All the beaches of
La Paz are exotic and beautiful, being the most visited those of Pichilingue, Corumel, Tecolote and Balandra; the latter is, besides, much photographed for there is a singular rock formation resembling a giant mushroom on its sandy ampleness.
However, he days of sun and sea should not be reduced to splashing in the waters of these beaches; they should extend to the small isles scattered along the littoral, which posses an extraordinary marine fauna.
The isle closest to the shore is Espíritu Santo, where the reddish shade of the calcareous rocks and the blue of the ocean create a fascinating contrast. You can camp, practice scuba diving or relax with no restrains on this beautiful isle, visited by tourist coming from all the corners of the earth.
Other alternatives that undoubtedly will fill several pages of your travel log, are the visits to the colonies of seals seeking refuge on Partida Isle, the spectacular sighting of whales from January to March, and playing with the dolphins and thousands of tropical fishes on the intense immersions under the waves, amongst other equally thrilling activities such as kayaking and windsurfing.
Besides, the coasts of
La Paz are ideal for the practice of sport fishing, with tournaments constantly being organised due to the richness of the Sea of Cortes, in which species such as the albacore, the yellow-tailed tuna fish, the dolphin fish and the sawfish, whose season goes from March to September, are abundant.
Along its centenarian history,
La Paz, a place famous for its pearls, has been the refuge for sailors of all sorts, including the dreaded pirates Cromwell and Drake, who anchored at these coasts more than once; nevertheless, these violent seamen did not enjoy the excellent marines existing today, to the utter satisfaction of current sailors around the world.
When going through the pages of the city's past, one discovers, with a bit of surprise, that it was founded at least five times. The first took place on May the 3rd of 1535, when Hernan Cortes, Mexico's conquistador, arrived on the peninsula of Baja California, thus starting a series of clashes between the Spaniards and the locals, who it is said were dressed in clothes made of pearls.
Sebastian Vizcaino would re-inaugurate the city 60 years later, giving it the name it currently displays, although the first permanent urban centre would only be established in 1720. The extreme heat and the lack of water were two of a number of factors that postponed de initial development of the zone.
Nowadays things are different, sorry, the heat is just the same, and
La Paz, sitting at 4310 kilometres from Mexico City and a 152 from the Municipality of Los Cabos, is an irresistible destination where the sea blesses a cheerful and tranquil city, simply friendly, simply unforgettable.
