CONNECTIONS October 2016 issue 17 The Presidency

CONNECTIONS Issue # 17
Sierra de Laguna mountain range
funnels rainfall down sandy arroyos.
Baja Norte A region of fertile
vineyards and commercial fishing
towns.
Los Cabos Talk about contrasts. Once
the harbor of a solitary tuna cannery,
the port town of Cabo San Lucas has
become a nonstop fiesta machine
packed with souvenir stalls, cigar
shops, and theme bars. Off the coast,
the remarkable rock formation of El
Arco marks Land's End. Twenty miles
away, colonial San José del Cabo clings
tenaciously to its Mexican heart and
soul; narrow side streets reveal sleepy
cantinas and folk-art boutiques.
The Tourist Corridor A 20-mile
four-lane highway between the two
major cape towns is lined with sandy
beaches, golf courses, and a heavy
concentration of glitzy resorts.
East Cape An undeveloped region of
dirt roads, dive shacks, and surf camps
that is some 50 miles north of Los
Cabos, on Bahía de Palmas in the Sea
of Cortés. The two main fishing villages
are Los Barriles and Buena Vista.
Farther Afield Todos Santos, one of
Baja's colonial towns, is an hour north
of Los Cabos—and a world apart. If
you're willing to endure a grueling
drive or a bumpy twin-prop flight, it's
worth the detour 250 miles north on
the peninsula to Bahía Magdalena, a
saltwater breeding lagoon near the
cannery town of Puerto López Mateos
where gray whales migrate annually.
What to Do
FISHING More than a half a century
ago, legendary anglers like John
Wayne and Ernest Hemingway were
lured to Cabo for wrestling matches
with the Big Three: black marlin, blue
marlin, and sailfish. Today, the biggame
fishing is still considered some of
the world's best, with several
professional contests held annually.
Captain Tony Berkowitz of San Lucas
Yachts (52-624/147-5679; from $500
for four people) can arrange
charters. Picante Bluewater
Sportsfishing (52-624/143-2474;
day charter from $955 for five people)
and Pisces Sportfishing & Luxury
Yacht Charters (52-624/143-1288 or
619/819-7983; day charter from $320
for four people) also have Englishspeaking
captains and tournamentcaliber
gear.
DIVING About 1 1/2 hours northeast
of San José, Cabo Pulmo shelters the
only coral reef system in the Sea of
Cortés. Stretching a mile offshore, this
national marine park teems with
parrot fish, moray eels, manta rays,
and giant coral heads. Vista Sea
Sport (Buena Vista; 52-624/141-
0031; two-hour trips $35 per person)
takes you snorkeling among sea turtles
or diving under the reef of El Bajo de
los Morros.
SURFING The nomadic surf tribes
from SoCal and Hawaii love the long
barrels, cheap combo platters, and
even cheaper digs at casual trailer
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