Editor’s Note: Our series on pandemic travel continues with this third installment on a Mexican destination.
So you’re ready to get out of town for a few days. Is the beach calling your name?
As mentioned previously in our series, Mexico is a destination that not only is open for American tourism but also wants you to visit.
For some, especially those who don’t travel as a guest south of the border, they’ll toss out concerns about drug violence, cartels, human trafficking, kidnapping, and alcohol poisoning. All these are valid concerns and worth considering if you are traveling, even in some places domestically. For Mexico, it is vital that you know where the safe areas are and to pay attention.
Over the past ten years, my family has made five trips to Mexico without any major issues involving crime. The key, once again, is to know where you are going and to be alert.
Now, let’s talk about one of the most “romantic” locations on the Pacific coast of Mexico: Cabo San Lucas.
Located on the very southern tip of the Baja of California, Cabo San Lucas — Cabo for short — has become a very popular destination for Americans. Every year, more than 3 million guests visit the region either by air or cruise ship. To determine quickly whether a destination is relatively safe, I lean on Southwest Airlines (SWA). I figure if SWA will fly to a foreign destination, there must be a relative sense of safety. So in this case, Cabo is safe.
A word of warning about visiting Cabo at this time of the year, and actually anytime from May through September. IT IS HOT!
Though the Baja is home to several distinct ecoregions, the area of Los Cabos is part of a desert. During this time, there are only seven days of rainfall (on average) but the majority of their annual rainfall (8 inches) comes on these days. It’s the heat however that will get you. With daily temperatures averaging in the 90s, you may find the sand too hot to walk on. We joked, while playing a round of golf, even the cactus is dead in the very hot and dry climate.
So if the sand is too hot to stand (no pun intended), surely the ocean water is good, right?
Well… maybe. This is where it’s vital that you do your research. If you choose to stay on the Pacific side of Los Cabos, forget about even getting close to the water. The riptides are so strong that officials will quickly ask you to move away whenever you are within 20 feet of the water. It’s not only dangerous along that side of the peninsula — it’s deadly.
If you want to play in the water, you’ll need to choose of these seven beaches: Medano Beach, Lover’s Beach, Chileno Beach, Santa Maria Beach, Palmilla Beach, Cannery Beaches, or Cabo Pulmo.
Now Lover’s Beach sounds romantic, but forget about trying to stay there. This is where the iconic arch is, and there’s no hotel at this site. For us, we chose Medano Beach which is east Lover’s Beach, but the arch is clearly visible from the hotel.
Quickly, on the arch. Wikipedia explains that “the arch of Cabo San Lucas is a distinctive rock formation at the southern tip of Cabo San Lucas, which is itself the extreme southern end of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. The arch is locally known as “El Arco,” which means “the arch” in Spanish, or “Land’s End.” The arch is adjacent to Lover’s Beach on the Sea of Cortez side (where you can swim), and Divorce Beach, on the rougher Pacific Ocean, is not safe to swim in. Go figure.
For our group of 16, we chose the Pueblo Bonito Rosé Resort & Spa. Though a smaller resort, it has a couple of pools and the best water to float in on the beach. I say float in, because there’s no wading around in the water. Though safe to swim in, entering the water is a challenge of almost epic proportions. Though the waves are very calm, there’s a steep drop off from the beach where you’ll go from about a foot of water to over your head right away. Other than needing to enter the water quickly — in other words, dive in — you can float all day long in the saltwater and enjoy watching others attempt to join you.
If you enjoy golf, you’ll love Los Cabos. We played at Quivira Golf Club, conceived as an exclusive amenity for guests of Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts. The course features a world-class Jack Nicklaus-designed “ocean course stretching for more than a mile along a coastline of craggy rock outcroppings and sun-drenched shores.” You’ll be challenged with multiple opportunities to lose a dozen balls all while trying to stick that iron club shot on the green. It is breathtaking. It is also in the desert, so it’s very hot (tip: play the course in the morning).
If you’re a fan of rock music, especially from the 80s and 90s, then you’ll need to plan a trip to Cabo Wabo. That’s the restaurant and bar owned by guitarist and former frontman for Van Halen, Sammy Hagar. We didn’t see him while there, but he apparently spends a lot of time in the area.
While most of us travel to get away from work, you can always tell the boss back home that you’ll be at The Office. Touted as a vibrant beachfront restaurant featuring local & global food & cocktails, plus regular live music on their website, what it can’t adequately describe is the experience of dining right on the beach. Actually, while we were there Tropical Storm Lidia caused the waves to rush up under our tables. We actually continued the dining experience, even while some tables and chairs began to float. That was a great day at The Office!
That’s a general overview of the Los Cabos area and some of the fun that can be had. Deep-sea fishing is also available but as Lidia was intensifying, we had more of our crew hanging over the edge (seasick) than fish on our lines. With 12-15 foot swells, it’s apparently difficult to catch much of anything in those conditions — other than a case of “I’ll never go deep-sea fishing again!”
There you go, a quick review of traveling to Cabo. Remember if you decide to do so, you’ll need to start in Midland (if flying Southwest) since international travel connections are not available today through Lubbock or Amarillo. Use sites like Expedia and Trip Advisor to find how others rate and review the options you are considering. Otherwise, as they say in Mexico: Pura Vida!
Wait a moment, they don’t really say that at all. That’s the unofficial greeting in Costa Rica, so join me next time as we take a trip to the crown jewel of Central America.
