Baja California - The Land Of Contrasts

A Journey To Mexico’s Baja Peninsula Is Never What You Expect, But Just What You Need.

- Audrey Hills

Desolate, dry, harsh, and unforgiving are all ways to describe the nearly 1,250-kilometre long finger of land that hangs off the west coast of California. Mexico’s Baja California is indeed rough and rugged, yet rising out of this abrasive landscape are things of ridiculous beauty and unexpected sophistication. The inhospitable desert sits in juxtaposition to life thriving despite the odds: sparkling turquoise bays full of marine

life, towering brilliant green cacti, and hidden oases of palm trees. Deep dark storm clouds pour buckets of rain over otherwise barren terrain and brilliant yellow wildflowers pop up across the desert. In small towns, friendly locals lift the veil of poverty to share the songs of the mariachis and a taste of tequila. An oppressive and impassable border creates an atmosphere for a culinary revolution.

Travelling in Baja is 100% about the journey rather than the destination. Throughout a trip to Mexico’s northern and westernmost state, you come to expect the unexpected. Unforeseen bounty hides in what appears to be the scarcest of circumstances. From the border town of Tijuana to “Cabo,” or the land’s end, Baja’s magic is waiting for the discerning traveller to come and find it.

TIJUANA: DESPITE THE WALL, LIFE FLOURISHES

Whether you walk or drive across, For most visitors, a journey to the Northern half of Baja California begins at one of the busiest and most fortified borders in the world. The wall between America and Mexico looms larger than life despite covering an expanse of land not much wider than a fútbol field. On the Mexican side, you instantly know you’re in another country by the sight of colourful hand-painted signs, the smell of street tacos, and the voices of men in cowboy hats offering unsolicited taxis.