Where is baja mexico

It is 40 kilometers wide at the narrowest section close to La Paz, Baja California Sur, and kilometers wide at the widest point. Its coastline is approximately 3, kilometers long and has about islands, of which 37 are in the Sea of Cortez. The peninsula is separated from Mexico's mainland by around kilometers at the farthest point and shares a land border with the state of Sonora.

It covers approximately , square kilometers. However, the East Pacific Rise initiated the separation of the plate and the peninsula about million years ago. Currently, the peninsula is part of the Pacific Plate and is slowly moving in a northwestward direction, away from the East Pacific Rise. The feature comprises a chain of mountain peaks forming the Peninsular Ranges.

The idea of its existence first appeared in a novel authored by Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo, as the Island of California. Or simply choose a couple of the destinations or adventures below. Tijuana is experiencing a cultural renaissance, with cutting-edge architecture, colorful murals, and a spicy food scene. In the afternoon, meander the mural-and-graffiti-filled pasajes , or artistic corridors, of El Centro.

Head to Border Psycho Brewery for a smooth cream ale, then on to 52 Kool for an explosion of traditional central-Mexico flavors and classic Baja ingredients, like seafood, quail, and organic chicken. From Tijuana, head east on Highway 2D for 36 miles to Tecate. Stop at Restaurante Amores in Tecate, where the husband-wife owner-chefs have impressive culinary pedigrees.

Order the chile- and garlic-infused tortilla soup, garnished with octopus. From Tecate, turn south on Mexico 3, and drive 46 miles to Valle de Guadalupe. The award-winning wines in this region are the handiwork of a little-known sect of Russian Christians who planted grapes when they immigrated here in At Fauna , a relaxed restaurant within the exquisite hotel Bruma , local David Castro Hussong has created an organic oasis on acres of vineyards, where the stark elegance enhances the surrounding arid landscape.

A tranquilo fishing port 30 miles south of Valle de Guadalupe, the surf here stretches north and south of the city, with serious waves at beaches like La Fonda, El Pico, and Stacks.

Gentler breaks are farther south, at Playa Hermosa. Ensenada-based X Tour offers canyoning, rappelling, hiking, kayaking, or a combination of all four in one day. The Sierra de Juarez is 60 miles east of Ensenada on Mexico 3. An oasis for mule deer, bighorn sheep, cougars, coyotes, bobcats, and soaring falcons, the 12,acre forested park sits at about 5, feet and boasts high-alpine Hanson Lake.

Hike Jeffrey Route, a two-mile loop from the visitor center. Along the path sits a representation of a Kumeyaay camp, the indigenous people who settled in what is now the southwestern U. Or hike to the top of Hanson Hill, the summit of which is almost 6, feet. Take advantage of the incredible array of fish and shrimp tacos sold at stands on nearly every Ensenada corner. Tijuana is a mile drive north on coast-hugging Mexico 1D. Tijuana: One Bunk Tijuana , a room boutique hotel in the center of everything, with clean, modern lines, exposed brick walls, and beds so comfortable you can sleep off an all-nighter.

Valle de Guadalupe: At Bruma , eight glass-and-wood suites surround a main living room, pool, and deck and are so organically designed that you feel immersed in the surrounding landscape. Camping: There are a few gated campgrounds, like Playa Saldamando, eight miles north of Ensenada.

For a more private option, drive south of Ensenada, boot up Google Earth, zoom in, and find dirt tracks that lead to any empty remote coastline, where you can camp as long as you leave no trace. In between are resorts for every budget, 11 major surf breaks, ample opportunities to watch whales or deep-sea fish for wahoo, marlin, and tuna, and culinary oases, like Flora Farms , a acre organic working farm and an open-air restaurant in the foothills of Sierra de la Laguna.

Beware: many beaches in Los Cabos are often closed to swimming due to deep drop-offs near the shoreline that create dangerous riptides and currents, so heed the signs. Costa Azul Surf School offers rentals, lessons, and expert guides who lead excursions to lesser known breaks. Whales begin migrating south to the Los Cabos region in the middle of November, birth their calves in late December and January, nurse them through March and April, then begin their migration north.

