It is now late autumn, and the nostalgia for exotic places, deserted beaches, off-road raids on wastelands and spicy food is already arriving. If that's the case for you too, then it's the perfect time for a mid-season getaway.
And what more adventurous, off the beaten path and exotic place I could ever recommend than there Baja California: a truly unique and unpredictable journey. The season is the ideal one: from May to October is the best time to visit it, and you will also find more low cost flights than in the classic high tourist season of August, in which, among other things, temperatures reach 45 degrees. ; another perfect period for this Mexican getaway is from January to March, especially for those who want to dedicate themselves to the magical ritual of whale watching.
Baja California it is a warm, varied land, with its own identity between Mexico and the United States: it is a long strip of wild and arid land that detaches itself from the continent and for this reason it keeps intact natural, biological and folkloristic characteristics all original, which make it a unique place to explore. With my advice, forget the tourist villages: here are the 5 off road stages which I advise you not to miss.
Tijuana
Tijuana is the most adventurous way to enter the state of the Mexican federation and certainly the one that goes straight into the heart of one of the most infamous cities in the world. Arriving from San Diego, exactly 23 km from the US city, you do not meet any customs, but the landscape, as soon as you cross the imaginary line that divides Mexico and the USA, is immediately different: from the large American malls, to the expanse of wooden shacks of the the outskirts of Tijuana, from the great flowing highways to the crazy South American traffic.
Quatros Casas Camp
Campo Quatros Casas, finding it already is a challenge, but if you manage to untangle the tangle of directions to reach it (South of Tijuana, 100 miles after Ensenada, after the green gas station and to the right of the yellow auto parts store… argh! ) the dirt road full of cactus and curves will finally open the doors of a dream place, out of this world: it is a very surf style hostel, managed, in fact, by a former American surfer and his Mexican wife. A few dollars for comfortable rooms with kitchens, surfboards, lots of waves and unspoiled nature. In the evening, some stories told by old Richard, who between one anecdote catches a sea urchin from you, opens it to you with the cleaver and makes you taste it raw, teaches you how to save water and build a photovoltaic system in a a place where ecology is is a vital necessity to live in harmony and keep uncontaminated the treasure in which one was lucky enough to find one's dimension: nature.
Baja de Los Angeles
Baja de Los Angeles, an authentic natural paradise, Bahìa de Los Angeles, certainly does not offer luxurious accommodation: you will have to settle for mostly rustic structures, such as the Villa Bahia, but actually low cost. And then everything you need will be given to you by unspoiled nature: do not miss a swim in the very hot waters of the gulf, preferably at midnight!
S. Ignatio
S.Ignatio, to experience the thrill of a real dive into the colonial past of the Mexican peninsula, go to the discovery of the village of S. Ignatio: halfway between Guerrero Negro and S. Rosalia, it has 700 inhabitants, of which you will the acquaintance in the town square in the evening or in some homemade restaurant in front of an iced Coronita and the best tacos you will ever eat. S. Ignatio is a veritable oasis of palm trees in the strip of desert land, which the Jesuits colonialized in 1700, leaving behind the fervent Catholic religion, and the wonderful architectural structure of the Mission. You can sleep for 30-50 euros in comfortable and clean hotels with swimming pools, such as the Desert Inn, or even much less, for a few dozen, in equally clean and more familiar Guest Houses.
Punta Abrejo
Punta Abrejo, and its paradise for surfers, Punta Abrejos, in Baja California Sur, will make you feel the rare thrill of making you feel at one with the prehistoric and unspoiled nature. It is a place where the delicate balance between man and the environment is carefully respected, with strict policies on fishing and the exploitation of the sea. The remote fishing village counts prehistoric species among its fauna, such as the giant squid or giant turtles, which arrive right in November, and the only accommodation facility offers all the means to devote oneself to sports and naturalistic activities, such as surfing, kayaking , and small boats. This is Campo Rene - Estero El Coyote, a picturesque bar-restaurant-motel where you can enjoy excellent Mexican cuisine, in front of the deserted and intact beauty of this saltwater lagoon, a great example of essentiality, low cost spirit, and respect for the environment and the rhythms of nature.
