Latin American Legends: Road Trips Through Mexico, Guatemala, And Belize – The margarita-fueled party scene in Cabo San Lucas may be the center of attention, but the Mexican state of Baja California Sur has a wealth of natural and cultural treasures. On the southern half of the Baja California Peninsula, discover an often wild desert landscape juxtaposed with bright blue waters teeming with life. Along the east coast, the Sea of Cortez – dubbed “the world’s aquarium” by Jacques Cousteau – features underwater adventures, from snorkeling with the ocean’s largest fish to diving along a rejuvenated reef, a remarkable story of environmental success. When you come up for air, take in the sublime sunset, sample traditional flavors at a taqueria, and seek out secluded hot springs. The road less traveled awaits.
Less than 10 miles from Los Cabos International Airport, San José del Cabo is at the southern tip of Baja California Sur, near the confluence of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez. The quieter, not-so-crazy sister city of Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo is known for its Spanish colonial architecture, massive circa-1730 mission cathedral, and gallery-filled Art District. The city’s Art Walk gathering is held every Thursday night from November to June, when the weather is practically perfect every day.
Latin American Legends: Road Trips Through Mexico, Guatemala, And Belize
To the south, find the San José del Cabo Estuary Wildlife Reserve. This tranquil place where the San José River meets the ocean attracts about 200 species of resident and migratory birds, including storks, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, and hawks. Grab your camera or binoculars and rent a kayak to paddle around the coastal lagoon. Or walk the well-marked trail. (Find out what Baja California is doing to save its fishing communities.)
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A short drive southwest reveals one of the latest luxury resorts emerging along the lively beachfront corridor that stretches from San José del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas. At the Montage Los Cabos resort on the shores of Santa María Bay, head to the spa—40,000 square feet of bliss—for treatments like the Baja Desert Cocoon, which harnesses the health-giving properties of sage and agave. Then, indulge in new takes on traditional dishes at the Mezcal restaurant before settling into a suite with sea views.
Yes, Cabo San Lucas has a well-deserved reputation as a noisy and party city. But it’s easy to ditch the drinking games for outdoor activities like parasailing, surfing, and (in winter) whale watching. Whatever the time of year, don’t miss the stunning El Arco rock formation at the tip of the peninsula, aptly named Land’s End. Now you’ve got that margarita at rocker Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina.
The impressive El Arco rock formation near Cabo San Lucas sits at the tip of the peninsula, aptly named Land’s End.
As you drive north along the Pacific coast, the scenery transforms from bustling to bucolic, giving a sense of local life in Baja California Sur. At El Pescadero, the annual Chili and Strawberry Festival, held in March celebrates the crops grown here. Surfing is popular, with great breaks at Los Cerritos and San Pedrito. Bring a board to hang around all day or take a lesson at Pescadero Surf Camp (boards provided), which offers overnight stays ranging from campsites to casitas.
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Further up the west coast is Todos Santos, designated by the Mexican government as one of the country’s Pueblos Mágicos, or magical cities, for its distinct culture, history and beauty. Check in to the 11-room Hotel California, which isn’t the inspiration for the famous Eagles song, but is still a historic destination. Opened in 1950 by a Chinese immigrant who changed his name to Don Antonio Tabasco, the hotel was the first place in the city to have ice and therefore cold beer, making it a local hot spot. Explore Todos Santos’ galleries and shops and end the day on the beach, where sunsets bring brilliant hues and, if you’re lucky, dolphin sightings.
Head across the peninsula to laid-back La Paz, the state capital and gateway to the Sea of Cortez with its seemingly endless water adventures. Stay a few days at Costa Baja Resort and Spa and ask the concierge to arrange snorkeling with whale sharks, gentle giants that can reach 32 feet or more in length. Other options? Dive with hammerhead sharks, moray eels and sea lions on Isla Espíritu Santo or stand-up paddle boarding on isolated beaches like Balandra. In town, take a stroll along the famous and recently renovated Malecón boardwalk before enjoying tacos at El Sabroso.
