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Green
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: 1-27-2012
Member Is Offline
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Baja Rookie
Looking to drive down into Baja in the middle of march
The only time I was ever there was about 10 years ago and drove to Gaviotas and surfed for a week
Pretty much stayed around the complex …didn’t get to explore much as I was with a group .
Now after reading your site and seeing the beautiful pics I would love to take 10 days and drive from Las Vegas
I would like to surf a little and camp out on the beach
Fish a little on the Sea of Cortez and explore some of the beautiful history of Mexico
My plan would be to stay in SD and cross the border early in the am and drive about 6 to 8 hrs into Baja before stopping for the night (any
suggestions where would be great)
No plans from there but open to ideas I will try to be self sufficient as far as camping gear, food, water and a good map
I know I need insurance and will get that in SD the day before I leave.
I like to travel as light as possible and mix in with the locals …I don’t mind volunteering a few days to help out anywhere that needs a able body
…church, school, mission. What ever
If anyone has the time to throw out some ideas for a solo guy driving a wrangler who like to surf, fish, camp and have a few beers at night …I’m open
to anything
Thanks in advance to all on this board as the info and stories have sparked my spirit of adventure. You guys are doing it right ….thanks for the
input
Bobby
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Spearo
Nomad
Posts: 153
Registered: 11-30-2010
Location: Moscow, Idaho and Pescadero, BCS
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I generally cross at Tecate and drive straight through to Catavina (~9h). You can camp there at Rancho Inez for $7. Beautiful spot and very secure,
lots of gringos. If you don't want to drive that far there are places in El Rosario to stay. From there you can drive to San Ignacio and check out
the grey whales or push through to Santa Rosalia and Mulege on the Cortez side. You'll want to spend some time at Bahia Concepcion, lots of good
camping beaches there. Try checking out Agua Verde south of Loreto if you want another beautiful beach and good fishing. If you have a sea kayak
throw that on top as well, before I started hauling a boat and outboard I caught a lot of fish from a kayak.
Were it not for the abdomen, man would easily reckon himself a god.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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sancho
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2524
Registered: 10-6-2004
Location: OC So Cal
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As for the Insurance part, I would get it online,
not at the border kiosks, if that was your plan.
Bajabound.com is where I would get it. Spend some
time here reading, especially the Trip Report section,
you know you need an fmm/tourist card, get it at
the border just as you cross at TJ. Some of my favorite
trips were the 1st ones, wide eyed, an adventure
around the next corner. Just get a AAA map, drive the
speed limit, not suggesting anything, but don't be
temped to sip a beer while going down the HWY,
like I have been known to do in my formative yrs.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
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Green, Welcome to the forum. Mulege would be a nice place on the Sea of Cortez side. See Shari about the Pacific side. Plenty of places between the two.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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Welcome to BajaNomad, Bobby. Don't forget your passport. It will make the return trip at the border a lot easier. In fact, I think you need it to
get an FMM.....which you'll need as well.
Have a good, safe trip.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Cypress
See Shari
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Where is that girl? She's AWOL.
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805gregg
Super Nomad
Posts: 1344
Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
Member Is Offline
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Head south out of Tecate, and get behind a large semi, the one that passes you, stay behind him and arrive at the turnoff for Santa Roslillita, head
west to the ocean.
[Edited on 1-28-2012 by 805gregg]
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Mulegena
Super Nomad
Posts: 2412
Registered: 11-7-2006
Member Is Offline
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You're coming down in March?
First and foremost on your agenda is whales, no-brainer!
Use the "Search" icon at the top left of the page and read the most current hits.
From there, let your destiny guide you.
[Edited on 1-28-2012 by Mulegena]
"Raise your words, not your voice. It's rain that grows flowers, not thunder." ~Rumi
"It's the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~ Aristotle
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5918
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
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If you're gonna surf, buy the "Surfers Guide to Baja". It'll show you the easy spots to get to that are the most consistent. Just watch out for
great whites. 
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Cyanide41
Nomad
Posts: 303
Registered: 1-7-2009
Location: Tijuana
Member Is Offline
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Get your insurance online from Baja Bound
Be sure to take plenty of pictures and then post them up here
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65308
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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8 hours is the drive time from Tijuana to Bahia de los Angeles... If you want a quick dose of 'Baja', that drive and 'L.A. Bay' would be a great
introduction.
There is no good reason to detour all the way east to Tecate, just to come back downhill to the coast at Ensenada... adds an hour+ to the drive, and
getting through Tijuana is a no brainer. You need to cross Ensenada so you still have city traffic to deal with... It is not THAT bad. Now, on the way
home, I do recommend Tecate just to have a 'calmer' (and usually shorter) border line wait.
