The Land & Its People

Social Mores -- American, Canadian, and English travelers have often observed that Mexicans have a different conception of time -- that life in Mexico obeys slower rhythms. This is true, and yet few observers go on to explain what the consequences of this are for the visitor to Mexico. This is a shame, because an imperfect appreciation of the difference causes a good deal of misunderstanding between tourists and locals.

On several occasions, Mexican acquaintances have asked me why Americans grin all the time. At first I wasn't sure what to make of the question and only gradually came to appreciate what was at issue. As the pace of life for Americans, Canadians, and others has quickened, they have come to skip some of the niceties of social interaction. When walking into a store, many Americans simply smile at a clerk and launch right into a question or request. The smile, in effect, replaces the greeting. In Mexico, it doesn't work that way. Mexicans misinterpret this American manner of greeting. After all, a smile when there is no context can be ambiguous; it can convey amusement, smugness, or superiority.

One of the most important pieces of advice I can offer travelers is this: Always give a proper greeting when addressing Mexicans. Don't try to abbreviate social intercourse. Mexican culture places a higher value on proper social form than on saving time. A Mexican must at least say "¡Buenos días!" or even a quick "Qué tal?" to show proper respect. When an individual meets up with and leaves a group, he will greet and say goodbye to each person separately, which can take quite a while. For us, the polite thing would be to keep our interruption to a minimum and give a general greeting or goodbye to all, but foregoing an introductory greeting in Mexico is in poor taste.

Mexicans, like most people, will consciously or subconsciously make quick judgments about individuals they meet. Most divide the world into the bien educado (well raised and cultured) and the mal educado (poorly raised). Unfortunately, many visitors are reluctant to try out their Spanish, preferring to keep exchanges to a minimum. Don't do this. To be categorized as a foreigner isn't a big deal. What's important in Mexico is to be categorized as one of the cultured foreigners and not one of the barbarians. Even an attempt at Spanish makes it easier to get the attention of waiters, hotel desk clerks, and people on the street.

Today's Baja Culture & People -- The Baja peninsula was for years one of Mexico's least populated regions. With the exception of the stretch of coast between Tijuana and Ensenada, which began attracting spirited travelers from the U.S. during Prohibition with its more lenient liquor laws, only a small number of hardy souls resided in the central and southern parts of the peninsula working as ranchers or fishermen. Even La Paz, the capital of Baja, was considered a minor shell of a port, with a limited citizenry.

It wasn't until the Carretera Transpeninsular (Hwy. 1) was completed in 1973, connecting Tijuana with Cabo San Lucas, that opportunities for growth opened up. Prior to that, it took 10 days to travel the rugged dirt roads between Tijuana and La Paz (today -- at a speed of 80kmph/50 mph, which is not always possible, and with limited rest stops -- it would take 23 hr.). The population in the southern region exploded following this event, and the area has flourished ever since. This has been aided in large part by Fonatur's (Mexico's tourism infrastructure secretariat) focus on investing in the Los Cabos area to create another center of tourism for Mexico. The area south of Loreto, also known as Nopoló, has also been a focus of Fonatur investment efforts, recently revitalized with the Loreto Bay real-estate project.

Because Baja's geography created a natural barrier to growth for so many years, you'll find that many of Baja's inhabitants are transplants from the north or from other parts of Mexico, most a mix of foreign and indigenous ancestry. In addition to the European settlers, who included sea-weary sailors and English pirates who jumped ship, the early pioneers of Baja included Chinese immigrants brought here to work, a colony of Russian refugees granted political asylum who came to the Valle de Guadalupe, and French miners who settled in Santa Rosalía. Their descendents have greatly contributed to the come-one-and-all spirit of Baja.

However, there remains a sense of separatism to this culture, and as such, you may not find the bursting cultural pride of other parts of Mexico. What you will often encounter, though, is an eagerness by locals to share the natural treasures of Baja -- the unique desert flora, the rich underwater life, or even basic survival skills in this challenging terrain. Most of Baja's long-term residents appear to be inherently respectful of the surrounding nature and, especially in the middle and southern reaches, grateful for its bountiful seafood, available work, and sunny weather.

