National and international celebrities own spacious properties and holiday residences here. Here, too, gray whales can be observed between November and March and, with a bit of luck, dolphins. The province of the Californias was united until 1804, in the Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain, when it was divided into Alta (upper) and Baja (lower) California. Thus, the habitats of the resident blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, and magnificent frigatebirds and whales and dolphins are protected. According to the narrative of Hatsutaro, a Japanese castaway, in the book Kaigai Ibun (written by Maekawa, Junzo, and Bunzo Sakai and narrated by Hatsutaro), when he arrived at Cabo San Lucas in May 1842, there were only two houses and about 20 inhabitants. Baja California evokes a rugged, wild west kind of adventure. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The name was changed to Baja California Norte in 1974 to distinguish it from the newly created state of Baja California Sur, but by 1979 it was again officially called Baja California. The feature comprises a chain of mountain peaks forming the Peninsular Ranges. It is sometimes informally referred to as Baja California Norte, to distinguish it from both the Baja California peninsula and the adjacent state Baja California Sur. 3 - Ensenada. As small and insignificant as Catavia may appear on the map, it is worth a lot more than just a short stop to refuel. Chileno Bay is one of the most frequented beaches in the Corridor. A mountainous desert surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez, the peninsula of Baja California is a draw for fishermen, surfers, and those who just want to get away from it all. Travel Guide to the Baja California Peninsula, The Amazing Baja California An insider tip is to check out the San Joses Estuary and Bird Sanctuary, just outside the city. Formerly notorious as a pirates nest, it was then known as a military base, and now famous as a relaxed, pretty town San Jos del Cabo has gone through an exciting development. Use this Baja Cities and Destination Guide to find the places in Baja that you want more information about. The gulf coast is hot and humid in summer, while the Pacific side is much cooler. However, American authors such as Henry Edwards and John Ross Browne claim that Cabo San Lucas's founder was an Englishman named Thomas "Old Tom" Ritchie. Not much can be seen of the small fishing village that Cabo San Lucas once was. Profile and social effects", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cabo_San_Lucas&oldid=1160627424, Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Los Cabos, a campus of the, UABCS Los Cabos, a branch campus of the public, This page was last edited on 17 June 2023, at 19:37. Categories: Driving Baja; Baja Road Trip; General Info; Tags: driving; maps; cities; tijuana; ensenada; guerrero negro; loreto; la paz; cabo san lucas; Baja Reading List. Some of these sites will have links to even more information about that particular destination or city. Follow this Baja Mexico itinerary for the best wild camping, beaches, eats, and more. Look out for crumbling missions, date palms, coconuts and mangrove swamps as you meander southward. However, mangroves in flat coastal floodplains have accumulated a thinner peat layer.[11]. Fortunately, the dreamlike bay with its offshore islands and white sandy beaches is a marine reserve. Humans first moved into Baja California from the north perhaps 9,000 or 10,000 years ago, when the climate was more humid and huge Pleistocene mammals roamed the area. Area 26,997 square miles (69,921 square km). Please be aware that information on fees, transportation, entrance, restrictions, etc., is subject to change. Its part of a Unesco World Heritage site, Designed and erected for Paris 1889 Worlds Fair, then disassembled and stored in Brussels for shipping to West Africa, Gustave Eiffels (yes, of Eiffel, With lava-block walls nearly 1.2m (4ft) thick, the former Jesuit Misin San Ignacio de Kadakaamn stands directly across from San Ignacio's small plaza, Baja's most famous beach, Playa del Amor (Lover's Beach) has stunning white sands adjacent to El Arco on the Pacific and bay sides. It will take you about 25 mins to drive from San Diego to Baja California and ease of access is one of the main reasons US citizens love Baja. Mulege Timeshares in Baja, Mexico )The opinions and information provided on this article are original editorial content of Travels Illustrated. A fault block, rising from the gulf side and slopping towards the Pacific, is the peninsulas main geologic feature. Guerrero Negro marks the transition from the state of Baja California Sur to the state of Baja California Norte. It is close to the coast, where the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range meets the desert area this geographical location enables an unusually mild climate in summer and winter. Every February, couples receive a not-so-gentle reminder to rekindle their romance. Cardn cacti, boojum trees, ocotillo, cholla and other desert marvels thrive in this beautiful desert area that sometimes doesn't receive any rain for a decade. Discover the best destinations on the Baja Peninsula. Rated as one of Mexico's top tourist destinations,[5] Cabo San Lucas is known for its beaches, scuba diving locations, Balnearios, the sea arch El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, and marine life. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Despite everything, hurricanes are rare, and there is now an excellent early warning system in place. The coastal city of Ensenada is the third-largest city in the Baja and is only about an hour from Tijuana. The states agriculture and industry attract large numbers of immigrants from other Mexican states and Central America. Hop on a panga (skiff), kayak or stand-up paddleboard and head to El Arco (the Arch), a jagged, One of the most stunningly beautiful stretches of coast in Baja for its blue-green waters, white sandy coves and lack of construction. 1539: Francisco de Ulloa explores both coasts. Your email address will not be published. As of the 2020 Census, the population of the city was 202,694. This post may contains affiliate links. Baja California Peninsula, also known as Lower California Peninsula, is a peninsula in North America, separating the Gulf of California from the Pacific Ocean. There are also many hotels and restaurants here, but not like the big cities. 