| Pages:
1
2 |
afterglowefx
Newbie
Posts: 10
Registered: 7-13-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
$400-600MX motel/hotel in La Paz and Cabo? Also, PADI cert recommendations?
You folks were so helpful with my last question, I'll ask a couple more!
We're currently staying at the Posada Sol y Luna hotel in La Paz but the rate is a little high ($850) for our 2 month budget (but it is nice!). We're
going to be in La Paz a few more days before heading to Los Cabos. If anybody could recommend some cheaper places in both cities (the closer to $400
and below the better) which are still livable (or even 'cute', but that may be asking too much) we'd really appreciate it.
As to the PADI certification, we'd like to do that either in La Paz or Los Cabos. Again, price is going to be an issue with our extended budget. I've
found prices to range from $400-500USD per person for a 4 day course (the Open Water Diver course) - does this sound about right? If so, does anybody
have any specific recommendations as to where we should get certified keeping our preference for lower price in mind? Our Spanish ranges from nada
(me) to un poquito (my girlfriend) so bilingual instructors are a must.
Thanks in advance!
[Edited on 7-18-2009 by afterglowefx]
|
|
|
bajabeachbabe
Nomad
Posts: 150
Registered: 9-11-2006
Location: Loreto,
Member Is Offline
Mood: Loving life
|
|
I know you said you wanted La Paz or Cabo, but you might also consider Loreto. The diving there will be way better than Cabo. Friends that dove in
both La Paz and Loreto in August last year, said the diving was far better in Loreto - many more fish in the marine park and clearer water. The PADI
dive center in Loreto that we have used in the past and is excellent is Dolphin Dive Center. The owners are american and their dive instructors do
speak English. Here is their website with their rates:
http://www.dolphindivebaja.com/rates/
Loreto is desperate for tourists, so you should also be able to find some reasonably priced hotel options.
|
|
|
vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
|
|
BBB,
Excellent advice.
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
These people in La Paz have a good rep
http://www.clubcantamar.com/english/diving/education.html
|
|
|
BajaNuts
Super Nomad
Posts: 1085
Registered: 5-11-2008
Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
Member Is Offline
Mood: no worry, no hurry....it's all good!
|
|
hear's a link to the Loreto motel options thread, including some in the $30-$40us price range if you go there to get certified.
La Paz---
Some I found but cannot vouch for-
Lorimar- $40us
Il Rustico- $50
Perhaps others can give you a yea, or nay on these
And Bob and Susan posted on another thread-
"we were in la paz a couple of weeks ago and the new
"no-tell-motel" had a sign in front 300 pesos a night
looked real safe and clean
its pretty new too
no "reservations" required
i dont know the name but you cant miss it
as you first drive into town from the south"
happy hunting! Let us know what you find.
[Edited on 7-17-2009 by BajaNuts]
|
|
|
BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
|
|
There are three motels between La Paz and Centenario (just before and after the airport turn-off) that are advertising rooms at 300 MXP. My dear wife
says that anything called a motel in Mexico is a "No-Tell Motel," and these fit the profile. They are, however, new, modern, have A/C, with attached
carports and are actually quite nice.
In our travels around Mexico we have stayed in motels a number of times and found them to be a lot of fun. It's worth a look.
(Sorry for the duplicate info--Nuts posted as I was writing this.)
[Edited on 7-17-2009 by BajaBruno]
[Edited on 7-17-2009 by BajaBruno]
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
|
|
|
Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
|
|
afterglowefx
$400-$500 for the OWD certification sounds about right. It's a little high if it doesn't include the checkout boat dive, a bargain if it does.
English-speaking instructors should be no problem in La Paz or Cabo San Lucas, that's pretty much of a necessity for the shops there. Baja Diving and
Service (the Aguilar family) is a good shop in La Paz, Amigos del Mar is a good shop in CSL.
++Ken++
carpe diem!
