The Sea of Cortez. Images courtesy of the Mexican Tourism Board.
I still remember the first bowl of ?shrimp soup? (caldo de camar?n) I had at Bismarck Restaurant in La Paz, a laid-back, tiny Mexican city on the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, some 25 years ago. Expecting thin broth with a few specks of shrimp, I was astounded by a huge bowl filled with the biggest shrimp I had ever seen,?jammed into a steaming, hearty consomm?. Now THIS was seafood! Many tourists think of La Paz as merely a stop-off on the way to Cabo San Lucas, but they are missing a delightful destination in itself, one of my personal Mexican favorites.
Bismarck is alive and well in La Paz, and the food is astonishingly good. The town itself remains blissfully Mexican, not ?Gringolandia.? If you long for the ?real? Mexico, La Paz, 117 miles north of the heavily touristed area of Los Cabos, may be your idea of heaven. Home to some 250,000 natives, capital of the state of Baja California Sur since 1974, this is a traditional city with old-fashioned charm. La Paz more than lives up to its translated name, ?The Peace.? However, there are plans to develop the area with golf courses, marinas and upscale resorts, so if you seek ?the peace,? now is the time to visit.
All of Baja California has long been a hub for deep sea fishing, but I was surprised to see the considerable number of private yachts (some quite impressive!) docked at La Paz? three marinas. Most hotels can arrange charter trips, or you can contact the Fishermen?s Fleet to book an expedition. Fishing tournaments are held in August, September and October.
Brocheta de camarones.
La Paz?s malec?n, or boardwalk, lines the blue Bah?a (Bay) of La Paz, while the city sprawls to the east. You will not find stellar beaches right in town (those are about 12-15 miles away), but you will find a lovely place to enjoy the sea view. I was intent on viewing the resplendent Pacific sunset, and I was not disappointed. You?ll find many bars and cafes with seats aimed toward the view. You can sip on a margarita and sop up some shrimp in garlic butter, simultaneously feasting your eyes and taste buds. On a Saturday night, I spent an hour listening to a trio playing Spanish music at the Malec?n Plaza, a pretty white gazebo in a square where musicians often play on weekend nights. This scene was reminiscent of small town U.S.A, with old-time park grandstands.
Diving, sportfishing and kayaking are huge. Aficionados of both sports use La Paz as a base for trips to Cerralvo, Isla La Partida (with a large sea lion colony on its rocks!) and the Espirit? Santo islands. North of town, you?ll find gorgeous, undeveloped beaches with clear blue water, excellent snorkeling and silky sand. The area of Playa Balandra (13 miles north of La Paz) has a beautifully protected bay with several cozy coves, tranquil water, a coral reef, a few palapas for shade and no development.
Playa Tecolote is a true Mexican experience. 15 miles north of La Paz, it features a couple of divinely authentic restaurants and bars lining a beach with waist-high water for many yards out. Don?t miss the freshly-caught, grilled huachinango (red snapper). If it?s in season, buy a juicy, ripe mango on a stick, dripping with lime juice and salt ? who needs ice cream?
As for whale watching, La Paz is a good base point. Most whale-watching expeditions depart from Bah?a Magdalena (Magdalena Bay), about 165 miles from La Paz?it?s about six hours total for the trip. This is where visitors can witness mother whales and their calves playing. These trips usually entail spending one night in the small town of San Carlos rather than a one-day trip. The best time to view whales is from December to April. There are also whale-watching trips in the Sea of Cortez, which also leave from La Paz. These trips, while not providing as close proximity to the whales as the trips to the Bah?a, will still provide fantastic whale sightings, including breeching and spouting.
Playa Balandra.
The Museo Acuario de las Californias, open from 10-2 daily, showcases marine life in the Sea of Cortez. It is continually under expansion, and features both indoor tanks and outdoor ponds and waterfalls. Jacques Cousteau, the renowned oceanographer and diver, named the Sea of Cortez ?The World?s Aquarium,? due to its huge and diverse ecosystem. Here, many types of whales, dolphins, sea lions, rays, sharks and other fish team in the ocean waters. The rocky coasts are home to hundreds of species of birds.
The Museo de Antropolog?a, open 9-6 daily, houses copies of Hern?n de Cortez?s manuscripts from his first sighting of the area, as well as photos of Baja cave paintings, recreations of native villages and some artifacts?all signage is in Spanish, but the museum staffers are happy to help translate. The museum is steps away from the traditional z?calo (main plaza) of La Paz, Plaza Constituci?n, where you might be lucky enough to catch a concert in the gazebo, or a local art show. Indeed, La Paz offers many art galleries in town for both rustic handicrafts and fine works of art.
Atardecer en la Paz.
The city?s Historic District features neoclassical architecture, with buildings dating form the early 20th century. The Antigua Casa de Gobierno del Territorio is now the Center for Popular Culture, housing exhibitions of art and traditions of the state, as well as those of the rest of Mexico. La Paz?s City Hall and the Juarez Theater are also worth a look ? you might be fortunate to visit during a theatrical presentation.
Baja California is famed for its seafood. Don?t forget to visit the aforementioned Bismark Restaurant, where you can feast on caldo de camar?n (grilled lobsters), overflowing seafood ceviches and amazing fish tacos. The restaurant is a bit of a drive, but it does have a smaller site on the boardwalk. Another beloved seafood eatery is La Mary Pe?a, where you can share an enormous seafood platter laden with an array of fish and shellfish, or try any number of other fresh-from-the-sea delights.
NOTE: While some areas of Mexico have been victim to drug cartel violence, happily, La Paz is not one of them. In fact, the safety of Baja California Sur and La Paz was recently affirmed by both the G20 Summit and the U.S. State Department. Then-Mexican President Felipe Calderon selected Los Cabos, located in the state of Baja California Sur, as the official host city of the 2012 G20 Summit in June. Further testimony to the safety of Baja California Sur is the U.S. State Department?s recent 2012 Mexico travel warning that for the first time also includes a ?no advisory? in effect for Baja California Sur and the entire South Baja region of Mexico.
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Source: http://thirdcoastdigest.com/2013/01/tcd-traveler-la-paz-the-real-mexico/
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