Baja California Sur: Mexico’s Most Underrated Coast
When most people think of the Mexico coast, they imagine overdeveloped beach towns and slick sprawling resorts. Head south into Baja California Sur and that all changes. Driving into Baja California Sur changed this. The roads are empty, the beaches feel deserted, and the arid landscape goes on for miles next to the electric blue ocean. On this part of the peninsula, you’ll find a different kind of traveler, one who prefers a road trip, off-the-beaten-path beach towns, and time in the great outdoors to long lists of resorts and cocktail hours.
Desert and Ocean Collide
Easily the most impressive features of Baja California Sur are the striking differences in the desert landscape and the ocean. You can see giant cardón cacti from the highway, and then within hours, you can hit the next curve and have the sparkling Sea of Cortez spread out before you. The drive from Loreto to La Paz to Todos Santos is full of this kind of dramatic landscape. Rolling orange desert and then sharp blue ocean. You might want to pull over every 30 minutes just to take it in. Then the sunsets and rises over this dramatic color palette are something out of a movie. The sun casts oranges over the dusty land in the mountains and then cools the blue ocean at night while thousands of stars explode into the sky.
Small Towns, Massive Charm
Most of the towns in Baja California Sur haven’t been completely taken over by tourism development. Here in Loreto, fishermen come in with their daily catch every day, and guests at nearby hotels can have fresh local seafood on waterfront picnic tables in a matter of hours. Todos Santos has managed to take a surf town vibe to the next level with art galleries and colorful old buildings. It captures travelers and has them staying days longer than they planned. Taco stands are mostly owned by locals, markets have real products from town people, and plazas are quiet and reserved. This is the rhythm of a small town still very much alive in Baja California Sur.
Get Outdoors, For Real
In Baja California Sur, most of your time here will likely be outdoors. You can kayak next to vertical cliffs, snorkel in crystal-clear waters, or catch humpback whales sighted offshore during the winter! Doesn’t it sound like the perfect experience alongside nature? Balandra is still one of Baja’s most legendary beaches with its shallow and endless teal water. And tons of other remote areas will have you camping on the beach all alone with no other humans in sight. Even in the car, you can pull off every 20 minutes to enjoy a new beach or lookout.
