Travel
to the end of the world’s longest peninsula.
There you will find the twin gems of Los
Cabos:
Cabo
San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.
People
come to Los Cabos for many reasons. Some venture
down in winter to watch 50-foot gray whales on
their migration, and others to witness giant turtles
laying eggs on the sandy shore. Some simply sit
on an expansive veranda, margarita in hand, watching
vivid sunsets.
Visitors have a choice of staying in Cabo San
Lucas, San Jose del Cabo or what is called the
tourist corridor — a 20-mile stretch of
beachfront properties in between the two towns
and a retreat of elegant resorts and timeshares,
along with seven golf courses designed by professionals
such as Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones II.
The
three areas could not be more different. Locals
refer to Cabo San Lucas as a "fiesta"
town, San Jose del Cabo as a "siesta"
and the corridor as the place to relax on some
of the world's most pristine and sparsely populated
beaches.
Cabo San Lucas is
also a contrast. On one end, it is home to breathtaking
natural sights such as The Arch, Lover's Beach
and Land's End, the spot where the shattering
surf of the Pacific meets the tranquil Gulf.
On the other end, it is a party town with an Americanized
feel to it in a beachy kind of way. Think tequila
body shots in an endless array of clubs. Lots
of people, and shopping, shopping, shopping.
Truth be told,
Cabo San Lucas was the brainchild of the Mexican
government, a "created" tourist destination
much like Mexico's other tourist resort towns.
It's definitely a party town and definitely a
place to find more than a few outstanding locally
owned restaurants, such as Mi Casa and Edith's.
San Jose del Cabo is a true Mexican town replete
with a small plaza in front of a twin-spired church
and wide, tree-lined streets. Wandering musicians,
children chasing balls, families listening to
free concerts in the bandstand and a fountain
water show along Boulevard Mijares cast the small-town
atmosphere.
At the end of Boulevard Mijares, in the center
of town, is a 125-acre estuary, home to more than
200 species of coastal bird life such as ring-necked
ducks, herons, egrets and pelicans. It was this
water source that appealed to the early Spaniards
and convinced them this was a good spot to set
up camp.
Although this doesn't look like a town where you
would find fine dining, looks can be deceiving.
Many good restaurants exist, and they are much
more affordable than those found in Cabo San Lucas
or the corridor.
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Random
Spanish: |
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CENICERO: ashtray. Say 'say-nee-SAIR-oh'
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words
& phrases daily! |
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In between the two
towns, the corridor is home to many of the area's
most elegant resorts. It's easy to check into
one of these establishments and not leave until
it's time to return to the airport.
With magnificent beaches, reverie-like infinity-edge
swimming pools, swim-up bars, beachside spas where
you can get a massage under a palapa overlooking
the water, tropical settings and truly outstanding
restaurants, there's really not much reason to
leave Los Cabos. One can simply fade into bliss
here, and that's certainly not a bad way to spend
a vacation.