Visit Toto Santos from Cabo or LaPaz?

[MomC]

We are sailing on Star Princess in January and would like to visit Toto Santos—our university has a satellite campus there we would like to visit.  Should we go from Cabo or LaPaz?  Do you know of local tour companies?

 

Thanks in advance for help on this.

 

Mom C

[SDPadreFan]

Either way is fine. The difference is really the drive scenery. From La Paz, you will drive up and over the mountains to get to "Todos" Santos. From Cabo, you will drive the coastline mostly in a kind of desert meets the ocean type environment. It's a very nice drive, we've done it from Cabo several times. The highways are good for both routes. A highly regarded company in Cabo is Cielito Lindo. We've used them several times for our airport transfers to our timeshare. They are our go-to company for a private shuttle to our timeshare. I know they also offer a Todos Santos trip as well. There are certainly probably several other companies in Cabo that also offer this service. Later in this reply I'll include some links to the Cabo forum as well as the La Paz forum on Trip Advisor. They can certainly help you find a driver to Todos Santos (but my pick would be Cielito Lindo based on our past experiences. I'll do another reply to keep these shorter.

[SDPadreFan]

What you really need to decide is what experiences you want to give up because of your trip to Todos Santos. Cabo is a well developed tourist destination while La Paz is more of a traditional Mexican city. We have owned a timeshare in Cabo since 2002 and visit our money there every year. We just love our timeshare there and at this point, we generally just veg out by the pool and only go into town a few times each trip. My wife has a favorite local place in town for a great massage, so we can't miss that + we also visit our favorite place for fish tacos, Gardinias. In January - both towns will be a hotbed of whale watching activity so that is definitely worthwhile. La Paz also offers, (at that time) the otherworldly experience of swimming/snorkeling with the Whale Sharks. Not an actual shark, but the worlds biggest "fish". Whales and sharks are mammals not fish. These are giant, completely docile creatures (think the size of a tour bus). They glide through the water slowly feeding on plankton (not humans). You do have to be a fairly good swimmer if you want to keep up with them as they meander about. But an opportunity of a lifetime if interested. Also a very good opportunity to see giant manta rays in La Paz. They are also in Cabo but sightings are not as frequent.

 

Personally - I would choose to go to Todos Santos from Cabo and save La Paz for the different activities/experiences it has to offer. Plus the drive along the coast is really nice. It's not all coastal drive, but a fair amount of it. Links I promised.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g152515-i84-Cabo_San_Lucas_Los_Cabos_Baja_California.html

 

and

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g150771-i771-La_Paz_Baja_California.html

 

Have a great cruise. Happy to help with any other questions.

Edited December 13, 2019 by SDPadreFan
update and correct form, linguistics

[PaperSniper4]

On 12/13/2019 at 1:36 PM, SDPadreFan said:

What you really need to decide is what experiences you want to give up because of your trip to Todos Santos. Cabo is a well developed tourist destination while La Paz is more of a traditional Mexican city. We have owned a timeshare in Cabo since 2002 and visit our money there every year. We just love our timeshare there and at this point, we generally just veg out by the pool and only go into town a few times each trip. My wife has a favorite local place in town for a great massage, so we can't miss that + we also visit our favorite place for fish tacos, Gardinias. In January - both towns will be a hotbed of whale watching activity so that is definitely worthwhile. La Paz also offers, (at that time) the otherworldly experience of swimming/snorkeling with the Whale Sharks. Not an actual shark, but the worlds biggest "fish". Whales and sharks are mammals not fish. These are giant, completely docile creatures (think the size of a tour bus). They glide through the water slowly feeding on plankton (not humans). You do have to be a fairly good swimmer if you want to keep up with them as they meander about. But an opportunity of a lifetime if interested. Also a very good opportunity to see giant manta rays in La Paz. They are also in Cabo but sightings are not as frequent.

 

Personally - I would choose to go to Todos Santos from Cabo and save La Paz for the different activities/experiences it has to offer. Plus the drive along the coast is really nice. It's not all coastal drive, but a fair amount of it. Links I promised.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g152515-i84-Cabo_San_Lucas_Los_Cabos_Baja_California.html

 

and

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g150771-i771-La_Paz_Baja_California.html

 

Have a great cruise. Happy to help with any other questions.

 

"... . Not an actual shark, but the worlds biggest "fish". Whales and sharks are mammals not fish. These are giant, completely docile creatures (think the size of a tour bus)............ "

 

Sounds good.  But a small correction: while whales are indeed marine mammals, sharks are definitely not. But they also won't bite off a leg like some other sharks! <g>

[riffatsea]

I don't even understand why Princess offers a tour to Todos Santos from La Paz going over the mountains? I would much prefer going from Cabo but I'd like to do it on our full day in Cabo and not on the day when we are first arriving there in the afternoon!

IF we go we'll be booking it privately and not from the cruise line.

 

[riffatsea]

Just learned that the small group tours from local companies go to Todos Santos just about every day EXCEPT Tuesday which is our full day in Cabo!!

We'd have to book a private tour to go that day which makes it too expensive unless at least one other couple was involved.

[SDPadreFan]

3 hours ago, riffatsea said:

I don't even understand why Princess offers a tour to Todos Santos from La Paz going over the mountains? I would much prefer going from Cabo but I'd like to do it on our full day in Cabo and not on the day when we are first arriving there in the afternoon!

IF we go we'll be booking it privately and not from the cruise line.

 

 

While I have not done the trip to Todos Santos from La Paz, I would imagine the drive would also be pretty nice from a scenic point of view (not for the driver however). On the downside of the mountain into Todos Santos you "should" get a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean. And the return trip downside "should" provide a stunning view of the Sea of Cortez and perhaps even (across the sea), coastal Mexico (not Baja). Some year, we will probably do this route starting in Cabo - Todos Santos - La Paz - Cabo Pulmo (world class snorkeling) - San Jose del Cabo and then back to our timeshare at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach. We would overnight in La Paz and Cabo Pulmo. The highways between La Paz, Todos Santos, and Cabo San Lucas were completely rebuilt in the last decade and are really nice now.

[SDPadreFan]

Couple of additional items. On the highway to Todos Santos from Cabo at KM 69 (kilometer) is a fantastic hole in the wall spot called Art & Beer. Operated by a couple of old hippies, they make some amazing drinks (works of art) and they also have some weird art scattered around the property. Worth a stop.

 

The "Hotel California" in Todos Santos is pure Mexican marketing and has absolutely nothing to do with the Eagles song. But it is a nice place just the same. Across the street is a great restaurant called Tequila Sunrise (see the theme here). But a great restaurant that makes an awesome seafood stuffed Poblano pepper. Favorite stop of ours for lunch. Local church is nice to peek in.

[MomC]

Thank you for being so helpful with suggestions on visiting Todos Santos.

 

Mom C