Best things to do in Baja California Sur (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

We traveled for a month in the state of Baja California Sur and it became one of our favorites of the six months we spent in Mexico. The whales were the main reason for making a trip there, because in this state, at a certain time of the year, you can see humpback whales, gray whales and the largest animal on the planet, the blue whale, up close. If you have a good time, as a bonus, you can even swim with the majestic whale shark, frolic among sea lions, watch gentle turtles and an impressive coral reef. In addition to the adventures among its marine wildlife that became among the most special of our lives, the scenery, the slow pace and the beaches of Baja California Sur (in our opinion, some of the best we’ve seen in Mexico) made this state one of our favorites in Mexico.

In this guide we try to show you all the things to see and do in Baja California Sur with specific itineraries (from a weekend, 5 days, one, two, three weeks or a month) with practical suggestions, where to stay and even where to eat to make your trip as special as ours has been.

Basic facts for traveling to Baja California Sur

Official Language: Spanish

Currency: MXN ($) Mexican Peso (1$ equals 20$ MXN approx.). Check the updated exchange rate here

Population: 798,447 (in 2020)

When to visit: In our opinion the best time to visit is from November to April, when there is the possibility to see different types of whales (blue, gray, humpback…) as well as whale sharks, and also enjoy the beaches. The hurricane season is during the summer, from June 1st to November 30th. We detail more about when to go to Baja California Sur in this section of the guide.

How long to stay: To get a good idea of Baja California Sur you will need at least 2-3 weeks, although if your trip is shorter you can focus on a specific area or discard things. In this section we share specific itineraries for Baja California Sur to help you organize your trip.

How to get there: Baja California Sur has 3 international airports (Los Cabos, La Paz and Loreto), with many direct flights, so we recommend you use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price. It is also possible to arrive by road (from Baja California, and other northwestern states of Mexico, or from some US cities like San Diego or Los Angeles), and by boat/ferry from Mazatlan (Sinaloa). More details in this section of the guide.

Visa: With a US, Canadian, European or UK passport it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days. Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Where to stay: You will have to make several bases, since the distances are large, the most typical ones being La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and/or San Jose del Cabo, Cabo Pulmo, Todos Santos, Loreto, Mulegé, Guerrero Negro…. It will depend a lot on your route and how much you want to cover. We detail more where we stayed in Randomtrip in the Where to stay in Baja California Sur section of the guide.

What to bring: A good travel insurance (in this link we give you a 5% discount on the one we always carry) and here is the list of what you must have in your backpack for this trip

Getting around: The best option is to rent a car. There are bus connections but they are scarce and do not reach all places so if you can it is better to rent a car to move around freely. More info on how to get around Baja California Sur in this section of the guide.

How much it costs: From 1800 pesos/day (90$/day) per person (approx. and starting from somewhere in the country, Mexico) depending on the type of accommodation, meals and how many tours you want to do. More budget information in this section of the guide.

Internet connection: If you are visiting for a few days, your phone supports eSIM and you don’t want to complicate things, we recommend Holafly eSIM (unlimited data, 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP) or Airalo eSIM (limited data, but cheaper, 15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15). Otherwise, the cheapest way is to get a local SIM (we recommend Telcel). More info here

Vaccines: there are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

Time zone: UTC -7

Where is Baja California Sur

Baja California Sur is the southern half of the Baja California peninsula, which is located in western Mexico, facing the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sea of Cortés (Gulf of California) to the east:

When to visit Baja California Sur

In our opinion, the best time to visit Baja California Sur is during the winter months, from December to April, which coincides with the migration of various types of whales (blue, gray, humpback… one of the great attractions of Baja California Sur), and with weather good enough to enjoy its beaches.

To decide the best time of the year, there are 3 main factors: climate, fauna and tourist demand, which are detailed as follows

Weather in Baja California Sur

The climate in Baja California Sur is quite hot and with very little rain, as you can see from its desert landscapes. During the summer, temperatures rise to the point of being uncomfortable, reaching peaks of 40º between May and October. From June to November, it is also hurricane season, so it is best to avoid those months.

Here is a summary table of the weather in various parts of Baja California Sur to give you an idea of what you can expect:

La Paz (Baja California Sur) weather chart with temperatures and rainy days by month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days
January	12º	24º	21º	2
February	12º	25º	21º	1
March	13º	28º	21º	0
April	15º	31º	21º	0
May	17º	33º	23º	0
June	21º	35º	24º	1
July	24º	36º	27º	4
August	25º	36º	28º	7
September	24º	35º	29º	6
October	21º	32º	28º	3
November	17º	28º	26º	1
December	13º	25º	23º	1
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days

Cabo San Lucas (Baja California Sur) weather chart with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days
January	16º	26º	23º	2
February	16º	26º	22º	1
March	17º	27º	21º	0
April	19º	29º	21º	0
May	21º	30º	22º	0
June	23º	31º	23º	1
July	26º	33º	26º	2
August	26º	33º	28º	6
September	25º	33º	29º	6
October	22º	32º	28º	2
November	20º	30º	27º	1
December	17º	27º	25º	2
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days

Table of weather in Loreto (Baja California Sur) with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days
January	14º	23º	19º	1
February	15º	24º	19º	1
March	16º	26º	19º	0
April	19º	28º	21º	0
May	22º	31º	23º	0
June	25º	34º	25º	0
July	28º	35º	27º	2
August	28º	35º	29º	4
September	27º	34º	29º	4
October	23º	31º	28º	1
November	19º	27º	25º	1
December	15º	24º	21º	1
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days

Marine fauna

One of the great attractions of Baja California Sur, at least in our opinion, is the possibility of seeing a great quantity and variety of marine fauna. This happens especially between November and April, months during which many species of whales (blue, gray, humpback…), as well as whale sharks and other species, arrive to the coasts on their migratory routes.

For this reason, if one of your goals is to see whales in Baja California Sur, the best months are from November to April, being the peak (when there is the most quantity and probability of seeing them) between February and March, depending on the year (remember that we are talking about species of animals in complete freedom).

Tourism demand in Baja California Sur

The times of highest tourist demand (and therefore, when we will find more people, more lines, more expensive prices and more complications to go to the most famous restaurants or places) are:

• Summer (June to October): besides being school vacation time in many countries and increasing demand (and prices), it is the rainy and hurricane season.
• Spring break (usually in March)
• Easter Week (March/April)
• National Holidaus (November, December)

So we recommend you to avoid those dates if you want to enjoy the city more calmly and with better accommodation prices.

Important festivities in Baja California Sur

If you want to be in Baja California Sur for the biggest parties of the year, don’t miss out:

• Peace Carnival (February)
• Spring break (March)
• Feast of Our Lady of Loreto (September)
• Day of the Dead: October 31, November 1 & 2
• Mexican Revolution (November)
• Christmas and New Year’s Eve (December)

Summary: Best months to visit Baja California Sur

Based on the above, if you are looking to visit Baja California Sur with less people, good weather, lots of marine wildlife and reasonable prices, the best months are between December and April, being the best time from mid-January to mid-March.

