So I have been wanting to do an adventurous kind of surf trip for some time. I am looking to go sometime in mid to late october for about a week to week and a half. I have narrowed it down to Costa, Puerto, and Baja Mexico. Baja seems to offer the freedom to really move around along with ample primitive camping options that I would love. My questions for Baja Mexico is where we should step off from, either San Diego or Cabo. I am thinking that we wanna stick as far south as possible, due to less propensity for crime and less crowded lineups. Also, where to rent from and what kind of vehicle. I am looking for any suggestions from people who have been there and done that. I have heard all the horror stories of mexico and dont want any responses about my perceived naivety. If all goes according to plan, the group that I would be traveling with are guys that are savvy travelers as well as guys you wouldnt want to fack with. I plan on buying the Surfers Guide to Baja and utilizing that for campgrounds, breaks, as well as places to avoid, but I always love hearing about these trips from guys that really know.
" If all goes according to plan, the group that I would be traveling with are guys that are savvy travelers as well as guys you wouldnt want to fack with." Dude, just by judging you from that statement alone, you've told everyone who's ever traveled through Baja that you have no idea of what you will be dealing with. I don't care if you're traveling with Jason Statham, Rambo, BJ Penn and Bones Jones. Your attitude and your Spanish speaking ability, along with your wallet and your wits, are going to be the difference between the ability to co-exist and assimilate or being separated from your cabeza on some deserted road off of Highway 1A. That being said, you're probably better off flying into Cabo and exploring the areas northward. You will be taking a bigger chance driving south from SD, running through the gauntlet of local "judiciales" police, Federales (both real and fake) as well as sicarios and mules for the cartel. Don't forget though, the Mexican feds recently caught the #2 guy for the Sinaloa Cartel in Cabo just a couple of months ago. Draw your own conclusions. There are a ton of quality reefs and beachbreaks, with a few nice right pointbreaks scattered here and there. Surfers Guide to Baja is a good resource. Use the WiFi at your hotel and Google Earth a few breaks if you really want to explore (don't forget your GPS). Baja Sur is weird, you can rock up in boardshorts at some breaks and need a 3/2 at another break less than a mile away. Can't really tell you what to avoid, because everything down there can be cool one minute and totally sketch the next. Your best bet is to keep a low profile and don't be The Ugly American. Don't draw attention to yourself, it's better to be dank and ghetto so they won't be so tempted to screw with you. And last but not least, bring plenty of "mordida" cash. Keep your bribe cash on you at all times, and be doubly sure to hide the rest of your money in a safe place. Mucho cuidado, amigo.
Good stuff! Thanks for the replies. What you were saying kidrock about traveling from SD echoes a lot of what I have heard already and I think its safe to say that we will be stepping off from Cabo. It might cost us a lil more in cash up front, but from what you've expounded upon it is probably the safer of the two options. As for the guys im traveling with, kidrock... These guys, who have both combat experience and gang unit experience, are smart enough not to attract attention to ourselves and know a thing or two about the lowest rungs of criminal filth. Regardless of all the precautions we plan on taking, it seems that the violence may be starting to plateau and even decrease, especially around Tijuana. Hopefully, it will continue to get better.
I was down there in Cerritos, about 45 min drive north from Cabo, and stayed a this place: http://www.villasdecerritosbeach.com/ And it was awesome, cerritos only was breaking the first day I was there, head to OH, but the next days I just drove up 10 min to punta pescadero (or san pedrito) and there's a right hand break that was firing the rest of the time I was there, nothing big, but consistent chest to head high. Weekends are crowded, so an early start those days was good. I rented a car (nissan sentra) at los cabos aiport and that was the best way to get around. PM me if you want any further details, I wouldn't mind to share. Good luck.
Soundside, Good on ya dude. It sounds like you have the right attitude for a serious Baja trip. I suggest pooling cash and renting an SUV with 4X4 and check out "Seven Sisters". Look it up, you won't be disappointed. Peace and waves...........
Did the trip from SD to Cabo with two other guys back in 2003. Without a doubt one of the greatest travel experiences of my life. Great idea getting the Surfers Guide to Baja. that book saved us and got us to gas and got us to the towns we needed to be at and most importantly got us to the surf breaks. Words of advice which im sure you have already heard. Find a place to camp or stay before dark. Dont drive in the dark.... gets super sketchy and foggy especially in the mountains. add in tractor trailers and lane widths that are about 2/3 the size of ours here in the states and it makes for sketchy situations. bring playboys. that was the one thing the guys at the check stations always asked for. not sure if its the same, but i cant imagine that changing. whenever you see gas, get it. even if you have 3/4 of a tank, fill up. driving the coast from cabo up or SD down is awesome. definitely stop at scopions bay if theres surf. we pulled up to find 1' perfect waves peeling for a couple hundred yards. "shoulda been here yesterday". As far as Cerritos down south, that is a super cool little beach. its changed quite a bit in the past 10 years from a desolate beach that you could camp at and wake up right next to the surf with just a little taco shack, to a developed headland with a massive hotel and a massive beach restaurant/bar, but still a pretty cool place. not sure if you can still camp. and just north of cerritos, which you will also find in the "the book" is a spot called the oasis. check it out and hike up the mountain. super cool. what you will find along your trip is how nice and sincere the mexican people are. have fun and good luck.
I went years ago about the same time- maybe 10 years ago. I have to agree- it was one of the best trips that we went on as far as exploration goes... back then we didn't have any trouble at all. we got stopped a few times, but we had nothing that they could get us for- but you have to use your smarts not your strength when dealing with the policia... they will search everything and take apart your car... and tell you that they don't speak english... they tried to question us on a lighter one time, but thats it. don't take any drugs or anything- they do love to search your stuff and have been known to plant stuff in guys bags... its good to have something that they don't have to give them/bribe to get out of sticky situations- like an old ipod. I wound not rent a nice new suv and drive that down from SD- find a junker rental place that rents old cars/trucks... if they see you cruzing down there in your shinny new Armada with board bags on top- you will get pulled over about 5 times a day...but you will probably want to find something big enough to lock your boards in when not surfing or when sleeping. we rented an old worn out suberu wagon in cali S.D.- it had all wheel drive and a clutch that was slipping the whole time. I think we looked like a less likely target since the thing was a pos and all worn out... we also used that book, it was right on. Just be smart and you'll be ok- like the other guy said- don't drive at night unless you want to get robbed. Make sure you have camp set up before dark in a safe place. and oh ya... try not to drink the water... It was one of the best trips I have done, not the most epic waves... but as far as an adventurous surf trip, the best. If you like to stay in hotels and stuff, go to cabo...
Go to Cabo and head north. I haven't driven down through TJ in a few years because the drug violence is so bad. Better safe then sorry and you'll get plenty of quality waves. No reason to chance it. A lot has changed in the past couple of years.
