must" see places are welcome. I would like to rent a side by side or if I find a place I can leave my girl so she can work on the internet while I go ride dirt bike that would be sweet too - but I am without any motorcycle gear right now. Anyway - I am very appreciating and grateful for all your help so far :)

We have bikes in our van and I do like offroad bicycling. I will be checking Trail Forks for options around that.

[Edited on 11-19-2018 by Truck]

JZ - 11-19-2018 at 02:05 PM

Must see places:

Gonzaga Bay - Alfonsinas is starting to get a little pricey for what it is, but they have a million $ spot on the beach.

Bahia de Los Angeles - whale sharks and snorkeling; 16 islands; take a panga out to the islands and/or to a really nice beach at Rincon. Drive out to La Gringa just North of town. Costa del Sol, is a decent, modestly priced hotel there. Very good restaurant.

Conception Bay - just amazing, lots of spots

Bahia San Jaunico - postcard bay 20 miles above Loreto; 10 easy dirt miles off Hwy 1). Great camping on the beach. We've anchoraged in the bay many times on our boat. Good day/night trip up from Loreto.

Loreto - best town in Baja; take a panga out to Isla Coronado, about 20 mins); if you want to do a hotel for a couple day, go to La Mission, awesome hotel

San Javier - most beautiful mission in Baja, about 40 mins from Loreto, cool drive on a paved road

Agua Verde - must see bay, but the drive is even better, dirt road, but not a problem for 2 wheel drive; awesome mountain drive, it's at the beginning of my video, as are most of the places I'm mentioning

La Paz - tons and tons of stuff to do; go up to the beaches near
Tecolote to make a fire on the beach; take a panga from Tecolote to the islands; best islands in the Sea Cortez; best sushi in Baja is out near Costa Baja; really nice hotel

If you are adventurous; drive on a dirt road 3hrs from La Paz to San Evaristo; not a better coastal drive in Baja; only one or two spots are a little tricky, but you can do it with your truck; my 14 yo kid drove it a couple times; from there you can pay a panga to take you 8 miles out to Isla San Fransisco; if you do this San Evaristo trip it will blow your mind and you'd be hooked on offroading in Baja forever.

In Ensenada, stay a Hotel Marina Corral, a first class hotel with a view of the ocean.

Get through San Felipe as fast as possible. MX party town mixed in with redneck desert rats. If you like fireworks, there is a big stand on the left as you enter town. Awesome bottle rockets. That and the SF brewery are about the only good things in the town.

The Seven Sisters are amazing on the Pacific coast, but all but the most Southern spots would be too much for your truck. Punta Lobos would be accessible, and is maybe the best of all bays in the SS, but too far out of the way for you I'd think.

There are suppose to be great beaches due West of Jesus Maria about 10 miles, but I haven't checked them out yet. I'm guessing you can get in them with your truck. Not sure if safe for camping or not. Video I've seen is spectacular. Might be worth checking out for a few hours.




[Edited on 11-20-2018 by JZ]

About the dogs....

AKgringo - 11-19-2018 at 04:14 PM

They will have a ball running on the beaches, but I doubt they will be allowed on any panga rides.

In addition to the shot records, they are supposed to have a health certificate from a vet, and it should include recent and ongoing parasite protection (I have my dog on Sentinel) I have never been asked for anything other than proof of rabies (by the US border) but it could happen.

Even on a dead run on the beach, the hound in my girl will detect dead things on the beach, and some of them are toxic! A puffer can kill your dog if they eat one!

Most of the areas you are considering support a population of coyotes. They are not aggressive, but they are bold. Your dogs could become injured by thorns, spines, barbed wire, or the coyotes if they give chase.

If you need a veterinarian, don't rush back to the border, there are capable vets in most communities, and they are a bargin!

