Late autumn 2023 came with reminders of grey and wet weather. I began daydreaming of warm and sunny locales, imagining the bright sun warming my skin as I eagerly explored a new-to-me destination. A longing for a reprieve from the winter dreariness of the Pacific Northwest engulfed me, along with hoping to escape any snowfall that had become the norm for a week or two in recent years. Online searches ensued. Someplace warm and sunny with a short direct flight was my new agenda! Enter Los Cabos, Mexico. It appeared perfect! I booked my flight.
I soon learned Los Cabos is categorized into three areas. San Jose del Cabo, home to the airport, is full of charm and hosts a wonderful Art Walk every Thursday night. Cabo San Lucas, is livelier with a busy downtown core. It’s marina, not far from the famous Los Arcos (The Arch), has an abundance sailboats, yachts, and the local water transport. Connecting the two towns is the Tourist Corridor / Zona Turísticos that spans 33 km / 20 miles of coastline along with a well-used highway. Wanting an affordable vacation, I booked flights using points and chose hostels, my usual preference. I decide to avoid the tourist corridor and concentrate my time in both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, opting for four days in each town. I was stoked! This was going to be fantastic!
Except it wasn’t…
It was only “meh”.
As excited as I initially was, I was unable to sustain my enthusiasm throughout the entirety of my trip. Los Cabos was not everything I thought it would be. In fact, reality fell short of my expectations and much of it was underwhelming. Additionally, my trip was peppered with disappointments and frustrations. Allow me to explain.
I was surprised by the large crowds of tourists in the Marina area, unaware that Los Cabos was such a thriving resort and cruise destination (2 -4 ships in per day). And I mean thriving! During the day the marina was bustling with people, tour companies vying for attention, and restaurants enticing hungry diners. However, by around 6:30 pm, the Marina was nearly a ghost town as cruise passengers returned to their ships for the evening. I enjoy the pulse of cities yet having craved a relaxing holiday I had clearly misjudged this locale. Some attempts to book activities and tours failed as most pickup points were along the Tourist Corridor and it was either costly or difficult to reach them. Furthermore, unexpected situations arose during my time, which simply left a bad taste in my mouth. My snorkelling trip was chaotic. Instead of the expected guided tour, I was simply deposited at Pelican Rock Beach by myself without a clue as to what was going on. Plus they had extra charges, resulting in me feeling altogether misled. I was practically ripped-off by an ATM with the highest surcharges I had ever experienced. I experienced a horrible night of fitful sleep and to top it all off, I face-planted on the floor en route to shower, fortunately without injury. Yep, several straight days of bad luck, irritation, and frustration.
That being said, there were good things on this trip. Overall, the trip had its highlights, with an enjoyable beginning and ending. The weather in January was wonderful. Mild temperatures hovered around 22-24°C / 71-75°F and a few days of clear blue skies. A high point was a picturesque sunset cruise with ocean views, albeit slightly choppy due to winds, and the incredible experience of seeing a humpback whale breach close to the boat, a mere 40m / 130ft away. My first time seeing a humpback! Also, so much of the food was yum (did someone say tacos?) as were the superb and plentiful margaritas. Despite the chaos, I did manage to enjoy a brief snorkeling session even if the water was a bit rough. Exploring the charming town of Todos Santos for a day was a positive and I discovered my preference for serene beaches over busy ones.
Overall, not all bad yet still not all good. One off day is one thing, but several can dampen anyone’s holidays. Perhaps, since I do not often visit so-called “resort destinations” I was ill-prepared and overwhelmed by how much things are geared to this particular type of travel. Or maybe I just had some bad luck. Whichever it is, I have certainly re-thought how I will approach any future holidays to these resort destination. And sometimes, you just can’t love every destination.
CABO SAN LUCAS:
SAN JOSE DEL CABO:
Photos in this post are taken and owned by Eeva Valiharju / Wanders the World
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