Its about 225 long dusty hot miles to La Paz and highway one zig zags its way back and forth across the pennsula. La Paz is only about 120 air miles away but the highway connects the towns and goes around the mountians hence the long drive. Be sure you have a full tank of gas before you leave Loreto. Driving south you pass Puerto Escondito or " Hidden Port" Baja's best and most popular hurrican hole. Yachts from all over Mexico come here June through October to avoid the hurricans that arrive that time of the year. Puerto Escondito is only about a mile off of highway one and worth a stop. There is no store or gas station but a short distance down the turn off road is what is reported to be the best Trailer/RV camping park in Baja. It must be as it always seems filled up when I drive by.
A few miles farther south the road turns West and heads up into the mountians known as the Sierra Gigantica. Its steep and narrow rising about 3000 feet in a few miles. Its also very beautiful but can be frustrating if your following a big truck or RV.
A short distance up the mountian there is a turn off to Agua Verde Bay. Its a bouncey, dusty forty miles of dirt road to get to this out of the way Baja village that has no services, but Agua Verde (Green water) is a popular stop for yachts crusing up the Sea of Cortez.
As the road becomes less steep and twisty the rocky cliffs fade into a high flat plain. Its straight ahead through the desert with out any turns or distractions until the outskirts of Ciudad Insurgentes offer a Pemex gas station and a sharp left turn to La Paz. Turn right, to the north and the road, mostly dirt will take you to some of the original missions that helped settle Baja. As you drive through Ciudad Insurgentes the desert retreats and abundant farm land appears. Water, from deep underground irrigates this part of Baja. The water is fossil water, water from a time long ago when Baja had more rain. How long will this water last? No one seems to know but when its gone another source will have to be found or the desert will return.
Driving south is mostly farms and small villages to the major Baja farming city of Ciudad Consitution. The road broadens and stop lights appear. Lots of supplies here, but I have never found a hotel worth staying at in this town. Be sure your gas tank is full as its a long hot drive to La Paz. If you like desert scenery, youll love this part of Baja. About thirty miles from La Paz you see the Sea of Cortez and the Bay of La Paz from the top of dusty cliff. La Paz will be visible in the distance. Its always a beautiful sight and a welcome relef from the desert. (This page is under construction.)
SAN JOSE DEL CABO AND CABO SAN LUCAS
The area from the international airport located just northeast of the town of San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas at lands end, about twenty miles to the southwest are refered to by the Mexican tourist agency as " Los Cabos" or " The Capes" in English. The Mexican Governments delvelopment agency, Fonatur, picked the quite town and beautiful beachs of San Jose to be the development at the tip of Baja. The tourist however ignored San Jose and flocked to the small fishing mecca of San Lucas, fifteen miles away. Since everyone was telling their friends about their fun trip to " The Cape" the Government started a advertising blitz about " Los Cabos" in hopes of steering the tourist to the Governments project. The advertizing program didn't work very well and San Lucas was the center of growth. But so much growth occured that today there is hardly a difference between the two towns.
San Lucas still attracts most of the fisherman, yachtsman and party people while San Jose has developed the golfing tourist with several beautiful golf courses. The nightlife in San Lucas rocks until the wee hours while San Jose is more Mexican and peaceful. This is in my opinion the most expesive area of Mexico. Even more expensive than Acapulco or Can Cun. Why? Because it caters almost exclusively to North Americans and Rich Mexicans. You can find Mexico here, but you have to look pretty hard. (work in progress)
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