CABO DEL ESTE
Baja California Sur,
Mexico
03-2024 – 06-2024: With our self converted 2006 Sprinter Box Van my partner and our dog Susi we travelled from Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA all the way through the Peninsula of Baja California. Even though we found so many amazing places along this route, it felt like we really had arrived once we made it to the East Cape.
The East Cape is know for being remote. No cell phone signal, no street lights. Nine Palms and La Fortuna became my favorite places. Beach fires at night. Amazing waves. No phone signal.
While you'll only meet other surfers in their vans at 9 Palms you'll find a bit more of infrastructure at La Fortuna. Places to stay. Restaurants. A small grocery store. A surf shop. And the Baja Station. A truly special places where the founder Gio wants to provide a space for Art, Science and ?. and with whom I collaborated for this map.
B1
The Baja California
rattlesnake
AN ICONIC RESIDENT Rattlesnakes are some of the most iconic and misunderstood residents of Baja California’s East Cape. Several species live in the region, including the Baja California rattlesnake (Crotalus enyo), a species found only on the peninsula and nearby islands.
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These snakes play a vital ecological role by keeping rodent populations in check. Though venomous, they are not aggressive and usually only strike when threatened. Their trademark rattle—made of interlocking keratin segments—serves as a warning, not an invitation.
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Rattlesnakes are masters of camouflage, blending seamlessly with desert rocks and scrub. Most are active during cooler hours—dusk, dawn, or night—to avoid the intense heat. Despite their fearsome reputation, they are shy creatures, more interested in avoiding humans than confronting them.
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SOURCES
- Wikipedia – Crotalus enyo (Baja California rattlesnake):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_enyo
- Animal Diversity Web – Crotalus enyo account:
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Crotalus_enyo
- Snake Radar – 10 Facts About the Baja California Rattlesnake:
https://snakeradar.com/10-facts-about-the-baja-california-rattlesnake
- Scielo Mexico – Diet of Crotalus enyo in the Cape region
https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?pid=S0065-17372016000100045&script=sci_arttext​
- PICTURE CREDIT Viperidae- Crotalus enyo enyo (Baja California Rattlesnake) - 49770595946.jpg,
Kristof Zyskowski & Yulia Bereshpolova, https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_833921
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A Black–tailed rattlesnake, which also can be found on the Cabo del Este
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Cabo Pulmo is one of the most inspiring marine conservation success stories in the world. This small village on Baja California Sur’s East Cape borders Cabo Pulmo National Park, which protects the northernmost coral reef in the eastern Pacific, estimated to be over 20,000 years old.
Once overfished, the area was declared a marine reserve in 1995 through local community efforts. Since then, marine life has rebounded dramatically—fish biomass has increased by over 400%. Today, the reef hosts sea turtles, manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks, and even bull sharks, which divers can encounter near the El Vencedor shipwreck in guided, non-invasive dives.
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Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cabo Pulmo remains free of large resorts and overdevelopment, offering a quiet, biodiverse haven for snorkeling, diving, and reconnecting with a thriving ocean ecosystem.
SOURCES​
- Large Recovery of Fish Biomass in a No-Take Marine Reserve, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0023601Undersea Park Is
- World’s Most Robust Marine Reserve, https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/hidden-baja-undersea-park-worlds-most-robust-marine-reserve
- Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1182
- Cabo Pulmo: The Jewel of the Gulf of California, https://environmentamerica.org/center/articles/cabo-pulmo-the-jewel-of-the-gulf-of-california/
- Cabo Pulmo: World Heritage Biosphere Reserve, https://ocean.si.edu/conservation/solutions-success-stories/cabo-pulmo-world-heritage-biosphere-reserve
- Wikipedia – Cabo Pulmo National Park:General overview with reef age, biodiversity, and protection status, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabo_Pulmo_National_Park​
GRAPHIC / PICTURE
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0023601
- Jerome Paillet (IFREMER, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale, Centre Bretagne - ZI de la Pointe du Diable - CS 10070 - 29280 Plouzané)​​
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B1–D2
At Cabo del Este, the desert meets the Sea of Cortez. Once home to the Pericú — maritime Indigenous people known for their coastal navigation and island settlements — the region changed dramatically in the 18th century with the arrival of Spanish missionaries, leading to conflict and the eventual decline of the Pericú. Today, ancient cave paintings along the coast are among the few traces that remain.
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So far, the coastline itself remains largely undeveloped. Each winter (December–April), whales migrate past its shores, and from April to October, southern swells bring ideal surf conditions.
With year-round sunshine, rich biodiversity, and minimal cell signal, Cabo del Este offers a rare and immersive connection to the wild side of Baja.
