Todos Santos Travel Guide

May 10

While Cabo San Lucas (the fishing village turned resort town that occupies the southern tip of Baja) draws visitors from all over the world, Cabo is hardly representative of the state of Baja California Sur. In fact, as much as I like Cabo, it does not really feel like an authentic Mexican experience.

Baja, the peninsula that extends south of California and is separated from mainland Mexico by the Sea of Cortez, is a desert paradise that has been attracting surfers, outdoor enthusiasts, artists, and bohemians for decades. Bisected by the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, Baja’s distinct environment is populated by Saguaro cactus, desert sage, and the occasional oasis of palms.

One hour north of Cabo, at the foot of the Mountains, city lights give way to dusty river beds, bumpy roads, virgin beaches, and farmland. If you blink or are driving at night, you can easily miss the hard left down a windy dirt road that leads to the surf colony of Cerritos Beach. Up ahead where the road descends into farmland is the town of Pescadero.

Beyond Pescadero is Todos Santos, the cultural and commercial hub of the area. Settled in the 1700s, Todos Santos retains a small village feel, in large part because of its Pueblo Magical (“magic towns”) designation, which protects a few dozen historical towns in Mexico from being over-developed. The center of town, which has gradually grown alongside the restoration of its colonial buildings, is home to a number of art galleries, restaurants, and small boutique hotels. The community, largely made up of environmentally conscious expats and local families who have been farming the land for generations, is fiercely protective of the area, its heritage, and the natural landscape that makes Baja so special. Community activism, along with limited access to swimmable beaches, and the lack of a significant water supply, has kept meaningful growth at bay, unlike its sister city Cabo. As a result, the streets are quiet, the beaches are pristine, the sunsets are magical, and the stargazing is spectacular. Come for the relaxation and peaceful energy, and stay for the dry desert heat, reliable sunshine (355 days per year), and blissful ocean breeze.

This is your sign to explore Baja. I promise, you’ll wonder what took you so long, but when you do, you’ll be glad you did.

When to Visit

The best time to visit is the fall-winter months from October to February, and then again from May to June (after Spring Break and before the rainy season.) I just returned from Baja, where I spent a week at the end of May and found it to be the perfect time to go. The crowds were small and the weather was perfect.

Where to Eat & Drink

The Green Room: Follow the dirt road north from Todos Santos a few miles and you will eventually come to Villa Santa Cruz and the Green Room, the best place in the area to eat ceviche and tostadas with your feet in the sand.
Barracuda Cantina: This little, casual place by the side of the road leading into Cerritos Beach serves some of the best tacos around (which is why it was recently features on Netflix’ Taco Chronicles).
Jazamango: This recently opened restaurant is owned and run by esteemed Baja California (as in Tijuana) chef, Javier Plascencia. Rooted firmly in campestre (countryside)-style cooking, the food is farm-to-table, rustic, and yet well throughout and delicious.
Hierbabuena: This cafe represents the best of farm-to-table in the region, which is why it’s a favorite with visitors and locals alike.

Where to Stay

I can only speak for the hotel I stayed at, which happened to end up being one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at. Paradero Todos Santos is a stunning, new 35-suite property set across five acres of land surrounded by the unspoiled farming community of Pescadero. Unique from start to finish, it’s design plan is built facing the desert with its back to the beach (do not stay here expecting to step foot onto the sand from your hotel room.) In fact, Paradero is Mexico’s first luxury, experienced-based hotel. The hotel’s mission is to offer its guests extraordinary outdoor experiences that promote sustainability, community development, and conservation. Led by local experts, guests are introduced to the culture and landscape of Baja through surfing, guided hiking and mountain biking, farming tutorials, taco tours, and gallery visits. And yes, a stay at Paradero allows plenty of time for rest and relaxation on property. I certainly had a lot of that.

The architects who built Paradero were tasked with blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living, encouraging guests to mingle, relax by the fire, enjoy a meal at the community table, or work remotely from the bar. Through the use of neutral colors and minimalism, the contemporary concrete design of the guest suites allows the structures to blend into the landscape. One of the most beautiful things I experienced were the sunsets at Paradero, as the concrete buildings seemed to reflect and match the sunset’s vibrant colors.

The guest suites at Paradero are positioned on the edge of the property for maximum views of the desert. Garden suites on the ground floor of the two-story concrete structures have desert patios, hammocks, and outdoor soaking tubs. Upstairs, where I stayed, the rooftop suites feature an outdoor lounge area for taking in the panoramic views as well as built-in suspended “star nets” for gazing at the unobstructed night sky views filled with stars. An extra amenity you can ask for is an outdoor fire pit, where you can stargaze by your own fire on your private rooftop deck. Needless to say, it’s a magical experience.

The interior design of the rooms incorporates warm, neutral tones, with furnishings and textiles custom-crafted or locally sourced from Mexican artisans. The communal areas, built from warmer materials such as wood, metal, and gray concrete, feature an outdoor living room with hammocks and cozy cushion seating, restaurant, bar, and a stunning half-moon pool deck facing the desert. The outdoor spa (the only hotel spa in the area at the moment) focuses on Mexican healing traditions through the use of hot and cold pools and a Temazcal hut for wellness ceremonies. I had an 80-minute deep tissue massage, under a thatched palapa surrounded by 100 palm trees, and it happened to be one of the best spa treatments I’ve ever had.

The only restaurant on property, Open Kitchen, is helmed by chef Eduard Rios (previously of award-winning Pujol in Mexico City.) It combines his expertise in refined Mexican cuisine with ingredients native to Baja. Meals are usually served with corn or flour tortillas warmed in a traditional Oaxacan clay oven alongside a flight of salsas made from the 12 different types of chili peppers grown on the property.