Your first aid kit should include pliers or something to pull cactus spines. Speaking of first aid, in the unlikely event that you get nailed by a sting ray, heat is your best friend. A compress as hot as you can stand it, as soon as possible and seek medical attention for follow up.

I like your loop plan for riving both hwy 1 and 5, but I would head south on five and return on one for a more gradual immersion into driving Baja.

One last point, your targeted crossing date coincides with a full moon! You have my permission to drive at night (with caution) especially through a boring stretch like the one between Mexicalli and San Felipe!

bajamary1952 - 11-19-2018 at 04:20 PM

I've traveled the entire peninsula of Baja several times. It is much easier traveling with a dog if the dog is SMALL (less than 20 lbs.) esp. if you find yourself needing to stay in a motel/hotel. Some places will take a small dog whereas a large dog is refused. So you should be prepared for that. Probably can find the more expensive hotels ($80+) will take dogs with an extra fee. Much less choices once you get out of the cities esp. with a big dog.
I trust the veterinarians here in Mexico/Baja more than the U.S. and they are just as good and much less expensive.
Availability of drinking water depends on how far out of civilization you go so I'd bring water purification tabs just in case.

bajamary1952 - 11-19-2018 at 04:22 PM

If you find yourself needing accommodations, AirBnB usually is cheaper than English-speaking hotels and more likely to accept dogs. I rarely use motels/hotels anymore unless I am in a secluded area.

JZ - 11-19-2018 at 04:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
.... I doubt they will be allowed on any panga rides.



What?

MMc - 11-19-2018 at 04:42 PM

Check you U2U in the upper right corner.

AKgringo - 11-19-2018 at 04:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
.... I doubt they will be allowed on any panga rides.



What?



Am I wrong? I remember reading here about dogs being refused on board a charter, but perhaps it was to an island that had restrictions on dogs going ashore.

Anyway, with an excitable 90 pounder that has never been in a boat, that is a learning curve that I would fear!

David K - 11-19-2018 at 04:56 PM

Please go to the Trip Reports forum here on Nomad and see many parts of Baja to get a feel for what is down there. Do not drive on the beach in that van. As said above, a limited slip diff is no replacement for four wheel drive. Get a fast air pump that clips on to the battery to refill tires after you deflate should you get stuck (and 10 psi is what might work to get out). Also, have a tire plug kit to fix flats. As reported above, you can find purified water dispensers in most towns. Bottled drinking water is sold at all stores. South of San Felipe and south of El Rosario there are no cell towers until Guerrero Negro. There is also a long stretch south of El Rosario without gas stations but gas is sold from cans in many places that lack stations.
Well, that's what I can think of at the moment.
Have fun!


ehall - 11-19-2018 at 05:43 PM

Post a picture of your van. I will be down in a couple weeks and will keep an eye out for you. I will be going down along the sea of cortez and returning along the Pacific.

David K - 11-19-2018 at 05:46 PM

Ed, he did, in his opening post... but it was over the size limit (800 pixels)... Here it is sized to fit:


Truck - 11-19-2018 at 07:19 PM

Thanks for the additional info on dogs. We won't be trying to take them on panga rides. They will stay in the van. We have twin DC powered fan roof vents.

Theia is a 60 lb golden/lab mix
Dixie is a 40 lb lab mix

Our van is fully setup for full time living (minus shower) so we won't be looking for many hotels.

For the vet papers, I only have rabies certs for both. They are both completely healthy. Do you think I should see a vet and get more paperwork? I don't want to lol!

I have a military canine medical kit on board.

Truck - 11-19-2018 at 07:28 PM

My girl is worried about Cell signal for some work stuff here and there. I have no such problem, but between us we have access to att, t-mobile, sprint, us cellular (I'm on google fi and she is on att) both have roaming packages.

bajarich - 11-19-2018 at 07:38 PM

X2 on not driving at night. I onetime came upon 6 dead horses on the the road outside Guerrero Negro. Lots of burros. Bright lights won't help if they just suddenly jump out in front of you.

