and last of the Best of the Baja

Rocky shoreline of Cabo Pulmo at dawn, Baja California Sur.

I explored most of the Baja, and there were definitely places which I really enjoyed, for one reason or another.  And the last two locations which make my 'Best of the Baja' list are La Ventana and Cabo Pulmo, both on the East Cape, along the coast between La Paz and San Jose del Cabo.  La Ventana and Cabo Pulmo are very different places, known for very different activities, but I really enjoyed my time visiting both.

La Vantana is all about kite surfing and kiteboarding, and is one of the most popular spots for these crazy activities in all the Baja.  These watersports are not my thing, would probably kill myself; I was in La Ventana for the mountain biking.  There are two areas with amazing trail networks around La Ventana, and while I only explored one area (just south of town), it was great.  There is a great app called Trailforks, and all the trails around La Ventana are listed, this app is wonderful.  Trailforks lists La Ventana as having 73 trails with a total distance of just over 130 km.  The trails north of town are more challenging, more intermediate and expert trails, and definitely more climbing.  The trails just south of town are much easier to get to, an easy ride from town, then jump on Cardon Corridor, and you have access to many kms of trails, all pretty easy, mostly flat, and lined with cacti, including many giant cardon cacti.  It was fantastic riding, fast, curvy, and just beautiful, though beware of soft sand along the edges of the single-track.  If you get into this stuff, you might find yourself careening into the vegetation which line the trails, vegetation made  up mostly of cacti, plants just covered with spines.  This would hurt, a lot.  I stayed out of the cacti.  This was the best riding I enjoyed in all the Baja, just great.

Further down the East Cape, along the coast, is Cabo Pulmo, and then Los Frailes.  Cabo Pulmo is all about what happens under the water, not on the water (or on the sand) like at La Ventana.  Here, almost right on the Tropic of Cancer, is some of the best diving and snorkeling in the Baja, and supports the only true coral reef associated with the peninsula.  I camped at Playa los Arbolitos, mellow place with bucket-flush toilets, luke-warm showers and a small restaurant.  But the place is right on the beach, though the parking/camping area runs away from the beach.  And, you can snorkel right off the beach, which by the way, is great.  It was a bit challenging when I was there, windy, and with waves, so it was tough snorkeling, but it was still great.  Bring a wetsuit if you plan to spend any time in the water, it was pretty chilly when I was there.  There is another cove further down the coast, which I heard was more protected, so it might be worth a try if it is windy like it was when I was there.  Cabo Pulmo is part of a national marine park, Parque Nacional Cabo Pulmo, which contains one of the oldest of only three coral reefs along the west coast of North America.  The site is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well.  I was in the water as much as I could be, given the water temperatures, and the waves and tides.  Definitely wear a PFD, as it is not only required (park rules), but it makes it easier to handle the waves, even if it means you cannot dive down to explore.  Two nights here was definitely not enough.
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