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martedì 3 marzo 2020
domenica 23 febbraio 2020
Selected suitable locations for sustainable high-end resort.
In this road trip of the Baja peninsula, I spotted some areas and specific locations potentially suitable to develop tourism projects environmentally sustainable in contrast with the majority of projects that do not take at all into account environmental conservation needs and which are putting at risk the integrity of the natural, cultural and social environment.
- Valle de Guadalupe
Valle de Guadalupe from a hospitality industry point of view is one of the most interesting areas of all Baja Peninsula as a consumer. In my opinion, being on the lookout for a pleasant and logistically ideal location for sustainable resort development, this area is only suitable if you are already in the wine business and you own or planning to buy a wine estate. And if you're not in this market niche the distance from the ocean is a great handicap.
- Bahia de Concepción
When you drive south from Mulegé you soon enter the Bahia de Concepción with its peninsula on the eastern side closing the body of sheltered water.
Exactly 1.000 km southbound drive from Tijuana, finally the first suitable area for a resort project.
Bahía Concepción is a bay on the Gulf of California, in southeastern Mulegé Municipality and the central-eastern part of the Baja California Peninsula, in Baja California Sur state, Mexico.
It's one of the largest bays of the Baja California Peninsula and features over 50 miles of beaches. Some of the more popular beaches include (from north to south) Playa Frambes, Los Naranjos, Punta Arena, Santispac, Escondida, Los Cocos, El Burro, El Coyote, Buenaventura, Playa El Requeson, La Perla, Playa Armenta.
This coastal stretch that goes from Playa Frambes in the north 'till Playa Armenta in the south, 32 km, would have great potential for a high-end eco-tourism development with a sequence of remarkable playas and little bays.
Isn't too far from everything like many other beautiful places in the Peninsula, Playa Frambes is only 20 km away from Mulegé to the north, and Playa Armenta to the south isn't so far, about 95 km, from Loreto and its International Airport.
This is one of the most stunningly beautiful stretches of coast in Baja for its blue-green waters, white sandy coves and little construction, even though several of the beaches are becoming more built up. Many of the bays have palapas (thatch-roof structures) and camping areas and some expat communities living in cheap and cheerful houses by the beach.
Bahía Concepción isn’t for everybody. If you like glitter and glam, fancy clothes, staying up all night, and hotels with room service, keep on going down the road. Here, life shuts down at 9 pm, It's called Baja midnight.
The first stop is Playa de Frambes with neighboring Playa Los Naranjos at its southern tip.
The best option for an overnight stay seems to be the Lighthouse Resort of Playa Frambes, the less populated area with the resort and four palapas outhouses next to it.
Don't let the pictures fool you, the setting is idyllic but this is what you get inside
clean but not exactly the way I'd decorate my house but still better than the following alternative accommodation in Mulegé.
Few hundred meters away, Playa Los Naranjos has few houses and a long sequence of very rustic and colorful beach huts.
The day after, wind your way south, just a short scenic drive rolling down the hill with the view of Playa Santispac that opens up all of a sudden after a wide turn through the rocky hills,
to reach that picture-perfect scene that you always dreamt Baja California to be: white sand beaches and crystal clear azure waters backed by the cacti-dotted desert.
I have already talked about Playa Frambes and the Light House Resort that is the first stop from Mulegé on the way south, from there, about 8 km drive you get to Playa Santispac, the first beach you can see straight from Highway 1 south of Mulegé.
The view is stunning with its blue expanse dotted with islands and the mountains of the peninsula beyond, so close and yet so very far away. It’s no wonder most turn in and set up camp right here. There are lots of RVs parked for the season on the west end of the beach with quieter tent camping on the east end.
It’s a good, sheltered swimming beach, and there’s a popular hike on the flat terrain around the peninsula. Locals will rent you kayaks and take you out on boats to fish, clam, and say hi to the dolphins and whale sharks.
There are two restaurants: Armando’s and Anna’s.
If you’re tired of tortillas and are craving a salad, go to Armando’s and order the “Salad Darcy” (fresh greens with shrimp) or “Salad Rick” (fresh greens with shrimp wrapped in bacon), named for a gringo couple who live in one of the houses at the far end of the beach.
At the south end of Playa Santispac, there's a mangrove lagoon and behind a little rocky hill lies a beach without name mostly accessed from the sea.
