A PARADISE AT THE END OF THE WORLD
In northwestern Mexico, in the state of Baja California Sur, Los Cabos promises an incredible journey, between the magic of the endless desert, the beauty of wild beaches, and the irresistible charm of traditional villages. With 360 days of sunshine a year.
It's hard to get more isolated. Los Cabos marks the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. It's the very end of a 1,700-kilometer-long peninsula bordered on one side by the Pacific Ocean and on the other by the Sea of Cortez and the Gulf of California. In the middle lies an arid, sun-baked land dotted with cacti and traversed by spectacular mountain ranges, with towering peaks and waterfalls cascading into crystal-clear pools.
More than half of the territory is protected. The El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is its treasure. Every year, from November to March, whales come to breed and give birth in its lagoons. The spectacle is also underwater, in the Sea of Cortez, which Jacques Cousteau himself called "the aquarium of the world," where divers, even equipped with just fins, mask, and snorkel, swim among multicolored fish, dolphins, sea turtles, and play with the mischievous sea lions.
While Cabo San Lucas, the gateway to Los Cabos, is an American-style beach resort, other small coastal towns have managed to retain their Mexican soul: La Paz with its endless seafront promenade, San José del Cabo with its colonial heritage and numerous art galleries, and Todos Santos, renowned for its cultural scene and perfect surfing waves. Going against the grain of the behemoths with hundreds of rooms, several more intimate boutique hotels, recently opened, have made it their mission to safeguard the authenticity of Los Cabos, preserve the environment and all that makes it so special, and promote the well-being and disconnection of their guests. They are the new players in a more responsible tourism, in search of meaning.
AMET – THE MOST SECRET
You're guaranteed to fall in love with this contemporary lodge near the village of Santiago, designed as a secluded retreat nestled in a palm-fringed oasis. Here, guests can choose from three suites with terraces overlooking the lagoon and open-air showers, and three tents, one of which is elevated and overlooks the mangroves. A large thatched pavilion shelters the lounge sofas arranged in front of the infinity pool and the restaurant tables, which alone justify a reservation. Amet also offers a variety of bespoke experiences: a kayaking and meditation combination, a hike in the Sierra with swimming in natural pools…
AMETBAJA.COM
DRIFT SAN JOSE DEL CABO – THE MOST FESTIVE
After Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, and Nashville, the Drift collection has left the United States to replicate its chic and cool boutique hotel model in Los Cabos, specifically in the historic center of San José del Cabo. An ideal location for this Design Hotels member, whose minimalist interiors draw inspiration from the raw desert landscape. Polished concrete and white plaster walls allow the furniture and handcrafted objects made in the region to take center stage. The restaurant specializing in tacos and burritos, and the bar with its impressive mezcal list (more than 80 varieties), appeal to locals and tourists alike. The atmosphere is electric on some nights when the DJ takes to the decks.
DRIFTHOTELS.CO/SANJOSE
ACRE – THE MOST LUXURIOUS
Nestled in a 25-hectare palm grove near Cabo San Lucas, Acre began as a farm-to-table restaurant that recently earned a Michelin Green Star – and for good reason: its cuisine is primarily sourced from its own organic garden. It then evolved into a resort, featuring treehouses for sleeping in the trees, villas and sprawling haciendas for stays with family or friends, and a multitude of amenities: several swimming pools, a spa, a ranch for horseback riding, a mini wildlife reserve… A destination in itself.
ACRERESORT.COM
THE WHITE LODGE – THE MOST ISOLATED
East Cape Beach and Cabo Pulmo National Park are linked by a rugged, sandy track that offers breathtaking views of the Sea of Cortez and its wild shores. It is here that this lodge is nestled, comprised of 10 suites housed in small cabins built into the hillside. The walls are made of straw and stone, the beds rest on logs, the furniture is custom-made by local artisans, and the energy is 100% solar-powered. A true minimalist and zen paradise, it features a restaurant serving locally sourced food, a swimming pool, a spa, a yoga area, and a temazcal—an earthen hut, the equivalent of a Mexican sauna, used to cleanse one's aura and chakras according to a shamanic ritual.
WHITELODGEBAJA.COM
