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Interesting Facts
- What most people think of as "Los Cabos" is the roughly 20-mile stretch along the coast of Baja California between the cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. That's the most populous part, but Los Cabos actually encompasses about 2175 square miles, the southernmost chunk of the peninsula. In addition to the well known resort areas, Los Cabos includes a number of charming villages and remote desert and mountain retreats.
- The ancient art of glass blowing dates to 2000 BC. You can learn about the history of the craft and see modern artisans at the glass-blowing factory in Los Cabos. These craftsmen employ techniques similar to the ones used ages ago.
- "El Arco," or the Arch of Poseidon, is the most famous natural landmark in Los Cabos. This 200-foot-tall natural arch is located at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean meet. It is reachable by boat, and if you're lucky you'll catch sight of some of the resident sea lions.
- The waters surrounding Los Cabos are teeming with fish – literally hundreds of species of them! Colorful and exotic fish of all sizes and shapes dart through the offshore reefs, making snorkeling and scuba diving especially rewarding for visitors. In addition, this is one of the best game fishing spots in the world, and folks regularly reel in huge marlin, spearfish, swordfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado and cabrilla.
- El Día de Los Muertos – the Day of the Dead – is often called "Mexican Halloween," although the comparison is not totally accurate. The three-day festival does begin on October 31 but is a unique blend of Hispanic and Christian beliefs practiced differently depending on what part of Mexico you're visiting. Candy skeletons are common almost everywhere. Altars set with liquor, flowers, photographs and incense are believed to lure the beloved dead back to earth for a visit. Similar to Mardi Gras in many larger cities, the holiday, in small towns, most often involves a visit to the graves of one's relatives to pay respects.
- Los Cabos isn't called paradise for nothing! The region averages 360 days of sunshine per year. Even in the height of winter, lows rarely dip below 55, while the average high temperature is a balmy 79 degrees. However, the flip side of this is that during the summer it's not unusual for the temperature to top 100 degrees.
- According to the 2000 census, Los Cabos had a permanent population of about 105,000. However, the region is growing exponentially, and with more than 500,000 tourists visiting annually, Los Cabos is truly one bustling metropolis!
- From January to March each year, a popular pastime for visitors is whale watching. During that time period, gray whales migrate from the waters off of Alaska to the warmer climes around Baja California. You can sometimes see them from the coast, but for the best views you should plan to take a whale watching cruise. Several reputable companies offer trips of varying duration, distance and price, so it will be easy to find one that's just right for you.
- Most people who visit Los Cabos do one of two things: lounge by the pool the entire time or engage in a series of sports and activities the variety of which is astounding. From Hummer tours through the desert to scuba diving to golf, you could conceivably enjoy a different activity every morning and afternoon for a week or two without ever doing the same thing twice.
- Many credit author John Steinbeck with heightening tourist interest in Los Cabos. In 1940, Steinbeck and a friend rented a fishing boat and cruised the Sea of Cortez, studying marine ecology. The "Log from the Sea of Cortez" is Steinbeck's entertaining, illuminating book about the voyage, the crew's adventures, and the wildlife they encountered.
