Page 9 - Van Wig & Associates, Lakewood Village ~ February 2020 Issue

mexican beaches TRAVEL

by Christopher Reynolds Tortuguero collects and incubates
eggs. Most evenings at sunset
odos Santos, a small Mexican from early December through late
town on Baja California’s February, volunteer leader Enedino
TPacific coast about 50 miles Castillo, his son Dario, and their
north of Los Cabos, is the destination comrades set free hatchling sea
for people who don’t plan to haul turtles and invite visitors to watch
in marlin or get rowdy in Cabo San and perhaps contribute to the cause.
Lucas or San Jose del Cabo. Many Most of the turtles will die young,
hotels, restaurants and shops have Dario Castillo told me, but the
opened in recent years, so it’s not as hardiest will live decades (nobody is
quiet as it once was. But it’s calmer sure exactly how long) and grow to
than Los Cabos and has plenty of 100 pounds. The hatchling releases
good food, greenery, beach scenery happen at Las Playitas, the beach at
and more than a few American expats. the foot of Camino Internacional.
On a three-night stay in October I ate
well; browsed several art galleries; and THE LESSON LEARNED
watched hatchling sea turtles creep There’s no substitute for local
into the sea. I also savored big views BEACH SCENERY AND A SMALL-TOWN cash. On my last night, I tried dinner
from Los Colibris Casitas, the hillside at Il Giardino atop a hill at the
lodging where I stayed two nights. VIBE MAKE TODOS SANTOS A CALMING edge of town. My meal (prosciutto
The tab: about $645 for a round-trip pizza) was tremendous, but neither
flight from Los Angeles to Los Cabos the menu nor my waitress warned
and rental car; about $180 for one MEXICO GETAWAY me that Il Giardino accepts no credit
night at the Todos Santos Inn; $270 cards. When the bill came, I was 40
for two nights at Los Colibris Casitas; pesos (about $2) short and had to beg
and $250 for meals. the waitress to accept a few dollars.
Though most tourist-oriented
THE BED you’d rather sleep in the center of operated by popular Baja chef over got engaged while I sipped my businesses in and around Todos
You might bounce a bit on town (as I did the first night), the Javier Plascencia. My dinner there beer and the palms rustled in the Santos accept plastic (and some take
the mile of unpaved road leading brick-walled Todos Santos Inn is a was good, but I was happier at breeze. dollars), it’s risky to assume. Next
to Los Colibris Casitas, but the pleasant, atmospheric choice. El Mirador, a towering, oceanfront time I’ll ask before ordering and keep
payoff is spectacular: a verdant more pesos in my pocket. n
hillside property with ocean views, palapa where my arrachera (skirt THE FIND
a handsome pool, attentive hosts, a THE MEAL steak) was much zestier than you Three species of embattled sea ©2020 Los Angeles Times
menagerie of resident cats and dogs, I tried two of the town’s biggest might expect from a view-dominated turtles lay eggs on the area’s beaches. Distributed by Tribune Content
and six guest units with kitchens. If splurges, beginning with Jazamango, restaurant. The couple two tables In fall and winter, the charity Grupo Agency, LLC.

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