'Lower California peninsula') is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. In addition, the border area has a reputation for international drug trafficking. Tijuana The plant operated for several years. The great diversity of species makes it worth taking a look at a detailed plant guide. Pescadero & Playa Cerritos While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Those who love bizarre landscapes should enjoy Baja California. Welcome to Baja The Amazing Baja California The Baja California (Mexico) peninsula is one of the most unique travel destinations in the world! Condors carve circles into an unblemished blue sky. thatbajaguy@gmail.com A point to point mileage chart for cities and towns along Mexico's Highway 1 down the the Baja California peninsula. The central downtown area has many fine restaurants and is well-organized for shopping and is generally pretty busy with tourists and locals mingling together. The missions were gradually abandoned, and the vanished Indians were replaced by a sparse population of mestizo farmers and cattlemen. A French mining company founded the village around 1885 to mine copper ore. The Sebastin Vizcano Bay, the largest bay in Baja, lies along the Pacific coast halfway up the peninsula. 10 Facts About the Geography of Baja California - ThoughtCo Three zones of climate determine the regions plant and animal life. We continue to the small Malecn, the beach promenade. The peninsula is a Mexican territory and bordered to the north by the US. Updates? They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The peninsula is approximately 760 miles (1,220 km) long and 25 to 150 miles (40 to 240 km) wide, with a total area of 55,366 square miles (143,396 square km). The Baja California Peninsula in the northeast of Mexico, is framed by the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Gulf of California on the other. A Baja trip is perfect from mid-December to March, as you will encounter the giant gray whales which frolic in the shallow waters of the California Gulf. Tijuana can serve as the end or starting point of a Baja California tour. It wont cost you any extra, and its an easy way for you to support our work to continue to create more awesome stuff. The Baja California Peninsula extends 1,247 kilometres (775 mi) from Mexicali, in the northern state of Baja California to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, the southern state of the peninsula. The largest bays along the coastline of the Gulf are Bahia de La Paz where the city of La Paz is located, and Bahia Concepcion. In the town, you can see many galleries with regional art, lovely cafes, and local restaurants. Ensenada can be an exciting place to go, especially for wine lovers. Cabo San Lucas is a Mexican beach resort city on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. For centuries the various areas of the peninsula were isolated. Ciudad Constitucion Fortunately, the pretty church in the main square survived the storm and now forms the center of the village. The peninsula of Baja California Sur, surrounded by the beautiful waters of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, is the perfect destination for relaxation, natural life observation, aquatic adventures, and tasting some of the best seafood in the country.. [1], Following Hernn Corts's conquest of Mexico, the lure of an earthly paradise as well as the search for the fabled Strait of Anin, helped motivate him to send several expeditions to the west coast of New Spain in the 1530s and early 1540s. but it can take some guts to actually stop and order, Once just a placid fishing village at the very tip of Baja California, Cabo San Lucas has blossomed into one of the world's most famous spots for celeb, You can (and many do) head to the Cabo resorts of Baja California Sur and do nothing more energetic than raise your arm by the pool to order another, Some visitors to Baja might imagine that the peninsulas history extends no further back than the mixing of the first margarita in the 1970s. This is home to thousands of Gringos, for part [Read More] about East Cape Tourism, 4th Annual MPE Loreto Tournament This tournament takes place every year in the month of October.[7]. [6] When the first Europeans arrived, they encountered the Peric people, who survived on a subsistence diet based on hunting and gathering seeds, roots, shellfish, and other marine resources. The centre of the peninsula is dominated by volcanoes and vast lava flows extending westward in a subpeninsula. Baja California Great for kayaking, Along with Laguna Ojo de Liebre and Baha Magdalena, Laguna San Ignacio is one of the Pacific coasts major winter whale-watching sites. The Peninsular Ranges form the backbone of the peninsula. In the face of a growing international public demand for corporate-driven ecological stewardship, higher-end resorts in the Los Cabos area are increasingly sensitive to their environmental impact and are taking initial steps to institute sustainable practices such as reducing water usage and non-recyclable trash output. In 1973 a 1,061-mile (1,708-km) highway, connecting Tijuana and Cape San Lucas, was completed. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Cabo San Lucas has the highest-paying marlin tournament in the world, the Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore. These small beach-side resorts, formed the genesis of [Read More] about Rancho Leonero Resort, New Resorts Coming to Cabo The granitic Jurez and San Pedro Mrtir mountains, the latter rising to 10,154 feet (3,095 metres) above sea level, form the divide in the north, with lower parallel ranges much interrupted by erosion along both coasts. View Dangling beside the west coast of Mexico, Baja California extends south from the US border. Since 1967, the peninsula has hosted the Baja 1000, an off-road race that begins in Ensenada and ends in La Paz. The Baja California peninsula was once a part of the North American Plate, the tectonic plate of which mainland Mexico remains a part. Hurricane Odile made landfall at Cabo San Lucas on 14 September 2014, and caused widespread damage. The following are the 15 best tourist spots in the entire Baja, from north to south, where you will relax with beaches and natural . Volcanoes and lava flow dominate the peninsulas center, including Las Tres Virgenes at 1,996 meters above sea level, last erupted in 1746. Overview Map - The Southern Baja Peninsula has much to offerand explore. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Baja_California_cities&oldid=1157013845, This page was last edited on 25 May 2023, at 19:33.