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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3824
Registered: 2-9-2004
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Four weeks is a good long time for Baja travel. If you stay in these small towns a week each, it's a bit too much. Whale watch two days in a row,
move on - not much else there. Your bus travel may take up time you could otherwise be sightseeing awesome spots in between. With bus travel you pay
per-person - might be less for 4 weeks in a rental car with many more benefits. If possible, you should rent a car. The highways are mostly two
lanes, not too much traffic. You would get a lot more out of your trip. I would also suggest in GN, that you check out Shari's whale camp (Whale
Magic Tours) for the ultimate in whale watching there. Loreto is fine for a couple of days, but an excursion in the Sierra de la Giganta to visit the
mission and see some of the best landscape Baja has to offer is a "must". You could swing by Todos Santos for turtle hatchling release. Snorkle at
Los Arbolitos, snorkel at La Paz islands. You'd be missing a lot by traveling right past in a bus.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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You will love Loreto! It is a wonderful place to end your Baja adventures!
Positive for the bus:
1. You can admire the views. I sometimes take it for long distances when I don't have time to book the flight to or from Ensenada.
2. I think the bus I took 2 weeks ago was Aguila and the bus is brand spanking new
Negatives are:
1. times are fickle, on a recent trip, we left 30+ min. after listed departure schedule
2. if you travel at night, the military stop you and make you get off the bus, open your suitcases for them to check. Disrupts your sleep.
3. great movies all the way up or down the road but they are loud and in Spanish
4. take snacks/water, sometimes it is hours before they stop for a break
I think renting a car gives you so much more flexibility but highway 1 is so narrow and scary to drive. Have fun!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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I continue to read reports of unscrupulous rental car companies in Mexico that stick you with bogus damages or refuse to rent to you without "their"
insurance, even if you have your own. Rentals can be cheap; the insurance, not so much. READ THE FINE PRINT, if you are booking a car on line (which
is almost always cheaper).
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3824
Registered: 2-9-2004
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I have never encountered a rental car snafu in Mexico. I'd recommend Cactus Car rental if you're flying into Cabo. Online reservations, price quoted
includes insurance, no hassle at the counter. Their office is very close to the highway onramp heading north. If this is your first and only Baja
trip, you should experience all you can. No need to lock in whale watch reservation dates at San Carlos or Pto Lopez Mateos - after arriving check in
for a boat the next morning. If the weather is bad, wait for a better day.
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
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Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  |
1. times are fickle, on a recent trip, we left 30+ min. after listed departure schedule
2. if you travel at night, the military stop you and make you get off the bus, open your suitcases for them to check. Disrupts your sleep.
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Simple itinerary like Cabo to La Paz or Tijuana to GN is a no-brainer on a bus. It goes same fast as a car if not faster, and stops are infrequent.
Delay on departure is minimal because it starts from this town (except for some Tijuana buses that start from Mexicali).
On a complex itinerary like he is planning, bus becomes less convenient because you are tied to bus schedule. Doable though.
Militaries didn't bother me on the last overnight trip Tijuana->GN, - he stepped in and quickly stepped out, no luggage checking. On all other
trips they opened the bags. They open bags when you travel in a car, too. Overnight bus from Tijuana is convenient, saves time and you can catch some
sleep, after Ensenada I always have 2 seats for myself. Daytime bus ride is boring, usually takes longer because there is more traffic and sometimes
it stops for a lunch, they will say "20 minutos" but if drivers go to cafeteria and sit at the table, it will be 50-60 minutes.
On the last 2 trips I had a bus with individual screen in the backrest, like on the planes, they have headphones so there is no noise and you can
choose from several channels.
Edit-PS: if you cross between Baja Sur and Norte, don't forget the time change. When it's 9.00 in Norte it's 10.00 in Sur.
[Edited on 4-14-2019 by Alm]
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