How to get to Baja California Sur

Baja California Sur has 3 international airports (Los Cabos, La Paz and Loreto) with a multitude of direct flights or with stopovers in other areas of Mexico, so we recommend that you use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price.

In our case, we flew to Los Cabos airport (in southern Baja California Sur) from Cancun, on the Yucatan Peninsula, at the other end of Mexico. We used the low cost airline Viva Aerobus, on a flight that stopped in Toluca (near Mexico City) but without having to get off the plane (a quick 30-minute stopover). On the way back, we flew to Mexico City from La Paz with Volaris, another low-cost airline.

It is also possible to arrive by car from other areas of Mexico, although due to the shape of the peninsula, the drives can be very long, unless you are coming from the northern state of Baja California. Many people from the United States also arrive by car, camper or motorhome, especially from the San Diego or Los Angeles area.

Finally, another option to get there is by boat/ferry from Mazatlan (Sinaloa) to La Paz, the trip takes about 12-13 hours.

Do I need a visa to travel to Mexico?

For people with USA, Canada, UK and European passports it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days.

Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Are there any mandatory vaccinations for travel to Mexico?

There are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

How many days to stay in Baja California Sur

To visit the state of Baja California Sur and visit its main attractions, we would say that you need at least 2-3 weeks (more if you want to get to know it in depth and include more days of relaxation on its beaches).

If you have fewer days, you will have to rule things out and/or focus on one area. Many people focus only on the south (La Paz and Los Cabos), although in our opinion the northern part of the state has a lot to offer and much less tourism.

In this section we share specific itineraries of Baja California Sur to help you organize your trip.

Things to see and do in Baja California Sur

To make it easier for you to plan your trips in Baja California Sur, we have divided the places into two zones: the northern half and the southern half.

Map of Baja California Sur

As we told you, we have divided the places to visit in two zones, the north zone and the south zone, and we have put each zone in a different color to make it easier for you to identify them. It’s all on a Google Maps map that you can take with you on your smartphone to use during your trip.

Brief introduction and curiosities of Baja California Sur

The Baja California peninsula, composed of two states (Baja California to the north and Baja California Sur to the south) was once attached to the rest of the Mexican territory, beginning its separation and the formation of the basin now occupied by the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortés) some 12 million years ago.

The first settlers, in pre-Hispanic times, were different groups living in a subsistence economy in various areas of the peninsula. An expedition of Hernán Cortés reached the peninsula in 1534, who initially thought it was an island. The name California was given to this entire area (including the entire peninsula and what is now the state of California in the United States), in theory, in reference to the book of the time “Las sergas de Esplandián“, which mentioned the Island of California, perhaps confusing the territory with an island.

The territory was divided into Alta California (what is today the state of California in the United States) and Baja California (the peninsula of Baja California, today divided into two Mexican states: Baja California and Baja California Sur). The entire territory belonged to the First Mexican Empire, and after the war with the United States between 1846 and 1848, Mexico had to cede part of its territory to the United States, including Alta California (today California in the United States), Texas and other areas.

The history of all of California is also marked by the missions, used by priests to “evangelize” (forcibly) the native people, both in Alta California (now the United States) and Baja California (now Mexico). Today you can visit some of them on the Mission Route.

Today, Baja California and Baja California Sur are two very different states, despite being next to each other and having a common climate. Starting with the population, since Baja California Sur is home to only about 800,000 people (2020 data), while the state of Baja California is home to about 3,800,000 (living mostly in the cities of Tijuana and Mexicali, both on the border with the United States).

Baja California Sur is a very desert-like area, which stands out for its landscapes, beaches and especially for its marine fauna, the main reason that led us to visit this Mexican state. It is said that it is possible to see the “Big 7”: Humpback Whale, Gray Whale, Blue Whale, Whale Shark, Sea Lion, Turtle and Coral Reef. We have seen all 7 species in our month-long trip to Baja California Sur!

Except for the area of Los Cabos, the most touristic and also oriented to types of tourism that are not very respectful of the local culture (luxury tourism with many resorts built on the coastal strip, and binge tourism), most of the state has a relaxed tourism and committed to the conservation of nature.

Due to its small population (it is the second least populated state in Mexico) and low population density (11 inhabitants/km2 in Baja California Sur; by comparison, the state of Baja California, to the north, has 53 inhabitants/km2 and the state of Quintana Roo, where the famous Riviera Maya is located, has 42 inhabitants/km2), it has many landscapes without human presence that look like something out of another planet.

It was without a doubt one of our favorite states (along with Oaxaca) of our 6 month trip through Mexico.

Things to see and do in Southern Baja California Sur

The southern part of Baja California Sur is the most touristic and visited area of the state, with places that will ring a bell, such as Los Cabos and La Paz. Below we detail everything there is to see and do in this area of BCS.

Los Cabos

How many days in Los Cabos? At Randomtrip we stayed 5 days in the area, but we believe it can be reduced to 2-3 days.

Los Cabos is commonly used to refer to Cabo San Lucas (one of the most touristic places in Baja California Sur) and San José del Cabo (also touristic but quieter, and where the international airport of Los Cabos is located).

It is an area that attracts both “party and drunkenness” tourism, as well as all-inclusive and luxury tourism, mostly from the United States. It has some well-kept, accessible and beautiful beaches (some with good snorkeling), lots of options for eating and staying, and the main reason that brought us to Randomtrip there: it is the perfect place for humpback whale watching.

In our guide to Los Cabos we detail everything there is to see and do, but here is a brief summary:

Things to see and do in Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas is the largest tourist destination in Baja California Sur, where you will hear more English than Spanish, see a lot of dollar prices, and a lot of luxury hotels and resorts.

Here are the main things to see and do:

• Visit the famous Cabo San Lucas Arch located at the junction of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez.
• Visit the beaches of Love (Sea of Cortez) and Divorce (Pacific Ocean).
• Visit other interesting rock formations
• Visit Pelican Rock Beach and snorkel (with the possibility of seeing sea lions).
• Visit other beaches such as Empacadora and El Medano.
• Visit the San Lucas Marina
• Climbing Mt Solmar (Cerro del Vigia) with Henrique and his dogs
• Watch the sunset at Solmar Beach
• Natural History Museum
• Humpback whale watching if you go between December and April.

