COSTABAJA IN THE NEWS

COSTABAJA NEWS

December 2011

Seasons Greetings from CostaBaja in Beautiful La Paz

Memories come true in revisiting La Paz

The Seattle Times (November 2011)
By Lillian Cantwell
I've grown up listening to my parents tell stories of our 1995 adventures sailing in Baja.

La Paz Swim with sea lions in the Sea of Cortez

The Seattle Times (November 2011)
By Brian J. Cantwell
In the turquoise water of Mexico's Sea of Cortez, the sleek and tawny sea lion zoomed past us as if he were a Jacques Cousteau diver clinging to one of those handheld aqua scooters.

Baja bound? Party down in safe, happy La Paz

The Seattle Times (November 2011)
By Brian J. Cantwell
As traffic stalled along the palm-lined street, we peered from our taxi and spied the cause. A little parade came our way...

COSTABAJA NEWS

November 2011

November gets off to a quick start with a photo and video exposition of "The Sea Lions of La Paz"...

PARADISE IN LA PAZ

EXEC Digital (November 2011)
by Meaghan Clark
La Paz might best be described as the quintessential Mexican city - few tourists are aware of this quaint paradise...

CostaBaja News

October 2011

October and November bring beautiful weather to Baja California Sur and CostaBaja...

Sport Fishing October 2011



Southern comfort

Southland Golf (September 2011)
By Al Petersen
La Paz is a relaxing, welcoming and environmentally friendly gem in Baja California Sur that is quietly working golf into the game plan of its focus on new homes, resorts and tourism.

CostaBaja News

August 2011

The new entrance and roadway are nearly complete and they are an exciting improvement to this resort community on the Sea of Cortez.

FORE Costa Baja

Despite violence, Mexico tourism remains strong

CNN Travel (July 2011)
By Mariano Castillo

International tourism to Mexico has increased 2.1% in the first five months of 2011 compared to 2010, and it remains the top destination for Americans traveling abroad. [+] Read More

Peace, love and golf in La Paz, Mexico

World Golf (July 2011)
By Mike Bailey

This may come as a surprise to many, but there are places in Mexico that are safer than being in most locations in the United States. That seems like a bold statement, but the coastal city of La Paz, Mexico is making such a claim. [+] Read More

CostaBaja debuts Mexico's first Gary Player golf course

Elite Traveler (June 2011)
By Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine

CostaBaja, a residential, master-planned residential community situated on 550 acres of coastal lands, opened the first ever Gary Player Signature golf course in Mexico in November 2010. [+] Read More
 

La Paz Tourism Board Declares Peace on the United States

Business Wire (June 2011)
By Paolucci Communication Arts - Public Relations / Lisa Layne

Over $1 billion in balanced growth planned for next five years - in one of North America's Safest Cities [+] Read More
 

In Baja, pursuing adventure at a certain age

The Washington Post / Lifestyle (May 2011)
By Ann Geracimos

As I bump my way gingerly - and a bit fearfully - up the ladder of a boat bobbing in deep water, I resign myself to the inevitable black-and-blue marks that I know will result. Bruises, like wrinkles, pop up anywhere at any time on thinning skin. [+] Read More
 

Make a resort-spa getaway to Baja

Star-Telegram (April 2011)

The CostaBaja Resort and Spa near La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, is offering several new package deals... [+] Read More
 

Own a piece of paradise south of the border

Pacific Asia Travel Association (April 2011)
By Dick Slaker

I was invited to visit and explore a part of beautiful Baja California/Sur - South of the Border, specifically La Paz, Loreto, Los Cabos, and Todos Santos. [+] Read More
 

Five safest places in Mexico for travelers

San Francisco Chronicle (April 2011)
By Christine Delsol

The last Mexico Mix column looked at why Mexico's drug-related violence has recently spilled into tourist destinations. This time, we'll look at why that shouldn't stop you from traveling to Mexico. [+] Read More
 

MEXICO HIDEAWAY: Costa Baja Resort & Spa

Ellen Barone (April 2011)
By Ellen Barone

Just outside La Paz, Mexico, Costa Baja Resort & Spa has upped the luxury ante in a region of Baja California still delightfully undiscovered. [+] Read More
 

Safety, privacy are key at Costa Baja Resort

Edmonton Journal (April 2011)
By Pamela Irving

If you like a mix of activities and geography that combine a cultured urban setting with a beachside resort near fabulous golf courses, then Costa Baja Resort should be top of your investment wish list. [+] Read More
 

