My Favorite Weekend: La Paz
The state’s capital is beachy keen
Known for its incomparable natural beauty, rich history, and cosmopolitan magnetism, Baja California Sur’s state capital is the ideal weekend getaway destination. The tranquil shoreline and idyllic climate support year-round fishing, golfing, and island hopping. The robust nightlife and restaurant scene rival those of any stateside metropolis. And the lovely public art pieces that line the waterfront malecón are but a hint of the city’s historical and cultural offerings. Over centuries, La Paz’s azure waters and sun-kissed shores have charmed the likes of Cortés, Steinbeck, Cousteau, and me. And now with the completion of the long-awaited improvements to the highway connecting Los Cabos to La Paz, it’s never been so easy—or fast—to discover its charms all for yourself. Here’s our quick guide to this must-visit Mexican pearl.
WALK THIS WAY
Before I saw its pristine beaches. Before I discovered the nearby islands. Before I ever stepped foot in any of its amazing restaurants. I fell in love with La Paz’s malecón, a walkway that lines the shore and looks out at the Sea of Cortés. Early morning joggers here are rewarded with views of the sun rising over the horizon, but the malecón is enjoyable throughout the day. Gorgeous statues—a flying manta, a mermaid playing tag with a dolphin, a breaching whale—dot the boardwalk. Pick up an horchata or agua de fruta from La Michoacana and explore the artwork, throwback pavilion, and docks. This is also the site of Carnaval each year.
BOOK IT FOR THE BEACH
La Paz boasts an amazing 330-plus days of sunshine each year. So, you’ll want to throw in some sunblock along with your bathing suit as you prepare for your weekend here. Swimmable beaches frame the Bay of La Paz, and each one is prettier than the last. Start at El Coromuel, the first beach on the scenic road that connects La Paz to several playas. The spot will be a favorite of the kids, thanks to an impressive waterpark. Parents will appreciate the shade palapas and restroom facilities. The more secluded El Tesoro is another favorite of families. Children can swim in the shallow waters or climb on the playground while parents watch from under palapas. Campers flock to Pichilingue for its seafood restaurants, proximity to the ferry and cruise ship pier, and activities-friendly waters (kayaking, wave runners), but I much prefer Balandra. The latter was made for relaxation. Its shores are pristine and perfect for snorkeling (the coral reef toward its southern end provides the best scenery). Rock cliffs behind the beach provide awesome views. The “mushroom” rock is an ideal backdrop for photos. And, to be candid, the sand dunes are a lot of fun to roll down. There are several more beaches, but the last we’ll mention is El Tecolote, which is the jumping-off point for tours of Espíritu Santo. Here you can swim in a roped-off area, dine at a seafood restaurant, or rent fun watersports gear.
ISLAND HOP
Espíritu Santo is simply one of the loveliest places on the planet. The federally protected island—well, technically, they’re several—is a World Heritage site renowned for its reefs and underwater rock formations (great for snorkeling and diving), playful sea lions, and picture-perfect shores. You could explore on your own, but I’d recommend going with the excellent tour guides at Cabo Expeditions (www.caboexpeditions.com.mx). The Cabo San Lucas–based company provides day trips as well as brand-new overnight camping expeditions.
MISSION POSSIBLE
My fascination with Catholic missions dates to my first reading of Zorro. So, for me, no trip to La Paz is complete without a visit to the cathedral, which was built in 1720 and traces its roots to Cortés’s arrival to the bay in 1535. Other must-visits include the Museo Regional de Antropología e Historia, a three-story history and anthropology museum; Acuario de las Californias, a waterfront aquarium; and the cutulural center La Unidad Cultural Profesor Jasús Castro Agúndez, which houses art exhibitions, a theater, and a library.