Head south to the remote Hotel Punta Pescadero Paradise, overlooking the sea. At this resort, famous for its tranquil charm and world-class sport fishing, expect to fish for marlin, sailfish, or dorado—with the help of experienced guides—and then dine on your catch that evening.
Windsurfing and kitesurfing dominate the waters 10 miles off the east coast of Los Barriles. Gear up at Vela Baja Adventure Sports, ExotiKite Kiteboarding, or Kiteboarding Baja School, which gives helpful tips on how to glide over the waves like a pro.
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In the hills surrounding Santiago, embark on a treasure hunt along dirt roads to discover hidden hot springs. The El Chorro springs are easier to reach, while the Santa Rita springs are more challenging. Look for Cañón La Zorra (Fox Canyon) waterfall. Locals can help point the way.
The big attraction near the small town of Cabo Pulmo is the Cabo Pulmo Marine National Park. Established in 1995, the 17,570-acre protected zone – part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site – has revitalized marine life along a coral reef believed to be 20,000 years old. Get ready and dive to find groupers, turtles, eels, snappers and sharks. (Where to see wildlife up close in Magdalena Bay.)
TRAVEL Last Italy: 14 Ways to See the Country in a New Light, From Road Trips to Street ArtSAN DIEGO — Rising culinary star Priscilla Curiel, whose bone marrow birria tacos have won wide acclaim from prestigious publications like Michelin and Food and Wine, is clear about how she defines herself and the region that inspired her.
“Of course I’m a fronteriza,” said the California resident and owner and chef of Tuétano Taquería, referring to a term that comes from the Spanish word “frontera,” which means border.
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“Since I was 4 years old, my mother woke us up every day to cross the border, from kindergarten to college,” said the 37-year-old chef, who grew up in Tijuana and whose family owned restaurants there and in Chula Vista, California, where he worked before opening his own restaurant.
For nearly 19 million Americans, at least half of them of Latino or Hispanic descent, the southern border region, which spans nearly 2,000 miles and four states, is home. However, some of these residents feel that the region’s deep history, Latino heritage and enormous impact on the country’s culture, economy and identity have been lost amid the emphasis on border security and immigration policies.
In the border regions, from Imperial Beach, in California, to Boca Chica, in Texas, many residents boast their own culture and even a language, called Spanglish, which, according to them, differentiates them from any of the nations.
“It’s the merging of these worlds that creates border people – we have a very special sensibility, we have our own dialect,” said William A. Nericcio, an expert on border pop culture at San Diego State University and a native of the border city of Laredo, Texas.
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Chef Priscilla Curiel crossed the border every day to go to school and has lived on both sides of it, proudly identifying with the border culture. Courtesy of Priscila Curiel
Curiel is part of a younger generation of creative talent that draws on the rich Hispanic and Mexican heritage of the southern border region, whose cultural imprint extends far beyond the country’s southernmost cities.
Check out the increasingly popular birria tacos, found at the best taco trucks, a dish that has crossed the border like other beloved Mexican and Tex-Mex foods. Or country music fans’ love for the late Freddy Fender, who was born Baldemar Garza Huerta in the border town of San Benito, Texas. These cultural exports took the experience of living in the “places between places,” as described by Arizona poet laureate Alberto Ríos, and universalized them, further rooting Latino culture in the mainstream.
This culture also stems from geography: In El Paso, the skyline of Juárez, Mexico, is the backdrop of the Texas city, with its mix of colorful murals, bilingual store signs, and eclectic downtown architecture.
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According to Josiah Heyman, an anthropology professor at the University of Texas at El Paso who has researched the border for 41 years, in recent years border residents – or fronterizos – have been fighting stereotypes and misconceptions. “There was a kind of awakening of the need to be proud of the connection with Mexico, with Latin America,” Heyman said.
“The way people in the United States negatively view the American side of the border is, in an important way, a failure to understand how crucial the relationship between Mexico and the United States has become,” especially in recent decades, Heyman said, noting the importance of the border economy on both sides.
Cars parked in Tijuana and San Diego
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