Baja's Geography -- The Baja peninsula is a long, narrow piece of land dominated by mountain ranges and desert terrain. The length of the peninsula extends 1,300km (806 miles) from the U.S.-Mexico border to its southernmost tip. Its widest point across land is at the border itself, which measures 193km (120 miles), while the narrowest part, near the southern tip, extends just 45km (28 miles) from the Bay of La Paz in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. Its total coastal area, including the Pacific Ocean, Sea of Cortez, and many coves and inlets, measures about 4,800km (2,976 miles) of shoreline. Throughout Baja, mountains rise up in a succession of ranges, with a total of 23 named ranges. The four primary ranges are the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, Sierra de Juárez, Sierra de la Giganta, and Sierra de la Laguna. The highest peak in Baja is the Picacho del Diablo (Devil's Peak), which reaches an elevation of 3,095m (10,152 ft.). More than 65% of Baja's total land area is classified as desert, although -- truly a land of contrasts -- it also boasts pine (conifer) forests in its northern mountainous regions.

Natural Life & Protected Areas -- There are two national parks in Baja, which are considered some of the most beautiful sites within the state. There also are two national marine parks; one is in Loreto and the more magnificent is in Cabo Pulmo. The Parque Nacional Constitución de 1857 is within the Sierra de Juárez mountain range, in the extreme north of the peninsula, at an average altitude of 1,650m (5,412 ft.), with a surface area of 5,000 hectares (12,372 acres). In it, you'll find diverse pine forests with some trees growing to heights of over 30m (98 ft.), as well as Laguna Hanson, also known as Laguna de Juárez, a lake in the park's interior (note that due to diminished rainfall in recent years, the lake is currently dry). The area was declared a national park in 1962, and in 1983 it became a part of the country's protected natural areas. Within the park, you can enjoy hiking, mountain climbing, biking, bird-watching, stargazing, and other activities. Two Pro-Natura-designed roads allow you to admire the beauty of the park from elevated vantage points. Camping is available here, and there are a few rustic cabins for rent throughout the park system. Two ecotourism ranches, Rodeo del Rey and Los Bandidos, are also within the park, offering rustic rooms as well as campsites and related services. An information booth with maps is just past the entry point; a per-vehicle entry charge applies.

The Parque Nacional Sierra San Pedro Mártir, 210km (130 miles) southeast of Ensenada, has elevations that range from 1,000 to more than 3,048m (3,280-9,997 ft.). Its surface area covers 72,000 hectares (177,840 acres) of pine forests. The park is managed by the Baja California State Government and it is home to Mexico's National Astronomical Observatory, UNAM. Among the highlights of a visit here include a 2km (1.2-mile) hike up to the El Altar viewpoint, at a 2,888m (9,473 ft.) elevation, where both the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez can be seen. In the southeast portion of the park is the highest peak in Baja, Picacho del Diablo (Devil's Peak), at an elevation of 3,095m (10,152 ft). It's a popular place for mountain climbing and rappelling. Snow is common here in the winter, and no services are available once you're inside the park, so it's essential to bring your own supplies. Camping areas, restrooms, and forest ranger services are available.

Within these parks, you'll see pine, fir, cypress, and poplar forests. Wild fauna found here may include ram, cougar, blacktailed deer, bobcats, royal eagles, owls, and the California condor.

Cabo Pulmo Marine Park, 64km (40 miles) from the Los Cabos International Airport, encompasses approximately 7,111 hectares (17,571 acres) of coral reefs, seamounts, wrecks, warm blue waters, and hundreds of species of fish. Stretching 11km (7 miles) from Bahía Las Barracas in the north to Bahía Los Frailes to the south, this Sea of Cortez haven is open to anyone but fishermen. Since 1995, when the Mexican government declared it a marine preserve, fishing has been prohibited, but snorkeling, which can be done right from the shore, scuba diving, freediving, and kayaking are all fair game. Aside from brightly colored coral, prepare to see anything from manta rays and giant grouper to seahorses and whale sharks. Beach camping is popular on Playa Los Arbolitos, and bungalows are available through Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort or through independent homeowners in this dusty cash-only town.