Visiting Espiritu Santo Island National Park via La Paz and then Todos Santos
Having visited nearly all US National Parks, it's time to expand our horizons! So, when a friend invites us on a trip to Espiritu Santo Island National Park, an archipelago of six islands off the coast of La Paz Mexico, we sign up right away. The beginning of December is an excellent time to escape the dreary Pacific Northwest for the warm temps and sunny days on the Baja Peninsula!
After a four-hour flight to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico from Seattle and a 2.5-hour shuttle ride north, we arrive at our cute hotel, Hotel Posada LunaSol, in La Paz on the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) side of the Baja Peninsula.
Our kayak outfitter, Mar Y Aventuras, also owns the hotel so everything is seamless. After a quick but delicious taco bar dinner and a peaceful night’s sleep, our group of 15 walks a couple of blocks to the "put in" where we climb into a panga, aka skiff, for the two-hour trip out to our base camp on Espiritu Santo Island for four nights.
Along the way we see herons, pelicans, frigates and blue footed boobies perched on rocky islets as well as a playful school of bottlenose dolphins. It's so strange to see cardons, saguaro like cactus, in the middle of the gulf! The guano looks like snow adding to the unique landscape.
Playa Candelero, base camp on Espiritu Santo Island
Carlos and Dellys are excellent and knowledgeable guides who speak English in addition to Spanish, accommodating us Americans. Once at our camp, comprised of a line of ten nylon tents on the beach and a kitchen and dining tent, they explain all the rules about protecting this special place - gotta love that!
After lunch we get a "warm up" paddle followed by sunset, then happy hour, dinner and a sea lion lesson before I sit outside our nylon tent listening to the lapping water while taking in the spectacular star display in the sky over our little bay. I imagine this will become a cherished routine on this trip.
Snorkeling with Sea Lions near Espiritu Santo Island
Breakfast at 8am in the dining tent begins our second day after which we load our gear in the panga and ride 40 minutes to La Lobera, a big rock, at the north end of the archipelago, where we will snorkel with California Sea Lions – don’t ever try this at home!
We dress in wetsuits and life jackets as required by the National Park. The Sea Lions are curious, friendly and somewhat oblivious to us. Many are just pups. I swim right into a pup who appears to be napping! We learn that this colony is tame because the area already had lots of fishermen when they moved here. In addition, they don’t really have any predators here!
The area is a spectacular but a crazy place with loud barking, lots of snorkelers, divers and their bubbles. Once satiated with it all we swim to a wonderful reef slightly away from the action. It’s filled with elegant coral, colorful fish and different versions of the same invertebrates that I know from home - my favorite being the cushion sea star. Nearly two hours later we crawl back into the panga with a few minor jellyfish stings.
California sea lion at La Lobera, MX - Underwater photo by Rod Fleck
Back to camp for lunch and then out again in the panga for more snorkeling on a coral reef in a bay just 20 minutes south of camp. Highlights are the green turtles and a big hawk that grabbed a seagull for lunch!
We go back to camp for happy hour, dinner and early to bed. With no electricity, we rise with the sun and head into our tents shortly after dark.
History, Geography and Climate of Espiritu Santo Island and the surrounding area
Originally formed by violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, Espiritu Santo Island is 31 square miles and sits 21 miles northeast of La Paz in the Sea of Cortez. Volcanic ash and lava create distinctive layers in the high rocky ridges of the island above and salt water sustains three varieties of mangroves in the valleys below.
Cardon cactus over 300 years old, Espiritu Santo Island, MX
The archipelago includes five other islets, two that are named; La Lobera to the north, where the Sea Lion colony is and Isla Partido where our first walk will be. The Canal San Lorenzo, the channel that separates Espiritu Santo Island from La Paz, often has swift currents.
The climate is dry and hot, it hasn’t rained in over a year. It feels so crazy to have an ecosystem like the Sonoran Desert in Arizona meet the Sea of Cortez. Temperatures make it into the mid eighties during the day in December, but night is coolish. Summer is unbearably hot so there are no guided trips.
In 2005 the islands were designated a UNESCO site and in 2007 Archipeligo Espiritu Santo Islands was designated a marine National Park!
Walking on Espiritu Santo Island
Human bones from a vanished civilization 9,000 years ago have been found in the area. The custom at the time was to paint the bones red and place them in the rocks after the bodies disintegrated. Unfortunately, these precious artifacts have been vandalized and taken so most of the island and trails are closed to the public to protect what is left. Only eight trails are open on the island and today, day three, we’ll walk one of them.
Pelican entertainment, Espiritu Santo Island, MX
We wake to totally blue skies and sunshine as opposed to the partial clouds we’ve had so far and jump in the panga once again. We land 15 minutes north at El Cardonal, the narrowest section of Isla Partida, for a nature hike with Carlos. We walk just under a mile to the Sea of Cortez of the island, amid mangroves and cardons. The east side has a much rockier coast than the west side. Entertainment brought to us by the pelicans’ flight and diving seems endless.
After a tasty lunch, we opt for "chill time" this afternoon due to high winds which is common in Baja. We get to enjoy a little snorkel in Playa Candelero, our own warm bay. The white sea pens and a huge school of white sardines are gorgeous!
