Roadtrip in Baja California Sur, Mexico
Baja California, the so-called "Aquarium of the World" by Jacques Cousteau, is the place where 30% of the world's marine mammals are concentrated.
By @charlie_nomade - 14/Apr/2025
Picture: @charlie_nomade
Currency: Mexican Peso (MXN)
Language: Spanish
Climate: 14 / 30ºC all year round
Lodging in Baja California
Accommodation in Baja California tends to be pricier than in many other parts of Mexico—especially in the ever-popular Los Cabos area. The good news? Camping is widely permitted across most of the peninsula, and I can’t recommend it enough. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it also gives you the chance to immerse yourself in the stunning landscapes and starry skies that make a Baja road trip unforgettable. If you head farther north in Baja California Sur, starting around Ciudad Insurgentes, you’ll notice that prices drop considerably, making it easier to balance comfort and budget as you explore.
Transportation in Baja California
One of the best pieces of advice I received before heading to Baja California—and now happily pass on to you—is: rent a car! Public transportation only covers the basics, and many of the peninsula’s most breathtaking spots are simply unreachable without your own wheels. My tip? Book your flight, land at the airport, and rent directly there. We noticed that booking online often came with inflated prices—sometimes three or even four times higher. Let’s just say they’re “North American prices,” if you know what I mean.
What to eat in Baja California?
Food lovers are in for a treat in Baja California. The cuisine here is rooted in traditional Mexican flavors, though you’ll also come across Tex-Mex influences in certain areas. Don’t leave without trying the region’s famous fish tacos—often made with marlin—or the delicious shrimp tacos, considered among the best in all of Mexico. Thanks to its coastal location, the seafood here is exceptionally fresh and of outstanding quality.
But Baja California isn’t just about the ocean—it’s also a land of vineyards. The peninsula is home to the oldest wine-producing region in the Americas, which has earned international recognition in recent years. Up north, the Ruta del Vino (Wine Route) is a must for any traveler, offering scenic landscapes, boutique wineries, and tastings that perfectly showcase the richness of Baja’s terroir.
What to do in Baja California?
Cetaceans watching Tour
The Gulf of California is one of the world’s most privileged places for whale and dolphin watching. Along the peninsula, different species can be spotted depending on the season and location. Among them, the gray whales are the most curious and playful—you can even interact with them and their calves. They can be seen from December to April all along the Pacific coast, with the best sightings in Puerto San Carlos, Laguna San Ignacio, and farther north in Laguna Ojo de Liebre and Guerrero Negro. We chose Guerrero Negro for this trip, thanks to the unforgettable gray whale camp set against the backdrop of a spectacular salt mine.
This town is also home to a natural sanctuary for migratory birds, and just a little farther north you’ll find a peninsular pronghorn recovery center, which I’ll share more about later.
For other species, humpback whales can be seen in Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, and Loreto Bay throughout winter and spring. And then there are the magnificent blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, found in the Gulf, in the Sea of Cortez, from November to May. Altogether, Baja California offers one of the most extraordinary marine wildlife experiences you can find anywhere in the world.
Beautiful Beaches
It is possible to visit many beaches along the entire coast and in almost all of them we can pitch our tent and sleep peacefully. Some of the most recommended beaches are Playa Arbolitos and Los Frailes in Cabo Pulmo, Playa Balandra in La Paz (probably one of the most beautiful beaches in Baja California), Playa El Requesón, Los Cocos and Playa Coyote in Bahía Concepción. The beaches of Todos Santos and El Pescadero offer incredible sunsets and good surfing. Finally, in Cabo San Lucas, Playa del Amor is a must, where we can see the famous Arch.
Scuba diving
Diving is a must in Baja California, as is snorkelling. Some of the best places for these activities are The Cabo Pulmo Nature Reserve, Isla Espiritu Santo in La Paz, where it is possible to swim with sea lions, and in Cabo San Lucas, specifically at its famous Arch. Depending on the season, it is possible to dive with a variety of marine life such as bull sharks, hammerheads, mantas, turtles, sea lions, dolphins, etc.
Visit to the Recovery Center of the Peninsular Pronghorn
About 30 minutes from Guerrero Negro, you can visit the Recovery Centre for the Berrendo Peninsular, a species of American antelope that was on the verge of extinction (less than 150 individuals in 1990), but which has now increased to more than 500 individuals thanks to various actions in the Vizcaíno Reserve. The visit is completely free and includes a guide.