FOODIE FINDS
Peruse La Paz travel guides, and you’ll see names like Bismark II, Bismarkcito, and Las Tres Virgenes. These are all good options, but not my favorites. Follow locals around, and they’ll unfailingly lead you to lesser-known eateries that pack flavorful punches. The waterfront Stella Cucina al Forno (612-128-5145) serves brick-oven pizzas—many utilizing local seafood—tasty pasta, and lovely views of the night’s sky. Chiltepino’s Wings (www.chiltepinos.com.mx) is a Mexican franchise with locations in Los Cabos and La Paz—and rabid fans everywhere. In La Paz, it occupies the former Papas & Beer location and overlooks the marina. The music here is hopping, and the wings are the spiciest I’ve ever tasted. The alfresco Bandido’s Grill (intersection of Navarro and Topete) is one of the coolest restaurants around. Pop in for sliders that are grilled on a converted truck engine block and make sure to get egg on that burger.
MAKE LIKE A LOCAL
It does not take long to fall in love with La Paz. Beyond its obvious charms—the nature, the history, the seafood—La Paz is perhaps Southern Baja’s most livable town. With the international airport you’re but two hours away from many U.S. cities. There’s a solid and well-designed infrastructure, plenty of English speakers, and the big-city buzz means work opportunities, too. Maybe it’s too early to make the move. But you can get the ball rolling with a tour of the luxurious condominiums at Playa de La Paz (www.playadelapaz.com), a beachfront real estate development the blends modern amenities and old-world charm.
Go to www.purelapaz.com or www.golapaz.com to learn more about La Paz, including information on real estate, accommodations, restaurants, and activities.
Land of Opportunities!
Stay dry with these fun land-based activities
Los Cabos has long been lauded as a paradise for lovers of fishing, diving, sailing, and other aquatic pursuits, but visitors can quench their thirst for adventure without ever stepping foot in the water. In addition to the favorable climatic conditions caused by the confluence of the Sea of Cortés and Pacific Ocean, the area also benefits from the geographical proximity of desert and mountain terrains. This makes an excellent destination for adventure seekers who like zip lining, rock climbing, mountain biking, and off-road racing, as well as more leisurely vacation activities such as hiking, horseback riding, and golf.
Few things get the heart pumping like racing through the air hundreds of feet above a cactus-littered canyon floor, and the thrilling combination of height, speed, and scenery helps to explain why zip lining has seen such an explosion of popularity during the past several years. In Los Cabos, Cabo Adventures (www.caboadventures.com) boasts a top-rated zip lining tour— and the only course that takes place in a UNESCO-protected biosphere. Journey to the Boca de Sierra for a day of picturesque and adrenaline-filled adventures, which include rappelling, climbing crazy ladders, crossing hanging bridges, and racing friends and family on tandem zip lines.
Cabo Adventures also offers its Outback Camel Adventure, as well as a brand-new mountain biking tour. The former includes a guided hike through the desert landscape north of Cabo San Lucas, camel rides along Migriño Beach, and interactive mezcal, tequila, and tortilla-making lessons. The mountain biking option, meanwhile, allows visitors to enjoy a tour of the local terrain while pedaling after guides for up-close-and-personal views of towering, 50-foot-high cardón cacti, and searching for local fauna such as red tail hawks, caracaras (birds of prey in the falcon family), California quails, roadrunners, chipmunks, deer, and foxes.
For a less-taxing introduction to the Baja lifestyle, try one of the superb city tours offered by Cabo Expeditions (www.caboexpeditions.com.mx), which focus on history and culture. Soak up the local color with one of its bilingual tours of San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, which include a visit to a local glass-blowing factory, lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant, a tequila sampling and damiana tasting (damiana is a liqueur made from an herb native to Baja California Sur and said to possess certain aphrodisiacal qualities), and plenty of quality shopping time. The company also offers memorable trips to the artists’ colony in Todos Santos, where visitors can explore the historic Hotel California, shop at jewelry boutiques and artisan shops, and enjoy the bohemian atmosphere of this lovely pueblo mágico (a designation given by the Mexican Tourism Board to towns of great cultural importance), which is located directly on the latitudinal line of the Tropic of Cancer. The tour also includes a fun journey aboard the Cabo Submarine, a favorite of little ones.