Two minutes' drive and you get to Posada Concepción, a private community. There, you’ll find a hostel and restaurant, tennis court, and some long-term home rentals. There are RV spots and hookups by the road. Community power is on between 10 am to 10 pm. Kayak rentals are available at the office. The community is private property and driving around is not welcome, if you want to explore, park and walk.
The hostel is a break from camping and an easy, quick overnight stay. It’s very basic, with about 20 bunks in one room attached to the restaurant. The $20/night fee includes morning bread and coffee, and you can make reservations via email. There are board games, books, and DVDs, comfortable tables, and Lucy offers very tasty home-cooked Mexican food morning to night with very generous portions. Baked goods include pizza, donuts, bread, or brownies, depending on the day. There’s a small, self-serve bar with beer and hard liquor.
You can rent homes in Posada via the Posada site. If you’re shopping for a second or retirement home or RV lot, there is always something for sale as retired residents age out and move back to the States or Canada.
Unfortunately, bad taste often wins and makes me cry that such beautiful places are spoiled with constructions of this kind, it's a real crime!
You don't need to be a millionaire to be able to build aesthetically attractive and functional houses, it's very easy to design even more affordable and sustainable architecture than the monstrosities we see in these pictures and that would add value to the environment also in terms of real estate market appreciation.
Less than 1,5 km and you get to Playa La Escondida
Playa Escondida, or “hidden beach,” is a short walk from Posada and separated from neighboring Playa Los Cocos (see below) at high tide by a small, rocky promontory. There are about ten palapas on the beach, some of which are occupied by smaller RVs and truck campers for the season. There are no amenities, just outhouses, and the vendors come by daily with most everything you need.
This is probably the most peaceful beach in the area, and the water is great for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. There’s an island a very short distance away for snorkeling and fishing. And, of course, you can walk to the restaurant at Posada.
This is probably the most peaceful beach in the area, and the water is great for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. There’s an island a very short distance away for snorkeling and fishing. And, of course, you can walk to the restaurant at Posada.
Just around the corner is Playa Los Cocos, a small campground next to the road and occupied almost exclusively by RVs.
a private community on the north end of the beach with RVs and tents on the south end. It offers great swimming, kayak rentals, and boating, and the dolphins and whale sharks like to hang out there.
Playa El Burro is a perfect place to chill out for motorcyclists, bicyclists, and other travelers who aren’t carrying a lot of stuff and want to stop and swim, kayak, see the whale sharks and just sit on the beach and chill.
youtube - Playa Buenaventura
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Like Escondida, there are no amenities except outhouses and vendors, and it’s an easy walk to Posada.
3 km more south and you find Playa del Burro.
Playa El Burro is a perfect place to chill out for motorcyclists, bicyclists, and other travelers who aren’t carrying a lot of stuff and want to stop and swim, kayak, see the whale sharks and just sit on the beach and chill.
When you turn into El Burro, follow the signs to find Eduardo, a Baja gringo longtimer who can rent you a palapa and a kayak plus take you out on the boat for fishing, snorkeling, and diving tours. No contact info. Just show up.
Pepe’s Restaurant, which used to be Bertha’s, is on the beach at the north end of Burro, with indoor dining and a full bar.
Across the street, next to the estación de bomberos (fire station) is Juan Carlos’, aka JCs, with outdoor seating, a full bar, and outstanding oysters once a week and a once-monthly lamb curry concocted by a local Brit named Alex.
Juan Carlos of JC’s and Felipe are also El Burro Baja Tours (Facebook). They can take you to see the dolpins and whale sharks, fishing and for a picnic on an island, cooking fish, scallops, and clams.
Just a bit further south is Estrella del Mar (Facebook) with indoor dining and a full bar.
Next door to Estrella del Mar by the Tecate sign is Bertha’s tienda, a little store with basics, food, and beer, with the actual Bertha presiding. Note that this is the only store between Mulegé and Loreto.
3 km further south and you find Playa El Coyote is, along with El Burro, a favorite place for dolphins and whale sharks to hang out.
The north end of Playa El Coyote (Facebook) is a private community with locked gates and no public access from the road. But there’s camping on the south end for RVs, tents, and a spot
under a tree that always seems to be populated with bicycle adventure travelers. Outhouses and vendors are the only amenities.
After Playa El Coyote the Federal Hwy 1 turns right towards the inland driving around a few more interesting beaches that you can only reach if you have a 4WD vehicle. If you stay on the main road after 13 km you'll meet again the sea of Cortez at Playa Buenaventura.
