The Canadian web site "Canoe Travel" (http://travel.canoe.ca) just published an article on Loreto:
For those who can't decide between camping beneath the stars in the desert or lounging in the sun on the beach, in Loreto, Mexico, no choice is necessary.
Loreto, the oldest town in Baja California Sur, is the land where the mountains meet the sea.
Driving into Loreto along the dusty Trans-Peninsular highway it is obvious the town, located about 700 km from San Diego, is one of breath-taking contrasts.
To the right is rugged desert terrain spotted with cacti and indigenous plants rolling into the foothills of The Sierra de la Giganta mountain range. To the immediate left, the indigo waters of the Sea of Cortez lap up onto sandy white beaches that stretch for miles.
The sea has long been the main attraction to Loreto and was once called "the world's aquarium" by famed explorer Jacques Cousteau.
More than a decade later, it still rings true.
Cool stuff - I copy the full article below.
Mexico's hidden charms
By SARAH KENNEDY -- Sun Media, November 2007, Link
For those who can't decide between camping beneath the stars in the desert or lounging in the sun on the beach, in Loreto, Mexico, no choice is necessary.
Loreto, the oldest town in Baja California Sur, is the land where the mountains meet the sea.
Driving into Loreto along the dusty Trans-Peninsular highway it is obvious the town, located about 700 km from San Diego, is one of breath-taking contrasts.
To the right is rugged desert terrain spotted with cacti and indigenous plants rolling into the foothills of The Sierra de la Giganta mountain range. To the immediate left, the indigo waters of the Sea of Cortez lap up onto sandy white beaches that stretch for miles.
The sea has long been the main attraction to Loreto and was once called "the world's aquarium" by famed explorer Jacques Cousteau.
More than a decade later, it still rings true.
Protected by five islands, the waters off Loreto form the largest marine park in Mexico which is a nursery for blue whales and thousands of different fish species.
Most fishing companies in the town offer tours upon request for diving or snorkelling off the islands.
Depending on the company, some tours are even offered aboard comfortable cabin cruisers that include a Mexican lunch and frothy tropical drinks -- even at 9 a.m.
Gliding along the pristine waters, it's not uncommon to see a school of dolphins swim alongside the boat.
The Sea of Cortez has long been a popular destination for scuba divers, but you don't have to go down very far to come face to face with massive sea turtles, sword fish and sea lions -- which is why some tourists opt for snorkeling instead.
If you're more of a land lover, the area tour operators have a number of reasonably-priced options that will keep you entertained -- and dry.
C&C tours, owned by a young geologist named Cecilia Haugen, will take guests on winding desert hikes or to Mulege (MOO-LA-HAY) an oasis in the desert with a natural spring water pool, citrus trees and ancient cave paintings.
The company also offers trips to the serene mountain-top village of San Javier, home to a majestic mission founded by the Jesuits in 1699.
After touring the mission, a delicious lunch of goat or chicken soft tacos and homemade salsa and guacamole is offered outside by a local farm family.
Buying a jar of olives from the family who pick the fruit from the trees in the village and preserve them in a homemade brine, is highly recommended.
Despite the many gifts Loreto has to offer, it has remained unscathed by the hordes of tourists migrating to Mexican destinations such as Cancun and Los Cabos.
And because of that, it's managed to maintain an authenticity that is missing from the popular tourist traps.
The cobblestoned roads in the town are lined with shops offering hand-painted souvenirs, silver jewelry and traditional Mexican mosaic art.
The town offers more than a dozen restaurants, including El Canipole, a quaint outdoor cafe owned and run by a local family who speak no English.
But that's not a problem because the restaurant, which was the romantic venue on a final date during one season of the hit reality show The Bachelor, only offers a couple of options.
As you eat under the stars, you'll be visited by a pair of Mexican guitarists who will serenade you at a cost of $5 per song.
The Loreto Bay Company, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., has purchased 8,000 acres of land. During the next 15 years the company will transform about half of it into the Villages of Loreto Bay, a series of romantic seaside villages.
The company, run by Canadian businessman David Butterfield, promises 5,000 acres will be maintained as a natural "green lands" preserve and that they will produce more energy from renewable resources than they consume.
The Loreto Bay Company has recently purchased one of the town's most prestigious beach front resorts and promises all-inclusive packages will soon be available.
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