Baja California road trip

[londonscuba]

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a road/diving trip to Baja next year and would appreciate any advice people may have about the timing and details of the trip as well as possible diving destinations. Here are the details: a two week trip, flying into San Diego and renting an SUV (i hear some roads can be bad). We'll then wind our way down to Cabo San Lucas / San Jose, doing some sightseeing and diving anywhere that's good and friendly on the way (or not if there isn't anywhere!). We'll enjoy a few days at various places on the 'southern' coast and then work our way back up again. The timing, accommodation etc. (apart from the two weeks limit) is flexible. Budget is neither student backpacker nor Donald Trump.

We are two 30ish divers, one with about 150 dives in various conditions, the other with about 50 dives in mainly mild, warm conditions (but including the Blue Hole in Belize and the British Channel so not all mediterranean calm!)

Some questions currently in my mind -
a) what time of year should we go? (We would like to do a bit of sunbathing too - important when you come from cloudy London. Not TOO worried about water temp but obviously warmer is better)
b) ratio of time diving Cabo Pulmo vs. Cabo San Lucas vs other(s)
c) is Gorda Banks as difficult a dive as I've read, is it worth the $$ and which is the shore destination easiest to get to it from?
d) best destination to dive with sea lions? (weird fetish)
e) must see dives or places?

Really appreciate any comments or advice people can give. None of my friends over here have ever dived in Mexico.

Thanks

Nick

 

[bikefox]

I have dove Cabo Pulmo, Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. All three are very different places topside. Cabo San Lucas is a bit more expensive and touristy. The diving was good, but limited. I have heard there are some other good areas to dive, but most dive ops. spend most of there time just outside of the marina. It’s good diving for a day or two. I really enjoyed Land's End. I was there when the sardines were schooling, so we had numerous Sea Lions and other game fish in the area. I was there in early Nov.

I only did a day trip to Cabo Pulmo. The diving was great and the town is very isolated and rustic (which I liked). Again I think a couple of days would be plenty. There is current there, so we did all drift diving. Lot of marine life and some small coral. Vis was at least 30m. Beautiful beach and good food/bar. Again, I was there in early November.

I was in La Paz this July/August. I loved the town of La Paz. The people there are very active and outgoing. Since it is much less touristy, no panhandling or people constantly trying to sell you something. The diving was terrific. I saw more marine life then anywhere else I have dove. Everyday we saw mantas, sea horses, hammerheads, pilot whales, etc... At times the fish were so abundant they blocked out the light. The food was unbelievable!!!. One of the other big draws of La Paz was numerous and diverse divesites. We dove seamounts, wrecks, reefs and even some cave/cracks. The only drawback is some of the boat rides were long (1 1/2 hours each way). The vis was not as good in La Paz, but we were told it gets good in the fall.

 

[BurBunny]

One aspect to research for your trip is the rental car. Many agencies stipulate you cannot take their rental "south of the border." So when you're making your reservations, make sure that's not an issue with your particular agency.

 

[londonscuba]

Thanks very much for the information. I'm looking forward to La Paz already! I think we will visit it on the way down and then if we like it a lot just skip down and back to Pulmo/San Lucas. Diving with sea horses would be brilliant. I've seen some great nudibranch photos from the area on these pages too.

As for the car, I wonder if we should just hire it in Tijuana. Some internet research should give me the lowdown on price differences, but Tijuana would save me having to buy two lots of insurance I guess.

thanks!

nick

 

[River_sandbar]

Hi ScubaLondon,

I have drove the Baja a number of times and can give you some pretty good information. Such as things to see along the way. Although I have never dove while I was driving the Baja, I have spent allot of time on the water for fishing.

One of my GREATEST experences in life was watching the whales in Laguna De San Ignacio. A biut out of the way, as it was 50 miles of dirt road to get there... but the chance of a life time.

2 places to look into that are a bit of a sleeper to go to is Bahia Conception and Isla Carmen off od Loreto...

I have a ton of pics if you would like to see them... just simply e-mail me and I will send them.

Jim river_sand_bar@yahoo.com

 

[vistasbelow]

Hi everyone,




a) what time of year should we go? (We would like to do a bit of sunbathing too - important when you come from cloudy London. Not TOO worried about water temp but obviously warmer is better)
b) ratio of time diving Cabo Pulmo vs. Cabo San Lucas vs other(s)
c) is Gorda Banks as difficult a dive as I've read, is it worth the $$ and which is the shore destination easiest to get to it from?
d) best destination to dive with sea lions? (weird fetish)
e) must see dives or places?

a) I think October is a pretty good bet, water still warm but hurricane season pretty much over.
b) Maybe 1 day in cabo san lucas at the most, cabo pulmo is worth 3 or 4 days for sure. Then La Paz is worth several days but hire the fastest boats, the dive sites are far.
c) Gorda banks is definatly advanced diving, you have to be on your game and be in good condition for that one. you can get there from Cabo San lucas or Cabo pulmo but they will only go if there is a full boat of only advanced divers and if the weather is just right.
d) Cabo Pulmo has a sea lion colony but the best place anywhere by far is Los Islotes out of La Paz. (it is awesome)
e) Cabo Pulmo. out of La Paz: Los Islotes, La Reigna, wreck of the Salvatierra, suwanee reef.

all of this is my personal opinion, for what it's worth.

Cheers!
ts

 

[londonscuba]

Thanks for the tips. It sounds like the best time to see the whales (spring) and the best time for the diving (Sept-Oct) are incompatible unfortunately. But perhaps that will be an excuse for two trips!

N

 

[River_sandbar]

London,

Like I was saying, I have driven the Baja many many times... as a matter of fact, I live in San Diego. So if your going to be here at least a day or two, then there are some GREAT places to visit here as well as some very very good British Pubs.

 

[Chocoholic]

Some questions currently in my mind -
a) what time of year should we go? (We would like to do a bit of sunbathing too - important when you come from cloudy London. Not TOO worried about water temp but obviously warmer is better)
b) ratio of time diving Cabo Pulmo vs. Cabo San Lucas vs other(s)
c) is Gorda Banks as difficult a dive as I've read, is it worth the $$ and which is the shore destination easiest to get to it from?
d) best destination to dive with sea lions? (weird fetish)
e) must see dives or places?

a) the water is cooler from December on thru June. I dove in Feb and in April but it was 69 - 72 F degrees and I was cold with a hood on. I also dove in Sep, Aug and Nov and loved those times, usually 80 degree plus water. The DM's in Cabo said that the water starts to turn cloudy and it inverts or something wierd in the middle of November, something to do with temp inversion or ?? but that it starts to cool and the visibility goes way down.
b) I would spend about two days diving both Cabo Pulmo and Cabo San Lucas. both have diving really close, like a 5 to 8 min boat ride.
d) sea lions - I have dove with them three times in Cabo San Lucas out on the point by Los Arcos. One time a little girl sea lion buzzed my head and looked in my mask, it was soo cool, a religious experience. I see them all the time on the rocks but only a couple times while I was diving.
e) Cabo Pulmo was excellent in that the fish were huge, monstrous versions of the same fish in CSL. Must see place would be Da Giorgios by Missiones to watch the sunset, it is incredible, you can see the lights of Cabo and Los Arcos at the same time.
have fun! Choco