Baja California,
stop by stop.
A two-week loop from La Paz: up Highway 1 to the Jesuit missions of Loreto, the oasis of San Ignacio and its grey whale lagoon, then back down by Concepción Bay and Magdalena Bay to Todos Santos, Cabo San Lucas and the reef at Cabo Pulmo. The map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep.
By PierrickLocal Guide ★8 · 14M+ views on Google MapsBy PierrickLocal Guide ★8 · 14M+ Maps views
📄 Baja California guide: weather, budget, what to avoid and FAQBaja California guide: weather, budget, FAQ →
La Paz · Photo Christopher Javier Cuenca García / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
The full tour in Baja California
8 stops · 36 activities · ≈ 1 654 km · ≈ €1149/person8 stops36 activities≈ 1 654 km≈ €1149/person
1
La Paz
Days 1-2
A five-kilometre seafront along the bay, the shallow water of Playa Balandra, and boats out to the uninhabited island of Espíritu Santo and its sea lions.
🎟️ Things to do · activities
✦ Free · not to be missed
The Malecón
5 km promenade along the bay, with a cycle path since 2011.
Playa Balandra
Shallow bay and El Hongo rock; 450 visitors per time slot, 125 MXN.
Isla Espíritu Santo
Uninhabited island listed by UNESCO in 2005; sea lions at Los Islotes.
Whale sharks
Supervised swimming in the bay, official season from 1 October to 30 April.
2
🚗 Car · 4h19 · 357 km
Loreto
Days 3-4
The first lasting mission in Baja California, founded in 1697, with a marine national park in front of it and the Sierra de la Giganta behind.
🎟️ Things to do · activities
✦ Free · not to be missed
The Loreto mission
Founded on 25 October 1697: the first lasting mission in Baja California.
Misión San Javier
38 km away along a winding paved road; church built from 1744 to 1758.
Loreto Bay National Park
Created in 1996: dolphins, sea lions, rays, blue whales in winter.
The Sierra de la Giganta
Mountains towering over Loreto, highest point 1,176 m.
3
🚗 Car · 3h12 · 272 km
San Ignacio
Days 5-6
A palm oasis of date trees around a spring-fed pool, a stone mission church finished in 1786, and the lagoon where the grey whales spend the winter.
🎟️ Things to do · activities
✦ Free · not to be missed
Las Tres Vírgenes
Three volcanoes in a row, 6 km north of Highway 1.
The San Ignacio Kadakaamán mission
Stone church completed in 1786 by the Dominican Juan Gómez.
The San Ignacio oasis
Date palm grove around a spring-fed pond.
San Ignacio Lagoon
59 km away, 15 of them on dirt track; grey whales in winter.
4
🚗 Car · 1h47 · 137 km
Mulegé
Days 7-8
An oasis mission, a prison without bars, and the beaches of Concepción Bay right beside Highway 1. Santa Rosalía and its metal church are just up the coast.
✦ Free · not to be missed
Santa Rosalía
Mining town founded in 1884 by the Boléo Company; Santa Bárbara iron church.
The Santa Rosalía de Mulegé mission
Founded in 1705; stone church begun in 1766, in the oasis.
The old prison
Prison without bars turned museum: inmates went out during the day.
Concepción Bay
Santispac, El Coyote and El Requesón beaches along Highway 1.
5
🚗 Car · 4h23 · 338 km
Puerto San Carlos
Day 9
A 50-kilometre bay closed off by sand islands, the largest mangroves on the peninsula, and grey whales in winter.
🎟️ Things to do · activities
✦ Free · not to be missed
Magdalena Bay
50 km bay closed off by sand islands; grey whales in winter.
The mangroves
The largest mangrove system on the peninsula, more than 200 km of estuaries.
Puerto Adolfo López Mateos
Another whale-watching port, at the north of the bay.
6
🚗 Car · 4h40 · 342 km
Todos Santos
Day 10
A Pueblo Mágico sitting right on the Tropic of Cancer, with big Pacific surf on the beaches around it.
🎟️ Things to do · activities
✦ Free · not to be missed
The Nuestra Señora del Pilar mission
Facing the square; statue of the Virgin of the Pillar, celebrated in November.
The Tropic of Cancer
The town, a Pueblo Mágico since 2006, sits on the Tropic.
The Pacific beaches
San Pedrito, Los Cerritos, Punta Lobos: big waves, surfing.
7
🚗 Car · 1h08 · 76 km
Cabo San Lucas
Days 11-12
The granite arch at the very tip of the peninsula, where the Pacific meets the gulf, and the older mission town of San José del Cabo next door.
🎟️ Things to do · activities
Budget mode: focus mostly on free things below 👇
✦ Free · not to be missed
El Arco
Granite arch at the tip of the peninsula, where the Pacific meets the gulf.
Playa del Amor
Beach on the Sea of Cortez side, near the Arch; Playa del Divorcio on the Pacific side.
San José del Cabo
Mission founded in 1730, near the largest freshwater estuary in the state.
Whales
Viewing permitted from 15 December to 30 April (CONANP 2025-2026 season).
8
🚗 Car · 2h31 · 132 km
Cabo Pulmo
Days 13-14
A village by the oldest of the three coral reefs on the Pacific coast of North America, protected as a national park since 1995.
🎟️ Things to do · activities
✦ Free · not to be missed
The Cabo Pulmo reef
The oldest of the three coral reefs on the Pacific coast of North America.
The national park
Created in 1995, UNESCO-listed in 2005; diving with the village dive clubs.
Los Barriles
Kitesurfing capital on the way back; nearest cash machine.
"Book" (hotels), "via GetYourGuide" (activities) and "Rent" (car) are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide). Prices, distances and times are approximate.
Take this plan everywhere
The full PDF guide (Baja California): map, day-by-day stops, hotels by budget and insider tips. Free and available offline.
Want some help?
Don't feel like organising everything? A local partner travel agent can set it all up for you (flights, hotels, activities). We pass on your preferences and they call you back. Free and with no obligation.
Good to know before you go
🍽️ Must-try food
Tacos al pastor
pork marinated and carved off a vertical spit, with pineapple and coriander.
Mole
a sauce of chillies and chocolate, built from twenty ingredients or more.
Guacamole and antojitos
avocado, quesadillas and the wide Oaxacan tlayuda.
Tamales
corn dough with a filling, steamed inside a leaf.
Mezcal and tequila
sipped slowly, not thrown back.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Drink bottled water only, ice included once you leave the hotels.
- Check which areas are advised against before you go, and use Uber or a registered taxi.
- Keep valuables out of sight and carry little cash.
- Haggle in the markets, but not down to nothing: the craft took days.
Have you thought of…?
The little details that make all the difference once you're there.
📶
Your eSIMeSIM
Internet as soon as you land, with no roaming fees. Activated in 2 minutes.
See the plansHolafly · 5% off included🛡️
Your travel insuranceTravel insurance
Health, luggage and cancellation covered so you can travel with peace of mind.
Get a quotePartner link · Ekta🚗
Your car rentalCar rental
Compare rental companies for the best price before you leave.
Compare pricesPartner link · Booking💳
Your fee-free cardFee-free card
Pay and withdraw abroad at the real exchange rate, with no hidden currency fees.
Open an accountPartner link · Revolut
