Transportation - How am I going to get around the area? This is always an interesting question. I hate driving in foreign countries. I prefer taxis or public transportation. Taxis are not the way to go, though, here in Los Cabos. Taxis cost about $40 to get between San Lucas and San Jose. No way, baby. But the buses are not so bad, inexpensive and relatively frequent. There is a four-lane highway connecting the two cities and a new toll road from the airport to the Corridor. However, it bypasses San Jose del Cabo and that would not be my intent. So I guess I had better plan on renting a car whether I like that aspect or not.
Lodging is, of course, a consideration. “The Corridor” contains the resorts, a half-dozen or so championship style golf courses and the absolutely incredible beaches. But I am not sure I want to stay in a resort. There are about 85,000 people in residence in Los Cabos, with just over 10,000 rooms for visitors. Most guests stay only 3-5 nights in Los Cabos. That fits my itinerary well. There are some boutique hotels in the Corridor as well and even some private villas. I wonder what a villa for a 5 day stay will cost….I need to put that on my list of things to find out if I am going to seriously consider this area as my destination.
Cabo San Lucas lies at the end of Los Cabos at “Lands End” about 20 miles southwest of San Jose del Cabo. It is here you will find the El Arco (The Arch), the area’s signature landmark. It is here the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortes meet. The resort development there consists of three distinct areas: Playa Medano (high rise hotels and condos), Downtown/Marina (budget hotels and commercial development), and Playa Solmar (high rise hotels and condos). There is a mix of rowdy bars and hip nightclubs, a fairly large choice in the restaurants and dining cuisines and shopping – home of the Puerto Paraiso mall.
Recap: So I will shop, hopefully get to visit some of the locals and get to know them, take the whale watching boat trip on one of the days I am there, visit the architecture and culture of San Jose and San Lucas, take a day to visit and photograph the estuary, its inhabitants and the fresh water lagoon, and at least one day I will lay in the sun on a secluded beach and get warm all the way through to my core. I can rent a car to get around and I would like to stay in a private villa instead of a resort. So as the last step in looking at Los Cabos, how will I get there and what are its strongest selling points?
Getting There - Los Cabos International Airport receives more than 200 flights each week. There are three terminals. There is the main terminal on the northern end of the airport, the Charter terminal on the southern end and a third for private jets. The Charter terminal is where Delta Airline and Alaska Airlines call home (as well as a number of the charter planes). Airlines with regular service to Los Cabos include Aerocalifornia, Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, America West/US Airways, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Mexicana and United. There are also several seasonal charter services. Non-stop service or a convenient connection is available from Seattle.
Documentation Requirements - I, naturally, have a passport. Passport are going to be required in just a short time so anyone who does not have one should get one ASAP or do not plan to travel until they do. Right now as I write this, US citizens need proof of citizenship: either a valid passport, or original birth certificate (with the raised stamp) and a photo ID. A Mexican Tourist Permit is also required and issued free of charge upon arrival, after proof of citizenship is shown, or may be provided by the airlines in advance. I will need to keep this with me at all times and needs to be returned to an immigration official at the time of my departure. I will not have any children accompanying me but as an FYI for anyone who does, children under the age of 18 who are traveling alone or with only one parent need notarized consent from the non-traveling parent(s).
The Up Side Tips:
ü The time zone is Mountain Standard Time.
ü Phone calls to Los Cabos from the US , I must dial 011-52-624 and the seven digit local number.
ü Tipping is like in the US: 15-20% of the bill at the restaurants. I found out I should look at my hotel bill carefully as many hotels impose a 10%-15% service charge for non food and beverage gratuities. If my bill does not include this, porters should be tipped $1-$2 per bag and hotel maids $1-$2 per day.
ü It is still best to drink bottled water, although all hotels either purify their water or serve purified water.
ü Most people who work in the resorts speak English so I should not have any major language barrier issues.
ü The electricity is 120 cycles/60 volts, the same as in the US. I will not have to pack a converter going here.
ü And the biggest Up-Side selling point: the sun shines more than 300 days a year in Los Cabos with an average temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit. I really like that!
I am including the main tourist website here in case anyone wants to go check it out: www.visitloscabos.org
So I have exhausted the research on Los Cabos. Sweet dreams of Los Cabos, Mexico.