Kayaking around Espiritu Santo Island
It's finally time for a “real” kayak paddle on day four. Our big group that has stayed together for almost everything gears up again - some in singles and some in doubles. We get to paddle south along the rocky coast stopping at two gorgeous white sand beaches with the wind at our backs!
Michael, a dear long time kayak friend from Orcas Island, WA spent his winters as a kayak guide off Loreto, five hours north of here, so it seems appropriate that some of his ashes return to the Sea of Cortez, and Bahia de San Gabriel is the perfect beach for that! After some wonderful memories and tears we climb back into the panga. We are so spoiled, we get to ride back in the panga, for a late lunch, versus having to paddle back into the wind – Michael would have been disgusted, LOL!
Bahia de San Gabriel, Espiritu Santo Island, MX where Michael’s ashes are spread
Snorkeling at Isla Ballena just southeast of camp, occupies us after lunch. I’m so excited because there are lots of those cushion sea stars that I love and one of the biggest puffer fish I’ve ever seen!
Happy Hour precedes dinner once again and we get our best sunset on our last night!
Swimming with whale sharks in La Paz Bay!
We pack up and head out with great anticipation! The word is that we’ll all be able to swim with whale sharks later this afternoon, so we take a walk at Bahia de San Gabriel and see a cardon well over 300 years old. Lunch is back on the beach under a tent for shade – thank goodness!
On the way back to La Paz we meet another panga and change boats to go to the check in point, after which Dellys gives us our whale shark lesson. They are the biggest fish in the world thus the name “whale” sharks, that typically grow to 18-32 feet and can live to 100 years old. However, they don’t have teeth but a very large wide mouth for filter feeding plankton. The whale sharks in La Paz Bay are juveniles, 10-20 years old so they will be closer to 15 feet. There are only 7,000 in the world so they are protected. Their stripes of white dots are distinctive and identify each shark just like the white patches on orcas.
The seas are quite turbulent today, so we are all bouncing around as we try to get into our wetsuits. Dellys tells us that it’s an athletic adventure – we will have to swim to keep up with the sharks and that we must stay about nine feet away and further than that from their strong tail. The whole experience is tense! Three of us will go with her at one time and then the next group must be ready to jump off the boat in the high seas quickly as we rotate snorkelers.
Juvenile whale shark, La Paz, MX - Underwater photo by Rod Fleck
We are in the second group. Once in the water I feel better than I did on the boat. Dellys grabs my arm and holds me right next to the enormous gills pulsating in the water. It’s simply amazing to view these incredible animals! And they have lots of little fish, remoras, tagging along. As soon as we climb or fall into the panga I get asked if I want another turn. Yes! But I have a hard time getting out of the boat, I keep getting thrown all over. But once in the water Dellys grabs my arm, and we do it again. Wow! Truly a “once in a lifetime experience” - I’ll never forget it!
Back to Hotel Posada LunaSol, for our first shower in five days and then to a nice farewell dinner at Los 32 Sabores. My goodness the “strip” in La Paz has lots of action (blaring speakers and lots of cars) on Saturday night – it certainly brings us back to reality!
A few days in Todos Santos, MX
After saying goodbye to the gang, we take a taxi to the La Paz airport and rent a small car at a reasonable price. We drive one hour across the Baja Peninsula to Todos Santos, a smallish artsy, expat town slightly inland from the Pacific Ocean. Lunch and a little shopping in town occupies us until we can check in.
Desierto Azul salt water pool, Todos Santos, MX
We drive 15 minutes north of Todos Santos to Desierto Azul a fabulous four suite Inn meticulously and sustainably designed with wonderful and healthy breakfasts and snacks from their on-site bakery. Relaxing and reading by the small saltwater pool is luxurious after all the varied activities and gear on Espiritu Santo Island.
The Green Room another 15 minutes north on a dirt road at the Villa Santa Cruz resort sustains us each night. It’s in the sand right on the beach with great food and awesome views, especially at sunset!
Beaches on the Pacific Ocean side of the Baja are idyllic long, white sandy beaches with big waves and very few people. However, walking (or surfing if you’re good) is the primary activity. These beaches are not suitable for swimming or snorkeling!
Olive Ridley baby sea turtles, Todos Santos, MX
Live baby turtle releases are fun and hopeful except for the fact that only 1% survive. Two non-profits, Tortugueros Las Playita A. C. and Groupo Tortuguero de Todo Santos do releases in this area. Groupo Tortuguero de Todo Santos is releasing Olive Ridley baby turtles at 4pm at Playa La Maquina Beach during our visit. We each get two turtles to release – I’m sure mine are part of the 1%!
After a peaceful three days we say goodbye to the surf and sun and head home to rainy Seattle for the holidays!
If You Go:
November-May is the time to visit. Other months are too hot. Peak hurricane season is August-October. It's best to avoid weekends if possible.
Espiritu Santo Island is only accessible by boat. Eight outfitters have permits to camp on the island. And outfitters out of La Paz also provide day trips. The only other access to the island is via private boat.
Walking or hiking is limited, as discussed above, so be ready for water focused activity.
You can navigate most things in English.
Bug bites (no-see-ums) and bee stings (many beaches) and small jelly stings (vinegar and time relieves) are common so be prepared.
There is NO fresh water available on the island!
Flying into La Paz saves the 2.5-hour shuttle ride from the Jose Del Cabo airport.
The Green Room, Todos Santos, MX