New choices in luxury tweak Mexico's landscape

Recommend (February 2011)
By Sarah Muñoz

Never short on innovative options for grand stays, Mexico has welcomed a new crop of swanky resort options of late.
[+] Read the article
 

The top 20 Oceanfront Developments

Ocean Home (March 2011)
By Scott Kauffman

Oceanfront living has different meanings for different people. [+] Read the article
 

Whales in Baja California

Cabo Expeditions (February 2011)
[+] Watch video
 

My Evolving Admiration for Golf

Cabo Living (February 2011)
By Bob Kirstine

There is no doubt that golf has emerged as one of the top activities in the Cabo area, especially with the emergence of so many new award-winning courses in the Cabo area. [+] Read the article
 

CostaBaja Resort & Spa, La Paz, Mexico

Luxury Travel Advisor (February 2011)

By Megan Drillinger

First was the unveiling of CostaBaja Resort & Spa's new Gary Player Signature Golf Course and 250-slip double-basin marina. [+] Read More
 

Baja's newest sensation - CostaBaja Resort & Spa

Troon Golf & Travel (January 2011)
By Robert Kaufman

As Gary Player was warming up on the driving range at his new course at CostaBaja Resort & Spa in La Paz... [+] Read the article
 

First ever tournament at CostaBaja golf course

The Baja Citizen (January 2011)
By Oscar Cabrera

After a week of cold, cloudy weather, the skies were blue on Saturday, January 8th, 2011. [+] Read the article
 

Marina CostaBaja - Newsletter

Volumes 1, 2, 3

[+] Read the article
 

Sunny Mexico

China Golf Vacation + Lifestyle (January 2011)
By Robert Kaufman

[+] Read the article
 

My evolving admiration for golf

Cabo Living - Life at land's end (January 2011)
By Bob Kirstine

There is no doubt that golf has emerged as one of the top activities in the Cabo area... [+] Read the article
 

Marinas of Mexico and Central America

Sea Magazine (December 2010)
By Pat Rains

When dreaming up your 2011 itinerary through tropical waters, fill it with natural beauty: the turquoise islands of the Sea of Cortez... [+] Read the article
 

Seen at La Paz, Mega yachts

 

Gary Player. A conversation with the World´s Most traveled Athlete

Robb Report (January 2011)
By Jake Kubié

The World's Most Traveled Athlete, one of golf great Gary Player's nicknames, might be understatement... [+] Read the article
 

This is peace, man

ColoradoAvidGolfer.com (November 2010)
By Jake Kubié

The Gary Player's wizardry at Costa Baja helps the Mexican city of La Paz escape Cabo's long shadow. [+] Read More
 

CostaBaja, site for Mexico's first Gary Player Designed golf course

GaryPlayer.com (November 2010)

Gary Player has landed at CostaBaja, with the first Gary Player Signature golf course ever built in Mexico. [+] Read More
 

Sea of green. A roundup of Marinas leading the environmental wave

Yachts International (November 2010)

At the forefront of the yachting industry's green tide, marinas are leading the way with eco-friendly procedures... [+] Read More
 

Super Yachts at La Paz Bay

 

Player friendly: New CostaBaja Golf Club on Mexico's Baja Peninsula offers beauty, fun

WorldGolf.com (November 2010)

The new CostaBaja Resort and Marina presents all the elements of fun golf. [+] Read More

Golfer Extraordinaire Gary Player: "I Love Mexico - The Food, The Women, The Beaches, The Country"

SecondShelters.com (November 2010)

Not to mention the golf! What a pleasure it was to meet Mr. Player, one of the world's top golfers! [+] Read More

CostaBaja Resort opens Player course

GolfWeek.com (November 2010)

CostaBaja Resort & Spa, a 550-acre property on the Sea of Cortez, last week opened its new golf course. [+] Read More

CostaBaja Golf Club and Resort in Mexico: Build it, and they will come

WorldGolf.com (November 2010)

As globetrotter Gary Player yesterday officially opened his first golf course design in Latin America... [+] Read More

Viva Mexico! Mexico Celebrates its Bicentennial

UniqueHomes.com (November 2010)

Mexico celebrated its bicentennial this year, and developers and vacation clubs took advantage of the festivities... [+] Read More
 

Marina CostaBaja continues to make strides with its green initiatives.

