Villa del Palmar Loreto BCS
🌊 Baja Bound: A Resort Week of Whales, Missions, and Magic in Loreto 🌵
January 21 – January 28, 2026
There is a specific kind of peace that only the Sea of Cortez can provide. Leaving the winter chill behind for the "Aquarium of the World" was the best decision to start this year. ✈️
Our journey started with an accommodating MFE > DFW > LTO route, using a strategic one-night stopover at the Hyatt Place DFW to pace ourselves before the Baja sun took over. ☀️
🚗 Arrival: Trading Runways for Red Rocks
Flying across the Baja Sea and touching down at LTO was a "pinch-me" moment. After a quick breeze through customs, we headed straight to the car rental counters at the airport.
💡 Pro Tip: Having a rental car in Loreto is a game-changer if you want to explore beyond the resort gates. The process was fairly seamless, and after some grocery shopping, we were soon driving south toward the jagged peaks of the Sierra de la Giganta with sudden and sporadic super-scenic ocean views. 📸
Our home base? Villa del Palmar at Danzante Bay. Tucked away from the main town, this place feels like a secret sanctuary. We checked in just in time for their scheduled Beach Party. There’s nothing quite like the smell of salt air mixed with grilling seafood and the soft sound of gentle music to tell your brain: You are officially on vacation. 🍹
Bonus: The resort activities team performed a self-taught tantalizing fire acrobatics show—Awesome! 🔥
🌅 Day 2: The Sunrise Trolley
The first full day kicked off with the Sunrise Trolley. Watching the sun break over the Danzante islands and onto the world-class golf greens was a sight to behold. Noticing the resort guide taking pictures as if in "tourist mode" was proof of the morning’s majesty! It’s the perfect way to get your bearings in that golden, pre-heat glow.
⛪ Day 3: A Journey Back in Time
We traded the coastline for the mountains today. The drive up to Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó is spectacular—winding roads, deep canyons, and ancient cacti. 🌵
The Mission: Built in the 1700s, the stone architecture stands firm as ever. 🏛️
The Olive Tree: Don’t miss the 300-year-old olive tree behind the church!
Lunch: We stayed for a taste of machacado con huevo burritos at Betty’s Kitchen. 🌯
🌈 Day 4 & 5: Puerto Escondido and the "Blue Giant"
Oh my! Rainbow magic in the morning arced from one end of the bay to the other in perfect poetry with the sailboats, pelicans, and seagulls. Is this real life? ⛵ After a gazillion pictures, we explored Puerto Escondido, the hidden marina just north of the resort. It’s a lux stop for all the "fancy-mancy" yacht owners in the know.
Day 5 was the main event. We headed back to the marina to meet "El Pajaro" for our Panga Whale Tour. 🐋
The Sighting: Spoiler alert: no Blues. But! We saw half a dozen Grays, schools of diving dolphins, sea lions, manta rays, and idyllic scenery. 🐬
The Guide: "El Pajaro" (Francisco Mayorlin Davis) escorted us onto some famous secluded beaches, including the dreamy “Luna de Miel.” 🏝️
The Experience: Boating on mirror-like waters and beachcombing secret hideaways is a memory treasure trove. There is something profound when the captain cuts the engine and you step into the "quantum dimension" of a pristine postcard. Absolutely life-affirming.
🦷 Day 6: Tooth be Told and Loreto Town
A bit of a practical morning! After a little bit of medical sleuthing, we visited Clinica Adventista for a dental check-in (dang tooth trouble). 🦷
Note: Many travelers come to Mexico specifically for their world-class dental care. The clinic was professional, spotless, and incredibly kind. The visit was $15 USD (consultation, x-rays, and prescription). Medicine was $25 nearby. Note: This clinic wasn't even on the local user radar!
We spent the rest of the day wandering the heart of Loreto Town. We walked the Malecón, where the sky was full of pelicans in a diving splash-and-snatch frenzy—incredible to watch! 🦅 We then visited the main mission (the "Mother of All" California missions) and did some souvenir peeking. 🍦 An ice cream stop at a local shop was YUM, YUM, YUMMY.
🌮 Lunch Highlight:
We hit Nany’s Tacos for authentic Baja fish tacos. We met the owner, Rigo Yee Cunningham—a fabulous host of Chinese-American parentage and 100% Mexicano (and fabulously subordinate to Nany, his Guadalajara-born wife!). We even met some ex-pats from the South/Portland. 🥂
✨ Reflection
From the luxury of Danzante Bay to the humble cobblestones of San Javier, this week was the perfect reset. Loreto isn't just a destination; it’s a rhythm. 🎶 The warmth of the people is filled with an unspoken love you can read in their eyes and hear in their voices.
We’re already looking at the calendar for next year. If you think you might like it, don’t be shy—look us up. We definitely recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Comments
Post a Comment