Let's start the Roadtrip in Baja California
1. San Jose del Cabo
San José del Cabo will be the starting point of our road trip, and although there is not much to see here, the price of flights and car rentals is usually much lower than in Cabo San Lucas. The city centre is very colourful and lively, and on Thursdays there are usually art and painting exhibitions on the so-called "Calle del Arte".
2. Cabo Pulmo
Cabo Pulmo is a protected marine reserve that has the largest coral reef in the Gulf of California and is also the area with the highest concentration of fish. It is a world-class example of truly sustainable conservation and tourism development.
For camping I recommend Playa Arbolitos, a spectacular bay where we will sleep right on the beach under a huge blanket of stars. Finally, Cabo Pulmo has many dive sites and it is very likely that you will see the great bull shark.
3. La Paz
La Paz - the city I liked best in Baja California Sur, the urban planning blends perfectly with nature. The boardwalk allows you to enjoy incredible sunsets, and the city offers all kinds of fun without going to the extreme of the usual Los Cabos mass tourism. Some must-do activities are A trip to Isla Espiritu Santo for snorkelling, diving with sea lions and whale sharks, and whale watching.
Finally, Balandra Beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico. It has an unusual rock formation in the shape of a mushroom.
4. Loretto
Loreto is one of Mexico's magical cities, the first human settlement in Baja California and the capital of the entire Gulf of California until a hurricane destroyed it in 1829.
The cobbled streets define the historic centre of the town and it has a long promenade with views of the Isla del Carmen.
5. Concepcion Bay
This bay has some of the best beaches in all of Baja California, the contrast between the crystal clear water and the white sand mixed with the cactus on top of the mountains makes for an amazing landscape. It is ideal to camp on several of its beaches, each one has a unique charm, among my favourites are: Playa El Requesón, Playa El Coyote and Playa El Burro, although there are many more.
6. Mulege
The town of Mulegé is an oasis of palm trees and lush vegetation where a river flows into the sea and where it is possible to practice various water activities such as snorkelling, kayaking and jungle canoeing.
7. Guerrero Negro
As I mentioned before, Guerrero Negro is an ideal place to visit because of what we can find in the area. At the Gray Whale Camp we can do the whale tour and sleep in the middle of a huge salt mine, then we can visit the bird sanctuary and the Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Centre.
8. San Francisco de la Sierra
Access to this Pop side is not an easy task, we have to cross the desert and drive along a dirt road on the edge of incredible canyons for more than an hour and a half, in this place it is possible to visit an archaeological zone full of cave paintings with more than 10,500 years old. Only about 50 people live in the town, which has a small shelter where we can spend the night.
9. Todos Santos / El Pescadero
Todos Santos is another magical town, personally the most beautiful in Baja California. The sunsets from these beaches are truly magnificent and it is possible to practice good surfing due to the large waves that form during the season. El Pescadero is about a ten minute drive from Todos Santos and is a real surf village. It is possible to camp in surf campsites and there are skate paths for those who like to practice this sport.
10. Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas is, if you will, the nerve centre of Baja California. This is where all the tourism (mainly North American) is concentrated and it is the party area par excellence. A must-do is a trip to Playa del Amor, home to the famous Arco de Los Cabos, a natural arch-shaped rock formation that is home to sea lions. I highly recommend a dive, either scuba diving or snorkelling.
Tips
- Jacques Cousteau named the Gulf of California: "The Aquarium of the World" and he was right, the diversity of marine fauna and flora is enormous. It is estimated that 35% of the world's marine mammals are concentrated here and, depending on the time of year, various species arrive to reproduce and feed after long migrations.
- It is possible to rent sports equipment (snorkel, kayak, fishing rods) in the most popular beaches of Baja California.
- The Gulf of California, or also called the Sea of Cortez, is the only gulf in the world that belongs to a single country.
Recommendations
- Due to the desert climate, the temperature in Baja California drops quite a bit at night and especially towards the north. It is important to have warm clothing and a blanket or sleeping bag for camping.
- In Mexico it is quite easy to distinguish the planets in the sky and with the naked eye, in Baja California even more so. An application that I always carry on my mobile is Sky Map, with this you can point to the sky and discover what planet or star it is.