Best things to do in Cabo San Lucas (Baja California Sur, México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Things to see and do between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo

On the road between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, full of luxury resorts and construction, there are several beautiful beaches you can visit, some ideal for snorkeling:

• Santa Maria Beach
• El Chileno Beach
• Palmilla Beach
• Acapulquito Beach

Things to see and do in San Jose del Cabo

San José del Cabo is much quieter than Cabo San Lucas, a bit less touristy than its neighbor, and with a less party-like but more bohemian atmosphere. Here are the main things to see and do:

• Visit Plaza Mijares and the church (Mission San José del Cabo)
• Visit the Art Walk on Thursdays, where some of the streets are cut off and filled with art and craft sales, plus lots of atmosphere in the bars and restaurants.
• Go to Playa Azul in the hotel zone
• Visiting the Municipal Ecological Reserve Estero de San José del Cabo
• Humpback whale watching if you go between December and April.

Best things to do in San José del Cabo (Baja California Sur, México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Cabo Pulmo

How many days in Cabo Pulmo? In Randomtrip we stayed 1 day (1 night) in the area, to dive and snorkel, but it was not enough and we would have stayed 2-3 days in Cabo Pulmo.

Cabo Pulmo was a small fishing village that, when they realized the damage they had been doing to the ecosystem due to fishing/overfishing, they requested to convert the area into a Natural Protected Area. Today it is a National Park, home to the only coral reef in the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), home to more than 800 species (and a natural barrier against hurricanes and storms) and a paradise for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Cabo Pulmo is therefore a place to relax, lower your pace and enjoy nature.

In our complete guide to Cabo Pulmo we will detail everything to see and do, but here we leave you with the highlights:

• If you dive, this is the best place in Baja California Sur to dive, being one of the most demanded spots “El Vencedor”, where it is possible to see groups of bull sharks up close, from December to April.
• Snorkeling is another activity you can do in Cabo Pulmo, doing a tour that takes you to several spots (with a guide) or on your own, for example at Arbolito Beach.
• Beaches: you have Cabo Pulmo’s own beach, Playa Arbolito and Playa de Los Frailes, among others.
• Visit its visitor center, where you can learn more about the National Park and its marine fauna.

East Cape (Cabo del Este)

How many days in East Cape? At Randomtrip we didn’t get to go, it’s mainly a place to relax so as many days as you want.

East Cape is the recommended place if you are looking for isolation and little tourism: since access is limited to a dirt road, which depending on rainfall, can be drivable only with a 4×4, not many people include it in their route and it is a perfect destination if you are looking for tranquility and “escape from the world”.

East Cape is the coastal area between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo Pulmo. Things to see and do in East Cape include:

• Enjoy its beaches, with calm waters (Sea of Cortez) in the winter months (during the summer the winds increase and are sought after for surfing), and practically deserted.
• Surfing (during the summer)
• Humpback whale watching: Humpback whales pass through here on their migration (December to April) so it is possible to see them from the coast in the distance.
• Relax and enjoy the views and the surroundings.

Santiago and Sierra de la Laguna

How many days in Santiago? At Randomtrip we didn’t get to go, but we think you don’t need to stay, you can go to spend the day from Los Cabos, Cabo Pulmo or other nearby places.

In the Sierra La Laguna, Santiago is a small town from which among other things you can access a waterfall, the Cañon de la Zorra, where it is possible to cool off from the high temperatures, and hot springs (such as the Santa Rita hot springs), an area with hot springs next to a river and surrounded by vegetation. Both places are a small oasis compared to the rest of this area of Baja California Sur.

You can stay in Santiago and stay overnight, or you can make a day trip from Los Cabos or Cabo Pulmo, either by rental car or tour.

Los Barriles, El Sargento and La Ventana

How many days in Los Barriles, El Sargento and/or La Ventana? At Randomtrip we discard them due to lack of time and because they are more of a kite surfing or relaxing destination. In case it is part of your plans, as many days as you want.

These small coastal towns are very quiet and famous for their kitesurfing, with beautiful desert landscapes and perfect for relaxing and enjoying the beach and the sea. The winds are ideal for windsurfing, kitesurfing, and kiteboarding in winter (between November/December and March).

Todos Santos

How many days in Todos Santos? At Randomtrip we spent two nights and we think it is enough, although if you are short of time you can simply make a day trip from Los Cabos or La Paz.

Small “Pueblo Mágico” with charm, although very touristy. One of its most famous places is the Hotel California, although it has been confirmed that it has nothing to do with the famous Eagles song (denied by the members of the musical group).

Some of the things to see and do (we will tell you all about them in our complete guide to Todos Santos that will be published soon):

• Strolling through its colorful streets in the historic center
• Visit its squares
• Buy some souvenirs at the “Cielito Lindo Market”.
• Visit its Pacific beaches, with rough and agitated sea, perfect for surfing.
• Enjoy and watch the sunset from any of its beaches.
• Humpback whale watching from the beaches
• Participate in the turtle release activity, if in season (August to October).

La Paz

How many days in La Paz? At Randomtrip we spent 7 days in total (6 first and 1 at the end), and we consider that you should dedicate a minimum of 3-4 days to visit the beaches and do the tours to see animals such as the gray whale, the whale shark, the sea lions…

La Paz was our favorite destination in Baja California Sur to stay for a while: not as touristy as Los Cabos, with a very quiet and relaxed atmosphere, stunning beaches nearby, excellent gastronomy at local prices and with plenty of things to see and do in the surrounding area.

While we publish our complete guide to La Paz, here is a list of the main things to see and do:

• Swim with the whale shark (we did it with MéXplore, whom we recommend, more info about our experience here).
• Visit the paradise in Espiritu Santo Archipelago (we did it with Punta Baja Tours, whom we recommend, more info about our experience here).
• Swim with Sea Lions (we did it twice, once with MéXplore on the same whale shark tour and once with Punta Baja Tours on the Espiritu Santo tour).
• Visit the beaches of La Paz such as Bahia Balandra, Tecolote, see the views of the beaches from the lookout points, etc.
• Strolling along the malecon of La Paz
• Enjoy incredible sunsets from the boardwalk, from the Cerro de la Calavera or from the beaches.
• Visit the Whale and Marine Science Museum and learn about the different types of cetaceans, sea lions, whale sharks…
• Sighting gray whales in Puerto Chale (more info about our experience here, and in the next section).

Puerto Chale and Bahía Almejas

How many days in Puerto Chale? In Randomtrip we visited just to do the gray whale watching from La Paz, although if you don’t want to drive that far and continue north or south you can spend a night there.

Puerto Chale is the closest option to La Paz (about 2 hours by car) to see gray whales, as well as being one of the cheapest. In our case we did it with Camacho’s Tours, whom we can highly recommend, in a 2h tour around Almejas Bay where we saw many gray whales. You can read more about our experience with Camacho’s Tours and find all the information to go on this tour in our complete guide to gray whale watching in Puerto Chale.

Gray Whale Watching in Puerto Chale, Bahía Almejas (Baja California Sur, Mexico): everything you need to know

Puerto San Carlos and Magdalena Bay

How many days in Magdalena Bay? At Randomtrip we stayed 3 nights during a whale expedition, sleeping one night in Puerto San Carlos and 2 in a Gampling on Magdalena Island. You will need to stay at least one night if you want to do the gray whale watching expedition.

