Baja California: An enchanted Journey through the Sea of Cortes

 

When most People think of Baja California, they think of crowded and busy tourist hotspots. Only mentioning places like Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos but for those like myself who prefer a more serene and off-the-beaten path experience, I've got a few places that you might enjoy visiting. Have you ever been to La Paz?  This trip was one of my most memorable, filled with enchanting moments and breathtaking sights. Around this time of year during the less peaky seasons is when I like traveling. 

We took a guided boat to explore some of the environmentally protected Islands that they let a small number of visitors enjoy each month. Known as the Gulf of California, the Sea of Cortes , named after Herman Cortes in 1593. It's voted the Worlds Aquarium for  having the most diverse species of fish with depths that go down to 3000 ft. It's also a premiere diving sight. 

Traveling to La Paz 

As we set off on our journey with Baja Desconocida Tours, I was struck by the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The towering cliffs, rocky shorelines and rolling hills were dotted with cacti and other desert flora. The Sun was shinning down on us, casting a warm glow over the water, making the colors of the surrounding vegetation more vivid. I didn't want to snorkel at the first spot we went to because I was scared at how massive the body of water we were around looked. 

We were going to be in the Ocean with Seals and Sea Lions that made me very nervous. I was not ready but seeing others put there gear on first then jump in the water gave me the confidence. It was an amazing experience seeing the playful seals and yellow with blue stripped fish who seemed happy that we were there. I didn't take my water camera with me in because we were at a very deep point of the Ocean. I was scared I would drop it and not be able to swim down long enough to retrieve it but my friend took his.  The seals darting back and forth around us was pretty amazing. 

When we arrived at the second Island and started to explore, I was struck by the quietness and stillness of the place. It was like we were the only People for miles surrounded by nothing but the sound of gentle crashing along the seashore. It was so awesome that our boat tour provided stand up paddleboards, to get the different perspectives of being on the sea of Cortes. 

I found myself completely enchanted with this place. If you believe in mermaids, this is the kind of place they would live in. The water was so clear and the sea life was so abundant, also the first time I'd ever seen starfish in real life, it was hard not to believe I was in some sort of fairytale. 

After snorkeling, our Boat Guide had the freshest ceviche, I've ever tasted in my life. In fact, I'm so picky about ceviche that I only eat it when traveling to other countries where the water is super clear. What I also loved was they had 5 different hot sauces. I love me some spicy food, OK! He had told us his Mother in Law makes it for these trips and it was so flavorful, marinated perfectly. 

The rest of the trip was filled with more memorable moments and breathtaking sights. Every Island was different and each had it's own unique beauty. Whether we were learning about it's history, paddle boarding along side it, hiking up one of it's hills, doing sun salutations at the tropic of cancer or simply relaxing on the beach, each day was an extraordinary adventure. 

This trip to Baja California is one of my fondest experiences. I highly recommend visiting during the less touristy peak season and taking a boat trip to explore the Islands. You won't regret it!