Cabo San Lucas Travel

The unlittered and silky-white shores lining Mexico's Baja Peninsula exist, still, hidden somewhere among the luxury Cabo hotels and the clumps of tourists that paint its beaches and fill its waters. But for every 'hotel zone' or row of bars, there are still little secluded paradises nestled into small towns and anywhere commercialism has yet abused and remolded.

One such place, Balandra, is a natural protected area outside La Paz, just short of two hours from neighboring Cabo San Lucas.

It's easy to imagine that this is how all of the Baja, Cabo included, might have looked a century ago. Before it was overdeveloped and touted as a premier destination for tropical vacations. The good news-as long as Mexican locals and conservationists have their way, Baladra will remain as pristine and timeless as the above image depicts.

According to the Guarding.co.uk newspaper, it's not the first time Colectivo Balandra has been compelled to thwart off the destruction of a last remaining vestige of Mexico a la natural.

"The landscape of the rest of the beaches of La Paz have already been modified with various types of constructions and installations; Balandra is the only one that remains to use," said the group's website.

Seemingly a public cry for help, one can not help but feel sympathy for these Balandra-natives, because losing one's home is much like being stripped of identity-it's an awkward, unsettling sensation.

Cabo San Lucas has been attracting surfers from around the world for many years. Aside from the year-round warm water, weather and consistent surf conditions, Cabo offers nightlife, adventures and resorts that you won't find anywhere else.

Seasons

Cabo surf conditions are fairly consistent throughout the year. Toward the end of summer months, the "chubasco" begins and brings with it stormy weather and slightly larger waves.

While it is believed the best surfing spots are kept secret by the locals, there are still plenty of other spots that will more than impress even the seasoned pro.

• Zippers - Easily located at about Km. 29 on Mexican 1, this experts-only spot is one of the best around. Waves break right over a rocky reef which makes this spot a little dangerous for newcomers. Crowds regularly gather on the beach to watch the action in the water.


• Roca Loca - Another spot for advanced or expert surfers, waves at Loca Roca typically swell between 3 and 6 feet and break to the right. The sand and rock bottom are pretty forgiving for the most part.


• Acapulquito - This spot offers surf that is good for beginner and more advanced surfers. The wave quality is fairly consistent. The only downside to this spot is the crowds on weekends and during certain weeks of the year.


• Cerritos - Consistent beach break waves crashing over a sandy ocean floor make Cerritos one of the best spots around Cabo, great for beginners and advanced surfers alike. Despite the hour trip from Cabo, this spot has been described as one of the more untouched and natural beaches in the area.
  

If you're interested in learning to surf in Cabo, you've got options for that as well. The calm swells on some beaches make Cabo a pretty good place for learning to surf. Surf lessons are available through many hotels and surf shops in the area. A couple notable schools are:

• Mike Doyle Surf School (858.964.5117) - Group or private instructions are available and include everything you need to catch your first wave.


• Costa Azul Surf Shop (011.52.624.142.2771) - Group or private lessons from professional instructors in San Jose Del Cabo

Surfing is just more attraction that Cabo San Lucas offers which attracts so many visitors each year. With so much to offer, it's no wonder why Cabo has become a top Mexican destination for vacationers of all interests.

Cabo has rapidly developed its golf scene in similar style to its nightlife, only not as showy. The result has catapulted this Baja city to the pinnacle of Mexico's tourism industry. It is nearly impossible not to golf on a course without some sort of PGA affiliation. Legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Rob Dye, and Robert Trent Jones can all claim to have had their hands in the design of Cabo's most cinematic greens.

Five championship golf courses decorate the once-tiny Mexican town. The facilities at The Plamilla, Cabo del Sol, Cabo San Lucas Country Club, Cabo Real, and Camp de Golf San Jose all employ the inherent beauty of the Baja to impart courses iconic for the play and scenery.

While other more exclusive courses offer a much sought-after silent and secluded golfing environment, there are two other that, although a little more populated, still give those who tee from its greens the authentic PGA experience.

El Dorado at Cabo Real is a newly Nicklaus-designed course, featuring 6 championship holes that tour along the ocean and 12 that wind through two canyons and four lakes.

The course at Cabo del Sol is distinguished by a 70th rank among the top 100 in the world. Described as having "three of the best ocean finishing holes in the world" by Jack Nicklaus, it also features a mile and a half of ocean-front play and a Golf Digest 'Top 10 public course' ranking.

Whichever route you choose, small and secluded or large and iconic, the fact remains that golfing conditions in Cabo are unrivalled and an experience unlike any other in the world.