In the beginning of February, Mark, Maya, and I spent ten days on a pebble beach near Agua Verde in Baja California, Mexico. During that time, we visited this small village with our friends Duwan and Greg, in their car. Waiting for a fish taco lunch at the town’s waterfront, we spotted a protected bay with anchored boats and a sandy beach through binoculars. We decided to stop there on the drive home. Within five minutes of setting foot on that white beach and gazing at the surrounding rock formations, Mark and I concluded: “Let’s stop here for a week on our drive back north.”
So, a good six weeks later, after we explored more of the Baja California peninsula and rounded Cabo Este, we stocked up on water, propane, and food for another nine days off the beaten path. Our first night was spent at the end of the ten-mile paved stretch of road, which then turned into dirt for another 20 miles to Agua Verde.
(As always, hover over or click on the photos in galleries to read their captions.)
The road in
Those last 30 kilometers (20 miles) of the Agua Verde road were rutted and potholed; some were steep and narrow, down a treacherous slope, where you hoped nobody arrived from the other side. This was the second time we attempted this route. Heading down and looking ahead, clouds of dust announced opposing traffic. Sometimes, I would jump out of the passenger seat to assess the situation. On the return trip, it was more difficult to see oncoming cars. We hoped they would see our dust cloud.
At the bottom of the windy hill, the track was mostly flat but still in awful shape. The entire stretch of road, from Mex 1 (the main “highway” in Baja) to Agua Verde took us two hours and a half of being shaken. Despite our slow progress, car sickness still befell me. But it was worth it.
Our campsite
After a last, steep descend, an empty beach opened up. We had encountered quite a bit of traffic on the drive, so we feared the place would be packed. Not so. A group of fishermen was camped for the night by the entrance of the beach and multiple sailboats peacefully swayed at anchor. We had our pick to park and chose a spot higher up. From here, we could see the protected bay on one side and the windier Sea of Cortez on the other side. Depending on shade, we moved our chairs around the camper.
On our second day, the wind picked up and sand blasted around us. We had to close all windows and our bodies were whipped by the beach. We feared our time here was short lived and moved to a lower spot, along the anchorage. Luckily, the weather improved, so that’s where we remained.
Because this site is so remote and hard to get to – especially the final descend; 4WD is a must – few campers make it. Unlike the beach in front of Agua Verde town, this one is still free to camp on. José (“Tio”) is the sweet, friendly, and welcoming caretaker who has lived here for forty years. In his old age he now gets help from a friend, who keeps the beach clean. His dog, Lola, often kept us – and Maya – company.
We read in iOverlander that José doesn’t charge anything to camp, but that he appreciates receiving groceries. We showed up with a full bag of food for him and each time we walked to town, we swung by to ask what he needed (usually vegetables and tortillas) and dropped those off on our return. During our eight days at the beach, it was obvious and heart-warming that locals and visitors alike took good care of this humble man, who rarely sets foot outside of his shack.
Activities
The surrounding hills and beaches are perfect for hiking. Some trails offer fabulous views; others bring you to different bays. It is recommended to start any hike early, because it gets hot quickly. The hill behind our camper offered the best views.
One morning, we followed a cattle trail across another hill, turned right into an arroyo, and stumbled across a little oasis – a pond surrounded by palm trees. We reached a rocky beach and wondered if we could follow the coastline back to our camping area, instead of backtracking via the hot and dusty trail. Rounding each rocky bend, we hoped to recognize land features. The further we progressed, the more we hoped we didn’t have to turn around. It was a fun hour of exploration – and we made it!
We met several campers and sailors, one of whom guided us to rock art in a cave, about an hour from the anchorage. Because we had a late start, heavy climbing in the beating sun was involved. Luckily, we could ensure the group that returning via the shorter, cooler, rockier waterfront was possible.
Every morning, we would walk Maya along the rocky headlands of the anchorage. I enjoyed the views from this peninsula, as well as watching the plethora of birds on the water’s edge. This was a good place to get away from it all – not that the main beach was all that busy.
Once, I borrowed snorkel gear to explore this area underwater. Colorful fish and coral greeted me, but the water temperature was way too cold for this warm-blooded body. I lasted half an hour and shivered the rest of the day. Other activities enjoyed by visitors are kayaking and paddle boarding.
Because of the congregation of campers and sailors – and one small cruise ship – here, there was never a dull moment. We chatted with different people and became friends with Andy and Deb, fellow truck camper travelers, and their cute dogs Pyro and Delilah. Quite a few happy hours, scrumptious home-cooked meals, incredible stories, and genuine laughs were shared!
One of our favorite activities – on this beach or others – is to just sit in our chairs and watch the natural world go by…
Agua Verde town
Another advantage – and the reason we could stay at this beach for a while – is the close proximity of town. A 30-minute walk around different rocky headlands brings you to the black beach of Agua Verde, where a restaurant offers decent WiFi for 30 pesos (US$1.50) an hour or 50 pesos (US$2.50) a day. From there, it is a short but hot and dusty walk to the sleepy village, where you will find a store stocked with fresh produce (closed in the afternoons) and a tortilleria. Here, a co-op of women makes fresh harina (flour) and mais (corn) tortillas daily. Quite the find!
The road out
During our eight days at this beach, only two other RVs arrived. We all made it down the steep, gravel hill okay, but feared not being able to get back up! Mark joked we might have to stay here forever. I wasn’t opposed to that.
The grade was 16%. After a German rig with six wheels arrived, we asked the owners “Do you have four-wheel drive?” The answer: “We have six-wheel drive!” When they left after two nights, the rest of us watched with trepidation. They got stuck even before reaching the hill and then again about two-thirds up! This didn’t bode well. The vehicle was towed out by a Czech expat, but this occurrence had us stumped.
Andy walked the distance and assessed the situation. He came to the conclusion that the RV of the Germans was all-wheel drive, which makes the wheels do different things than 4WD. We should be fine. Nevertheless, before Andy and Deb made the attempt in their truck camper, he strapped the camper part to his truck for the ascend. He managed to climb the steep hill without issues, but was shaking afterwards.
Based on these examples, we believed our T&T would make it without much effort. And, it did.
From the top of the hill, Mark and I looked back at this magical place with fondness in our hearts – and a bit of sadness as well. Will we ever come back? Will it still be as pristine and peaceful then?
We braved the long, bumpy ride back to the highway, happy to have made the arduous journey again, fond of the new friends we made, and richer with yet more incredible Baja memories.
Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics, check out the travel/adventure/personal memoir I wrote:
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