Camino Aventura (www.caminoaventura.mx) is another top activities company. It offers tours that range from romantic horseback rides along the beach to high-octane off-road adventures. Couples will enjoy scenic horseback rides along one of San José del Cabo’s most beautiful beaches or bird watching at the San José Estuary. The more intense sorts will want to try the Can-Am ATV tours that explore the ocean-side sand dunes and desert arroyos of Migriño Beach, as well as some of the lightly forested areas of the lower Sierra de la Laguna, the mountain range that forms the spine of Baja California Sur.
Visitors to the region can also go off-road with Baja Buggys (www.bajabuggys.com). Approach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour in single or double dune buggy tours that traverse beach, desert, and mountain terrains; some tours include a glimpse into México’s cultural past: a visit to the old village of La Candelaria, home to artisanal mountain potters.
Meanwhile, fans of off-road racing’s greatest test, the Baja 1000, will enjoy Wide Open Excursions (www.wideopenbaja.com), which offers an array of racing and touring options in custom-built Baja Challenge cars. Try the closed-circuit track for short but sweet sample of off-roading or get serious with one of the multiday excursions that include round-trip runs from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz. Arrive-and-drive tours are also available; drivers are able to take their turn on some of the world’s most demanding courses, such as the Baja 500 and 1000 races.
In addition to hiking, biking, and off-road adventures, Los Cabos is also a premier destination for championship-level golf. Ever since Jack Nicklaus put the area on the map in the early 1990s with his groundbreaking Cabo del Sol and El Dorado courses, Los Cabos has become increasingly popular for its heady mix of masterfully constructed loops combining unique geography and stunning Sea of Cortés views.
The Roy Dye-designed Cabo San Lucas Country Club (www.cabosanlucascounryclub.com) is one of the more traditional and spectacular of the region’s layouts, and it provides golfers with contoured fairways ringed with bougainvillea and palo blanco trees, as well as emerald-colored greens where you can line up your putts while enjoying incredible views of Cabo San Lucas Bay, Land’s End, and the arch.
There are several great courses in or around San José del Cabo, including Cabo Real (www.caboreal.com), Club Campestre (www.clubcampestresanjose.com), and Puerto Los Cabos (www.puertoloscabos.com). Cabo Real is so well regarded that it has twice been chosen to host Senior Grand Slam events. Club Campestre has forgiving fairways receptive to the worst hooks and slices combined with diabolical greens, while Puerto Los Cabos is the only collaboration in the world between major champions and master designers Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman. Currently ranked 58th in the world, the gorgeous Davis Love III–designed Diamante (www.diamantecabosanlucas.com) is not open to the public, but prospective vacation home owners can arrange to sample the charms of this challenging seaside links, which is located just north of Cabo San Lucas and combines the tropical charm of Los Cabos with a layout that evokes the Scottish roots of the game. Learn more about these courses and special packages in “Par Savers,” page 90.
