Loreto is a charming, under-the-radar seaside town, on the east coast of the Baja California Peninsula (Gulf of California). Mexico, overlooking the stunning Sea of Cortez,
Only 2.5 hours flight from SFO or 90-minute flight, from Los Angeles, Loreto has become an enchanting retreat for travelers. a haven for retired snowbirds and visitors from around the world,
With its peaceful charm, and remarkable background of the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range - a pointy mountainous barren landscapes.(trails lead to prehistoric cave paintings) which is dotted by exotic Mexican Cactus, as well as off the coast, islands ( Danzante, Carmen, Coronado,Montserrat, and Santa Catalina) , Loreto boast in its beautifully clear waters, and its Bahía de Loreto National Park which is home to dolphins, whales and pelicans. as well as its clambakes on the beach.
Lorreto with its population of about 16,500 inhabitants is a regional economic and cultural center, as well as a major tourist destination on the Baja California Peninsula.
This tourist resort city has been catering mostly to American travelers, with daily flights from California to Loreto International Airport. but also to many international tourists.
Main symbol of the city is the 17 c Mission - first permanent mission in the Californias
This colonial city is also known for being the home of the first mission built by the Jesuit in 1697 when Juan María de Salvatierra who found a steady spring of fresh water on this site, and founded the Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó.
The cathedral is filled with detailed paintings and sculptures
Next door is the Museo de las Misiones, the Mission Museum, (the attached yellow painted structure) located in the convent built in the 18th c, where artifacts from the city’s history are preserved and on display
The city served as the capital of Province of the Californias until 1777, when the capital moved to Monterey, California. Loreto continued to serve as the capital of Baja California until 1829. The city grew rapidly in the 20th c and is today a regional hub.
One of Mexico’s charming pueblos magicos, or magical towns, the city is a designated Pueblos Magicos in Baja California – meaning the government of Mexico has recognized it for possessing “magical” qualities. flavorful, authentic and offers traditional Mexican food,
The local charm of downtown colonial buildings
Avenida Salvatierra y Fco y Madero s/n, Fco. I. Madero, Centro,
This Small charming and authentic Boutique Hotel with iconic colonial-style architecture is set right in the center of the historic town
.It is beautifully decorated and the Mexican art and old artifacts on display on the hotel's walls and shelves, is worth the visit
The sea can be viewed from its quint roof top restaurant, which is worth visit, if only for drinks.
The Beach front La Mision Hotel where we stayed
Rosando Robles #1 Col Centro Loretto. 613 134 0350
The beach front hotel, is situated right on the promenade and is onsidered the best in town. We stayed here for 3 nights,
It is just few minutes from the marina, from Loreto Bay National Marine Park, and 5 minutes by foot from the historic Civic Square.. The rooms are nice and spacious but breakfast is very disappointing.
The hotel accommodates mainly groups which takes way from the hotel's attraction
During our stay there was a large, National Geographic group, and by the telescopic camera most of its members carried they, all seemed seriously pro...
The view from the Back Side of the Hotel
Loreto's Beach Front Promenade
The beaches on both sides at the end of promenade are not attractive and are covered by a non appealing course grey sand.
After the Historic Center the promenade is where most of the action in town is happening
On the promenade
A row of Sea front private houses on the beach 10 minutes drive away from the center
Loreto Whale/Dolphins Watching Opportunities
From January until March, the majestic humpback and blue whales migrate down the Baja Peninsula, seeking warm waters for giving birth.
Observing these creatures in their natural habitat is one of the most popular Loreto activities. Different boat companies offer boat services and tours to visit the off shore islands, or whales site seeing and fishing..
Boat Tour Companies
We used a company named :
+52 613 122-0334 Higuera1982@hotmail.com
+52 638 110 5413. Antony or + +52 638 112-4346. Joshua
Many of the brokers who sale tours for these companies, try to aggressively lure the incidental tourists, to pay a visit and dedicate 90 minutes to a promotional "sale talk" at another resort hotel - Villa Del Palmar - located further away from town center,
A free hotel breakfast and reduced tour rates. are offered as an incentive for the attention and waste of time, required of the tourist to motivate into touring the hotel resort, A success in "fishing victims" also earns the pestering broker a commission.
