Share your Baja Mexico experience

[bajacalal]

What time of year would be the best for a month or 2 trip?

I think the best time is the Fall. November/October is a good month in the southern part because: the oppressive summer heat (it was sometimes 125 Fahrenheit and 80s at midnight) has broken but its still nice and the water temperatures are still warm like coastal California in the summer. Also the rainy season has ended, the threat of hurricanes has passed and the desert is more lush, you can pick fruits from some of the cactus. I think there are more jellyfish in the gulf when it rains. In the north the climate is like California along the coast (temperate all year round, actually I think Ensenada is colder than San Diego because of the bay) and like the southwest in the interior (dry hot summers and sometimes cold/windy).

Awesome input bajacalal...thank you much. Yeah,Baja changing is one of the driving forces of me wanting to get down there. I'll probably only do it once in my life and i'd like to do it before it gets to developed. I have also read before that planning to run from the border through the northern areas is a must..we'll push through very similar to what you mention.

I think a lot of people that go all the way to La Paz or beyond have a good impression of Mexico that outlasts the first impression of the border area and wind up going back. Its a lot easier to get to now, you can fly into La Paz or Cabo on several U.S. airlines besides the Aeromexico which is a great airline. The drive itself though is worth it to do once because its such an adventure, more I think than anything you find in this country.

Everyone i talk to also mentions not to drive at night, we should be in a camp before dusk on any given day.

I have been out there at night. Its not like right after dusk everything goes to hell but as each hour passes the road gets more sinister. So if youre out and the sun is down don't panic or anything but do try to not be out on the road at night. There are stories of crime but I think the biggest dangers are road hazards like cattle and late at night the truckers come out. Remember their industry is not as regulated in the U.S. Severe overloading, improper maintenance and these guys own the road. They drive down the middle, you are supposed to get out of their way when they come barreling at you and they often don't bother to dim their ultra-bright lights.

Speaking of lights, I have installed on my Jeep those Hella super duper bright offroad lights. I recommend them for travel in Baja. I see those fitted on even some mundane passenger sedans down there.

Of course, you will enjoy your trip more if you take time to kick around and explore instead of driving long hauls. Baja plays tricks on you btw. The emptyness of some places makes it hard to judge time and speed when theres nothing around moving to give you a good reference... Plus the distances are misleading. Something 100 km away could be 50 km of straight where you can average 55 mph and 50 km of curves where you average 30 mph.

Camps will be on the pacific coast and the Sea of Cortez, so i'll have some sunsets to look forward to.

If you could provide links to your picture albums that would be great.

I'm so behind my peers when it comes to modern communications. I haven't really figured out the internet or blogs or email or cell phones and I don't have any photos online. I will try to do something about that soon though.

I'm going to dosome more research on the areas you mention and start to put together a plan, i'm sure i'll have plenty more questions to ask of you and others who have visited. I have better than a year before this trip happens so their is no rush. And again, thanks for the great input. On the way out i'd love to buy you a cervesa.

I'll have to take up that offer. I'm glad to help, everyone here at is pretty nice. I though you were going this year. I think the Lonely Planet book
"Baja California" is one of the best published guides.