THE DIRECTORY
Your guide to Los Cabos activities
Looking for exotic scenery, rich culture, and unforgettable adventures? Los Cabos offers all that and more. Take a look at some of the companies offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Adventure Parks
Cabo Adventures: Zip lining, mountain biking, camel safaris, scuba diving, and more. Boulevard Paseo de la Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 173-9500, www.cabo-adventures.com. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. V $$–$$$$
Canopy Costa Azul: Zip line across ecological wonders. Rappel down a massive wall. And, afterward, relax with an educational tequila tasting. Near San José del Cabo, (624) 105-9311, www.costaazulziplines.com. Major credit cards and PayPal accepted. V $$–$$$
Wild Canyon: Bungee bombers, ATVs, and swing slingers are just a few of the heart-pumping attractions available for your enjoyment. Take a journey through 100 acres of biosphere on a Can-Am Outlander 400 BRP or swing from a gondola hanging almost 300 feet in the air. El Tule Bridge, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 144-4433, www.wildcanyon.com .mx. All major credit cards accepted. V $–$$$
Off-road Adventures
Baja Buggys: Eco-friendly, all-terrain desert and beach adventures on fully automatic Xrail buggies. Calle Miguel Hidalgo 2706, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 105-9331, www.bajabuggys.com. MasterCard and Visa accepted. V $
Camino Aventura: Embark on an incredible adventure tour of the San José Estuary, Migriño Beach, or the village of La Candelaria on fully automatic Can-Am ATVs. Or explore pristine beaches on horseback. Km 19 on Carretera Federal, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 105-8413, www.caminoaventura.mx. MasterCard and Visa accepted. V $–$$
Wide Open Excursions: Whether you’re looking for a few hours or a few days of fun, this is the ultimate off-road playground. Paseo de La Gaviota, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 105-0500, www.wideopenbaja.com/Cabo. V $$$$
Water Activities
Buccaneer Queen: Spectacular snorkeling and whale watching adventures fit for only the finest pirates. Enjoy cocktails, appetizers, and exciting pirate shows while sailing the sea. Dock 1, Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 144-4217, www.buccaneerloscabos.com. MasterCard and Visa accepted. V $–$$
Cabo Dolphins: Experience up-close encounters with bottlenose dolphins. You can even become a trainer for a day. Lote 7, Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 173-9500, www.cabodolphins.com. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. V $$–$$$$
Cabo Escape: Board the 70-foot power catamaran for snorkeling and sunset booze cruises. After hours, the boat turns into a floating disco. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Dock 0–3, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 105-0177, www.caboescapetours.com. All major credit cards accepted through PayPal. V $–$$$
Cabo Expeditions: One-of-a-kind aquatic and city tours, including a chance to swim alongside 30-foot whale sharks. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-2700, www.caboexpeditions.com.mx. MasterCard and Visa accepted. V $–$$$
Cabo Mar: The ultimate fiesta dinner cruise serves traditional Mexican cuisine and tropical fruit cocktails. Head to the dance floor for some Latin-inspired moves. Camino del Cerro 215, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-3797, www.cabo-mar.com. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. V $–$$
Fly Hooker: Tackle the Sea of Cortés aboard a 31-foot Bertram Flybridge Sportfisher. With 20 years of chartering experience, this crew has fishing down to a science. Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-8271, www.flyhooker.com. All major credit cards accepted through PayPal. $$–$$$
La Princesa: Snorkeling, whale watching, and sunset tours aboard a fleet of catamarans. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-7676, www.laprincesacharters.com. All major credit cards accepted through PayPal. V $–$$$$
Mona Lisa Charters: World-class fishing lead by award-winning captains. Expect luxury, comfort, and superior equipment. Km 6 on the Tourist Corridor, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 145-8077, www.sunsetmonalisa.com. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. V $$–$$$$
Pez Gato: Group tours and private charters, complete with dancing, drinks and fun games. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Dock 4, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-3797, www.pezgato.com. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. V $–$$$$
Portus Sport Fishing: Take to the sea for a chance to catch marlin, tuna, sailfish, dorado, wahoo, and dozens of other game fish. Whether your are heading out for a day of leisure on the water or competing in one of the big money fishing tournaments, Portus ensures an unforgettable experience. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 157-4661, www.portussportfishing.com. MasterCard and Visa accepted. V $$
Silverados Sportfishing: A large inventory of fishing boats is lead by a team of experienced captains. Each boat is fully equipped with everything you will need for your next big catch. Cabo San Lucas, (624) 144-4903, www.silveradosportfishing.com. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. V $$$$
Sunderland Pirate Ship: Snorkelers can walk the plank of the 1885 pirate-themed tall ship. Join the crew and experience the power of the sails or sit back and relax while embracing the wonders of the sea. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 105-0955, www.thecabopirateship.com. MasterCard and Visa accepted. V $$
Sunrider Tours: Daytime adventures and sunset cruises with a delicious Mexican buffet and endless cocktails. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-2252, www.sunridertours.com. MasterCard and Visa accepted. V $–$$$$
Tropicat: Enjoy contemporary jazz music and premium wines aboard a luxurious sailing catamaran. Cabo San Lucas Marina, Cabo San Lucas, (624) 143-3797, www.tropicatcabo.com. AmEx, MasterCard, and Visa accepted. V $–$$.
