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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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It is freezing cold water (to me) in winter... Love the summer! The days are nice most of the year, a little steamy along the gulf side in August.
Go south of San Felipe and see Gonzaga Bay, L.A. Bay, Puerto San Francisquito (Beto's place) and then maybe swing over to the Pacific to Bahia
Asuncion and the other places along the hook of Baja.
San Felipe and Concepcion Bay is pretty crowded with snowbirds in the winter.
Do you like photography and history... The first 18 California missions were in Baja California, which was simply called 'California' before San Diego
became the 19th mission... in the new land, they called Alta California. There are 8 intact, preserved stone mission churches in Baja California built
in the mid to late 1700s. You have an opportunity to visit several as they are all along main roads or 2WD graded dirt roads.
From north to south you could see 5 if you didn't go beyond Loreto:
San Borja (22 miles off the paved road)
Santa Gertrudis (23 miles from the San Francisquito/El Arco road)
San Ignacio (2 paved miles from Mex 1, in the town plaza)
Mulege
Loreto
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6030
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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My first exposure to Bahia Conception was at Santispac in February of 1986. My kids were 10, to 16 years old, and we all thought the water temp was
fine for water skiing and snorkeling without any wet suits!
My metabolism and circulation is not what it used to be, but it is still enjoyable mid winter....just for shorter periods of time!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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ReTire
Nomad
Posts: 129
Registered: 9-16-2018
Location: PNW
Member Is Offline
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So much history in Baja that I really wasn’t aware of. I think I need to get one of your books!! Cold water?
I check the weather in Mulegé once in a while. Last I read was 77 and 61. Sounds pretty good to me.
Stingrays! Really? Now that is something I have not heard about.
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bajarich
Nomad
Posts: 464
Registered: 1-13-2005
Member Is Offline
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Buy pesos in advance and only use them for purchases. Learn enough Spanish to count your change and you will avoid any confusion over trying to
convert pesos to dollars every time you make a purchase.
When the soldiers at the checkpoints ask you "A donde va?" it means "Where are you going?". If they ask you "A donde viene?" it means "Where are you
coming from?".
Plan on gas costing you more than in the US. Carry extra, while there are more gas stations now than in the past, you may still encounter gas
shortages.
Bottled, purified water is available at convience stores, grocery stores and "purificada" stores where they filter the water. Don't drink unpurified
water.
Fishing from the shore does not require a license, fishing from any boat including kayaks does.
Enjoy your trip! Eat fish tacos!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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If you forget the two "a dondes" asked at the checkpoints, just point you thumb back to where you came from that morning and name it or the closet big
town. Next, point ahead and name the destination or nearest town you may end up at.
The guy from Alaska thinks anything warmer than a slurpee is warm! Seriously, just the upper gulf is really cold in winter. Mulegé and south is more
tropical.
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DouglasP
Nomad
Posts: 321
Registered: 6-23-2018
Member Is Offline
Mood: Goat hunter.
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The advice from AK is spot on. We have traveled to and from Mulege from Boise, Idaho. We have used different routes. Jump over into Nevada and get on
95 south of Vegas. Cross at Mexicali. The hour or so shorter that nav apps show going through California get gobbled up in traffic. Pesos are your
friend. Gas stops, food stops, beers stops, so much easier with pesos. Math sucks!
Get about 5 to 6,000 per ATM stop. That will hold you over for 3 to 4 days depending on fuel and cerveza consumption.
[Edited on 11-15-2018 by DouglasP]
I like beer, better than most people.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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There are no ATMs between San Felipe and Vizcaino using Gulf side roads and none between San Quintin and Guerrero Negro using Pacific-side roads
(200-300 mile stretch). All my trips of 1-2 weeks long last year, I never used an ATM once (if it gobbled my visa card, I would be toast). Buy the
pesos you need at a money exchange before entering Mexico. That way, if there is a problem, you won't yet be out of the United States. IF you run out
of pesos before the trip is over, ATM it or use dollars, everyone in Baja takes dollars, and sometimes at a better rate than the banks give.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6030
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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In early March this year, I had to drive all over Calexico to find a money changer that has pesos on hand. Even Wells Fargo (my bank) told me I could
exchange dollars for Euros, but they had no pesos!
In November 2016, the ATMs in Mulege, and Loretto would not dispense any pesos, and the tellers in the lobby of the banks would not accept my US
dollars either!
The exchange rate was in flux at the time, and the banks were cautious. Don't wait until you need pesos to go to the bank, keep a
reserve!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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In Calexico, the money exchange place (on the right, a couple blocks before the border... next to an (Auto Zone?) auto parts store and across the
street and corner from a Pep Boys) has never disappointed me. There are others along the street the border (Hwy. 111). The border has relocated a
block or two west of the end of 111 since my last trip.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Merchants can set their own rates, usually lower that the"official" or ATM rate. I have seen rates as low as 15:1 when the "official" rate or the ATM
rate was 19:1
In my 12 years in Baja, ATM's are still your best bet for getting Pesos..........
