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The Mexican Playground: Los Cabos
March 26, 2009 by Fractional Ownership & Timeshare Reviews, News and Guides · Leave a Comment
Los Cabos is in the state of Baja California Sur in Mexico. The resort town of Cabo San Lucas is named for its slender cape on the tip of Mexico’s 1000-mile long Baja California peninsula.
The area has gradually developed into a luxury holiday hot spot over the last four decades and it is not surprising as the area boasts warm waters, all year around sunshine, beautiful beaches, boating, golfing and an abundance of sport fishing.
It is believed that the first people came to the southern end of the peninsula 14,000 years ago. The first expeditions to explore the area were carried out by Hernán Cortés as early as 1535. He made such an impression on the area that they named a sea after him. Stories of the areas colorful past have been past down through the generations – stories of Spanish Galleons, English Pirates and Jesuit Missionaries. The cape area experienced a sport fishing craze in the 50s and 60s and the waters became know as Marlin Alley and became fairly popular.
However tourism in the area really began in 1974 when the Mexican Government created the infrastructure including the peninsularhighway and later in 1986 opened the International Airport. This connected the area to the USA by road and the world by air. This turned Cabo San Lucas into one of the most attractive tourist areas in Mexico. Sports men arrived from all over the world to take part in the fishing tournaments and golfers flocked to the area to play on the world class courses.
Not far behind them were the property developers who built luxury resorts, villas and high-end restaurants and shops. Today the Los Cabos area plays host to over 2 million Los Cabos visitors each year and its local population is over 50,000 people.
The two main resort areas are lively Cabo San Lucas and historic San Jose del Cabo. They are divided by “The Corridor” an area of outstanding beauty which is home of some of the world’s finest resorts, championship golf courses and outstanding beaches. An 18 mile four-lane highway runs between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo along the sea of Cortez and it is one of the most scenic drives in the whole peninsula taking in desert landscape, deserted beaches and hidden coves. For most of the time you cannot see the resorts from
the highway but don’t be fooled, there are numerous sprawling mega resorts, health spas and fancy golf clubs. Many of the beaches in this area are deserted. The most popular family beaches are Playa Chileno which is named after a group of pirates from Chile who once used this cove as their base. Tidal pools make it great for the kids and an offshore reef makes it great for snorkeling. Playa Santa Maria is a pretty crescent shaped cove with rugged sand cliffs and is a protected marine sanctuary so has a multitude of fish making it
a great place to snorkel. Surfers flock to the surf centre, Playa Costa Azul with its dramatic beach landscape, great surf and world famous Zippers Restaurant.
Cabo San Lucas was once a tranquil fishing village and hang out for the local pirates. These days it is a hang out for a very diverse crowd from fisherman to honeymooners, surfers to yachtsmen and students to retired couples all strolling at their own pace along the El Medano beach.
Here you will find popular hotels, restaurants, bars and many water sports including waterskiing, parasailing, jet skiing and the banana boat. The less active may just want to sunbathe, relax and enjoy the beach parties all day and into the night…
Everyone that visits Cabo San Lucas must visit it’s most famous landmark- Lands End. It is located at the Southern most tip of the Baja Peninsula and is made up of large rock formations which have been shaped and carved by the sea and wind. During the low tide you can walk along Lovers Beach and get a great view of the famous archway, Arch of Poseiden and Los Frailes which is made up of two rock inlets and is home to many sea lions.
Cabo San Lucas also proudly boasts Mexico’s finest boating facility. This modern marina is located in the harbor of Cabo San Lucas, at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula. Marina Cabo San Lucas is without doubt one of the world’s most outstanding yachting, sport fishing and mega-yacht facilities and it is the location of the world’s richest sport fishing tournaments for marlin, tuna and dorado.
The most prestigious of these events is the Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament. This is the richest billfish tournament in the world and anglers from all parts of the globe arrive in Cabo San Lucas in late October every year. There is over $2,000,000 in prize money and with it the prestige of winning this tournament. Over two hundred boats take part in this extravaganza and it is an amazing show.
Also accessible by boat and only a few minutes boat ride away is an underwater nature reserve. Cabo San Lucas is the only resort in Mexico to have a reserve of this type within its city limits. Diving in the Sea of Cortez is an unforgettable experience, with shipwrecks, caves, reefs, and a multitude of colorful fish to discover.
Popular dive sites include Anegada, on the edge of Submarine Canyon, which is a picturesque wall dive and a great place to see all types of large and small fish and possibly spot rays, or The Point where the Pacific joins the Sea of Cortez. It is a regular place to see sea lions, turtles and huge sea bass. Whale sharks and mantas have also been spotted in this area.
As well as fishing and scuba diving, Los Cabos is also famous for its world class golf courses. Championship golf in Los Cabos began more than 10 years ago with the construction of the Palmilla
Resort and it is still continuing to grow today.
The 27 hole course was established by Don Knoll, a Californian developer and avid golfer and designed by Jack Nicklaus. The impact this has had on this area has been incredible. Playing on this course can pose quite a challenge though. The Three Nines, The Ocean Nine (the newest), Arroyo Nine and the Mountain Nine are stunning having views over the Sea of Cortez and the desert and tee boxes amid looming mountains. On Ocean Nine’s third fairway players inch closer and closer to the sea until they reach the green which is built practically on the beach. Cabo Real Resort is an extensive combination of luxury accommodation and great golf.
The 3000 acre resort is home to two championship courses. The older of the two is the Cabo Real and was designed by Robert Trent Jones and played hot to the 1999 PGA Senior Slam Tournament. The course begins amongst the Sierra Mountains and climbs during the first part of the course. By the sixth hole you are teeing off nearly 500 feet above sea level. The Cabo San Lucas Country Club is a Dye designed course and features seven lakes and many bunkers. The course has literally been carved out of the mountain and desert terrain.
The seventh hole is the longest in Mexico – a par 5, 620 yard hole with a double dog leg around a lake.
As the sun sets in Cabo san Lucas though the atmosphere changes to “Party Town”.
A must is a visit to Cabo Wabo Cantina which is owned by Sammy Hagar the famous rock and roller, who performs occasionally, and The Giggling Marlin Bar, one of the first bars in Cabo San Lucas, which has a devilish mix of dirty dancing style shows and very lethal margaritas and is famous for their fish scale, where unsuspecting guests are strung upside down and photographed…solo or in pairs.
El Squid Roe is on three floors and is packed every night. Waiters are equipped with spray tanks of tequila and table-dancing patrons get lost in the loud dance beat. It is totally wild and outrageous and so not for
the prudish.
Twenty miles Northeast is San Jose del Cabo. It is a charming, romantic, colonial town reminiscent of Old Mexico and was founded in 1730 as a mission. As you stroll around the historic down town you can see San Jose church with its twin spires, the old square, courtyard restaurants and art galleries. Time seems to stand still and the pace of life here is very slow and relaxed. Shop here for local crafts like wood carvings, unique pewter items, pure vanilla and hand painted clothing. There are a few art galleries that display work of local
artists and you can pick up very unique and often traditional pieces of art at incredible prices.
San Jose del Cabo is a great place to be if you are hungry. You can find excellent sea food, Mexican, Gourmet and Italian restaurants all within a short walk of the centre.
Puerto Los Cabos is a new master planned community East of San Jose del Cabo. The new development will offer a marina, houses, condos and much more. In addition it is located only 15 minutes from the Los Cabos
International Airport which makes this new hideaway even more attractive.
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