Baja: Round 2

What can we say? We couldn't get enough. 

Ever since the first time we crossed the border into the magic that is Baja, we've been smitten by this place. It refused to leave our hearts and minds so we just had to go back for round two. This time, we had the chance to drive to the end of the peninsula in a much more leisurely pace than the first time. 

Our first stop was San Felipe, where we rushed until dusk to find a free spot we searched and searched for with no luck. Finally, we decided it was best to call it quits and just pay for a spot on the beach. Despite the cost, this spot ended up being well worth it. It was owned by a really sweet couple and we made some great new friends.Our time camping in this spot ended with laughter, too much tequila and a bed time that was way later than we were used to. 

The Wall is a surfer camp located in the middle of nowhere at the end of a gnarly, dirt road. The drive there was long but gorgeous enough to keep us wanting to venture further. 

San Ignacio is a peaceful and adorable town which is famous for dates. Last time we passed through, we discovered pan de datil (date bread). It has a deep, caramel-y flavor with just the right amount of sweetness. Mornings spent munching on this treat and sipping coffee under the palms are some of our favorite memories. 

Our first experience in Mulégé was nothing short of magical. This is one of the most gorgeous parts of Baja...but lets be real: there are many more. We basked on abandoned beaches with not many people in sight that first time. Our second time was the total opposite. We had managed to be there during peak season and the beaches in Mulege were shockingly crowded. The good news is that we found a peaceful enough spot to settle in for a couple of nights and found these gorgeous, tasty chocolate queens. 

San Jose del Cabo and The East Cape became our favorite part of Baja. We spent over a week in one spot and hardly saw anyone else around. An abandoned property nearby was surrounded by coconut trees with young coconuts still on them! Peter used his climbing skills to hack one down and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the coconut water was absolutely delicious. Of course, we went back for more and soon had a stash of coconuts to pull from whenever the mood struck. Paradise. 

San Basilio is out of the way, down a gnarly dirt road and worth every bit of the effort to get there. 

Another first-time experience was camping off a main road- something you're never supposed to do in Mexico and everything was fine. This was just outside of Guerrero Negro. We had a very early date with some whales at Ojo de Libre the next morning and figured we'd made things a bit easier on ourselves. 

Whale watching with Mario's was worth every single penny. Getting so close to these magnificent and beautiful animals was one of the amazing experiences we've ever had. There aren't words to describe the feeling. 

This was the last Baja sunset and it was a beauty just like all of the rest we had seen during our month there. Thinking back on the days and nights we enjoyed stirs up the kind of ache you feel when you miss home.