Magdalena Bay is one of the best known places for gray whale watching in this area of Baja California Sur. At Randomtrip here we lived one of the most special experiences of the trip, when we did a 3 days and 2 nights Whale Expedition with Magdalena Bay Whales, which included 2 nights in their gampling in Magdalena Island and 3 shared gray whale watching tours. That is, waking up in the peace of the bay itself, having breakfast, and going to the boat to spend between 4 and 6 hours watching gray whales, a dream!

Of course, we saw lots and lots of gray whales, some very curious and very close, and we can hilghy recommend this special experience. You can read more about how it went and what this experience with Magdalena Bay Whales is like in our complete guide to gray whale watching in Magdalena Bay.

Gray Whale Watching in Magdalena Bay (Baja California Sur, Mexico) with Magdalena Bay Whales: everything you need to know

Adolfo Lopez Mateos Port and Canal Santo Domingo

How many days in Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos? At Randomtrip we were going to visit this place on the way down from Loreto to the south, but they cancelled the gray whale watching tours due to bad weather so in the end we didn’t go. You can make the stop to do the tour on the way, or sleep one night there to take it easy.

Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos is the third place for gray whale watching in this area of Baja California Sur, where what stands out is that the sighting takes place in the Santo Domingo Channel, a narrower area where in theory it may be easier to see the gray whales.

Unfortunately, on the day we were scheduled to do the tour, all departures were cancelled due to the sea and weather conditions.

If you choose to do a gray whale watching tour there, you can contact Santuario de la Ballena Gris to confirm prices and if there will be a tour, and head to Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos on the day and time indicated.

Things to see and do in Northern Baja California Sur

In the north of Baja California Sur the roads are straighter and longer, the distances are bigger, and the probability of driving for hours without seeing anyone is very high. The scenery in this sparsely populated area looks like something out of another planet, and driving along its roads is an attraction in itself which we recommend doing slowly to enjoy the ride. Here you will find some of the best beaches in the state (in Bahia Concepcion) as well as many whales in the right season. Below we detail everything to see and do in this area of Baja California Sur.

Loreto and Loreto Bay National Park

How many days in Loreto? In Randomtrip we stayed 4 days in Loreto (2 on the way up and 2 on the way down) and we believe that 2-3 days is the ideal amount of time.

In theory Loreto was the first human settlement in the area, and home of the first Jesuit mission. It has incredible nature in the surroundings (mountain – Sierra de la Giganta – and the Sea of Cortez).

The first feeling we got from Loreto is that we are not the type of tourist they want. It is a city heavily visited by US tourists and it shows. You hear English with a US accent rather than Spanish. Apparently, Loreto is quite a sought after place for US retirement.

Even so, it is an incredible place for being the main place where it is possible to do blue whale watching (only between January and March), it has a National Park with incredible islands that are worth visiting, and if you dare, it has hiking trails in the mountains (Sierra de La Giganta).

In our case, we did a combined tour with Arturo’s in which they took us to see the blue whales and also to go to a beach on Carmen Island.

In our complete guide to Loreto we will detail everything you need to know to organize your visit, but in the meantime here are the top things to see and do in Loreto:

• Blue Whale Watching (we did it with Arturo’s, more info of our experience here)
• Walking through the historic center of Loreto and its malecon.
• Visit some of the islands of the national park, such as Isla Coronado (with its incredible beach for snorkeling and sea lions) or Isla del Carmen.
• Hiking in the Sierra de la Giganta, such as in Tabor Canyon or Mesquite Canyon.
• Visit the San Javier Mission: a church founded by Jesuits in 1699.

Mulegé and Bahía Concepción

How many days in Mulegé and Bahía Concepción? In Randomtrip we stayed 5 days in Mulegé because we found it an excellent base to stop and work online for a few days, but we believe that the ideal is 2-3 days, unless you want more days to relax on its wonderful beaches.

Mulegé (Heroica Mulegé), a green oasis in the desert of Baja California Sur, is an excellent base for exploring the beautiful beaches of Bahía Concepción.

While we prepare our complete guide to Mulegé, here are the main things to see and do:

• Visiting Mission Santa Rosalia de Mulegé
• Visit the Museo Regional de Historia y Antropología de Mulegé (or Cárcel sin Puertas), a former jail.
• Viewing the Mulegé River from the lookout point
• Strolling through downtown Mulegé
• Take a tour to see the cave paintings that have been found in caves in the surrounding area.
• Visit the beaches of Bahía Concepción, for many the best in Baja California Sur.

Santa Rosalia

How many days in Santa Rosalia? In Randomtrip we only made a few stops on the way up and also on the way down, which in our opinion was enough, but if you prefer to go slower you can stay there one night.

Very close to Mulegé is Santa Rosalía, which we found interesting because it looks like we are on the set of a western movie due to the architecture of the houses.

It has the particularity of housing a metal and wood church of the Eiffel schoo (by Gustave Eiffel himself) that was apparently dismantled from the Paris exhibition and assembled here, in this former mining town (of French mines).

San Ignacio and Laguna San Ignacio (El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve)

How many days in San Ignacio? In Randomtrip we stayed one night, to walk around the town and mainly to do gray whale watching in the lagoon, and we considered it enough.

We are now entering the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, created in 1988, it is one of the largest natural reserves in the world (and the largest in Mexico), with more than 2 million hectares.

San Ignacio Lagoon is one of the two lagoons where gray whale watching is possible in this reserve (with somewhat different rules from the southern areas of Baja California Sur). Here we tell you about our experience doing the whale watching tour in San Ignacio Lagoon.

Although the main attraction of San Ignacio is its lagoon and being able to watch, during the winter months, the gray whales in freedom in Laguna San Ignacio, San Ignacio was a pleasant surprise.

We found it very nice and if, as in Randomtrip, you spend a few hours here, we recommend:

• Have dinner (or lunch) at Rancho Grande Restaurant.
• Contemplate the carved stone façade of the San Ignacio Mission.
• Go to the Museum of Rock Paintings of San Ignacio

Gray Whale Watching in San Ignacio lagoon (Baja California Sur, Mexico): everything you need to know

Guerrero Negro and Laguna Ojo de Liebre (El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve)

How many days in Guerrero Negro? In Randomtrip we stayed one night, to see the salt flats, the dunes, visit the Whale Museum and do a gray whale watching tour in the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, and we consider it enough.

Also belonging to the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is the lagoon in BCS where the highest number of gray whales come during the winter to mate or calve, and it was the place where we saw the most gray whales and the closest.

We did it with Mario’s Tours, a company very committed to the gray whales, which also has a Whale Museum, and we can highly recommend them. You can read more about our experience in our complete guide to gray whale watching in Guerrero Negro.

