Trip to Baja California, a dive into the aquarium of the world

THETheir song is a sound that belongs to the liquid silence of an ancestral world. Vibrant and powerful, it crosses the blue blanket and spreads for hundreds of kilometers, overcoming every coral reef and every human noise. A low frequency melody, modulated to seduce and orient, the song of the male gray whale echoes in the submerged cathedrals of the Baja Californiaespecially in Guerrero Negro Lagoon And Ojo de Liebre. The long desert ridge, battered by the implacable Pacific to the west and the Sea of ​​Cortez to the east, has now been a planetary sanctuary since the 1970s, when the Mexicothe first state in the world, created protected reserves for whales.

Baja California, desire for freedom

An irresistible frontier of escape, a place where the sense of freedom could be fully feltalso thanks to the absence of rules, in the ’60s Baja was the “place to be” (the place to be) of Californians. A legendary status, due in large part to Baja 1,000a motocross race inaugurated in that decade and made famous by icons such as Steve McQueen.

At that time the only road was not asphalted and even today the real Baja can only be discovered by leaving the motorway and venturing on ancient mule tracks from the era of the conquistadors, which connect oases, ranches and ancient missions. Only in this way can you breathe the authentic essence of a territory suspended between desert and sea.

The wild breath of the beach

It’s dramatic coast of Todos Santoswhere the ocean falls hundreds of meters a few steps from the shore, and the dance of the cetaceans that suddenly rise, jumping a few tens of meters from the beach towards the sky, is something hypnotic and magnetic. Turning your back on the ocean you discover an enclave of surfers in search of the highest wave, of Mexican sculptors and artists, and of musicians – Bono and Peter Gabriel are real regulars – who in the evenings gather at the Hotel California, the resort that has inspired urban legends, even if the only ones who have never set foot there are the Eagles themselves.

In the cactus desert

Towards La Pazthe capital of Baja California Sur, the desert opens up into an expanse of rocky silences and cacti, from the robust saguaro to the cardon, interrupted every now and then by hidden oasesdotted with palm trees, boojum trees and yuccas. In the background, the mountains of Sierra de la Gigantaharsh and imposing, they trace horizons sculpted by the wind and the sun, while the intense light of the Pacific paints the aridity of ocher, red and beige. Initially hit by powerful waves and jagged beaches, here the coast softens, drawing the white sands of El Mogote and the turquoise bays, framed by arid hills, creating a contrast that is pure poetry.

The guardians of the mangroves

TO El Manglitothe neighborhood of La Paz made famous by John Steinbeck, the Guardianas del Conchalito, a group of ecological activists, have transformed the protection of mangroves into an act of emancipation. “We want to clean the place up. And we want to be paid to do it” they declared, starting a silent revolution made up of nights of surveillance against drug dealers and illegal boats. The group, which took its name from the rare callos de hacha (seafood), brought the mangroves back to life and today runs a recognized cooperative: «The truth is that we have transformed not only the mangroves but also ourselves» they whisper, opening up opportunities for the new generations too. And so, between the resilience of those who guard the territory and the memory of the pearl divers recorded on paper by Steinbeck, La Paz reveals its undeniable charm. Outpost of corsairs for boarding galleons, here there is also a wind that bears their name. While the sunset sets the bay on fire and the coromuel slowly begins to expire, the waters still reflect the sparkle of the pearls that inspired Steinbeck and his dreamlike connection with the Gulf of California, so much so that he noted in his The Log from the Sea of ​​Cortez. “Trying to remember the Gulf is like trying to recreate a dream.”

In the heart of the biosphere

From El Hongothe solitary rock near La Paz, unravels the way towards the archipelago of Espíritu Santodeclared a UNESCO Biosphere for the richness of its ecosystem. The islands preserve an archaic geology, shaped by lava cliffs, mangroves, ancient craters and thin strips of land where the black of the lava, the pink of the rocks and the pearly shades of the volcanic ash chase each other without interruption. Near Playa de la Ballena rock paintings left by the ancestors of the Pericú survive, while, a little further north, Los Islotes they emerge like a constellation of rocks animated by a lively colony of sea lions.

Baja California, duel of marine currents

At the extreme edge of the peninsula, where the rugged Chaparral Desert dives into the blue and the Sea of ​​Cortez meets the Pacific in a duel of currents and reflections, Los Cabos it is a place that seduces with a mix of light, vertigo and wonder, and, as the writer Carlos Fuentes said, you can only live “with fury, passion and bewilderment”. Its most iconic symbol is the rock arch of Cabo San Lucasa natural sculpture that seems to open the doors to another world. All around, the waves forcefully wedge through the opening, while a few sea lions observe, impassive, the continuous theater of boats and glances.

But the essence of Los Cabos does not end in the perfect postcard. It is a territory that thrives on contrasts, excess and grace, the aridity of the desert and the opulence of the resorts, the spring-breakers (Anglo-Saxon students on pre-exam holidays) who chase the cheerful dissipation and rarefied elegance of San José del Cabowhere art galleries and silversmiths preserve a more intimate and mature Mexico. For those who observe with patient eyes, the real stars of Baja are not the glittering hotels but the cacti that dominate the horizon like cathedrals and the zopilotes, the turkey vultures, that circle in the dry air with an unexpected elegance. Or the pelicans, clumsy and wonderful, swooping into the sea celebrated by Jacques Cousteau as “the Aquarium of the World”.

Where to sleep in Baja California, Mexico

Montage Los Cabos
Bahía Santa María, Cabo San Lucas. The resort overlooks one of the rare bathing areas in the area, elegant interior, contemporary Mexican style. Double room from 830 euros. montage.com/loscabos

Todos Santos Boutique Hotel
Legaspy 33, Centro, Todos Santos. Former residence of a Spanish countess, today it is a luxury oasis of just 10 suites. From 852 euros. hoteltodossantos.com

Where to eat

Quemadero
Paseo Alvaro Obregon 1558, La Paz. On the Malecón, it serves typical Baja dishes, such as pulpo zarandeado and mezcal-based cocktails. quemadero.com

Jazamango
Fracc Las Huertas, Todos Santos. Chef Javier Plascencia uses products from the organic garden and the region. Grilled octopus with risotto is on the menu. jazamango.mx

What to buy

Corazón Playero
Álvaro Obregón 19, Gallery Distric, Centro, 23406 San José del Cabo. An all-female Mexican team creates custom hats, hand-woven from palm leaves. instagram.com/corazon_playero

Hello Muy Hello
San Ignacio, Casa Dracula Todos Santos. Concept store with vintage and contemporary pieces by Mexican artisans. instagram.com/pronto.muy.pronto

What to do

Espiritu Santo Island Tour
The tour with biologist includes swimming with sea lions (excluding the mating period from June to September) and discovery of the island’s beaches. From 100 euros. mexicotraveladventure.com/en/adventure/espiritu-santo-island

Swim with whale sharks
A 6-hour boat tour with naturalist guide in the bay of La Paz, where you swim with whale sharks (December and January only). From 123 euros. bajaex.com/destinations/swim-with-whale-sharks