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
Bruno- it's the Auto Hotel designation you need to be wary of. On the other hand, many of them provide 1st class accomodations. I'm guessing that one
of those to which you refer is the Hacienda del Mar.
|
|
|
afterglowefx
Newbie
Posts: 10
Registered: 7-13-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks all. We'll check out one of the cheap $300 places and see how it goes. No wifi might be a small issue but that's alright, we can always come
back and leech here!
As to Loreto, we're sortof set for our route - few more days here in La Paz, then down around the cape, then ferry to the mainland and down to Oaxaca.
Thanks though!
I checked out Club Cantamar and they are charging $420 USD for the certification - one of the cheaper prices I've seen. That combined with a good rep
seems to be the perfect fit for us.
Any suggestions for a decent, cheap place around Cabo?
Thanks again!
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
You can get a bunch of affordable accomodations in Cabo as long as you stay off the beach. Check out Loscabosguide.com.
|
|
|
BajaNuts
Super Nomad
Posts: 1085
Registered: 5-11-2008
Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
Member Is Offline
Mood: no worry, no hurry....it's all good!
|
|
forgive me, but "decent...cheap...Cabo" sounds like one of those oxymarooons like "fiscally responsible government spending"...
I was going to say "Army intelligence" but that is not respectful of our bothers and sisters, who are and have always been out there for the rest of
us........
The point is......does "decent cheap Cabo" exist?
I hope others will say YES it does.
|
|
|
squid
Junior Nomad
Posts: 75
Registered: 6-23-2009
Location: Mulege
Member Is Offline
|
|
There is a nice little hotel in Cabo San Lucas. Very clean and a secured yard closed w/ gate @ 10 p.m. After 10.p.m. a night guard lets you in.
It's called 'Boutique Hotel' named 'Casa Pablito'. Rates are US70. Rooms are very clean. Incl. a small kitchen for preparing private meals.
Continental Breakfast included. Swimming pool. Outdoorkitchen for having parties etc. Tel. 624-143-1971 www.casapablitoloscabos.com Av. Hidalgo 1906 ESQ. R.Ortega.
O.K. here is how to find it. You are coming into CSL from Todos Santos. Pass Soriana and CCC down to the main intersection. Go straight ahead into
town. It is now a one way street (leading to the marina)
At about half way down, take a left and a left again (around the block) onto the parellel road which leads you back out of town. It is then on the
right hand side. No major sign on it.
It is the cheapest but for that price, best hotel in CSL as it has a kitchen included. And that safes you $$$/
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
There is also the old time fav, Mar de Cortez, near Cabo Wabo and walking distance to the the tourist area and local San Lucas . If you walk and/or
drive away from the marina on any street, you will start to see local places to eat. Just look for a crowd and stop. El Burro Loco is a perfect
example.
Amigos del Mar in San Lucas is an excellent outfit with terrific personel and lots of experience in the area. They may know a cheap place to stay
too.
|
|
|
osoflojo
Nomad
Posts: 378
Registered: 10-29-2004
Location: c.s.l./b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
|
|
I second Judys recomendation of the Mar de Cortez, decent cheap Cabo can exist if you know where to look. www.mardecortez.com . As far as PADI shops in Cabo I recomend Lands End Divers, family run, on the Marina in the Tesoro hotel. If Carlos is not
there one of his family will be, tell them oso sent you.
|
|
|
vseasport
Nomad
Posts: 322
Registered: 2-28-2009
Location: Buena Vista, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
Check out the East Cape. We are located half way between La Paz and Cabo on the Sea of Cortez. Los Barriles Hotel: http://www.losbarrileshotel.com/ and Martin Verdogos Beach Resort: http://verdugosbeachresort.com/ have clean, nice reasonably priced accommodations. We are also in close proximity to Cabo Pulmo Marine Park which
is the "Main Event" for diving in the Sea Of Cortez. Vista Sea Sport: http://www.vistaseasport.com offers full PADI Certification for $395 a person and the course is being taught by a British PADI instructor in the
Queens English.
|
|
|
Heather
Nomad
Posts: 370
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: National City, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
There is a hotel in Cabo called "El Dorado" that has rooms for 300-500 pesos a night. It is on the street that goes up from the original Cabo stop
light. There is also a place near it that will rent rooms weekly or monthly...called Pensiones San Antonio or something like that. I rented a vey
nice studio there years ago.