Although the main attraction of Guerrero Negro is being able to see the gray whales in the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, and although Guerrero Negro itself does not have much to visit, in the surrounding area there are some incredible plans that you cannot miss:

• Crossing the border between Baja California Sur and Baja California: since Guerrero Negro is right on the border, you can change states by crossing the border, especially to do the plan we propose below
• Visit the Dunas de la Soledad: you will have to cross a few minutes to Baja California, and the sunset in the dunes is incredible.
• Bathe and float in Los Amargos: it’s not the Dead Sea, it’s Guerrero Negro! In the Guerrero Negro Salt Mine, the largest in the world, there is an area known as Los Amargos, where there are pools whose water contains a lot of salt, which is why you will float. Besides being fun, this water is good for exfoliating the skin, but it is very important that you do not bring it near your mouth or drink it (they say it gives you horrible diarrhea), and that you limit your time in it (they recommended a maximum of 20 minutes). It is also an excellent place to watch the sunset.
• Approach the bird refuge: from there you will be able to see different types of birds.
• Visit the old lighthouse

Gray Whale Watching in Ojo de Liebre (Guerrero Negro, BCS, Mexico): everything you need to know

Get inspired by the stories of our trip to Baja California Sur

Here are the featured Instagram stories (don’t you follow us yet?) from our time in Baja California Sur, where we spent a month doing whale watching tours and visiting various places:

• Stories from Los Cabos
• Stories of Cabo Pulmo
• Stories from Todos Santos
• Stories from La Paz
• Stories from Magdalena Bay
• Stories from Loreto
• Stories from Mulegé
• Stories from San Ignacio
• Stories from Guerrero Negro

Where to stay in Baja California Sur

Depending on your itinerary and the number of days you travel in Baja California Sur, you will probably have to make several bases, as the state is large and the distances are long.

Here we leave you some suggestions and the best areas in each point where we made base, you can see more suggestions in each specific guide of each destination, which we will publish soon.

• Los Cabos: you can choose to stay in Cabo San Lucas (more touristic but more options, most of the tours to see humpback whales leave from here), or in San Jose del Cabo (also touristic but quieter). There are also a multitude of hotels and resorts all along the strip of coastline that connects both places. At Randomtrip we stayed at Casa Bohemia in Cabo San Lucas for 5 nights.
• Cabo Pulmo: a diving paradise, if you are going to dive you will have to get up early, so it is advisable to look for accommodation near your dive center. At Randomtrip we stayed at Bungalows Cabo Pulmo.
• Todos Santos: it is one hour from La Paz and one hour from Los Cabos, so you could visit during the day and not stay overnight. If you decide to stay overnight, you have the option to sleep in the Pueblo Mágico, or also on the coast, for example in Pescadero or Playa Cerritos as we did in Randomtrip, for 2 nights, at the Cerritos Beach Palace Casa Gaia, a house that we loved in Cerritos beach, where you can see the sea (and, hopefully, some humpback whales) from the living room and its beautiful terrace, 15 minutes drive from Todos Santos.
• La Paz: La Paz is an excellent base for several days as from there you can make several tours or excursions to nearby places. Ideally, stay near the malecon and the cathedral, where you will find more options for restaurants and bars in the evenings. At Randomtrip we stayed in La Paz twice, six nights the first time and one night the second, at Maar Studios and liked it. Our friends from Los Cabos recommended the Aquamarina (where they usually stay when they go to La Paz) but it had no availability when we went.
• Puerto Chale: the closest point to La Paz to see gray whales, there are not many options to stay overnight, but if you do not want to get up early you can find something. In Randomtrip we didn’t stay overnight, we went from La Paz (a little more than 2 hours by car).
• Puerto San Carlos / Magdalena Bay: another popular option for gray whale watching. You can stay in Puerto San Carlos (cheaper) or in Magdalena Island, in the bay itself, in a glamping from where you can do a whale expedition (as we did in Randomtrip for 3 days and 2 nights), quite an experience. In Puerto San Carlos you can stay at the Hotel Isabela (from the same company we did the whale expedition with) or at the Hotel Prado’s where we stayed the first night to go out to the bay early in the morning (due to lack of availability at Hotel Isabela) and we liked it very much.
• Loreto: the place to see blue whales, and also to explore the beautiful islands of its national park or hike the Sierra de la Giganta. At Randomtrip we stayed twice (on the way up and on the way down), two nights each time, in a HospedArte studio and recommend it for its good location and good value for money. Ideally, stay in downtown Loreto and/or on the Malecon.
• Mulegé: charming little town and a green oasis in Baja California Sur, as well as an excellent base to explore the incredible beaches of Bahía Concepción. At Randomtrip we stayed 5 nights in Mulegé because we wanted to take a break from the pace we were on and catch up on some work.
• San Ignacio: small town whose main tourist asset is the sighting of gray whales in the lagoon of the same name. Accommodation in San Ignacio is limited, although there are also camping and glamping options next to the lagoon. At Randomtrip we stayed one night in town, to do the whale watching the next morning and continue on our way.
• Guerrero Negro: it is worth going to Guerrero Negro to visit the Dunas de La Soledad (already in the Baja California state, and from where there are spectacular sunsets), see the largest salt mine in the world (and float in the salty waters as if you were in the Dead Sea) and, above all, see gray whales (of the 6 tours we did to see gray whales, the one in Guerrero Negro was undoubtedly the best in terms of the number of whales and how close we saw them). At Randomtrip we only stayed one night, it doesn’t matter which area of Guerrero Negro you choose to stay in if you go with a rental car.

Best restaurants and what to eat in Baja California Sur

In Baja California Sur we loved the food, the main ingredients are fish and seafood and you will find them in a variety of ways: fish or shrimp with different types of tortillas (tacos, tostadas, burritos, quesadillas…), molcajetes, ceviches, aguachiles… One of the specialties of the area is the chocolata clam, a large clam that can be prepared in different ways.

Here are some suggestions of restaurants where to eat in each place of Baja California Sur, you can see more in the complete guide of each destination that we will publish soon:

• Cabo San Lucas:
  • Los Claros: excellent fish and seafood tacos.
  • Tacos Guss: delicious and inexpensive tacos (the shrimp tacos were spectacular).
  • La Taquiza: delicious tacos (we tried the tacos al pastor)
  • Left Coast Burger: very good smashed burgers
  • Los orígenes Tacos & Beer: more expensive but good tacos in the middle of the marina
  • Baja brewing: terrace with great views and good Baja craft beer
  • Fiore Bakery & Coffee: expensive but very good specialty coffee, good croissants too
  • Tropical Kitchen Cabo: delicious vegetarian and vegan food
• San José del Cabo:
  • Tamales Doña Nina: tamales street stand by the church, very tasty.
  • Armario, Art – Coffee – Bar: we had a snack while having cocktails, good ambience
• Cabo Pulmo:
  • Pelicanos: recommended by the dive center, very good burgers (the shrimp one is especially good).
  • Tacos & Beer: good and cheap
  • Los Tornados: excellent breakfasts and opens at 7:00, to go before diving.
• Todos Santos:
  • La Paceña and El Mar Azul: street stalls with fish and seafood tacos, tostadas and quesadillas, side by side, cheap and very good.
  • Fish Taco Santo Chilote: excellent fish tacos
• La Paz:
  • Taco Fish La Paz: We loved these fish and shrimp tacos. Good, hearty and inexpensive with super friendly service.
  • La Carreta: we liked the shrimp and sierra salad tostadas so much that we went back for more.
  • Claros Fish Jr.: another taco place that we loved and very well priced. Ideal to try several specialties of Southern Californian gastronomy.
  • Made Pizza Bar: if you have a craving for pizza, go to Made, incredible quality and they serve both traditional and original pizzas. In fact, in the same street pizzeria there are several options with several terraces and a good vibe (Note that the pizzeria does not open until 17:00h).
  • Paradiso Bakery: if you don’t want Mexican snacks or local breakfast in the morning, Paradiso’s bread, juices, croissants and coffee are your best option. It was the place where we had the best breakfast in La Paz. It is on the same premises as Made Pizzas but Paradiso is not open in the evenings, only in the mornings so they share the beautiful terrace.
• Puerto San Carlos:
  • Mariscos El Tiburón de San Carlos: excellent local seafood restaurant at very good prices. Try the chocolata clam.
  • La Choya: another good option for seafood and fish that was recommended to us, but we didn’t get to try it.
  • Tortas Lore: local restaurant with tortas, sandwiches, quesadillas… at very good prices.
• Loreto:
  • Dory Luz: typical Mexican dishes at a very good price in a family restaurant. From breakfast, tacos, burritos, flautas, sopes and quesadillas. Delicious.
  • Bajamar: tacos, ceviche, fish and seafood right on the boardwalk.
  • El Calorón: delicious tacos and tostadas in front of the sea (also on the malecón).
  • Gorditas Gordibuenas: as the name suggests, excellent gorditas in Loreto.
  • Asadero Super Burro: known as the best burritos in Loreto (roast beef, chicken or arrachera burritos).
  • Marquesitas Food Truck (Maré Lindo Loreto): as we missed the famous Yucatecan Marquesitas (between a waffle and a crepe, sweet or savory filling), when we found this food truck in the middle of Miguel Hidalgo Avenue in Loreto, we were thrilled.
  • Alma del Sur: burgers, salads, sandwiches, beers and margaritas.
  • Mezzaluna: pizzas, fresh pasta, empanadas and milanesas with a wine list of Baja California wines and craft beers.
• Mulegé:
  • Nomadico Baja Coffee and Brunch: excellent coffee and lunch options, right on the beach in front of the ocean.
  • Mulegé Brewing Company: craft beers and good pizzas and burgers.
  • Asadero y Mariscos Mario: good fish and shrimp tacos.
  • El Kaluly: seafood restaurant with good tacos and seafood dishes.
  • Los Equipales: highly recommended Mexican restaurant
• San Ignacio:
  • Rancho Grande: the place everyone goes to at night in San Ignacio, Mexican food and good prices.
• Guerrero Negro:
  • Eugenia’s: restaurant with some international options, good service, food and prices.
  • Mario’s: Mario’s Tours restaurant, recommended for gray whale watching. Mexican food and good prices
  • Tacos El Muelle: street food stand, good fish and seafood tacos.

Baja California Sur Itineraries

As we indicated, we believe that to get to know the state of Baja California Sur you will need at least 2-3 weeks, more if you want to enjoy its beaches at your leisure. Here are some suggestions of itineraries for different amounts of days, as well as our month-long itinerary for Baja California Sur.

Things to see and do in Baja California Sur in 2-3 days (one weekend)

If you only have 2-3 days, we recommend choosing an area based on the plans you want to make.

Here are some sample itineraries, designed for the whale season (winter, December to April). In case you travel in another season you can substitute whale watching for other activities:

2-3 day itinerary in Los Cabos

• Day 1: Arrival and humpback whale watching tour. If you arrive early you can add another plan like a tour to the arch and the beaches of love and divorce in Cabo San Lucas. You can watch the sunset from the sea on the tour or at Solmar Beach.
• Day 2: spend the day visiting San Jose del Cabo, both its historic center and its beaches, or the beaches between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.
• Day 3: make the climb to Cerro del Vigia with Henrique first thing in the morning. If you have time to spare, you can enjoy other beaches in Cabo San Lucas, go to the Natural History Museum, etc.

2-3 day itinerary in La Paz

• Day 1: Arrival and visit to Balandra Bay, its beaches and viewpoints.
• Day 2: combined tour (whale shark + sea lions, sea lions+spiritu santo, etc.)
• Day 3: you can do a whale watching tour in Puerto Chale, or visit La Paz (historical center, boardwalk, Whale Museum…).

2-3 day itinerary in Loreto

• Day 1: Arrival and visit to the nearby beaches of Bahía Concepción.
• Day 2: combined tour (blue whale + coronado island or another island in the National Park)
• Day 3: visit the historic center of Loreto and trekking to one of the canyons (Tabor or Mesquite).

Things to see and do in Baja California Sur in 4-5 days

With 4-5 days you can extend the above itineraries to visit several areas, but without going too far as the distances are great.

Here are some suggestions for 5-day itineraries:

5-day itinerary in La Paz and Los Cabos

• Day 1: Arrival in La Paz and visit to Balandra Bay, its beaches and viewpoints.
• Day 2: combined tour (whale shark + sea lions, sea lions+spiritu santo, etc.)
• Day 3: you can do a whale watching tour in Puerto Chale, or visit La Paz (historical center, boardwalk, Whale Museum…).
• Day 4: Early transfer to Cabo San Lucas, stopping to visit Todos Santos on the way. In the afternoon go on a humpback whale watching tour and watch the sunset at Playa Solmar.
• Day 5: spend the day visiting San Jose del Cabo, both its historic center and its beaches, or the beaches between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

5-day itinerary in Loreto

• Day 1: Arrival and visit to the nearby beaches of Bahía Concepción.
• Day 2: combined tour (blue whale + coronado island or another island in the National Park)
• Day 3: visit the historic center of Loreto and trekking to one of the canyons (Tabor or Mesquite).
• Day 4: gray whale watching tour in Magdalena Bay (Puerto San Carlos)
• Day 5: tour to Mulegé and Santa Rosalía

Things to see and do in Baja California Sur in 7 days (one week)

Here is a suggested itinerary for a week:

7-day itinerary in La Paz and Los Cabos

• Day 1: Arrive in La Paz and visit Balandra Bay, its beaches and viewpoints.
• Day 2: combined tour (whale shark + sea lions, sea lions+spiritu santo, etc.)
• Day 3: you can do a whale watching tour in Puerto Chale, or visit La Paz (historical center, boardwalk, Whale Museum…).
• Day 4: Early transfer to Cabo San Lucas, stopping to visit Todos Santos on the way. In the afternoon go on a humpback whale watching tour and watch the sunset at Playa Solmar.
• Day 5: spend the day visiting San Jose del Cabo, both its historic center and its beaches, or the beaches between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.
• Day 6: make the climb to Cerro del Vigia with Henrique first thing in the morning. If you have time to spare, you can enjoy other beaches in Cabo San Lucas, go to the Natural History Museum, etc.
• Day 7: day trip to Santiago, Sierra de la Laguna, to visit the Zorra Canyon and the hot springs.

