After a busy spell with work, I was thinking of a getaway to celebrate my husband’s birthday. La Paz on Baja’s Sea of Cortez seemed the perfect choice – close enough (La Paz is short two-hour flight from LAX) yet a world away.
Also, because La Paz means “the peace” in Spanish, it sounded like just the type of place for some much-needed R&R, plus it offered sport fishing — a birthday wish.
While waiting for our flight at LAX, we chatted with a young man who told us he had fallen in love with La Paz and moved down there a few months before. He told us he easily conducts his business as a life coach from his home in La Paz. “I have an Orange County phone number and when my clients call me they don’t know I’m in La Paz.” He told us he helps people “find their bliss” and he gushed that he had found his own bliss in La Paz. This unsolicited testimonial happily increased our excitement to discover La Paz for ourselves.
From the air you can easily see that Baja California Sur is a long peninsula that is basically an extension of California. The 1000-mile-long peninsula straddles two coasts -- the Pacific Ocean to the west and the legendary Sea of Cortez on the east.
La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, is the perfect gateway to the Sea of Cortez. It’s a colonial city with a permanent population of approximately 250,000, although it swells with visiting tourists. And it’s considered one of the safest places in Mexico, another enticement.
While Cabo San Lucas, 130 miles to the south, has a livelier reputation that attracts more American turistas, La Paz is more of a sleepy fishing village without much flash or nightlife. This suited us perfectly. Locals pride themselves on the town’s un-Cabo-like character and it was the perfect tempo for our getaway.
La Paz sits on a wide sparkling bay (bahia in Spanish) whose views can best be enjoyed from the malecón, a waterfront promenade punctuated by public art and benches that offer the best front row views of nightly spectacular sunsets. We had the good fortune of having expansive unobstructed views of the bahia, the marina and post card sunsets from our hotel balcony.
The malecón also features a small pier and a music gazebo which is the town’s center for convivial community events. The malecón is a lively scene with joggers, power walkers, seniors, teenagers, and spellbound turistas who gather for strolls along the seawall walkway.
A Storied Sea
Here you can see how the desert meets the sea in dramatic fashion. The Sea of Cortez has captivated adventurers since 1535 when the Spanish explorer Hernan Cortez first laid eyes on the azure waters dotted with numerous tiny islands. The local inhabitants resisted any attempts by Cortez and other Spanish conquistadores to colonize. Long about 1720, the Jesuit missionaries were successful in establishing the Nuestra Senora del Pilar de la Paz Mission. This was the first of many missions that eventually extended northward throughout California.
Since then the Sea has seduced pirates and many notables such as John Steinbeck, Clark Gable, and Jacques Cousteau — all of them drawn by the enchantment of the Sea of Cortez. Whether it was for the purpose of exploring, navigating or fishing, the Sea has enthralled countless adventurous souls who have encountered it. We were no exception.
When Spaniards first ventured into the Sea of Cortez in the 1500s they encountered a rich sea of oyster pearls. Stories of abundant pearls and riches fueled legends that traveled back to Spain. Indeed, pearls were a lucrative business in La Paz until an epizootic disease killed off the entire pearl-oyster population sometime after World War ll.
John Steinbeck’s fascination with the Sea began in 1940 while on an expedition with a biologist friend to gather fish specimens. Steinbeck immediately fell under the spell of the fabled Sea of Cortez. From his book, “The Log from the Sea of Cortez,” Steinbeck wrote: “The abundance of life here gives one an exuberance, a feeling of fullness and richness.” He was excited by the playful porpoises, the turtles, and the great schools of fish.
Over a third of John Steinbeck's work is either set in Mexico or features characters of Mexican descent. From 1932 until the mid 1950s, he wrote often about the environment, history, culture and politics of Mexico.
During the months he spent at the Sea of Cortez, Steinbeck had been told of a mythical story about a poor fisherman that finds a magnificent pearl which causes him more tragedy than the riches he expected. This inspired Steinbeck’s novella “The Pearl” which he wrote in 1947. It’s a cautionary tale about greed and was later made into a Spanish language film. Steinbeck was deeply affected by the beauty and people of Baja and his observations were among the earliest by an author of international stature.
A Natural Wonder
The Sea of Cortez is an undisputed eco-paradise. The Sea has 244 islands, all were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The islands are home to 695 plant species and 891 fish species, 90 of them endemic. This explains why Jacques Cousteau referred to the Sea of Cortez as the world’s aquarium and why the Sea is regarded as one of the top ten diving spots in the world.
From the tip of the La Paz Bahia at Playa el Tecolote, we hoisted ourselves onto a fiberglass skiff called a panga and set off to the closest islands, Isla Espíritu Santo (Holy Spirit Island). We spent a good part of the day cruising the crystal blue water around the entire island. It was a feast for the senses with stunning sights of dramatic rock formations and abundant sea life.
Because it’s a preserve, the island is uninhabited except for a boisterous colony of sea lions, a variety of birds and the islands endemic black jackrabbit. In these waters you’ll find North America’s only living coral reef which makes for fabulous snorkeling, too. At one of the spots, the boat’s captain anchored so we could snorkel and swim among the sea lions who were courteous hosts and took our presence in stride.
Stop Wishing, Go Fishing
And, of course, the Sea of Cortez is legendary for world-class fishing. The variety of fish in the Sea of Cortez and the great depth of the water so close to the shoreline give the region its stellar reputation for fishing. Clark Gable used to come here to fish for marlin. You can see an old photo of him posing with an impressive catch in the bar at Los Arcos Hotel, in downtown La Paz.
Our hotel was able to arrange a charter fishing boat for my husband and he was like an excited kid heading off on his first day of summer camp. Tired but exuberant, he returned with more than 20 pounds of mahi mahi. His birthday wish was fulfilled.
The hotel’s restaurant prepared a wonderful dinner for us that evening with the freshly-caught fish—the ceviche was superb. They will also flash freeze the fish and package it for you to take home. We came to understand why we saw so many men at LAX were checking in large coolers. Note to self: next time take a cooler.
A Day Trip to Todos Santos
While Alex was communing with the fishes, I took a day trip to Todo Santos, about an hour away by car from La Paz. Todo Santos (translation: all saints) is an enchanting coastal village on the Pacific side of Baja. Named one of Mexico’s 23 “Pueblo Magico,” Todos Santos is a one of Baja’s must-see towns.
Todos Santos is a small but colorful artsy enclave of surfers, bohemians and sanctuary-seeking American expats. The cultural stew has assimilated well with the Mexican families who have inhabited the town for generations.
The town has an underground spring that makes for ideal farming conditions, hence, the town is very green with robust agriculture. This means restaurants benefit from fresh produce year round. The main street has friendly cafes, boutiques and a historical/cultural center. What Todos Santos lacks in size it makes up in its sophisticated artistic ambiance.
Slow Down and Enjoy
Check your normal pace at the border. There’s a decidedly laid-back “manana” approach to life in La Paz; life has a slower pace here.
But this sleepy, peaceful haven has been discovered by speculators and developers building several major resorts. The good news: peace can still be had in La Paz and it’s a destination with old-world Mexican charm.
General Tourism Information:
www.golapaz.com