One of the most long-standing is Pisces Sportfishing , which started operating in La Paz in and eventually migrated south to Los Cabos. Since then several of its captains have been recognized with the Billfish Foundation Award for most striped marlin released worldwide. Drive west of town, and almost any road will dead-end at a dune from which you can walk the seemingly endless stretch of golden sand known as La Cachora beach. Its water is so rough that surfers gravitate five miles north of town to La Pastora, a sandy beach with fun right breaks.

South of Todos Santos is Pescadero, a reef break close to shore, and Cerritos, a sandy-bottom beach break with the most consistent surf in Baja Sur. Los Cerritos Surf Shop rents boards at the beach from sunrise to sunset. Mario Surf School and Pescadero Surf Shop , in the small hamlet of El Pescadero, also offer surfboard rentals, in addition to lessons and excursions including kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.

Three species of endangered sea turtles nest on the beaches of Todos Santos from October through March: the olive ridley, black, and critically endangered leatherback. Help them out by volunteering with La Sirena Eco Adventures , a nonprofit that needs people to care for hatchlings, relocate nests, clean up the beach, and guard the turtle sanctuary. Todos Santos: At the end of a dirt road on isolated Punta Lobos beach, 3.

The on-site restaurant serves locally harvested bounty, from fish caught earlier in the day to herbs and greens pulled from nearby fields. Or check out La Sirena Eco Adventures , which offers basic, clean eco-casitas, some with fully equipped kitchens, for their volunteers. Los Cabos: Los Milagros , a room boutique hotel, is a surprisingly inexpensive and peaceful oasis in the heart of Cabo. It was founded by a cyclist who rode his bike the length of the Baja Peninsula and loved Los Cabos so much that he founded the property in The walled courtyard and trellised bougainvillea are welcome respites from the action outside.

This luxurious and intimate new resort fronts a sandy crescent beach on Santa Maria Bay, which protects swimmers and snorkelers from the riptides and waves. The best way to access this part of the peninsula is to fly to San Diego, cross the border to the Tijuana airport, and book a flight directly to La Paz on a regional airline.

The other option is to fly into Los Cabos International Airport and rent a car. Reliable shuttles like Ecobajatours make multiple trips between the Los Cabos airport and La Paz daily. Snorkeling and scuba diving at Cabo Pulmo National Marine Reserve: In the s, local fishermen stopped commercial fishing to let the waters and reefs regenerate. Since then, the reefs have rebounded, biodiversity has increased more than fourfold, and every formerly endangered major species has rebounded.

Experience the comeback by snorkeling with Cabo Pulmo Sport Center , owned by the descendents of Jesus Castro Fiol, a pearl diver who was born here in and was instrumental in creating the national marine reserve. The laid-back little enclave offers special foiling clinics from world-champion pros like Daniela Moroz, updated equipment rental, and a community of like-minded souls.

La Ventana has a long beach with a natural arc that, thanks to the wind direction, ensures even beginners will eventually wash ashore.

It offers International Kiteboarding Association —certified instruction for all levels, three-day camps, equipment rentals, or storage for surfers who bring their own gear.

Mountain biking at Rancho Cacachilas: Mountain bikers head to the hills at Rancho Cacachilas , a solar-powered adventure resort that sprawls across 35, acres in the Sierra Cacachilas between La Ventana and La Paz. With 24 miles of existing and 43 miles of planned International Mountain Biking Association—sanctioned singletrack on the ranch, the riding is designed for all skill levels and and offers great ocean views.

Sea kayaking and snorkeling: La Paz has a three-mile-long seaside promenade that makes for fun people watching during a sunset stroll after dinner at La Costa , a low-key seafood restaurant tucked into the marina with tables in the sand. Spend a night in the city, then launch into the Sea of Cortez to kayak, snorkel among sea lions and whale sharks, and stretch out on the sand at one of many empty beaches. Trips include everything from kayaking to whale-watching to hiking.