Regional Travel Guides
Arid Slice of Desert Paradise
A peninsula nearly 800 miles long of mostly remote, harsh and desolate landscape is a profile in contrasts of sorts with her handful of popular and well traveled tourism destinations across one of the planet’s most unique ecosystems.
The rugged topography on the peninsula is surrounded by the blue Pacific Ocean merging with the Sea of Cortez; a long gulf rich in marine life and home to a myriad of some of the most amazing underwater creatures including the world’s largest species of fish – the whale shark.
The unique nature of Baja Mexico is a natural allure for the wealthy and privileged elite from all over the the world, filling their facebook and instagram profiles with photos of their weekend jaunts to Los Cabos, La Paz, Todos Santos and Loreto and some even to the border regions of Tijuana, Rosarito Beach and Ensenada.
Here on Talk Baja you will find volumes of information on each and every one of those popular destinations (and many more) but there is simply no single Travel Guide article or webpage that could do justice to such a diverse, complex and ecologically sensitive region. Exactly why we made the decision to dedicate an entire website via this comprehensive platform that will serve as an interactive tool for over 400,000 members and followers of our social media pages with travelers interested in visiting the Baja Peninsula.
Between those well known tourist towns of Tijuana and Cabo San Lucas exists a desolate and at times harsh landscape where native “BajaCalifornianos” learned centuries ago that only via sustainable lifestyle practices was it possible to survive under such conditions across vast and remote stretches of this rugged region that is Baja Mexico; a terrain that is also a magnet for adventurous travelers in search of their own personal “Baja Experience”.
These travelers often come down in search of the unknown, seeking to forge their own private adventures; be it a remote surfing location, mountain biking between ancient, dormant volcanoes or exploring off-road in hope of discovering lost trails, abandoned missions or pre-columbian era cave paintings.
However what all travelers to this peninsula seem to share on this arid slice of desert paradise is the desire to escape the daily grind of life filled with noise, stress, freeway traffic and the endless crowds of people that go with it.
The Baja Mexico experience can be incredibly therapeutic if you are willing to surrender yourself; overcome your fears and anxieties of facing the unknown and make the trip down south of the border where you can discover a glimpse of what life in “Alta” California was really like over a century ago.
Driving across the border (be sure to get your vehicle insurance and FMM Tourist Card first) you will immediately sense the change of pace and continuing south, you will slowly witness any resemblance to your busy life back home fade away and your mind will begin to relax as well as you drive through the desert landscape to discover the coastal regions that still enjoy long, quiet and pristine beaches along waters teeming with marine life, explaining why so many saltwater anglers come to try their luck at fishing the coastal waters off of Baja.
The seemingly untouched, iconic desert landscape goes to great lengths attempting to hide its own special class of fauna including many endemic and endangered species that flock to secluded and lush desert oases.
As you gaze in the direction of the northern peninsulas’ spine you will observe rocky foothills, many hiding ancient cave art and other artefacts giving way to majestic green forests on snow-capped mountain peaks in winter.
And when you come back down from the Sierras to the valleys below, look for small, family owned shops selling organically grown food products, homemade breads and cheeses along with honey and other freshly made products.
And if by chance you are near San Quintin, be sure to head out along the Ruta Volcanica, following the bay out to La Chorera to their own Seafood Village and discover what delicious seafood, served fresh from the local waters really tastes like.
No trip to Baja Mexico is complete without a stop at the Guadalupe Valley to check out one (or more) of the local wineries and enjoy the simple pleasure of wine tasting.
You might just be tempted to stay another night, and the Valle de Guadalupe offers you a wide choice in accommodations at one of the popular boutique hotels in the area.
Discover San Quintin!
Baja is a great weekend getaway but to really get to know what you’ve been missing, we recommend that at some point in life you take the time to plan a week or two vacation to drive the length of Baja down the Transpeninsular Highway.
Such a road trip should be experienced free of rigid schedules, exploring without an itinerary and imagining what the journey was like just a handful of decades prior when the road was only made of dirt and sand, often unmarked and where travelers would stop to check out points of interest along the way and then camp out at day’s end or seek overnight accommodations with a family at a local ranch.
In fact some of those ranches are still operational today and there are several such stops along the highway where you can still enjoy a home cooked meal right off their kitchen stove with freshly made tortillas.
There is nowhere else like Baja Mexico on the planet and this interactive website is your ultimate guide to get off the beaten path, escape the rat race and make your next trip down south of the border a truly memorable experience!
No other Travel Guide gives you so much access to experienced, veteran travelers who will help you plan your next trip to Baja Mexico. Take some time to review previous trip reports from other members to gather ideas and then ask questions to help you firm up your travel plans.
And when you get back home, log back in and share your trip with the group – including photos and videos – serving to help others with their future travel plans.
It’s all part of the Baja experience and time for you to begin making your place among the countless thousands of Talk Baja veteran travelers and road warriors.
So let’s get started…
Adventure / Thrill Seeker? This package is for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WCFKVIjGq8
How to Use this Travel Guide
This first part of the Travel Guide will focus first on just a few important areas; accomodations, restaurants, flights and travel packages – key economic factors that could make or break your travel plans so we give you access to the best and most cost effective options.
If this will be your first time visiting or if it’s been awhile, we strongly suggest spend some time checking out our Group for Traveler Information with FAQ section specifically targeting your questions and concerns with the latest visa requirements and COVID protocols as well as tips on currency exchange, driving in Mexico and your personal safety.
From there you can spend some time checking out the forums dedicated to help you map out the important stops on your trip with help from our experienced forum members as well as answering your questions.
We have forums dedicated to the latest news regarding weather and road conditions as well as crime and corruption in Mexico along with your favorite activities such as whale watching, sportfishing, kayaking, scuba diving, off-roading and much more!
And for those of you considering the move to Baja on a part-time or full-time basis, be it for work or retirement, be sure to check out our forums on Expat living and Real Estate in Baja Mexico.
All in all we offer you free access to 15 different groups that are divided up into over 60 specific forums with topics addressing all of your questions!
