Exploring the town of Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico

If you're looking for a "Spring Break," party town, like San Felipe can be at times, you'll be very disappointed if you make the long trip to Bahia de Los Angeles, as there isn't a single, "destination," party bar, or honky tonk in town. In fact, the only bars in town are first, and foremost, restaurants, and none of them offer the kind of nightlife found in Tijuana, San Felipe, or Ensenada. If you're looking for spectaculor scenery, peace and solitude, well... Bahia de Los Angeles is probably what you're looking for...

Photo: The unnamed main street, looking south from near the traffic circle, marked by the stylized sail structure. Traffic is almost non-existent. Tacos Lizeth and Hotel Las Hamacas appear to the right of the photo.

The town of Bahia de Los Angeles offers basic services, such as restaurants, taco stands, motels, RV parks, liquor and grocery stores, a medical clinic, a tire shop, one automotive repair shop, a Pemex gas station, but not much more. The main street in town, which runs parallel to the Sea of Cortez, in a north-south direction, is the only paved street in town, and it, along with every other street, trail or path in town, is unmarked and unnamed... I really didn't believe it until I asked several different people... Isn't every main street in "smalltownmexico" named Calle Benito Juarez? Not in Bahia de Los Angeles, as all streets are nameless.

Photo: The Catholic church, perched up the alluvial fan, can be seen from almost anywhere in town.

Residential streets head west from the main street, as they climb the alluvial fan towards the desert mountains in the background, and of course, they're not paved. None of the streets are named, but if you want to find somebody, just ask any local, as everybody knows everybody else, as the town is quite small; probably no more than 3000 residents. I was able to walk almost every street in town in a couple of hours, and that included lots of time taking photos and chatting with the friendly locals.

Photo: Looking south on the paved, main street, with virtually non-existent vehicle traffic. Note the alluvial fan and the dramatic desert mountains in the background. Restaurant Reyna las Palapas is at the extreme right of the photo.

Electricity is generated locally, from a generating plant, located in the central part of town, near the Municipal Center. Bahia de Los Angeles enjoys electricity for about 20 hours a day, but the power seems to shut down about 0400, and doesn't start until after 8 in the morning. I asked a couple of locals, and they said this seems to be the norm, but has recently improved, as of a couple of years ago, as they only enjoyed electricity about 12 hours a day. Change is rapidly coming to Bahia de Los Angeles, as during my visit, in early October, 2007, there were many electrical crews working in town to get the town hooked to the Baja California power grid, and I expect that will happen soon, as the power crews seemed to have a purpose, and a mission in life to get the town wired to the state power grid.

Left: Ravens are everywhere in town, and love to squawk and eat garbage. Right: The turkey vulture should be the town bird, as they're everywhere; I've never seen so many in one spot.

Left: According to Guillermina Arce, the gal who runs Taqueria Bahia, this gal, pulling her daughter in a red wagon, is a real character. During my visit, I saw her many times, pulling her daughter, so she does get around. Right: These schoolgirls are riding an ATV to their morning session class. ATVs are very common in Bahia, and are perfectly legal to ride anywhere in town.

Unlike other towns in Baja California, there are no city busses, and except for locally owned and operated taxis, there is no public transportation. Actually, public transportation isn't really needed in Bahia de Los Angeles, as the town is small, the business district is quite compact, and its feasible to walk to any where, or any destination in town that offers the desired service. Many locals own cars or pickup trucks, although a favorite mode of transportation seems to be four-wheel drive quads, which are legal to drive on the paved main street, and the dirt side streets. You'll also witness donkey and horse carts plying the streets, transporting goods and people.

Photo: Looking north on the main street, from a vantage point near Guillermo's RV Park.

Bahia de Los Angeles offers stunning desert and coastal scenery, and a truly unspoiled, laid-back connection to the way a small, seaside town, in Mexico is really like. It doesn't offer the typical gringo-friendly tourist attractions, nor does it offer much in the line of fancy services. As of this writing, Bahia de Los Angeles is an unspoiled jewel... but it may not remain that way for long, as change seems to be looming on the horizon. The electrical grid upgrade... the hype on the internet... the ads on U.S. radio, all signal change, in my opinion, for the worse.

Photo: At the south end of town, the main street takes an abrupt turn to the west, and then the pavement ends. It's a long ways to Guerro Negro via the dirt road, but someday, I plan to make the trip.

Visit beautiful Bahia de Los Angeles, and you'll come away... transfixed, and in love with the place...

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