Showboats International (October 2010)

Marina CostaBaja continues to make strides with its green initiatives. It's latest efforts include a brand new recycling program... [+] Read More
 

Sandy Beaches Trump Threats of Violence

The International Herald Tribune (October 2010)

For Tim and Nancy Muzyka, the lure of sandy beaches and crashing waves... [+] Read More
 

Grand Heritage Opens CostaBaja Resort in La Paz, Mexico

HotelExecutive.com (September 2010)

CostaBaja Resort & Spa is now open and accepting reservations. [+] Read More
 

Teeing Off in La Paz

Travel Age West (September 2010)

CostaBaja unveils the first Gary Player signature golf course in Latin America... [+] Read More
 

CostaBaja Resort Readies for November Opening

Luxury Travel Advisor (August 2010)

CostaBaja Resort & Spa, Grand Heritage hotel, which will open... [+] Read More
 

Resort Lifestyle Opens World of Experiential Possibilities

Immomart.ch (August 2010)

Costa Baja offers homeowners a resort lifestyle that opens up an incredible world of experiential possibilitie... [+] Read More
 

Down Mexico Way

Stratos (May 2010)

Finding a dream home south of the border as exciting as ever with the release of six resort-style communities... [+] Read More
 

Mexico Resort for Golf Vacations ? CostaBaja

Paradizo (May 2010)

CostaBaja is a new resort and real estate development in La Paz, Baja California. The current hotel on-site is being renovated and will open... [+] Read More
 

Don't write off Baja just yet

San Francisco Chronicle (March 2010)

Remember when we treated Baja like a suburb of Southern California, when you only had to point your compass south to quickly bask in sunny climes, otherworldly scenery and a tinge of the exotic? [+] Read More
 

World Class in CostaBaja

Golf & Spa (December 2009).
Elite groups gathered at the Beach Club with Mr. Fitness, the international ambassador of golf, The Black Knight... Gary Player.
[+] Read More
 

FUBAR Odyssey 2009

FUBAR Odyssey 2009 crossed the finish line at Marina CostaBaja, November 2009
[+] Read More
 

Bullish on Baja

Golf Week (August 2009)
Across La Paz Bay, Gary Player is building his first course in Mexico at CostaBaja and Marina, a 550-acre development set in a rocky bowl, at the bottom of which is...
[+] Read the article
 

A Yachter's Guide to the Pacific Coast

Haute Living (July 2009)
The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water in the world, so it makes perfect sense that it’s also the preferred stomping grounds of some of the world’s largest yachts...
[+] Read the article
 

An Interview with Gary Player

Golf Digest -- South Africa Edition (July 2009)
Gary Player has designed almost 300 courses in 30 countries. After his 52nd and final Masters, he flew to La Paz – the site of his first Mexico-based golf course design...
[+] Read the article
 

Mexico Promotes Value in the Face of Setbacks

TravelAge West (May 2009)
These days, the pendulum swings widely when discussing the current state of tourism in Mexico, with some experts remaining relentlessly pessimistic as others...
[+] Read the article
   

The FUBAR Odyssey

Sea Magazine (May 2009)
The second biyearly Fleets Underway to Baja Rally (FUBAR) Odyssey for powerboats is scheduled to depart San Diego, California on November 14, 2009...
[+] Read the article
 

CostaBaja Marina Update

Yachts International (May 2009)
Yachtsmen cruising the Pacific coast of Mexico who have already discovered the state-of-the-art double-basin CostaBaja Marina on the southeast coast of Mexico's Baja Peninsula...
[+] Read the article
 

My New Respect for Golf

Cabo Living (Summer/Fall 2009)
In January, Costa Baja Resort and Marina hosted a ground breaking ceremony for its new Gary Player Signature Course scheduled to open in the summer of 2010...
[+] Read the article
 

CostaBaja & Marina

The New York Times (March 27, 2009)
Travelers and second-home buyers priced out of the flashier Los Cabos in the Lower Baja Peninsula are heading north to the area around La Paz...
[+] Read the article
 

Baja's La Paz Will Soon be Welcoming Golfers

  Bajainsider.com (February, 2007)
Just ninety miles to the north of the tip of the Baja peninsula is La Paz, a popular fishing and boating destination, that has been relatively unknown to most Americans until now. Whether it is the 2003 listing in Money Magazine as a superb place to retire, the sky-high prices of real estate in nearby Los Cabos, or the announcement of coming golf courses, the spotlight is beginning to shine brightly on La Paz for investment and second homes.
[+] more (opens a new window)
 

