Explore Your Surroundings: Escape to East Cape

By Sarah Muñoz

As exciting as Los Cabos is, there is much more to enjoy in Baja California Sur. It’s quite easy to rent a car and explore it on your own, as roads are well taken care of and people are friendly and helpful. However, you can also arrange an excursion with a local tour operator. Just don’t miss the chance to explore the other faces of this Mexican state.

Quick escape (about 40 minutes) to the East Cape is indispensable — it’s a place to truly disconnect from the world and be one with nature. Still relatively undeveloped, it covers almost 100 miles of mostly pristine coastline eastward along the Sea of Cortés — the area of Los Barriles, Buena Vista, Punta Colorado, Cabo Pulmo National Park and Bahía Los Frailes. As Los Cabos grows, however, so does the East Cape — but it’s still a darling spot to get away from it all.

The East Cape

Some will tell you that the East Cape is not for everyone, but that's the whole point - being removed from the outside world is what visitors find so appealing.  The East Cape is what Los Cabos must have been like quite a few years ago, though several big developments are on the way in Los Barriles, La Ribera and El Rincón, to start.

The term "East Cape" applies to a large swath of excellent fishing spots rather than one town or an urban area. In fact, it's hard to find any map with East Cape on it, although those who love it distinguish the region in various Baja fishing books. Generally, the East Cape covers Los Barriles, Buena Vista, Punta Colorado, Cabo Pulmo National Park and Bahía Los Frailes.

Click here to see a map of the area.

Experts say it is here that the Sea of Cortez truly begins. Anglers find family-run hotels and swim up bars at lower prices than Cabo San Lucas. The East Cape is as far away from the Los Cabos International Airport as Cabo San Lucas, and worlds apart for nightlife. It's also a rival in many ways for fishing enthusiasts. Many people claim it's the best part of Los Cabos, incorporating a frontier spirit where legends and lore were born.

"John Wayne never stayed here," says Robert Van Wormer, owner of Hotel Las Palmas de Cortez. "He mostly stayed in Cabo and La Paz on his boat, Wild Goose. So much for the myth of Duke sleeping in every Mexican hotel." But Desi Arnaz was a regular - he'd fly into Loreto, and then come to Los Barriles.

Which type of traveler will enjoy the East Cape?

Surfers, for one — the waves are often dotted with boards and sails, especially in Los Barriles.  From December to March, the beaches of Los Barriles swarm with brightly colored hi-tech windsurfers. The tiny, carefree town has been “discovered” in recent years and is now enjoying a real estate boom, but there’s still plenty of that quiet, beachy feel, as well as a market and tackle shop.

Fishermen love the many ideal spots in which to cast away, but you can just as easily rent a panga and glide onto sea, maybe wait around for one of those famous sunsets on a kayak or go on an ATV tour through the desert. Then there’s Cabo Pulmo, a marine park with the only living coral reef in the Northern Pacific. It’s a favorite spot for divers, who come to admire the region’s spectacular underwater life.

Though not quite as prolific in hotels as Los Cabos, there are a good number of choice alternatives for travelers who’d rather not camp out or stay at an RV park. In fact, there are accommodations options that are not quite as “simple” as some people would like you to believe. Hotel Palmas de Cortez, which includes meals in its prices, is a long-time favorite and has a spa, nine-hole executive golf course and driving range, not to mention a meeting facility and tennis courts. There’s also the Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort, a favorite among the fishing crowd (and those who don’t fish) for its comfortable bungalows. Formerly a Mexican general's home, the estate has grown into a collection of Mediterranean-style bungalows, popular with repeat travelers and fishing families looking for quieter good times. A sign at the reception reads: Work is for people who don't fish.

Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort has had the opportunity to partner with the Bisbee family and host the prestigious Bisbee international fishing events:

2009 Tournament Dates
East Cape: July 28-August 1
Los Cabos: October 16-18
Black & Blue: October 20-24

One thing that Los Barriles does boast about is the East Cape Smoke House, which will pick up your fresh catch at the boat, transport it to its facility, smoke it and freeze it for your trip home.

Visitors to the East Cape will probably stay close to their hotel once they arrive. You can board the cruiser early in the morning, then take an afternoon walk on the endless beach, followed by a dip in the pool, and finally, enjoy a hearty hotel meal. There's nothing wrong with that picture.

Check the events calendar for annual art festivals and other interesting reasons to visit.

Why is Cabo so much fun? There is so much to do! Click here for a list of dive, watersports, fishing and tour operators. You'll also find links to Cabo's world class golf courses, spas, adventure tours, horseback riding, wedding coordinators and cruises.