July 8, 2005
South of the Border
Exploring the Spectacular Beaches And Mountains of Baja California
By Michael Lukas
The classic Baja vacation, perfected by generations of Southern California surfers and San Diego State frat boys,
involves primarily two ingredients: cheap tequila and sand. Accordingly, the landscape close to the border is
dominated by MTV Spring Breakesque bars, touristy craft markets, and dirty white stucco condominiums. But Baja
California, the narrow spit of Mexico that juts out from the bottom of California, offers much more than just
hangovers and sunburns.
Once you get past Ensenada, about an hour and a half south of the border, the bars and condos give way to scrub
brush, rolling hills, and glimpses of the Pacific. Every once in a while there is a little town - Camalu, Colonet,
Colonia Vicente Guerrero - comprised of a few pharmacies and muffler shops, all lined up along the dusty two-lane
highway. For the most part, the stretch of land between Ensenada and San Quintin is undeveloped by the mass
tourist trade and is home to a number of magnificent beaches, dormant volcanoes, and lunch stands serving delicious
fish tacos. Farther inland you'll find lush mountains and a national park with ample opportunities for hiking,
bird-watching, horseback riding, or fishing.
Perched on the edge of pristine San Quintin Bay, the Old Mill Hotel is where agribusiness executives stay when they
are in town to inspect the fields. Because of its location right on the bay it's also quite popular with sport fishermen.
But even for those with no interest in agribusiness or sport fishing, the Old Mill is a good jumping-off point for
exploring the area's beaches and volcanoes. You could ask for more luxurious accommodations, but the Old Mill's
location, pleasant cactus- and bougainvillea filled courtyard, and large, clean rooms make it a nice place to stay.
(Old Mill Hotel, 800-479-7962, oldmill@telnor.net; $30-$45 a night.)
The beaches on the secluded Pacific side of San Quintin Bay are spectacular, as are the volcanoes, Ceniza and
Sudoeste, the latter of which overlooks a sandy-bottom point break. If you don't have access to a four-wheel drive
vehicle, which you'll need to get out to the volcanoes, the Santa Maria beach near La Pinta Hotel just south of San
Quintin is easily accessible and quite nice.
Should you opt for a sport-fishing expedition, one of the outfitters clustered along the pier will take you and three
friends 12 miles out into the Pacific, where, depending on the season, you might catch a yellowtail or a marlin. The
expeditions are priced at $300 to $400 a day, which, according to the fishermen hanging around the pier, is an
incredibly good deal. If you figure that a full day's fishing can yield up to 30 pounds of filet and that a nice fish filet
costs at least $10 a pound, fishing almost makes economic sense. Sport-fishing outfitters in San Quintin include Old
Mill Sportfishing (888-828-2628) and Pedro's Pangas (888-568-2252).
After you've explored San Quintin Bay and its surroundings, you may not feel like driving three hours along a long,
windy, and partially unpaved road. But when you find Rancho Meling at the end of the road, you'll be glad you
made the drive. For three generations, the Meling family has lived at this delightful mountain ranch in the foothills of
the Sierra San Pedro Martir mountains, herding cattle and - for the past 80 years or so - running a guest house.
(Rancho Meling, 646-107-2910, ranchomeling@yahoo.com, www.melingguestranch.com; $60 a night for a single,
$80 for a double; $25 a day for full board.)
Long a destination for European bird-watchers and San Diegan weekenders, Rancho Meling offers horseback
riding and fly-fishing expeditions, priced at $600 a person for four days and three nights. But perhaps the best thing
about the ranch is that it is located on the outskirts of the Sierra San Pedro Martir National Park, a magnificent 236
square miles of mountains, alpine meadows, and, according to the park ranger, more than a few condors.
The park is also home to the Mexican National Observatory, which is only open to the public between 9 a.m. and 2
p.m. (646-174-4580 ext. 302). We heard from several sources, however, that it's possible to sweet-talk the park
rangers into letting you look at the stars if your Spanish is good enough. (Ours apparently wasn't.) In any case, the
hike we took in the park was itself worth the drive from San Quintin.
According to my friend Avery, whose sister was our gracious tour guide and hostess, no visit to Baja is complete
without trying the local fish tacos. Taking his advice to heart, I made sure to sample at least three fish tacos a day. I
concluded (and my friends agreed) that the best fish tacos in northern Baja come from a small chain of roadside
stands called La Pasadita with locations along Highway 1 in San Quintin and Colonia Vicente Guerrero. La
Pasadita's succulently batter-fried fish is perfectly balanced by crispy chopped lettuce and your choice of salsa;
tacos cost $1.50 each. When you're done, if you aren't totally stuffed, head across the street to La Michuacana, a
fresh popsicle and smoothie chain that, either by coincidence or brilliant design, is located across the street from the
La Pasadita in both San Quintin and Colonia Vicente Guerrero.
Those who don't want to eat La Pasadita fish tacos for every meal will be happy to know that Baja also boasts a
number of other culinary specialties. For breakfast the best bets are chilaquiles,a spicy tortilla strip, cheese, and
tomato-sauce scramble, and huevos rancheros, both of which are made pretty similarly wherever you go. For
dinner, lobster is particularly popular with Americans, less for its quality than its price. It's hard to turn down a full
lobster dinner for $15 - and I don't think I did. A man can only eat so many fish tacos.