Location, Location, Location -- Where the Smart
Money is Buying Real Estate

The Robb Report Collection (November 2005)
Mexico's most popular tourist destinations--Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Los Cabos--were sleepy coastal villages until only a few decades ago. Now,
La Paz...
[+] Read the article
 

Marina CostaBaja Blends Resort With
Colonial Town of La Paz

Where to Retire Magazine (March/April 2006)
For those seeking seaside retirement with a bit of salsa, Marina Costa Baja is a new resort community in La Paz, Mexico. It's set on the sandy beaches of the lower Baja Peninsula...
[+] Read the article
 

The Capital of Baja Sur is an Undiscovered Gem

  Orange County California -- The Annual Edition (2006)
  Reflecting the meaning of its name, "The Peace," La Paz is a serene, unspoiled, easy-going beach town located on a beautiful bay, the Bahia de la Paz. What makes La Paz so special is the charm and advantages of a real Mexican community. From strolling at sunset along the Malécon, a two mile seaside boardwalk in the center of town, to visiting the artists where they actually make the crafts, La Paz is an authentic Mexican small town.
[+] Read the article
 

New Marina Opens -- Great shops, condos, cheap slips.
These folks have done it right!

  Gringo Gazette (July 2005)On a recent sunny Sunday I explored the new CostaBaja marina/shops/condo project nearing completion on the outskirts of La Paz. It's on the road to the Pichilingue cruise ship terminal, past the old Palmira marina. Well, the Palmira marina is the old marina now that a new marina has opened.
[+] Read the article
 

Isla Espiritu Santo Beach Named One of the World's Best

  La Paz, Mexico (February 2007)
  Experts at the British publication The Travel Magazine spent one whole year traveling more than 26,800 miles and visiting over 1,000 beaches in all 6 continents on a quest to find the twelve Best Beaches in the World, one for each month. The impressive list, including Pink Beach in Antiqua and Whitehaven beach in Australia, recognizes just one beach in Mexico... Enseñada Grande on Isla Espiritu Santo, Sea of Cortez, Baja California.
[+] Read the article
 

SuperYachts Need Super Homes

  La Paz, Mexico (August 15, 2006)
While visitors to YachtFest San Diego this September are exploring some of the world's largest and most luxurious superyachts, they will also be able to discover the latest hot spot in Mexico for owners of all boat sizes. Due north of the north end of La Paz Channel, Marina CostaBaja is the nearest one to the Sea of Cortez, what Jacques Cousteau called "The Aquarium of the World," with its superlative deep-water fishing, cruising and abundant water sports.
[+] Read the article
 

No Slowdown for Mexico Real Estate

  La Paz, Mexico (October 2006)
All reports indicate the cooling trend in real estate is staying offshore of Mexico. Helping to keep it away are the increasing number of baby boomers who are looking for affordable oceanfront property and the significant reforms that have made safe ownership in Mexico a reality.
[+] Read the article
 

First-ever powerboat rally is coming to La Paz

  La Paz, Mexico (June 2006)
FUBAR ODYSSEY 2007 will be crossing the Finish Line at Marina CostaBaja in November. The first-ever powerboat rally from San Diego to La Paz Mexico, FUBAR ODYSSEY 2007, is gearing up for a November 7th departure. Planned by Del Rey Yacht Club in partnership with Mexico's Tourism Board and intended to provide a supportive and fun environment to introduce powerboat owners to the enjoyment of cruising in Mexico.
[+] Read the article
   

Don't write off Baja just yet



Remember when we treated Baja like a suburb of Southern California, when you only had to point your compass south to quickly bask in sunny climes, otherworldly scenery and a tinge of the exotic? Then came the great drug wars, with the first gruesome headlines coming out of Tijuana. Suddenly, anyone contemplating a trip across the border was placed on suicide watch.

Leave aside for the moment that the drug cartels aren't targeting tourists, that their internecine battles rarely break out anywhere near tourist districts, or that crime has actually declined around Tijuana recently as the field of combat shifts to northeastern Mexico. For some travelers, those early headlines will remain indelible.