I understand the beach camping has been closed off at San Juanico (San Basilio) north of Loreto--too many ioverlanders. You wouldn't want to camp on the beach there anyway--soft sand. I spent half a day there last spring rescueing a 2wd Ford Transit that was stuck up to the axles. Two MaxTrax were not enough.

Soft sand also on the beach at Agua Verde, camp behind the beach.

bajarich - 11-19-2018 at 07:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Truck  
My girl is worried about Cell signal for some work stuff here and there. I have no such problem, but between us we have access to att, t-mobile, sprint, us cellular (I'm on google fi and she is on att) both have roaming packages.


You won't find cell signals on most remote beaches, only around the cities. If you can get a signal it's usually weak and won't do internet. That's our experience, perhaps others have more recent knowledge.

David K - 11-19-2018 at 11:05 PM

What Rich said... You can get WiFi Internet at hotels, RV parks, and some restaurants in bigger towns or places with satellite Internet. That is about it, Baja forces you to give civilization a rest!

ehall - 11-20-2018 at 02:27 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Ed, he did, in his opening post... but it was over the size limit (800 pixels)... Here it is sized to fit:





Haha. Yes he did. All the photo sites are blocked on my work computer. I can see them on my phone.

David K - 11-20-2018 at 03:58 PM

LOL... I can see where that may be a problem!

Truck - 11-21-2018 at 12:35 PM

Made it through Tecate no problems

We did have issues on the USA side when I stopped in aaZ to take a picture of the wall. Border patrol is crazy. Accused me of conspiring with passing dune buggies. Anyway , all is good so far !

JZ - 11-21-2018 at 01:42 PM

Have fun. Post some pics in this thread of your travels.

Truck - 11-30-2018 at 03:51 PM

Everything has been beyond fantastic so far. Time is flying but we are going slow and I still feel like we are moving too fast. Just got groceries for next to nothing in Loreto. I am on cell so not trying to host pictures to post here, but if you like check out some photos I am posting at Instagram.com/awillinginconvenience

Thanks so much to everyone for your help and tips so far. Muy agradecida

JZ - 11-30-2018 at 03:57 PM

Good pics.

https://www.instagram.com/awillinginconvenience/

Truck - 12-1-2018 at 10:56 AM

Last night we just decided to stealth camp on a road in Loreto. This morning we are basking in wifi in La Mision and swimming in the pool. We have dug a lot of catholes the past 11 days so my girl is loving the bathroom. Fresh water in the pool pretty much is like a bath lol. Last night I bartered away a fishing pole and some tackle in trade for two blankets, and sweet poncho, and a dress for my girl. Love bartering! I am not really a fisher I had only bought the setup to have an experience catching salmon in Alaska. Baja is so chill. And of note, at some beach in a leftover fire pit, someone left a small tin. Inside was 3 rolled doobies of jazz cabbage and one roach. Lol!

Previously we drove out to Punta Chivato and had the beautiful beach all to ourselves. There were just two soft spots that I kept the speed up on. Just having to see the sweet mansions was the only downside of that spot.

Thinking about taking the road to Puerto Agua Verde. However I also wanted to to San Everisto. Knowing San Everisto is a long drive... Can't decide if I should shoot for both, or just do San Eviristo if that location covers the AV experience. I am leaning towards doing AV and then playing it by ear, since.. Live for now right!

My tank is only 26 gallons so don't have massive range.

JZ - 12-1-2018 at 11:41 AM

Love La Mision hotel. You can walk across the street to the marina and find a panga to take you out to Isla Coronado. It's a 20-30 min ride depending on the weather. Will cost you about 1,800 pesos. It's a top 5 most beautiful bay in the SoC. Well worth it.

AV is a lot easier to get too than SE. Only about 30-45 mins or so off the highway. The drive down through the canyon with the steep cliffs is epic Baja. Spectacular, but easy drive.