Also on the same street you'll find great eats at Pollo del Oro.
I think the street is Calle Morelos...it used to go down, but now goes up from down town. It is really the main street in Cabo.
I did your ferry trip down to Oaxaca about 13 years ago. I was on a tight budget, but made the whole trip from Cabo to Puerto Escondido (with stops)
for just about $100 US. I got pretty sick in Oaxaca, though, so broke out my credit card to get home! Have fun. H.
|
|
|
afterglowefx
Newbie
Posts: 10
Registered: 7-13-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks for all the great replies everyone. I thought I would come back and update this thread. We decided to try an "auto hotel" north of town on 1 -
definitely, definitely a no-tell motel. It was also the nicest place we've stayed at since coming into Baja (aside from Ignacio Springs for $80US).
$500MX, living room, huge bedroom, huge bathroom, all the amenities except Wifi, private parking garage with closing door and private room entrance,
security gate, etc. The bedside table had mints, a pack of cigarettes, and a condom. A box of tissues was mounted in a dispenser inches from the
bedpost. There is room service which includes not only food but Viagra, condoms, liquor, and lubrication. However! It was $500 pesos, spotless,
secure, huge, and amazing aside from the gigantic plaster statue of Greek gods getting it on just inside the gated entrance. I would honestly
recommend the place if you're passing through, just for kicks. Or a stay, it's really not bad! Oh yeah, they also offer 8 hour rates
There is another place about a km closer to La Paz that seems to have the same rates and looks similar.
We stayed a couple nights before moving on - we were a little weired out be the experience. We moved to another place just up the road from the
Malecon (on the same street - the one that continues up and out to the north and later becomes MX1). $450MX a night with clean rooms, AC, good parking
(everything is in a big courtyard around a pool), etc. Will post the name later, can't think of it at the moment.
We're getting our certs with Club Cantamar. La Paz was really the only option for us, but thanks for the other recommendations. We start tomorrow - it
was $420 a person and the staff seem nice thus far. Will update on that as well.
I'll check out the Cabo recommendations as well - we may only have time for a couple nights as We've been in La Paz for a week now and probably will
be for another.
Heather - we're on a tight budget, but not THAT tight! We try not to pay more than $200 for dinner, $500 for a room, etc. We love to snorkel, sun, and
swim, which is free at the beach! Our total budget for the trip (about two months in Mexico with our own vehicle) is about $5000US. Diving certs +
extra dives may do a number on that, but we'll see.
|
|
|
LOSARIPES
Nomad
Posts: 283
Registered: 8-14-2008
Member Is Offline
|
|
I came in late to your thread.... next time you may want to consider
www.losaripes.com or VRBO.com/198161. Nice, clean, on the beach, pool, utilities, secure parking. Check it out.
Aripes
God bless America
and Baja tambien
|
|
|
bajalinda
Senior Nomad
Posts: 552
Registered: 6-7-2008
Location: Pacific Coast, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
If you are going to be in La Paz for another week and want to be closer into town, here are 2 other options.
1. The Lorimar - on Bravo in the 2nd block up from the malecon. Rooms run around $380 to $400 pesos.
2. Baja Paradise B&B - on Madero between Allende and Juarez (also just a couple of blocks up from the malecon). Rooms run $400 to $500 pesos.
They have an outdoor, covered kitchen and eating area where you can do your own cooking if you want to. I believe this place also organizes diving
excursions, but I don't know if they offer courses/certification (sorry, I'm not a diver). In any case, I would think they'd be able to give you some
direction and advice in that area.
I've stayed in both places - both are clean and liveable - Baja Paradise is probably 'cuter'.
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
If you do get to spend a few days South of La Paz....
http://loscabosguide.com/ I know of no single site that is as comprehensive. It is advertiser sponsored, but with so many links, including
restaurant menus, it can be quite helpful.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