Quote: Originally posted by David K  | | There are no ATMs between San Felipe and Vizcaino using Gulf side roads and none between San Quintin and Guerrero Negro using Pacific-side roads
(200-300 mile stretch). All my trips of 1-2 weeks long last year, I never used an ATM once (if it gobbled my visa card, I would be toast). Buy the
pesos you need at a money exchange before entering Mexico. That way, if there is a problem, you won't yet be out of the United States. IF you run out
of pesos before the trip is over, ATM it or use dollars, everyone in Baja takes dollars, and sometimes at a better rate than the banks give.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6030
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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I am in Grass Valley California right now, and needed to deposit a $300 check (at Wells Fargo). I asked for the cash in pesos, and got almost $6000,
with the commission less than $20.
That, plus the leftovers from my last trip will give me options for where and when I look for more. Was that a good exchange rate? I don't
care....it makes my life easier!
I travel alone with a dog in a car that can't be locked, so I don't want a lot of cash onboard while I am away from it.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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ReTire
Nomad
Posts: 129
Registered: 9-16-2018
Location: PNW
Member Is Offline
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I can get pesos from a stateside bank? Awesome.
Refreshing my Spanish now.
Yep....I see a lot of fish tacos in my future!
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 634
Registered: 2-2-2015
Member Is Offline
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Pemex, Calimax, and most lodging will accept dollars, but I like to exchange dollars for pesos at a casa de cambio before crossing the border. Just
easier than having to deal with exchange rates for you and the cashier, who most likely will not speak English. Dollars go a long way in Mexico, a
few crisp C-notes will get you enough pesos for groceries, gas, beer, and camping for a week or more if you are not splurging on much. Keep some more
dollars hidden in case you run out of pesos.
Surprisingly, the water on the Pacific side actually gets colder when you cross the border. The surf fishing is similar to Oregon; surf perch, sand
bass, halibut, and the like. The Gulf side is warmer and drier with more exotic species like triggerfish and Corvina. Since you have time, you will
be able to get pretty far south, past San Felipe and San Quintin there are plenty of magical places off the beaten track where you might find you own
personal paradise and want to stay for the duration. BOLA and the Punta Santa Rosalillita environs might be worth checking out, for starters.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
Member Is Offline
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if you can....put off your trip a couple months!
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6030
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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There is only one branch in this area that keeps a small amount on hand. If I wanted a couple of thousand US dollars worth of pesos, they could bring
them in for me given advanced notice.
It wouldn't hurt to ask your local bank if they, or another local bank keeps them on hand, and what the cost would be for the exchange.
I prefer getting my pesos at an ATM with a debit card as needed, but as I stated before, sometimes they don't work!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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ReTire
Nomad
Posts: 129
Registered: 9-16-2018
Location: PNW
Member Is Offline
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I honestly appreciate the tips from you guys who have Baja experience. You all make it sound so easy!
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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| Quote: Originally posted by ReTire | | I honestly appreciate the tips from you guys who have Baja experience. You all make it sound so easy! |
It is easy. Lol. Relax. You will have a great time. Things are on a different pace. Manana doesn't necessarily mean tomorrow it just means not
right now. Haha.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18396
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by DouglasP | The advice from AK is spot on. We have traveled to and from Mulege from Boise, Idaho. We have used different routes. Jump over into Nevada and get on
95 south of Vegas. Cross at Mexicali. The hour or so shorter that nav apps show going through California get gobbled up in traffic. Pesos are your
friend. Gas stops, food stops, beers stops, so much easier with pesos. Math sucks!
Get about 5 to 6,000 per ATM stop. That will hold you over for 3 to 4 days depending on fuel and cerveza consumption.
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This is bad advice.
1. The I-5 route is fastest north-south route on west coast USA.
2. Do not miss seeing rte1 along the baja coast, including Ensenada, and camping amongst the rocks in Catavina.
3. The east side of baja, south of Mexicali is a barren wasteland that is butt ugly, pac coast of baja is a beautiful drive.
4. Do not listen to some of the older mr-Magoo cranks here that are afraid of Los Angeles freeway traffic, 5 miles of urban traffic in TJ and 10 miles
of urban traffic in Ensenada, and some periodically slow traffic driving through the agricultural area of San Quintin. These cranks drive rvs that
scare themselves, and so they are afraid of even having to make a single left turn in 2,000 miles of travel
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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DouglasP
Nomad
Posts: 321
Registered: 6-23-2018
Member Is Offline
Mood: Goat hunter.
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And this passes as a civil post......
I like beer, better than most people.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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ReTire, on this side of the border, just in the block or two before crossing (surface streets not the freeway in San Diego) are several money exchange
businesses (Casa de Cambio). They have been great. Also, during business hours, the Coscto in Chula Vista (Palomar exit off I-5), go east to Broadway
then north... has a money exchange inside... for members.
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