Whale Watching Cabo San Lucas
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Ed. Note: Unbiased travel reviews are a valued aspect of the Internet.
Cabo San Lucas is either the exquisite place where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez or it’s the end of the line down the long road through the Baja Peninsula. Either way, Cabo San Lucas reviews often highlight the contrasts.
When we first went to Cabo in the mid 1980’s, a few hotels dotted the ridgeline that overlooked the Pacific Ocean and Cabo San Lucas Bay. A few times a week, cruise ships would anchor in the bay to let passengers haggle for a few trinkets set up by vendors on the beach. The town was virtually non-existent and uninspired.
The water is a beautiful aqua, teeming with wildlife. The area had been a Mecca for sports anglers for a long time. As eco tourism grew, more people were drawn to the area for whale watching as Greys and Humpbacks migrated to the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez each winter.
In the last twenty-five years, the growth to the region has been phenomenal. Time-share condominiums crowd along the beach, each new development more impressive than the last. Vendors hock wares along the bay beach, and in stalls that surround the marina, which is home to tourist boats and yachts. Every day, at least one cruise ship anchors in the harbor as passengers crowd the surrounding area scouring for souvenirs of their adventure.
We stayed at Sunset Beach, which is part of the Pueblo Bonita chain. Our resort was terraced along the hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A jungle of bougainvillea plants cascaded along the hillside, providing a rainbow of colors surrounding the various buildings in the resort. It was fun to sleep with the doors and windows open listening to the ocean waves pound along the shore.
The resort is situated in a unique location. Not only could we watch the sunrise every morning as we drank our coffee, but we could also view the sunset nightly while we sipped margaritas. While the movement of the sun was fascinating, nothing would compare to watching for poofs of spray on the horizon as humpback whales meandered throughout the area. For the week of our stay in late January, we saw whales every day from our balcony. Whale watching Cabo San Lucas has increased in popularity in recent years.
Cabo San Lucas remains a place of contrasts. The town, though prosperous is still non-descript. Locals boast of the new mall with high-end retailers for people who must shop when they travel. The food was good, but extremely overpriced, unless you’re willing to search out small establishments off the beaten path. Gardenas was one example where scrumptious fish tacos were served under a thatched roof for less than $2.00 each.
What continues to remain the draw to the area is the convergence of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. A battalion of sporting boats leave the dock at sunrise every morning, followed by a procession of sightseeing boats for spotting whales, snorkeling or watching the sunset. New activities are sprouting up daily to engage tourists, but at the end, nothing will surpass sitting on a balcony watching the water.
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