Splash Cities
Thrill to sun and sand in Los Cabos
There’s more to going to the beach in Los Cabos than simply lying in the sand and working on your tan. How much more? That all depends on what you’re after. Snorkel peacefully in clear, gentle water. Relax with all the amenities of home. Seek high-end elegance or retreat to the rustic. And, of course, there are beaches where you can do nothing more than lie in the sun and work on your tan.
Palmilla Bay, one of the most popular beaches in Los Cabos, has also undergone the most changes during the last year. Earlier in 2012, the beach underwent a major facelift. New shade palapas were installed, as well as a boardwalk that offers access to four palapas dedicated to handicap access. It is located within eyeshot of the luxe One&Only Resort, about five miles south of San José del Cabo. There is ample parking, and the beach has portable toilets within easy walking distance of the shore. From the Tourist Corridor, take the Palmilla exit at kilometer 27 and follow the signs to the beach. Turn left at the taxi stand. Pets are not allowed.
Santa María and Chileno bays are popular with snorkelers. The two beaches are relatively close to each other, about halfway between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, on the Tourist Corridor. Whether it is to take in some of the local folklore—some true, some not so true—about pirates who plundered the Spanish galleons along the Los Cabos shoreline or to float languidly on the surface, watching the dazzling array of underwater sea life, tourists flock to these two beaches. Santa María Bay is the quieter of the two and a little more difficult to find; there are only two small roadside signs marking the way. Look for a dirt road near kilometer 12 near a bus stop. The turnoff winds a bit from the highway to the parking area, but is not a difficult drive. If you are coming from San José del Cabo, look for the Cabo del Sol retorno (return) and follow the signs. Parking is plentiful and close to the water. There are a handful of portable toilets in the parking area. There are no palapas, but you can rent an umbrella.
Chileno Beach is 10 kilometers north of Cabo San Lucas. The water is clear, the beach is one of the cleanest in all of Los Cabos, and—because of its geography—whale watching from shore is a popular pastime come winter. Highway signs point clearly to off-ramps that lead to the spacious, secured parking area. Chileno has the most facilities of any area beach, boasting an ample number of palapas, tiled bathrooms, and shower facilities.
Then there’s Médano Beach, where the party never ends. This two-mile stretch of beach near downtown Cabo San Lucas is lined with restaurants, bars, and places where you can rent a wave runner, kayak, or sailboat, or sign up to parasail over the busy bay. There’s plenty to eat, plenty to drink, and lots of shade available. All you need to bring is a swimsuit, a beach towel, and your wallet. Médano is just off the main highway at Paseo del Pescador or Paseo de la Marina.
The arch, the most identifiable landmark in all of Land’s End, sits directly across the bay from Médano Beach. For a closer look, check out Lover’s Beach and/or Divorce Beach. You will need to hire a water taxi to get to the adjoining beaches, but they’re worth it. Pay the extra fare for a ride around Los Cabos for a close-up look at the famous arch and the colony of sea lions basking on its rocks. Your driver will then deliver you to Lover’s Beach, which faces the Sea of Cortés. Divorce Beach, a very short hike between two very tall rocky peaks, faces the Pacific Ocean and its treacherous waves and potentially lethal undertow.
