BajaNomad

Bahía tortugas?

tyguypb - 5-27-2020 at 09:49 PM

Hello again friends,
Looking for some information on Bahía tortugas from
Anyone who might be familiar with the spot. Shari? I know you’re down in Asunción, but I feel like you’ve got Your finger on the pulse of the vizcaino area. Anyways, just looking for road conditions info, recommendations on places to stay or camp. Favorite spots for grub. Safety info. Any useful tidbits from you knowledgeable nomads. Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

motoged - 5-27-2020 at 11:25 PM

Have you done a Google search? Last year there was only one motel open in the middle of town ( a difficult town to get around near motel). There is a restaurant across street from motel. Not many places to eat....sometimes a carnitas/birria stall can be found near two tiendas at south end of main street into town.

Most folks agree the town exudes an unfriendly vibe.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=85798

I think the motel in the link above was drab green last year.....



[Edited on 5-28-2020 by motoged]

[Edited on 5-28-2020 by motoged]

[Edited on 5-28-2020 by motoged]

David K - 5-28-2020 at 09:35 AM

I went there shortly after Udo posted photos in the link Ged gave (2017)... The road from Vizcaino is now 100% paved. It had a 15 kms unpaved section in 2017.

My Central Baja Trip Report (#5, June 2017): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86781



As for camping, see Bajaboy's reply about Tangaliote (Km. 128), shown as Puerto Nuevo on some maps.

2010 AAA Map


2018 DK Map

tyguypb - 5-28-2020 at 10:20 AM

david, i did catch that article you wrote up in baja bound, you're a legend!

Thanks motoged, i had a look on google, and used the search function on this forum yet didn't come up with that link you posted :( likely user error.

David K - 5-28-2020 at 11:10 AM

Thank you for the kind words!

Ged's link works for me:
Udo's pics http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=85798
My pics: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86781

Which Baja Bound article? Over 80, now! ;) https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/

BajaBlanca - 5-29-2020 at 04:12 AM

Hi tyguypb - just so you are aware, there is a lot of anti foreigner sentiment around now. For whatever reason, Mexicans believe the virus can only be brought in by a gringo! Never mind that they have family constantly traveling to TJ, Ensenada and La Paz, they truly don't see the danger.

Once the virus scare is not such a big issue any more, I think you would enjoy Bahia Asuncion. Very easy to camp at Campo Sirena. Restaurants slowly but surely opening up and a warm group of ex-pats. Easy day trips to points north like Tangaliote and Tortugas, easy day south trip to La Bocana, Punta Abreojos. The trip up the mountains east of us to see the petroglyphs and Indian cave paintings are also fun.

Bring beer and you will make tons of amigos real fast! LOL

tyguypb - 5-29-2020 at 10:05 AM

Hey Blanca,
Thanks for the heads up, I think i just recently emailed you about another round of donations no? I’ve been down to Asunción and fished with Juan and also spent a bit of time down at the ol’ Estero el coyote 🥰 Just always wanted to get up to the tortugas/cedros/malarima zone! But I will be down there this fall hopefully if all this virus stuff clears up by then (fingers crossed!). Will respond to your email today!

Thanks for the links to the photos DK!

Bajaboy - 5-29-2020 at 11:36 AM

Good camping along the road from Mallarimo to Queenie. We camped out there last June and were surprised with the warmer waters. Met some cool pangueros who gave us four jurel. We'll probably head back there once things open up.

Also great camping along the coast south. If you plan on going all the way south towards Bahia Asuncion, you will need to have the vigilancia open the locked gate for you. I always give them some beer money for their efforts.

We have camped at Quebrado and Pt. Eugenia area but never really enjoyed it much.

Cheers!

shari - 5-29-2020 at 11:50 AM

Bahia Tortugas is not exactly tourist friendly as there is quite a bit of petty crime and not alot of tourist services.

But I send alot of our guests to a cool place to camp and fish with my amigo Tomas Arce who has a little camp where you can stay either in his little rustic rooms or camp and he runs the water taxi and is an outstanding fishing guide. He is on Facebook or U2U me for his phone #..yellowtail fishing is starting soon. Tomas is your man! He can get you to Natividad to surf or Cedros too.

There is some good surf there too just be careful about having stuff out that can be stolen even in town.

BajaRob - 5-30-2020 at 06:20 AM

I spent 5 days in Turtle Bay while delivering my boat from La Paz to San Francisco. Had the best meal of my life with 12 langosta and a kilo of abolne.We guided the cat Double Bullit into the harbor that had just set the Long Beach to Puerto Vallarta record. Glory days.