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SOURCES​
- Dive Ninja Expeditions. (n.d.). The Pericúes: The first people of Los Cabos. https://www.diveninjaexpeditions.com/pericues-los-cabos-history
- Rootamental. (2011, May 3). Pericú: Keepers of a 30,000-year-old secret. https://rootamental.com/2011/05/03/pericu-keepers-of-a-30000-year-old-secret
- Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force. (n.d.). Pacific coast of Baja California Peninsula IMMA. https://www.marinemammalhabitat.org/factsheets/pacific-coast-of-baja-california-peninsula-imma/
- Natural Habitat Adventures. (n.d.). Baja Mexico: Distribution & migration of whales. https://www.nathab.com/know-before-you-go/mexico-central-america/baja-mexico/wildlife-guide/distribution-migration
- Oceanic Society. (n.d.). Best whale watching in Baja: The complete guide. https://www.oceanicsociety.org/travel-ideas/best-whale-watching-in-baja-the-complete-guide
PICTURE
Privat, Wikicommens, Ballena jorobada (Megaptera novaeangliae), Cabo San Lucas, México, 2024-12-22, DD 05.jpg
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A2–B2
The rancheros of Baja California Sur descend from the Jesuits’ “soldiers of leather”—agricultural settlers from Andalusia and Moorish Spain brought to support mission life in the 1700s. When the Jesuits were expelled in 1768, many of those soldiers were granted land, creating a uniquely egalitarian and independent ranching tradition in BCS.
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Over time, ranchos became the economic backbone of Baja—supplying food, leather goods, horses, and mules to mining towns like Santa Rosalia and El Triunfo, even as mainland Mexico looked elsewhere. However, from the 1950s onward, the collapse of mining and the opening of free trade in 1975 challenged ranchero livelihoods—imported goods undercut locally made cheese, meat, and leather, and young ranch kids often lost touch with their heritage when sent away to school.
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Still, ranchero culture has endured, in part thanks to community efforts and storytelling—like the documentary Corazón Vaquero (2008), which helped bring local vaqueros to the U.S., where their horsemanship, leathercraft, and traditions earned deep respect and admiration.
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SOURCES
Wikipedia+8tosea.net+8tosea.net+8
tosea.net+2tosea.net+2tosea.net+2.
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B2
Cylindropuntia cholla, commonly known as cholla cactus, is one of the most iconic desert plants of Baja California Sur.
With its spiny, jointed stems and striking silhouette, it thrives in arid, rocky environments where few other plants survive. Despite its thorny defense, cholla plays a vital ecological role: it provides shelter and nesting sites for birds like the cactus wren and acts as a water source for desert animals during dry periods.
Its barbed spines easily detach and can hitch a ride on passing animals — an ingenious strategy for spreading across the desert. Deeply rooted in the Baja landscape, cholla is both a symbol of desert resilience and a reminder of the delicate adaptations that define life in this region.
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SOURCES​
- Planet Desert. (2025, January 28). Growing Cylindropuntia cholla. https://planetdesert.com/blogs/news/growing-cylindropuntia-cholla Wikipedia+10Planet Desert+10World of Succulents+10
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Cactus wren. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cactus_wren Wikipedia
VIDEO
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B2–C2
The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) is a well-known resident of Baja California Sur’s East Cape, perfectly adapted to its arid, open landscapes.
Its long ears not only provide excellent hearing but also act as natural radiators, releasing heat to help regulate body temperature in extreme desert conditions. With strong hind legs, it can leap over 3 meters (10 feet) in a single bound and reach speeds of up to 40 mph, using rapid zigzags to outmaneuver predators.
Jackrabbits are mostly active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), avoiding the intense midday heat. Their diet includes desert shrubs, grasses, and cacti, and they get most of their water from the plants they eat. As both herbivores and prey, jackrabbits play a crucial ecological role—supporting predators like owls, hawks, and coyotes while helping shape the desert’s plant communities.
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SOURCES​
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. (n.d.). Black-tailed jackrabbit. Retrieved from https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Black-tailed%20Jackrabbit.php
- National Park Service. (n.d.). Black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/black-tailed-jackrabbit.htm
- Photo of a black-tailed jackrabbit taken March 19, 2006 by Jim Harper
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A2–B2
Nine Palms — named after the small grove of palm trees near the break — is only accessible by dirt road and has no facilities. When we were there, a food truck came by twice a week, letting you restock a few basics, but that´s about it.
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We got stuck in the sand twice with our Sprinter box van—so be mindful of where you park. That said, you can camp right along the ocean, and everyone I met was incredibly kind and easy to get along with. I personally loved this spot—not just for the long, clean waves, but also for the bonfires at night and the minimal light pollution, which made the stars feel especially close.
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The wave breaks over a solid reef, so getting in can be a bit tricky. But the water was clear on most days, making it easy to surf around emerging rocks. When I was there, a decent stretch of beach helped with access—some surfers used it to paddle out, though it’s a bit of a haul. Still, for those seeking an off-grid surf experience with a friendly, low-key vibe, Nine Palms is hard to beat.