Playa Buenaventura is an isolated getaway halfway between Mulegé and Loreto with camping and houses for rent with a restaurant and bar. The beach is lovely, and its proximity to El Requesón beach makes it pretty irresistible, too. If you want to relax in an isolated and rustic setting but appreciate flush toilets, hot showers, a decent restaurant, and a full bar, you’re going to be happy here.
The Taco Tuesdays are very popular and on other days they offer great burgers and a variety of both Mexican and gringo food.
Camping is 60 pesos per person. There are flush toilets and on-demand hot water showers for 2 dollars or 40 pesos and kayaks are available, too. They have a house and private rooms that you can book in advance. Find them on Facebook.
Again a very short drive, 2,5 km, to reach the next beach, El Requesón.
Playa El Requesón is one of the most ruggedly spectacular beaches in Baja. Low tide reveals a stretch of sand that many people used to set up camp on until they realized that that high tide was going to sink them. Today, the caretakers won’t let you do that.
Camping is rustic with just outhouses and the usual vendors providing supplies.
Not to be missed are also the next two beaches, Playa La Perla
and Playa Armenta.
As we saw already in Ensenada Blanca with the monster development of Danzante Bay, and like it happens in many other peaceful and beautiful beaches around the globe, where eagle-eyed resort developers scope them out and plonk a giant, expensive resort smack bang on the foot of the beach inevitably ruining the natural charm of the area and the ecosystem, here the approach is diametrically opposite.
Even in sensitive areas from an environmental point of view, it is possible to carry out fully sustainable tourism projects respectful of the fragility of the natural environment. While not wanting to deal in depth at the moment with the technical characteristics and guidelines that make a tourism project sustainable, here follow the photos of a resort in Indonesia that has these characteristics without giving up some qualities that make it accessible to high-end customers. In this case, like in the few other spots of Baja that I have selected as potential locations for a resort, the main key to sustainability is the low density which confers what high-end discerning customers are looking for, exclusivity.
In my opinion, a resort of this kind should not have more than ten lodging units for a max capacity of 20 guests. With these limited numbers, you are able to provide your guests with that feeling of privilege for being part of the happy-few-club welcomed to enjoy such natural wonders that should be your USP and key to success.
The photos here below are from "Le Pirate Island", an off-the-grid eco-resort in Flores, Indonesia, a good example of low-impact sustainable resort.
This is what they state on their website:
We invite you to set sail on a journey where you will be encouraged to refrains from using electronic devices in your very own Private Island.
Paradise found, the ultimate escape, step outside of your Beach Hut and dive into the crystal clear waters, swim with all kinds of sea life right at your doorstep, meet new people, share experiences, sleep under the stars and go home wanting more.
“Le Pirate Island has limited comfort and facilities due to its location and logistics challenges. Water and supplies are brought daily from the mainland, and electricity is harvested from the sun. The 3G connection is unreliable. Our staff will do their best to assist you during your stay, however, we remind you that Le Pirate Island may not suit every traveler’s expectation”.
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around the urban area of La Paz there's plenty of little bays and beaches more or less serviced and developed and some totally deserted not yet exploited worth to explore on the way to Playa Balandra, one of the most beautiful beaches of Baja peninsula and whole Mexico.
The first one is a little beach in front of Playa Paceño at about 19 km 30 minutes' drive from La Paz downtown.
Just a few kilometers further up the coastal road and before reaching Playa Balandra
you can exit the main road on your left hand and following a dirt track you can reach a beautiful small bay with a white sand beach right in front of the little San Juan Nepomuceno islet
Imagine a Club House with a reception, restaurant, and all the services on top of this little peak with a 360º view over the surroundings bays,
and an obstructed sweeping view of the coastal road and the sequence of little bays 'till reaching on a distance La Paz, the scenery at night must be breathtaking.
Right below, a nice stretch of sinuous white sand beach, not directly exposed to the view of the road to La Paz, southwest oriented ideally to enjoy the Sea of Cortez sunset, where to place the guest suites, prefab steel and movable cabins but with very solid and hurricane-proof structures and optimal comfort level in line with high-end market standards.
Only four kilometers away from Playa Balandra
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Francesco Ippolito, 29/02/2020 N.B. This is not the report of a road trip actually made, this is a travel plan based on the information... -
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In this road trip of the Baja peninsula, I spotted some areas and specific locations potentially suitable to develop tourism projects e...