First, as mentioned above, get your Mexican auto insurance online and print at home before you leave for the days of your vacation at http://www.BajaBound.com (link at top of Nomad pages), or if you really get into Baja travel, join Discover Travel Club (insurance discounts,
books, maps, etc.) http://www.discoverbaja.com
On the day of your trip, try and get to the border early... If you are driving into the southern state (Baja California Sur) on Hwy. 1, then there is
an immigration check. At the Tijuana border entrance, use the far right lane 'something to declare', an electric gate opens automatically, and park in
the covered parking area. Walk to the row of offices facing the parking area, and go to the far right office with your passport (and a pen). If 7 days
or less trip, as for the 7 day FREE tourist card, fill it and you are done. If you want a 6 month (180 day) tourist card, then you will take the form
a few windows down to a bank teller and pay approx. $23 dollars for that. Both the INM (immigration) and bank have windows on the back side of that
building, and while they are open 24/7, you may need to walk through the hallway to the other side or wake them up if you are very early!
Now, with your tourist card, return to your car and leave the parking area... but you will be asked to push a button for a random red or green light
to see if further inspection is required. As you drive away, stay towards the right and look for the many signs pointing out 'Playas', 'Rosarito',
'Ensenada', 'Scenic Highway', 'Mex. 1-D' (Toll Road) as the fastest way out of Tijuana with minimal traffic.
3 toll boths to Ensenada, each near $2 US.... To pass through Ensenada as easy as possible, follow the signs for San Quintin / Mex. 1. Coming back
north, the Tecate Highway (free) joins the toll road just south of the final toll gate, a few miles north of Ensenada. It is well signed to get back
to the U.S. (you turn right just past the big baseball stadium and before the McDonald's in Tecate to get to the border road).
There are many gas stations between Ensenada and El Rosario, but do not pass El Rosario (225 miles from Tijuana) without topping the tank, as the last
Pemex station until Bahia de los Angeles, another 180 miles beyond. A good rule south of El Rosario is to never pass a gas station if you are below a
half tank. There are independent gasoline vendors who add a dollar or so to the cost (which now is about $2.61/ gallon for regular) at a couple of
remote locations where Pemex stations failed to stay in business (Cataviña, Bahia de los Angeles jcn.).
Bahia de los Angeles is 41 miles off Highway One on a paved road. It is perhaps one of Baja's most beautiful bays. A small town there has stores,
restaurants, taco stands, motels, and off the paved side road to La Gringa are many campgrounds north of town and a couple more motels. Open camping
at La Gringa on sand or gravel beaches. The town museum is a great place to visit for a look at the intense history of the area.
Fishing, Kayaking, Beach combing, diving, exploring, off roading, old mines, Mision San Borja, petroglyphs are all nearby. Like I said, L.A. Bay is a
great intro to Baja... and just a day's drive from San Diego.
Now, stay for a day or 2 and then continue on... want some Pacific waves? Go south of Hwy. 1 to the paved side road west to Santa Rosalillita, and the
the graded dirt highway north to countless surf breaks here, in the 'Seven Sisters'.
This map shows the area south from the Bahia de los Angeles jcn. to the Santa Rosalillita jcn.:
For whale watching, just head to Guerrero Negro and on to Scammon's Lagoon (Laguna Ojo de Liebre)!
A final note, March is not the best month... wind, rain, or perfect... just be prepared. May and October are Baja's best... and if you like heat and
warm sea water, then June and July are great!
HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!
Foe more photos of various sites: http://vivabaja.com/tours
[Edited on 1-28-2012 by David K]
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13050
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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hi there Mr.Green and welcome to bajanomads wild wonderful world of baja. If you get an early start you can make it easy to Sta.Rosalillita...a good
break easy to find only like 10 minutes off the highway where you can camp on the beach right at the break at the new breakwater...tiny village, good
waves. Or you can visit Bay of LA first for some fishing on the gulf side, then go to Rosalillita.
then you can camp at the lagoon edge at Ojo de Liebre...the entrance is just south of Guerrero Negro...we'll be there around March 10th too if ya
wanna hook up. You can wander over here to the mid pacific side too if the mood strikes you...great camping and shore fishing rocks...lots of corvina.
Let us know how it works out for ya dude!
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
Member Is Offline
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Great post David!
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65308
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mcfez
Great post David! |
Thank you Deno! I am not sure how far south he want to drive, but let me add that he could consider Bahia Asuncion and the many places that Shari has
available http://www.bahiaasuncion.com . Surfing, fishing, big beautiful beaches, fossil hunting, too!
Bahia Asuncion is at the end of a new paved road (although the first part is older and pot holed... from Vizcaino.
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PCbaja
Junior Nomad
Posts: 79
Registered: 11-26-2009
Member Is Offline
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Punta Chivato has e great camping beach with a nice little restaurant and hotels nearby. SOC side with great snorkeling, kayaking etc..
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Green
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: 1-27-2012
Member Is Offline
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wow...you folks are great...keep em coming. This is gonna be Awesome 
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watizname
Senior Nomad
Posts: 792
Registered: 8-7-2009
Member Is Offline
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Dude, you are gonna have nothing but FUN.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65308
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by watizname
Dude, you are gonna have nothing but FUN. |
That's for sure!
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1628
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
Member Is Offline
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Don't forget your camera. There is a Kodak moment around almost every corner.
In Memory of E-57
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65308
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Alan
Don't forget your camera. There is a Kodak moment around almost every corner. |
Indeed!
It is endless!
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