The San Javier mission is about a 45 min drive from Loreto on the pavement. Most beautiful mission in Baja. Another must do in the area.

Truck - 12-10-2018 at 02:40 PM



A couple days in Todos Santos was nice. The surf north of town wasn't that great. But it's a super cute type of town that gringos and my gf love.

Been near Cerritos for several more days now. The surfing is great, but it's crowded. Now on Monday it has thinned out a bit. Lots of gringos, to be expected as we get closer to Cabo. Prices are getting more expensive. Gringo tax probably.

I like the couple grocery stores in El pescedero and the Agua purificada is convenient but more expensive than previous places.

GF wants to see Cabo so we will see how that goes tomorrow after I surf Cerritos again manana. Have Dr appt in San Jose del Cabo on the 12th then I hope we go to Cabo Pulmo for snorkeling

Each day has been great. Although pretty dang hot. Surprised the water is so warm here vs a bit more north.

HeyMulegeScott - 12-10-2018 at 03:04 PM

We call Cabo "the gringo money extraction machine". Cabo Pulmo is awesome. Hopefully, you get some calm weather for best visibility. https://www.theoutbound.com/scott-sichler/off-grid-adventure...

David K - 12-10-2018 at 03:19 PM

Nice live reporting Truck!

Truck - 12-13-2018 at 01:03 PM

The merits of a dashcam: When leaving La Paz, there was an area of construction, and very busy traffic. Two cops on foot under a stoplight, doing traffic control, waving traffic through the intersection. In Mexico the lights go from green, flashing green, yellow, then red. Happens pretty fast. Anyway, they are waving everyone through, the light starts flashing green, and then all the sudden one cop puts his hand up but the other one just kinda stopped waving. I was already in the intersection so figured, I'd better clear out. One cop starts screaming in Spanish and I just wave, like, "sorry"! About a mile down the way is another intersection, more cops on foot. Traffic is thick and slow so I had plenty of time to see them talking and pointing at my van. As we get closer, they stop all traffic and aggressively wave me over to the side. I pull over and do my basic, "no hablo" thing. He is yelling animatedly, saying "rojo" etc, can't run red lights is what I got out of it. I apologize, I can't tell if he's just going to lecture or what. He has my license and says, come to the police station tomorrow for the license. I'm like, "donde esta el estacion?" I told him, "la luz, flashing, verde verde verde. NO ROJO". Honestly I'm not sure if I ran the light. He is more yelling, I don't understand. Finally he looks at my dash camera, and says "photografia?" I say, "video!". I forgot I even had that thing. He steps away to talk to the other cop, and I make a show like I'm reviewing footage. He walks over, hands my license back, says nothing but waves me away. I drive away, like,.... Yasssssss

Truck - 12-13-2018 at 01:06 PM

Oh yeah, also got stuck in the sand. I unloaded all the heavy stuff, woman, and dogs, pulled out the shovel and xbull traction boards, and was out in 15 minutes. Was fun! Check my insta for some pics of that....

Instagram.com/awillinginconvenience

David K - 12-13-2018 at 01:18 PM

I hate cities, but La Paz is a pretty nice one. You may have discovered that on the back street, nobody comes to a full stop for a stop sign! If there is no cross traffic seen, then they consider it a yield sign if any sign at all! When I was coming to full stops at each stop sign, I was told by a local friend, I risked getting rear-ended!

bkbend - 12-13-2018 at 04:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Truck  
I unloaded all the heavy stuff, woman, and dogs,


Your sentence structure is proper but very close to dangerous if your girlfriend monitors the forum...

Bajazly - 12-13-2018 at 04:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bkbend  
Quote: Originally posted by Truck  
I unloaded all the heavy stuff, woman, and dogs,


Your sentence structure is proper but very close to dangerous if your girlfriend monitors the forum...



I thought exactly the same thing as I read that sentence.:lol::lol: