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aster
Newbie
Posts: 24
Registered: 12-15-2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
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First time in Baja, January Mulege stay - any tips?
Hey all. Great looking forum here.
My lady & I are planning to head down the Pacific coast in January, with the ultimate destination of Mulege - stay there for a bit, then wind our
way back up. This is our first time in Baja (we've spent time in Mexico before however). Just kinda fishing for any general travel tips or stuff to
maybe investigate further.
One point of emphasis - we're planning to bring our dog, a 12-year-old-but-spry beagle. Our vet gave the lowdown on the border crossing (current
rabies vac, check, general health certificate schedule within 10 days of crossing) but I'm curious if anyone has further advice on traveling with a
dog down there. Our place in Mulege (Casa Granada) allows canines, but we're also on the lookout for midway lodging after the first day's driving.
Any other general tips would be excellent - weather, safety, cultural stuff I might've missed, etc. I realize that's a wide net, but never know what
you might be overlooking.
Just for background I'd say we're both moderately seasoned travelers, highly respectful, not looking for luxury by any means, just some time to relax
& explore a corner of the world we've missed so far. I speak enough Espanol to get by in the basic situations and stumble my way thru the rest, my
girlfriend has a little too but is much less confident with it in realtime.
It's my understanding that the water is probably wetsuit-cold in Jan, but I've heard varying stuff about the air temps then. What can we expect?
Thanks in advance, look forward to hearing from some of you!
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alacran
Nomad
Posts: 316
Registered: 9-22-2011
Location: Mulege
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OK, welcome to Mulege, I know it for more than 42 years, now I live here permanent.
Yes you should have a wetsuit at this time of the year.
Do you have a boat or plan on beach dives?
Where are you planning on staying? How long?
Any further help, let me know.
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aster
Newbie
Posts: 24
Registered: 12-15-2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Thanks for the reply alacran.
No boat or diving - we might do a little snorkeling or fishing if opportunity presents but that's about it.
We rented one of the casitas at Casa Granada, probably staying around 10-12 days with possible side trips in there too.
Can you tell me what is the average temp range for January?
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Marla Daily
Nomad
Posts: 418
Registered: 9-2-2003
Location: Loreto, BCS
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Depending on where you want to stay on the way down, both Baja Cactus in El Rosario (get room 107 or 108 to be near the parking lot for easy dog
walking), and La Mision Hotel In Cataviña (ask for room 127 near the back gate) accommodate dogs. BE SURE YOUR DOG IS ON HEARTGUARD. The mosquitoes
are thick this year. Heartworm is prevalent and is transmitted by mosquitoes. Also be sure your dog is on tick preventative. The deer tick, Ixodes,
carries Ehrlichia—the #1 silent killer of Baja dogs. With proper attention and preventative care, your doggie will be fine. Ours travel with us
always. Best security system ever made.
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
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Mood: up on step
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jardines hotel in san quintin is dog friendly and a beautiful spot with a fabulous restaurant right next door...you'll love it!
your hosts at casa granada, lena and kristian, will take good care of you and show you the ropes...good people!
some of the best eats in mulege are found at scotties "el candil" restaurant right downtown....a super guide to go see some of the sights is salvador
castro...he also drives cab in town when not guiding.
if you like to fish, one of the best guides around is mateo and his house is just down the river from you by the boat launch...if anyone can find
fish, it's mateo!
one of the favorite watering holes is la jungla, just up the river from your accommodations....any and all answers to everything can be found there
with the locals....
good luck amigos and if you find the time, stop by and say hola to mike and roz in the oasis.
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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aster
Newbie
Posts: 24
Registered: 12-15-2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Thanks for the great info Marla & Michael!
Definitely will make sure our dog's got the requisite protections, I'll talk to our vet about this before we take off.
And I'll look into all those hotels - would you guys say that San Quintin is a good logical overnight stop?
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
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Mood: up on step
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san quintin is a logical stop for the day when crossing in the morning at tecate....you'll have a lot of "white knuckle" by the time you get there so
will feel good to get off the road...and once again, we highly recommend la jardines motel for the night....just beautiful accomodations and
reasonably priced...google them and be sure and call or email ahead for reservations as they fill up every single night...good luck, amigos and maybe
we'll see you soon.
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Pack thermal underwear, and a warm quilt. I know of few hotels with heating. I don't get along too well rise and shining to 50F temperatures. A
coffeemaker would be nice. A reading lamp and 12' extension cord. A 2-to-3 wall socket adapter.
Welcome to the forum. You'll love your trip
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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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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Depending on your schedule and travel times:
San Quintin - Hotel Las Pinos-Santa Maria, right on the beach
El Rosario - Baja Cactus Motel
Gasoline - Fill up in El Rosario, no PEMEX until Jesus Maria, just north of Guerrero Negro.
Get your FMM's at the border and don't forget your Auto Insurance from Bajabound
Stop in Ensenada for a break and load up on Pesos and goodies at the ATM's in Commercial Mexicana supermarket.
Drive carefully and not at night
PS: Bring your favorite pillow
[Edited on 12-16-2013 by bajaguy]
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aster
Newbie
Posts: 24
Registered: 12-15-2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Good stuff, this brings up a whole 'nother subject - this'll be our first time driving into Mexico.
Far as the crossing goes, do you folks recommend after crossing at Tecate to head south on 3, or immediately heading SW on 2 (?) and hitting the
coast?
Any other border advice to expedite things along?
Far as car insurance goes - we're taking our Cherokee, which is insured thru my girlfriend (Progressive). She already put an inquiry in for Mexican
insurance with them and got a quote, but are you guys recommending buying an additional 3rd party policy? I was assuming it'd be best to go through
our existing policy just to minimize variables, but I could be way off base there. Any insight how this works would be great because it's entirely new
to me.
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TecateRay
Nomad
Posts: 346
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: La Mesa, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by aster
Good stuff, this brings up a whole 'nother subject - this'll be our first time driving into Mexico.
Far as the crossing goes, do you folks recommend after crossing at Tecate to head south on 3, or immediately heading SW on 2 (?) and hitting the
coast?
Any other border advice to expedite things along?
Far as car insurance goes - we're taking our Cherokee, which is insured thru my girlfriend (Progressive). She already put an inquiry in for Mexican
insurance with them and got a quote, but are you guys recommending buying an additional 3rd party policy? I was assuming it'd be best to go through
our existing policy just to minimize variables, but I could be way off base there. Any insight how this works would be great because it's entirely new
to me. |
Contact Bajabound Insurance for your Mexican coverage. You must have a policy issued by a Mexican company and Bajabound can set you up with the
necessary policy. Check their website or give them a call.
If you want to go down the coast cross in San Ysidro (into Tijuana) and go directly to the toll road to Ensenada. Easy to get your "tourist permit"
there as well. Tecate crossing takes you down through the Guadalupe Valley and gives you the chance to sample and purchase some great wines. Maybe
go down one way and return the other way.
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Martyman
Super Nomad
Posts: 1904
Registered: 9-10-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
Pack thermal underwear, and a warm quilt. I know of few hotels with heating. I don't get along too well rise and shining to 50F temperatures. A
coffeemaker would be nice. A reading lamp and 12' extension cord. A 2-to-3 wall socket adapter.
Welcome to the forum. You'll love your trip |
Weirdest list ever!! Never taken any of these items. He's going to Baja not Alaska!
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by aster
would you guys say that San Quintin is a good logical overnight stop? |
NOT from Portland. Your first night stop needs to be in San Diego are and second night in SQ.
Bob Durrell
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Letsee how many days have passed since someone posted a 47F thermometer reading for Mulege? Don't know about U, but this is a mite nippy for me in the
morning. Especially with high humidity. When I stayed in Mulege for a few years, Decembers and January mornings were often chilly. But then there are
penguins running around in shorts when normal people were donning heavy coats.
On a cool winter morning, I heard like 50 to 1 comments about how visitors did not know to pack warmer clothes. Mulege is not "too" cool in the
Winter, it is just cool enough some winter mornings to see many locals wearing coats. Of course they don't know it's weird.
Yeah a coffeemaker is definitely weird. So is avoiding 25 peso Combate in the morning.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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Jaybo
Nomad
Posts: 240
Registered: 12-7-2009
Location: NW Oregon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Praying for Baja!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by durrelllrobert
| Quote: | Originally posted by aster
would you guys say that San Quintin is a good logical overnight stop? |
NOT from Portland. Your first night stop needs to be in San Diego are and second night in SQ. |
You will be pushing it to make San Diego from Portland the first day. You have the Siskiyou's to go through and that can either be great or it can be
a nightmare. Traffic through LA can be a real drag on time too depending when you are rolling through. We stayed at a friends in Visalia, and then
spent the night on the border at Mexicali and that made for an easy border crossing the next morning and drove on to Gonzaga Bay (we took Mex5). So
keep that in mind on your way down to the border.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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They do have heaters in the rooms at Jardines.
That said, I;m wondering why your Southern stop is Mulege, because not too far South is lovely Loreto that has better accommodations and better choice
of restaurants.
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Russ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6742
Registered: 7-4-2004
Location: Punta Chivato
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San Quitin is only 5 or so hours from the border. I find it convenient to stay at Jardines on the way North. They have coffee hot and strong very
early in the morning.Also there are room heaters
It is cold in the winter so you'll want a sweat shirt and a jacket. Especially if you go fishing early. I think where ever you go and play you'll have
wonderful memories. You really don't need to over plan your trip it'll work out just meeting the good folks in Baja. Have a blast!
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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aster
Newbie
Posts: 24
Registered: 12-15-2013
Location: Portland, Oregon
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by durrelllrobertNOT from Portland. Your first night stop needs to be in San Diego are and second night in SQ.
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Ah yes, I should've been more specific - meant from the border. We're planning on around 6 days total trip give or take, going through the redwoods
and then Big Sur. I'd really really not enjoy Portland to San Diego in a single day.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
They do have heaters in the rooms at Jardines.
That said, I;m wondering why your Southern stop is Mulege, because not too far South is lovely Loreto that has better accommodations and better choice
of restaurants. |
I assume we'll head down to Loreto too. I chose Mulege to be a quick drive from Bahia Concepcion and because I liked the idea of a dash of tropics in
the desert. But we're just using it as a base, our room was affordable enough that I don't mind doubling up if we overnight elsewhere too. The plan is
to leave things open.
Duly noted about the temperatures everyone, we'll bring some warmer gear. And yeah DavidE, french press is already on the list, I've had too many
vacations at the mercy of bad coffee to travel without it...
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13212
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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You are going to have so much fun. You are wise to get opinions, everyone has a different idea of what is important.
I say bring water and snacks for the ride down. Wine for sipping at home. Beer is easy enough to find anywhere!
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willyAirstream
Super Nomad
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
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You are staying at a great place. Most other places also take dogs, if you want to try other accommodations, but i think you will be happy at Granada.
Jackets in the morning and evening, t shirts during the day. Beaches are a bit warmer with less wind most of the time. Wet suit top at a minimum.
Mateo can take you fishing, snorkelling or a tour. Cave painting tours, kayaking, and horse back tours are also available. Beaches are not crowded
this year, so your dog will love it. Be sure to try the new taco de carnitas place by the welder, on the highway, by the arch, on weekend mornings
only.
Enjoy.
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