Things to see and do in Baja California Sur in 2 weeks

With two weeks you can have a good road-trip through Baja California Sur. Here is a suggested itinerary:

2 week itinerary in Baja California Sur

• Days 1 to 3: Los Cabos
• Day 4: Cabo Pulmo
• Days 5 to 7: La Paz
• Days 8 to 9: Loreto
• Days 10 to 11: Mulegé
• Day 12: Guerreo Negro
• Days 13-14: return to departure airport, stopping wherever you want/suitable

Things to see and do in Baja California Sur in 3 weeks

With 3 weeks you can do the above itinerary adding more days in some places and/or some extra places (Magdalena Bay, San Ignacio, Todos Santos…). Here is an example:

3-week itinerary in Baja California Sur

• Days 1 to 4: Los Cabos
• Days 5 to 6: Cabo Pulmo
• Days 7 to 10: La Paz
• Days 11 to 12: Loreto
• Days 13 to 14: Mulegé
• Day 15: Guerrero Negro
• Day 16: San Ignacio
• Days 17-21: return to airport of departure stopping where desired (e.g. 1 day in Loreto, 2 days in La Paz, 1 day in Todos Santos, 1 day in Los Cabos).

Things to see and do in Baja California Sur in 4 weeks: our itinerary

This was our month-long itinerary touring Baja California Sur with a rental car:

• Days 1 to 5: Los Cabos and Humpback Whale Watching
• Days 6 to 11: La Paz (beaches, snorkeling with whale sharks, snorkeling with sea lions, visit to Espiritu Santo Island, gray whale watching in Puerto Chale…)
• Days 12 to 14: Gray whale watching in Magdalena Bay and gampling in Magdalena Island.
• Days 15 to 16: Loreto
• Day 17: Guerrero Negro (Gray whale watching)
• Day 18: San Ignacio (Gray whale watching)
• Days 19 to 23: Mulegé (Bahía Concepción beaches)
• Days 24 to 25: Loreto (blue whale watching and tour to Coronado Island)
• Day 26: Cabo Pulmo
• Days 27 to 28: Todos Santos
• Day 29: La Paz

Transportation: Getting around Baja California Sur

Without a doubt, the best way to get around Baja California Sur is by rental car: this will allow you to maximize your time in the state (which as you have seen, has a lot to offer and long distances), access all the beaches and corners at your leisure, and in our opinion, enjoy the driving itself (driving the endless straight roads of Baja California Sur with its desert landscapes, eagles and roadrunners crossing them is an attraction in itself).

At any of the airports you arrive at(Los Cabos, La Paz or Loreto) you will be able to rent a car; as always, it is convenient to confirm not only the price but also the insurance included and what it covers (as well as the value of the excess). We recommend using comparators such as Discover Cars to be able to compare prices and conditions quickly.

In our case, we arrived in Baja California Sur at Los Cabos airport and left from La Paz airport. The car rental company we recommended, America Car Rental (and which we had already used twice in the Yucatan Peninsula) only had a booth in Los Cabos, so we rented a first car which we returned in Los Cabos, and then rented another car for the last 2 days which we picked up in Los Cabos and delivered in La Paz, with Localiza.

The experience with America Car Rental during the 28 days was excellent: the car (a small Nissan March fairly new) worked perfectly, we had no problems and both the pick up and return were fast and smooth. To highlight the attention received by both the person of the pick-up and the one of the return, both treated us very well and gave us many tips (of Baja California Sur in the pick-up and of Oaxaca, our next destination, in the return). The price was 540 MXN (about 28$) per day, extending the insurance for no excess.

Some tips when driving:

• Sometimes there are military controls, where you will have to stop and get out of the car and they will inspect the vehicle and ask you some questions (where are you coming from, where are you going, how long are you in the state, etc.). There is nothing to worry about, they are routine controls, just cooperate and that’s it. We were stopped twice, both times without any problem.
• The roads are generally in good condition, but there are areas where there are potholes that if you go too fast you can damage the car: drive slowly, with caution and attention, and avoid driving at night.
• Animals sometimes cross the roads without warning: cows, roadrunners, etc. One more reason to drive slowly, with caution and attention, and avoiding the night where it is more difficult to see the animals with enough time to react.
• Always fill the tank before leaving, especially when you are going to make longer trips: sometimes it is not easy to find gas stations, or you find one but it is disabled because they are refilling the tanks, so you should always have extra fuel.
• Parking is usually not a problem, it can only be a bit more complicated in Los Cabos / La Paz, but even there we always find parking space easily. Many accommodations have parking as well.

In case you don’t want to (or can’t) rent a car, you have some public transportation options:

• Autobuses Aguila connects the main cities of the peninsula between Los Cabos and Tijuana.
• Within Los Cabos (connecting Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and the airport) you have Ruta del Desierto buses.
• In La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo you can use Uber.

How to get internet in Baja California Sur

To always have internet on your smartphone, the easiest and most convenient way (if your phone supports eSIM) is to buy an eSIM from Holafly, which has unlimited data (you get a 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP), or to buy an eSIM from Airalo, cheaper but with limited data (15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15)

The other option, cheaper but more cumbersome, is to buy a local SIM, which we recommend is from Telcel (the main telecom company in Mexico, with more coverage).

Safety: Is it safe to travel to Baja California Sur?

Baja California Sur is a sparsely populated and very touristic state, and it is also one of the safest states in Mexico, so you have nothing to worry about, beyond the typical precautions you should take when traveling abroad.

In any case, we always have our Iati travel insurance (which also covers our belongings) as in all our trips and gives us more peace of mind. If you contract your travel insurance in this Randomtrip link, you will get it with a 5% discount.

Money in Baja California Sur: cards to save on commissions

To pay and withdraw money in Mexico while minimizing fees, we recommend the 2 cards we use in our case:

• Revolut: with the standard version up to 1000$ without commission on card payments (remember to always pay in local currency – Mexican pesos). Up to 400$ of withdrawals at ATMs without commission, from then on commission of 1%.
• N26: with the free version you can pay with your card without commissions in an unlimited way. For ATM withdrawals, you pay 1.7% commission, which you can eliminate by paying for the monthly plans You (the one we use) or Metal.

