LORETO, Mexico — Nestled between the rugged Sierra de la Giganta Mountain range and crystal-clear waters of the Sea of Cortez is a secluded sanctuary for both wildlife and travelers.
A sleepy beach town with a storied past, Loreto is located in the heart of Baja California Sur on the Baja Peninsula, where the land is still mainly untouched, vast and wild. This gem sits under most travelers’ radars – overshadowed by nearby La Paz and Cabo – yet beckons those seeking an intimate encounter with nature without crowds or overdevelopment.
“I would compare Cabo right now to Waikiki and Loreto to the Maui of old days,” said Owen Perry, developer of the only major resort in the area, Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto by Danzante Bay.
In 2018, Loreto welcomed just 119,585 visitors, according to the Secretary of Tourism, while La Paz saw 427,253 visitors that same year. Cabo typically sees over 3 million annually.
To some, Loreto is reminiscent of Cabo before it became the popular destination we know it today. “I went to Cabo in the 90s when it was literally like dirt roads, and it was one bar, and it was unexplored kind of, and I felt like Loreto was just like that,” said Cindy Jennings, who is based in Denver and visited Loreto last year. “It’s a little bit untouched.”
While the town itself is endearing and slow-paced, Loreto’s unspoiled surroundings are truly what captivate travelers – and hopefully will for decades to come, as so much of it is protected to slow the pace of development. Loreto’s coastline lies within the Loreto Bay National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 800 marine animal species – and parts of the mountain range are protected as well.
Here’s why travelers should consider a trip to Loreto, Mexico.
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How to get to Loreto
Traveling to Loreto from the U.S. is convenient, with a direct flight from Los Angeles to Loreto International Airport taking about 90 minutes. Other major cities that fly directly into Loreto are San Francisco, Phoenix, Dallas and Tijuana. Once there, the drive from the airport into town is a short 15 or so minutes.
If travelers are looking for a luxurious home base, about 30 minutes south of the airport is the sprawling Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto by Danzante Bay, built in 2010. The beachfront property is sprawling, with a resort, residences, a massive spa and an award-winning 18-hole TPC golf course. “At first, people thought I was not very smart to build something out in the middle (of the desert); no one knew where it was,” Perry said. “I felt like the vibes were right.”
As the name suggests, the resort borders the national park and looks out onto Danzante Island, one of five major islands in the national park. The accompanying bay of water is so tranquil that it resembles glass, making it ideal for paddleboarding and swimming. When guests sign up for boat or snorkeling tours, they’re taken right out front and they’re in the national park.
What to do in Loreto
As one of just two Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns) in Baja – as recognized by the Mexican government for its cultural significance – Loreto is a quaint town with a rich history. The area was home to the Indigenous Cochimi and Guaycuras peoples for thousands of years. It was also Baja’s first Spanish settlement, founded in 1697 by Jesuit missionaries, and has been the capital of Baja several times.
Boasting colonial architecture and historic buildings, the beach town is easily walkable, peaceful and set right along the water. “Loreto, to me, was that sort of undiscovered yet safe place to go,” Jennings said. “There was infrastructure for tourists, it was easy to get on the water to go do all the things.”
Travelers can visit the Jesuit Missions of Loreto Museum to see artifacts from the Indigenous People and the first colonizers or the Mission of Our Lady of Loreto, a Baroque-style church that’s over 300 years old.
Be an ocean explorer
Established in 1996, Loreto Bay National Park spans over 800 square miles of protected waters that French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau called the “Aquarium of the World” – and it’ll take visitors a brief moment out there to agree.
Visitors can explore the park scuba diving or island-hopping on a boat tour, with snorkeling breaks in between. “I see Loreto as just more scenic, and you have the islands,” said Perry. “You take the boats snorkeling out there, and you don’t see anybody all day. It’s so pristine.”
On a morning boat tour to Isla Carmen, Isla Danzante, and Isla Montserrat, a symphony of marine and bird wildlife made an appearance, including manta rays, sea turtles and a tropical whale. Baja is home to the largest pods of dolphins, and one pod danced alongside the boat, surfing in the novelty waves.
Loreto is also famous for whale-watching, which is exactly what brought Jennings to Loreto. “I hadn’t heard of it until I was on a quest to see whales,” she said. In the winter, humpback, orca, grey, and blue whales come to the national park to birth their babies before migrating back up north. Since these majestic mammals are endangered, Mexico has regulations in place regarding boat distance and how many can be in the region at a time.
The park is also just as beautiful to explore when the sun has set. Villa del Palmar hosts a night kayak tour in the bay, with lights attached to the bottoms of the boats. Once at the end of bay, kayakers can turn off their lights to watch the shooting stars above and the bioluminescent plankton that glitter when the water is disturbed below.
Discover the desert
While the ocean will occupy most of your time, there’s still plenty to do on land, from hiking trails that start right at Villa del Palmar to ATV tours through the desert and along the coast. A short-day trip from Loreto to consider is to the La Pinguica Mountain Range to visit ancient cave paintings dating back 7,000 years.
The resort’s crown jewel is the Danzante Bay Course, which won the title of Best Golf Course in Mexico in 2023 and Latin America in 2019. Even beginner golfers can swing at the scenic course, where players drive their balls over open water from one cliff to another and enjoy endless national park vistas.
When should I go to Loreto
Unless you enjoy sweltering 90-degree weather, avoid going to Loreto in the summer through September. “Loreto is surrounded by mountains; there’s no wind, so it can get very toasty,” Perry said.
The best time to visit is between October and May – plus, you’ll be right during whale season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Loreto, Mexico, is the ‘untouched’ gem for you?