South of the Border
Exploring the Spectacular Beaches And Mountains of Baja California
By Michael Lukas
The classic Baja vacation, perfected by generations of Southern California surfers and San Diego State frat boys,
involves primarily two ingredients: cheap tequila and sand. Accordingly, the landscape close to the border is
dominated by MTV Spring Breakesque bars, touristy craft markets, and dirty white stucco condominiums. But Baja
California, the narrow spit of Mexico that juts out from the bottom of California, offers much more than just
hangovers and sunburns.
Once you get past Ensenada, about an hour and a half south of the border, the bars and condos give way to scrub
brush, rolling hills, and glimpses of the Pacific. Every once in a while there is a little town - Camalu, Colonet,
Colonia Vicente Guerrero - comprised of a few pharmacies and muffler shops, all lined up along the dusty two-lane
highway. For the most part, the stretch of land between Ensenada and San Quintin is undeveloped by the mass
tourist trade and is home to a number of magnificent beaches, dormant volcanoes, and lunch stands serving delicious
fish tacos. Farther inland you'll find lush mountains and a national park with ample opportunities for hiking,
bird-watching, horseback riding, or fishing.
Perched on the edge of pristine San Quintin Bay, the Old Mill Hotel is where agribusiness executives stay when they
are in town to inspect the fields. Because of its location right on the bay it's also quite popular with sport fishermen.
But even for those with no interest in agribusiness or sport fishing, the Old Mill is a good jumping-off point for
exploring the area's beaches and volcanoes. You could ask for more luxurious accommodations, but the Old Mill's
location, pleasant cactus- and bougainvillea filled courtyard, and large, clean rooms make it a nice place to stay.
(Old Mill Hotel, 800-479-7962, oldmill@telnor.net; $30-$45 a night.)
The beaches on the secluded Pacific side of San Quintin Bay are spectacular, as are the volcanoes, Ceniza and
Sudoeste, the latter of which overlooks a sandy-bottom point break. If you don't have access to a four-wheel drive
vehicle, which you'll need to get out to the volcanoes, the Santa Maria beach near La Pinta Hotel just south of San
Quintin is easily accessible and quite nice.
Should you opt for a sport-fishing expedition, one of the outfitters clustered along the pier will take you and three
friends 12 miles out into the Pacific, where, depending on the season, you might catch a yellowtail or a marlin. The
expeditions are priced at $300 to $400 a day, which, according to the fishermen hanging around the pier, is an
incredibly good deal. If you figure that a full day's fishing can yield up to 30 pounds of filet and that a nice fish filet
costs at least $10 a pound, fishing almost makes economic sense. Sport-fishing outfitters in San Quintin include Old
Mill Sportfishing (888-828-2628) and Pedro's Pangas (888-568-2252).
After you've explored San Quintin Bay and its surroundings, you may not feel like driving three hours along a long,
windy, and partially unpaved road. But when you find Rancho Meling at the end of the road, you'll be glad you
made the drive. For three generations, the Meling family has lived at this delightful mountain ranch in the foothills of
the Sierra San Pedro Martir mountains, herding cattle and - for the past 80 years or so - running a guest house.
(Rancho Meling, 646-107-2910, ranchomeling@yahoo.com, www.melingguestranch.com; $60 a night for a single,
$80 for a double; $25 a day for full board.)
Long a destination for European bird-watchers and San Diegan weekenders, Rancho Meling offers horseback
riding and fly-fishing expeditions, priced at $600 a person for four days and three nights. But perhaps the best thing
about the ranch is that it is located on the outskirts of the Sierra San Pedro Martir National Park, a magnificent 236
square miles of mountains, alpine meadows, and, according to the park ranger, more than a few condors.
The park is also home to the Mexican National Observatory, which is only open to the public between 9 a.m. and 2
p.m. (646-174-4580 ext. 302). We heard from several sources, however, that it's possible to sweet-talk the park
rangers into letting you look at the stars if your Spanish is good enough. (Ours apparently wasn't.) In any case, the
hike we took in the park was itself worth the drive from San Quintin.
According to my friend Avery, whose sister was our gracious tour guide and hostess, no visit to Baja is complete
without trying the local fish tacos. Taking his advice to heart, I made sure to sample at least three fish tacos a day. I
concluded (and my friends agreed) that the best fish tacos in northern Baja come from a small chain of roadside
stands called La Pasadita with locations along Highway 1 in San Quintin and Colonia Vicente Guerrero. La
Pasadita's succulently batter-fried fish is perfectly balanced by crispy chopped lettuce and your choice of salsa;
tacos cost $1.50 each. When you're done, if you aren't totally stuffed, head across the street to La Michuacana, a
fresh popsicle and smoothie chain that, either by coincidence or brilliant design, is located across the street from the
La Pasadita in both San Quintin and Colonia Vicente Guerrero.
Those who don't want to eat La Pasadita fish tacos for every meal will be happy to know that Baja also boasts a
number of other culinary specialties. For breakfast the best bets are chilaquiles,a spicy tortilla strip, cheese, and
tomato-sauce scramble, and huevos rancheros, both of which are made pretty similarly wherever you go. For
dinner, lobster is particularly popular with Americans, less for its quality than its price. It's hard to turn down a full
lobster dinner for $15 - and I don't think I did. A man can only eat so many fish tacos.