The insane charged full tour's rate, if booked, through the hotel or the above companies, ranges between $150 - 250 per person, for tour of about 5 hours, to an island or whale watching, However price drops substantially, if one agrees to the promotional visit at Villa Del Mar. . As we didn't want to waste our time on the promotion, after stubborn insistence, and tough negotiation, with one of the brokers ,we manged to get on a tour
to Coronado Island for only $ 100 for both of us
All Tours depart from Loreto's small Marina
The first 2 days of our stay the wind blew so hard, and the sea was so rough that no persuasion could get me on a boat ride. Finally on the third day we ventured off. to the island of Coronado
Whales or Dolphins we have not seen, but did encounter Sea lions and rock red crabs as well as many Pelicans coming up for air and diving back down into the sea,
Island of Coronado
Isla Coronados is one of five islands that make up the Loreto Bay Marine Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site as of 2005. known for its great variety of coastal environments, such as sandy beaches, sea cliffs, submarine canyons, and marine terraces, it is home to an exceptionally high biological diversity, especially of marine mammals.
Among the five main islands, Coronado Island is the most recommended to visit.
The barren uninhabited island, part of the Loreto Municipality., is only 25 minutes boat ride from Loreto marina.
It is a bit over ratted as an attraction site, but maintains the livelihood of the locals.
The backside of the island has more interesting volcanic morphological rock formation, and much more inviting virgin white sandy beach, that looks and feels like it belongs in the Mediterranean, but without the crowds,
The surrounding tranquil crystalline turquoise shallow waters by the white sand is indeed more beautiful then the grey deep water of the sea around
The island itself is home to blue-footed boobies, (the birds made famous when Charles Darwin explored the Galapagos Islands), a herd of sea lions that inhabit the backside of the island, along with Pelicans and numerous species of other birds, schools of fish, sea turtles and other marine life. that lives there,
Exploring, hiking the island's trail, bird watching,snorkeling, swimming in the pristine waters or sunbathing , on the white sand beaches, are the activities experienced on this one day /few hours tour . Overnight is not aloud .
The other much younger couple ,who shared our boat on the tour, and who happened to be from Point Richmond,
enjoyed all these activities for us as well...
Loreto's Restaurants
e/ Juárez y Agua Dulce s/n, Fco. I. Madero, Centro
Traditional Mexican and Sea Food place with very good dishes and ambiance.
Highly recommended.
Plaza Civica, And. Juan María de Salvatierra 42, Centro,
An upscale very good restaurant right in the heart of the historic center.
Great food and wonderful ambiance
Jorge Luis Borges, Zaragoza, 23880 Loreto,
Very good Sea Food place where you actually can get a whole fresh fish from the sea
And. Juan María de Salvatierra 50, Centro
Just across from the mission, in the heart of the historic center this popular traditional Mexican, Latin, Seafood restaurant offers mediocre food, but a festive ambiance.
El Grill
C. Fernando Jordan Sn, Centro, 23880 Loreto
A causal very pleasant breakfast and lunch place, on the promenade overlooking the sea and the diving Pelicans into it
Visit sites close by by out of Loreto which we missed
45 minutes drive away from Loreto, and into the mountains there is another mission -
San Javier, and further down west and across to the pacific cost (an hour an a half) drive) whales can be also watched in Magdalena Bay
The mission was founded during the Spanish colonial era by Jesuits of the Roman Catholic church in 1699 and closed in 1817.
50 km (31 mi) long bay along the western coast Pacific side of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.. It is particularly noted for the seasonal migration of the California gray whales that come here during winter to calve
As early as 1837 American whaleships visited the bay to cooper their oil and hunt sperm whales outside the bay.
The Bay which is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the unpopulated sandy barrier islands of Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita, is popular for commercial and sports fishing. and the nearby mangrove swamps provide sanctuaries for sea birds.
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Our continued exploration plan, for the day after, involved 5 hours drive up north on the Pan America Hwy 1 of Bahja California, for a night stay at the magical Oasis of San Ignazio springs and then whale watching camp at the San Ignacio Lagoon
BYE BYE LORETO
To be continued....
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