If you’re looking to catch some cool waves like the Beach Boys used to sing about, head up the west side of the peninsula, about 38 miles to Cerritos Beach. The trip is a lot easier now that the road is complete. The vibe is totally tubular, as the surfers used to say, and you don’t need a thing because the surf shop has it all. Even if you don’t surf, Cerritos is a good day trip destination, especially when the humidity and heat start to climb in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo; the western shore is always at least 15 degrees cooler.
Par Savers
Los Cabos’ best golf packages and promotions
In the last two decades, Los Cabos has become a major international golfing destination. The region is home to many of México’s top courses—including three that have been ranked in the world’s top 100—and features some stunning designs from champions like Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Davis Love III. Challenging layouts and seaside views are all par for the course here. And, although greens fees can be expensive, there are many packages and promotions that make playing the best local links an affordable proposition for even the most budget-conscious travelers.
There are three top-flight courses in the San José del Cabo area: Cabo Real (www.caboreal.com), Puerto Los Cabos (www.puertoloscabos.com), and Club Campestre (www.clubcampestresanjose.com). Of the three, Cabo Real has perhaps the highest profile; it twice hosted Senior PGA Grand Slam events. The uniqueness of the course is found in the beauty of Robert Trent Jones II’s design, with its vivid and contrasting colors—white sands, emerald green fairways, and the glittering blues of the Sea of Cortés—but also in its eccentricities. Where else can you hit a fairway iron over a beach, enjoy views of bikini-clad spring breakers on a sundeck, or watch whales breach as you line up a putt?
The course, like Puerto Los Cabos and Club Campestre, is managed by Grupo Questro (www.questrogolf.com), whose packages and promotions are honored at each of the three properties. Current promotions include Amigo Golf (pay one greens fee on a Sunday or Monday, and a friend plays for half price), two-round passes, three-round passes, and a Fore for Four deal for foursomes. The savings range from $130 U.S. to $360 U.S.
Greg Norman designed the front-nine Mission Course at Puerto Los Cabos, and Jack Nicklaus crafted the back-nine Ocean Course. Sample the contrasting philosophies of these legends on one of the region’s most interesting layouts: stark desert vistas, rugged mountainous terrain, and sensational seaside views. Nicklaus, who having designed many of the area’s top courses is the unofficial godfather of golf in Los Cabos, also sculpted the stellar layout at Club Campestre. Situated in the low, rolling foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna, Campestre is a challenging loop that mixes findable fairways with fiendish greens.
The award-winning Los Cabos Golf Resort (www.loscabosgolfresort.com) offers some of Cabo San Lucas’s most competetive stay-and-play vacations packages. Enjoy affordable accommodations ($49 U.S. per person nightly through September 30; $99 U.S. per person nightly from October 1 to December 31) at one of the lovely villas overlooking the Cabo San Lucas Country Club (www.cabosanlucascountryclub.com), dine at the on-site Double Eagle restaurant, and take advantage of member discounts at the excellent golf course. The 7,220-yard design from Roy Dye is known for providing golfers with some truly memorable moments. The layout is lengthy but fair, with wide, forgiving fairways that wind gracefully through both desert and mountain terrain, scenic backdrops of bougainvillea, palo blanco trees and huge Cardon cacti, and plenty of awe-inspiring views of the arch at Land’s End and the Cabo San Lucas Bay.
Generally speaking, there are several types of golf courses in Los Cabos. Some are available to the general public; others are available only for resort guests or those who have bought into one of the region’s higher-end real estate developments.
Diamante (www.diamantecabosanlucas.com) is in the latter category. Located just north of Cabo San Lucas in a beautiful seaside resort community, the spectacular links-style layout was designed by Davis Love III and is currently ranked as the 58th-best course in the world by Golf Magazine. Golf at Diamante features a picturesque blend of lush fairways, expansive sand dunes, and gorgeous Pacific Ocean views. And, although the course is not open to the public, all property owners in the resort community are eligible for memberships, and qualified ownership candidates may also make playing arrangements. Diamante is the only development associated with one of the world’s top 100 courses that offers fractional ownership opportunities. A lucky few will be able to buy one or more weeks of time on an annual basis through the Private Residence Club. This is a rare opportunity for destination golfers, particularly given that Tiger Woods has reportedly recently signed on to design the community’s second course.
