Arriving

At the airport, taxis (tel. 613/135-1255) line up on the street to receive incoming passengers. They charge an astonishing 260 pesos to Loreto (300 pesos returning from Loreto to the airport), a 10-minute ride. (You'll save money with a colectivo, or group taxi, at 80 pesos per person, but you'll have to wait until the driver has four passengers to go to town.) The expensive taxi price is not an anomaly; the taxi union has set shockingly high rates in Loreto, so if you're planning to do much automotive exploring, your best bet is to rent a car.

If you do, it's best to book it in advance because the airport is so small that car-rental desks aren't always staffed on your arrival. Budget Baja has a counter at the airport (tel. 613/135-0937) and a branch office in town, on Hidalgo between Pípila and López Mateos (tel. 613/135-1149; daily 8am-8pm). Advance reservations are not always necessary, but will save you time.

If you arrive at the bus station, it's about a 10-minute walk to the downtown area and a little farther to the hotels by the water. A taxi from the bus station to the hotels costs 50 to 100 pesos.

Visitor Information

The city tourist information office (tel. 613/135-0036 or 135-0411) is in the southeast corner of the Palacio de Gobierno building, across from the town square. It offers maps, local free publications, and other basic information about the area. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 3pm. Information, which may be outdated, is also available at www.gotoloreto.com and www.loreto.com. The Loreto Adventure Network is an association of green-minded hotels, restaurants, and tour operators. Their website, www.loretoadventurenetwork.com is a trove of helpful information.

Warning: Loreto's Timeshare Troubles  -- With the opening of Loreto's first timeshare development an hour south of town in 2011, the town has been invaded by out-of-town sales representatives willing to say just about anything to get you to visit the development. Firsthand reports tell of pitchmen representing themselves as tour guides, taxi drivers, even representatives of the marine park; they offer free whale-watching trips, boat tours, and overnights at the hotel. Don't be fooled: The tour takes at least 6 hours, and you'll be subject to a hard sell. You can tell the sales reps by the "Villa del Palmar" logos on their shirts, and by the fact that when you brush them off, they tend to get snotty -- Loreto locals never do. At time of research, the Hotel Association was working on guidelines to keep the salesmen from harassing tourists; with any luck, by the time you read this, they'll be under control.

City Layout

Loreto is laid out between the entrance to Hwy. 1 and Bulevar López Mateos (the malecón, or beachside promenade), a distance of about 12 blocks. Salvatierra is the main street that connects them, running through the main square and up under a block-long arbor to a cobbled section of colonial road through Loreto's tiny historic district, with mahogany and teak homes dating from the 1800s, and the central plaza, with restaurants, an elegant hotel, a town hall straight out of a Western movie, and the old mission. Where Salvatierra is pedestrian-only, it's paralleled by Hidalgo, another main drag. The town's social life revolves around the central plaza, the old mission, and the malecón, where you'll find many hotels, seafood restaurants, fishing charters, bars, and the marina.

Festivals in Loreto

The feast of the patron saint of Loreto is celebrated September 5 to September 8, with a fair, music, dancing, and other cultural events, closing with the procession of the miraculous figure of the Virgin of Loreto. During the month of October, Loreto celebrates the anniversary of its founding with a series of cultural events that include music and dance. There is also a reenactment of the landing of the Spanish missionaries that is part of a popular festival held from October 19 to October 25.

Getting Around

Although street numbers are being assigned, many addresses in Loreto still use cross-streets for reference instead. There is no local bus service around town. Taxis or walking are your only options, and, luckily, the town is quite small and manageable for walking. The main taxi stand is on Salvatierra, in front of the El Pescador supermarket.

Getting There

By Plane

The Loreto International Airport (airport code: LTO; tel. 613/135-0499 or 135-0498) is 6km (3 3/4 miles) southwest of Loreto. For such a new and beautiful building, it doesn't have many flights: Alaska Airlines (tel. 800/252-7522 in the U.S.; www.alaskaair.com) flies nonstop four times weekly from Los Angeles, and Aereo Calafia (tel. 613/135-2503; www.aereocalafia.com) flies from Cabo San Lucas and Ciudad Obregón. When you exit immigration, be prepared for a gauntlet of timeshare sales representatives, who will try to get your attention with calls of "taxi?" or "tours?" Ignore them and walk outside to the real taxis waiting at the curb.