SFandH - 5-30-2020 at 06:31 AM

Quote: Originally posted by tyguypb  

Thanks motoged, i had a look on google, and used the search function on this forum yet didn't come up with that link you posted :( likely user error.



Copy and paste the following into google search:

forums.bajanomad.com "bahia tortuga"

Google will search the message board for the search string. It will also return "bahia tortugas"

I think it works better than the message board's search feature.

[Edited on 5-30-2020 by SFandH]

chippy - 5-30-2020 at 07:40 AM

Been there by boat a few times. Overpriced fuel,unfriendly folks and a fugly little town was my experience. I would give it a miss.

Check out my trip report to that area

thebajarunner - 5-30-2020 at 08:02 AM

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=90623#pid1125...

And, sad to say,
Chippy is pretty right on about the town.
Sort of buttugly
But camping up on the bluffs north of town made it worth while

I guess going to Bahia Tortugas is one of those "OK, checked it off my list, been there, done that" kind of places.

motoged - 5-30-2020 at 09:49 AM

While the consensus seems to be that many of us see the town as unwelcoming and unattractive, the attraction to this desert place for me is the geographical/geological beauty.

The maps posted above create the backbone from which to explore the horn in a variety of ways....on the water, or by a myriad of roads that lead to somewhere exotic in its extreme desert to mountainous coastal shoreline. It is not a comfy tourist destination in the way that some folks might expect, but is more like a grimey cowboy town in a B-grade western where danger seems to lurk around the corner.....with a bit of the "end of the world" vibe (not Covid kind of end....but rather the kind where Flat Earthers say you will fall off the edge).

I have enjoyed camping and exploring by moto several times and definitely have a strong desire to return for more of all that....

It isn't for everyone, and that's a good thing....it's a bit off the gringo trail for most....

I think Quebrada is a gem in its own right.....you never know what treats can surface along beach....who knew that Barb had clam-toes
and Tim was such a good provider with fish and lure-trading ????:coolup:



mtgoat666 - 5-30-2020 at 11:58 AM

So can you camp in the area without camp being burglarized when you leave camp unattended?

Are campers being robbed?

mtgoat666 - 5-30-2020 at 12:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by chippy  
Overpriced fuel,...


Probably high price due to remote location. Transport ain’t cheap or easy to remote site over dirt road...

motoged - 5-30-2020 at 01:13 PM

:cool:
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
So can you camp in the area without camp being burglarized when you leave camp unattended?

Are campers being robbed?


I have spent a week in two separate spots outside of town....several days with two friends.....no issues except good reception from locals (fishcamp).....and 4 days solo towards Malarimmo.....camped away from road amongst small hills....truck tracks could have led snoopers to my camp but no one came my way.....except a dust devil I watched developing across a large open area....slowly approaching me.....and whipped right through camp....had time to batten the hatches.....

I think it was a welcoming tornado....;)

But there are thieves everywhere.....

chippy - 5-30-2020 at 01:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by chippy  
Overpriced fuel,...


Probably high price due to remote location. Transport ain’t cheap or easy to remote site over dirt road...


No! Its well known by all in the boating community. I avoid the place now. Its a rip off. Top off in Ensenada and then San Carlos unless you have the range to get to Cabo. I´m lucky to have the range now to avoid that ----hole.

thebajarunner - 5-31-2020 at 12:38 PM

Very safe feeling camping out around Punta Falsa
As I stated a year or so ago on a trip report
we drove north, then east past the abalone research station
Camped on the bluff
Got visited by the local association security guy
who promised to keep an eye on us

Very mellow setting, very safe and secure feeling

tyguypb - 5-31-2020 at 07:31 PM

Preach motoged! Kinda like the funky atmosphere of a practical town that doesn’t cater so what people think that I want... but I also do love a good tacos stand 🤔

Anyways, like moto said, my reasoning isn’t the town so much as the kayak/shore fishing, remote beaches and the far flung nature of a peninsula that You can’t help but be attracted to whilst looking at a map.

Thanks to everyone for the information!

Shari, I’m gonna pm you for information about the captain. And I’ll definitely come see you again when I make my way down there in the fall. (Covid permitting)

Cheers!

BajaRob - 6-1-2020 at 06:59 AM

The price of the fuel was not the worst part. Climbing up the ladder at the end of the dock and down with full jerry cans was