A Taster’s Journey

Chirp, chirp, chirp…last month that was what I woke up to every morning, accompanied by the sounds of the gentle surf breaking over the rocks. I could smell the salt air and the seaweed while gazing over the palm trees, the thatched roofs, and the swimming pool to see the rocky coastline and Sea of Cortez. Ahhh, I was blessed by another day in paradise. I spent a week at Esperanza , a spectacular sun-drenched oasis in Los Cabos, and enjoyed every minute.

Esperanza is a top notch resort on the eastern coast of the Baja peninsula, about 5 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It’s a small resort with only 50 rooms and 6 suites in quaint three story adobe buildings which are in a semi-circle with all the rooms overlooking the infinity pool and the Sea of Cortez. The rooms are simple but very tasteful and spacious. The muted colors on the walls, terra cotta tiles, and local original artwork gives each room a warm tranquil feeling. The bathrooms are large with two pedestal sinks, two showers, and tumbled marble tiles giving it an understated elegance. The rooms on the third floor all have hot tubs on the terrace that are connected to the bathroom by means of a massive window. Each room is fully equipped with a TV, DVD player, stereo, safe, plush robes, and quality linens to satisfy the most discriminating guest. The most dramatic feature of the room however is the view, the palm trees and coastline will mesmerize you for hours.

Los Cabos is different than many other beach resort areas in the Bahamas or the Caribbean due to the coastline. While the beaches in the Caribbean can have long expanses of floury white sand, Los Cabos is much more rustic. The coast is quite rocky, in fact many stretches are not conducive to swimming. But the combination of these jagged rocks combined with the waves crashing over them is natural beauty at its best.

Los Cabos is an area known for its fishing, and sometimes referred to as the Marlin Capital of the world. There are over 500 boats in Los Cabos available for private charters or group excursions. Although marlin is the most popular, there are also many fishing trips for dorado, yellow fin tuna and wahoo. If you prefer something a little less hands on then you might consider glass bottom boat rides, whale watching or a sunset cruise. Although the whale watching cruises will get you closer to the whales, you can actually see these huge mammals from the shore. It is fascinating that these gray whales swim down from Alaska each year from January through March. The highlight of my trip happened one morning as I was drinking my coffee just after sunrise. I was staring out at the ever tranquil Sea of Cortez and spotted a pod of 4 whales frolicking in the sea. You could see the spray from their spouts, and occasionally you could see them breach the water surface. That scene made my whole trip special.

Fishing is not the only area where Los Cabos excels, the golf courses are

spectacular. The hilly terrain along the coastline not only makes for a challenging course, it provides for some sensational scenery. A couple new courses are under construction, and Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have teamed up, so I would anticipate that things will get even better. This area is filled with activities: fishing, golfing, sailing, visiting many of the beautiful beaches and shopping in the town of Cabo San Lucas are the most common during the day. At night, Cabo San Lucas is known for its night clubs and a wide assortment of good restaurants.

I found the Esperanza resort a tremendous place to stay because it was close enough to all the activities but also because it was small, quiet, and exceptionally beautiful. It has two infinity pools that overlook the Sea of Cortez, each with a hot tub that simmers at the temperature of boiling water. One of the pools has a bar built into it, which becomes very convenient for your afternoon margarita.

The restaurants and bar areas are perched on a cliff overlooking the water, just gorgeous both day and night. Luckily the restaurants are not just pretty, they excel at fresh fish and grilled meats seasoned with local chilies and spices.

The hotel, although intimate in size, has a full service spa, a well appointed gym, and a concierge to fulfill your every desire. Service is first rate at Esperanza, every detail is taken care of, so you can just sit back and enjoy.

I am so glad that I had a chance to return to Los Cabos, the weather, the palm trees, the whales, the coastline, the food, and the people all made it a spectacular week. I hope you are able to visit Los Cabos sometime, and share a little piece of heaven.