By Car

From La Paz (a 4 1/2-5 hr. drive), take Carretera Transpeninsular (Hwy. 1) northwest to Ciudad Constitución; from there, continue northeast on Carretera Transpeninsular to Loreto. This route takes you twice over the mountain range that stretches down the Baja peninsula, through mountain and desert landscapes, and into the heart of the old mission country. From Tijuana, travel south on Carretera Transpeninsular. The drive takes 17 to 20 hours straight into Loreto, and driving after dark is strongly discouraged.

By Bus

The bus station, or Terminal de Autobuses (tel. 613/135-0767), is on Salvatierra and Paseo Tamaral, a 10-minute walk from downtown. It's open 24 hours. Buses stop in Loreto en route to Santa Rosalía, Tijuana, Mexicali, Guerrero Negro, and La Paz. The trip to Cabo San Lucas on Autotransportes Baja California (tel. 800/025-0222; www.abc.com.mx) takes about 8 hours and costs 586 pesos. You can usually get a ticket for any bus, except during Easter, summer, and Christmas holidays, when buses tend to be more crowded. The bus terminal is a simple building and the staff there is very friendly and helpful.

Fast Facts

Area Code -- The telephone area code is 613.

Banks -- Loreto has only one bank. Come here to exchange currency. BBVA Bancomer (tel. 613/135-0315 or 135-0014) is on Francisco I. Madero, across the street from the Palacio Municipal (City Hall). Bank hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4pm. This is also the only ATM in town. A casa de cambio (money-exchange house) is on Salvatierra, near the main square.

Beach Safety -- The beaches are generally safe for swimming, with the main beach along the malecón (seafront promenade).

Emergencies -- Dial tel. 060 or tel. 613/135-0035 for emergency assistance. In addition, 613/135-1566 will put you in touch with paramedics and the fire department.

General Store -- Super El Pescador, on Salvatierra and Independencia (tel. 613/135-0060), is the best place to get toiletries, film, bottled water, and other basic staples as well as newspapers and telephone calling cards.

Internet Access -- Practically every restaurant, hotel, and RV park in Loreto offers free Wi-Fi to patrons. One of the more popular places to hook up is Augie's Bar and Bait Shop (tel. 613/135-1224) on the malecón.

Marinas -- Loreto's marina for pangas (small fishing boats) is along the malecón. Cruise ships and other large boats anchor at Puerto Loreto, also known as Puerto Escondido, 26km (16 miles) south of Loreto. For details about the marina and docking fees, contact the Capitanía de Puerto in Loreto (tel. 613/133-0992 or 135-0465).

Medical Care -- Medical services are offered at the Centro de Salud hospital (tel. 613/135-2035), on Hwy. 1 between Loreto and the airport. The center is open 24 hours for emergencies (a standard visit costs $10), and from 8 to 10am and 3 to 5pm for general consultations, which cost $5. Two English-speaking doctors in town are Dr. Collins (cellphone tel. 613/104-3600) and Dr. Fernando (cellphone tel. 613/109-0165).

Parking -- Street parking is generally easy to find in the downtown area.

Pharmacy -- The Farmacia del Rosario (tel. 613/135-0670) is at Independencia and Zapata; Farmacia de los Americas (tel. 613/135-0670) is on the west corner of Independencia and Juárez. Both are open daily 8am to 10pm.

Post Office -- The correo (tel. 613/135-0647) is at Deportiva between Salvatierra and Benito Juárez, and is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Taxis -- Taxis can generally be found parked on the north side of Loreto's main street, just east of the El Pescador market, and near large hotels. The two taxi companies in Loreto are Sitio Loreto (tel. 613/135-0424) and Sitio Juárez (tel. 613/135-0915).


Keep Exploring