It is important to keep in mind that although your card does not charge a fee for ATM withdrawals, ATMs in Mexico do charge a fee for their use. The ones that charge the least are Banamex (31 pesos, 1.7$), Banco Santander (34 pesos, 1.8$) or Banco Azteca (34 pesos, 1.8$), so when withdrawing money try to withdraw as much as possible to save money.

Another important issue when withdrawing money at an ATM in Mexico: many times the ATM will ask you if you want the transaction to be done in local currency (Mexican pesos) or in your own currency (in our case, it was euros): always choose the local currency option, otherwise, it will apply an unfavorable exchange rate and you will be overpaying (as a hidden commission).

The above also applies to card payments (although the option almost never appears, on several occasions also when paying with a card in establishments we were shown an amount in euros instead of pesos). In our case it almost always happened to us with the orange CLIP terminals. If this happens to you, ask the person to charge you in Mexican pesos.

A bad practice in Mexico is that in any business where you want to pay with a card, they have the habit of asking you for your card and do the whole process themselves, passing you the terminal only to enter the PIN (in Mexico they call it “firma” or NIP). This means that sometimes, depending on the type of terminal, you do not see the amount and/or you are charged in the original currency of your card instead of in Mexican pesos – making you lose money because an unfavorable conversion is applied. Always ask nicely to be allowed to see the process to make sure you are charged the correct amount and in local currency.

Finally, some establishments charge an extra commission for payment by card (the times it happened to us, it was 5%), they always tell you before and if you do not see it when confirming the amount. In those cases, it is better to pay with cash.

Tipping: The tipping culture is very well established in Mexico, and although it is not and cannot be obligatory by law, it is in practice, since it is frowned upon not to leave a tip. It is recommended to leave a minimum of 10% (usually you will be asked at the time of payment, and if you pay by credit card, the terminal usually gives you the option of adding 10, 15 or 20% as a tip).

How much does a trip to Baja California Sur cost?

Making a budget is complex as it depends greatly on your type of trip: how many plans you want to include in your trip, if you are going to go to restaurants or cook to save money, the type of accommodation you are going to use… In any case, so you can get an idea, we leave below the average prices and what we consider as average price per day (we reiterate that these are GUIDELINE prices and may vary at any time):

• Flights/transportation within Mexico: From 1200 pesos (60$) from CDMX and from 3000 MXN (150$) from Cancun round trip flight without checked baggage with low cost airlines. Use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi to find the best price.
• Transportation: From 500 pesos (25$) per day for a basic car rental and insurance with excess.
• Accommodation: from 900 MXN (45$)/night for a room with private bathroom or small apartment with kitchen. Find accommodation of all types and prices on Booking, with up to 15% discount.
• Restaurants: a multitude of options between 100 and 600 pesos (between 5$ and 30$) per person, for all tastes.
• Tours: You’ll want to take whale watching tours or snorkel with sea lions and whale sharks. They cost between 600 and 3000 pesos (between 30$ and 150$) per tour per person.

In total, a one week trip (7 nights) to Baja California Sur departing from Mexico can cost you between 1800 and 2500 pesos (between 90 and 125$) per person per day, with the cheapest lodging options, eating out in cheap restaurants and doing some tours. If you are traveling from outside Mexico, you will have to add the flight to Mexico.

Useful Apps to get around Baja California Sur

• Google Maps (Android / iOS): is the one we use to save/classify all the places we want to go/we have been and as GPS both to orient ourselves on foot and if we rent a car. It also includes public transport information if there is any. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, telephone numbers to contact them, etc. You can also open our map with all the places included in this guide.
• Maps.me (Android / iOS): application similar to Google Maps but works offline (although Google Maps can also work offline, it works better) and in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have.
• Uber: taxi/VTC ordering app that you can use in La Paz and Los Cabos
• Windy (Android / iOS / Web): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously the forecasts are not 100% reliable.

Tips for traveling to Baja California Sur as a responsible tourist

• If you are going to do the whale watching activity, choose to do it with a responsible company (whale watching is happily regulated in Mexico) that prioritizes animal welfare and complies with official regulations.
• Be responsible when visiting a place: a large influx of people to a certain site can have a negative impact so respect the rules, do not climb the tree/monument you are visiting, do not paint on its walls, avoid touching and, out of respect for the rest of the people visiting the place, do not make noise or “monopolize” the place with your photos.
• Take care of the natural monuments and respect the existing rules
• If you rent a car, respect the speed limits on highways.
• Avoid the use of plastic and do not throw garbage away
• Don’t be an accomplice to animal abuse: Any other attraction where animals are in captivity and/or used for human entertainment.
• Respect other people: don’t play your music loud, pick up your trash; don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the place better than you found it.
• Always travel with travel insurance: medical expenses, theft or problems with your plane on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so the ideal thing is to take out travel insurance. At Randomtrip we always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount.

Checklist: what to bring in your backpack/suitcase for Baja California Sur

Here is a list of must-haves you can’t forget to take with you on your trip to Baja California Sur:

• International plug adapter such as these as they use type A plugs (those with two flat parallel pins).
• A reusable water bottle like one of these to carry water with you all the time and void single-use plastic.
• Water Shoes as these ideal to carry always with you to avoid hurting your feet when entering the water or not touching the ground.
• Snorkel kit (mask and snorkel) like this, a must to bring on this trip and contemplate the seabed. Besides being more hygienic because you do not share your snorkel with anyone, in several places they do not rent the equipment and, even if they do rent, with a couple of times you already amortize the price of your own kit.
• Water proof dry bag like this one, very useful to keep your photographic equipment, cell phone and wallet safe from getting wet on the boat (whales sometimes blow near the boat or even hit the water with their fin or tail near the boat, and water can reach the boat).
• UV protection T-shirt like this because in some parts of the Mexican Caribbean it is forbidden or not recommended to use sunscreen / sunblock because its composition damages the marine ecosystem.
• Quick-drying towel such as one of these, which, in addition, does not take up much space in the backpack/suitcase.
• A hat or a cap (like this one) and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun
• A good camera to register your adventures. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony ZV-E10 and a Gopro Hero12 Black (for underwater pictures)
• A Power bank: taking so many pictures will drain your batteries, so it’s always a good idea to carry a good powerbank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Anker 20000 mAh and  Anker 10000 mAh), which allow us to charge both our phones and our cameras.
• Sun screen: the sun is strong in Baja California Sur so it is a must to take care of your skin. Always look for a Coral Friendly Sunscreen, i.e. one that protects your skin without harming marine ecosystems by avoiding ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are harmful to corals. Nor that it has been tested on animals.
• Mosquito repellent: like this one, it should have at least 15% deet
• First aid kit: In our first-aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication (and a probiotic to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics and, of course, travel insurance. If you hire your travel insurance with IATI using this link you will get a 5% discount

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Want to know another side of Mexico (and, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful)? What are you waiting for, Randomtripper? Do you have any questions? Leave them in the comments!