Note: Specials were accurate as of press time, but we suggest contacting individual courses should the rates have changed.
The Little Boats That Could
How to save big and still hook the Big One
A hot sun beams down as giant marlin leap over azure waters. You’re perched in a fighting chair on the back of an offshore cruiser and sipping a cold one as a crewmember wipes sweat from your brow. Many an angler has had this daydream about fishing in Los Cabos. Sadly, reality is oftentimes accompanied by a hefty credit card bill.
Fortunately, though, you don’t have to have deep pockets to enjoy the teeming Los Cabos waters. Because here’s what nobody’s telling you: You can still catch marlin—and every other local fish—from a panga. What’s a panga? It’s an outboard-powered boat, which is generally about 18 to 23 feet in length and can hold up to three anglers. Pangas are often able to fish the same offshore areas as cruisers, and they are much better for fishing the inshore area. Throughout the majority of the year, you can fish the water offshore from a panga, so if the fish are not close to land you can venture outside to find them. Cabo San Lucas is positioned at the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, and this means that unless the wind is coming from the south (which it very rarely does) there is always smooth water to fish on.
One of the largest advantages of selecting a panga over a cruiser is, of course, the cost. A panga uses less fuel, and the crew normally consists of just the captain. Outings typically last about five hours. That’s shorter than the average cruiser outing, which means it is less expensive to operate. The shorter trip time is an advantage in itself. Eight hours under the potent Los Cabos sun can result in some pretty gnarly sunburns—regardless of how many times you reapply that sunscreen. Five hours is just about perfect; take advantage of the cooler morning hours and less-intense sun and be back in time for lunch with fresh fish to eat. Even your significant other might be willing to go with you knowing it will be just five hours. Should you want to do a full day of fishing, just let the captain know the day before; the cost is not much more.
It is also very nice to be up close and personal with the fishing environment, and the one-on-one support and suggestions of the captain make panga fishing a great learning experience. If you are lucky enough to be fishing in a panga during whale season (roughly Christmas through Easter), it is almost a given that you have some fantastic close-up whale photos to show those back home. At other times of the year, if you are just a little way offshore, there’s a possibility of getting into a pod of dolphins and having them play in the pressure waves of the panga’s bow.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to selecting a panga over a cruiser. One obvious disadvantage is the fact that because of their size most pangas do not have a bathroom onboard.
The limited size also makes for a limited number of people allowed onboard. Most pangas are not allowed to carry more than three passengers; if you have four or more anglers, you could go to a cruiser or have your own minitournament by chartering two pangas and competing with each other. Speaking of tournaments, just because the boat is smaller does not mean that you can catch only small fish. The first year of the Western Outdoors Tuna Jackpot Tournament was 1999, and a local panga brought in the largest tuna in two days of fishing. The monster fish weighed 218 pounds, and they had another one in the boat that weighed 121 pounds. So if you are interested in saving money, getting some one-on-one instruction, having an up-close and personal fishing trip, or just want to dip your toes in the fishing experience, give a thought to chartering a panga!
In the Cabo San Lucas area, try my company, Fly Hooker Sport Fishing (www.flyhooker.com), or Silverados Sport Fishing (www.silveradosportfishing.com). For anglers staying in San José del Cabo, Gordo Banks Pangas (www.gordobanks.com) and Mona Lisa Charters (www.sunsetmonalisa.com) have pangas fishing the Sea of Cortés.
To learn more ways to save money on fishing adventures using prepaid vouchers, go to www.loscabosguide.com/discount.htm.