That doesn't mean Baja is off the itinerary. Baja California is just one of the peninsula's two states; to get your Baja fix, keep going south. Baja California Sur is as distant from the drug wars as San Francisco is from Denver, and it's just as safe as Anaheim. Southern Baja's tourism numbers have suffered by association, but the region hasn't been idle. And if you're not into time-share pitches, raucous clubs and gridlocked traffic, there's plenty beyond Los Cabos. Here's what's been going on in some of our favorite places.

La Paz



Tucked into a sheltered nook in the Bahía de La Paz on the Sea of Cortés (a.k.a. Golfo de California), the capital of Baja California Sur has labored, workmanlike and unheralded, to keep goods coming in and out of the peninsula since the 16th century. Serendipitously, development of Los Cabos siphoned off the glitz-seeking hedonists and left this utterly charming and thoroughly authentic city to the rest of us. Everyday life focuses on day-to-day work rather than tourism, yet it has all a modern traveler needs ? a beguiling malecón, pleasant and affordable lodgings, seaside restaurants, movie theaters, a surfeit of festivals, and white-sand beaches with splendid sunsets that outdo Los Cabos by a mile.

La Paz perches on the edge of a great natural aquarium teeming with everything from marlin to sailfish, and sport fishing was the city's main source of tourism for decades. Recently, it's also become a staging ground for ecotourism, exemplified by Isla Espiritu Santo, home to 31 species of marine mammals (including one-third of the world's whale and dolphin species). You can snorkel alongside sea lions and turtles ? you don't even need a snorkel to spot multitudes of colorful fish ? or, if you like, reel in some prize catches.

The latest additions to La Paz's tourist offerings are new residential communities tailored to the increasing number of expatriates flocking south in search of sun, watersports and golf. One of these, CostaBaja Resort, has built the city's largest public marina 5 minutes north of town, just south of Isla Espiritu Santo. The Fiesta Inn is open now and another is scheduled to open later this year. Another residential development, Paraiso del Mar, occupies the Peninsula El Mogote, facing La Paz's malecón across a short stretch of water. All units are privately owned, but guests can rent the condos and homes much as they would a hotel room.

Todos Santos

OK, so the Hotel California in Todos Santos, less than 50 miles north of Cabo San Lucas on the west side of the cape, wasn't the inspiration for the Eagles' hit song. That was (and remains) a myth that's fun to play with, but the soul of the 18th century mission town has been the fertile valley's seemingly effortless agriculture ? in the 19th century the town boasted eight sugar mills, and today it is rich with farm crops, palm groves, mango and avocado orchards, as well as farmlands that supply Los Cabos as well as local markets. The agricultural bounty shows up in Todos Santos' restaurants, the popularity of the Pescadero farmer's market and the region's strong "farm to table" movement.

In recent decades, Todos Santos' colonial buildings and ethereal light have exerted a magnetic pull on painters, sculptors, artisans and intellectuals; it is said to have more galleries per capita than any other town in Mexico. The town is 2 miles inland, but a string of seductive beaches, including surfing favorites Palm Beach and Pedrito, is minutes away. All invite strolling, sunbathing, surf fishing and whale watching, but most are subject to treacherous currents and waves. Save your swimming for Playa Los Cerritos and (with caution) Playa Punta Lobos.

In its brief four months, the still-expanding Rancho Pescadero hotel ? a dude ranch for very sophisticated "dudes" ? has garnered raves from everyone from Travel+Leisure to Chowhound. Nearby, the Palm Orchard is another new development taking shape within, oddly enough, a working palm orchard. It will add no more than 50 homes and have a small rental pool that will operate as a hotel.

The East Cape

I'd barely heard of the East Cape when I first visited there five years ago, and the rutted dirt roads nearly voided my rental-car contract. Air-conditioning was a rare luxury; solar and generator power ruled. This rugged area, beginning just north of San José del Cabo and stretching nearly 10 miles along the Sea of Cortés past Los Barilles on the way to La Paz, remained for decades a secret fishing and diving playground. Snorkeling, kayaking, surfing and windsurfing have entered the mix, while hiking, zip-lines and hot springs have earned it ecotourism credentials. Active types and fans of primitive, wide open spaces will still find plenty to love, but be aware that Baja Sur has big plans to turn this region into the Cabo Riviera one day. The paved highway, making its way south from La Ribera, will eventually run all the way to the Los Cabos airport.

In the meantime, it's a little easier to get to this idyllic region of calm waters, white sand beaches and stellar deep-sea fishing that lured John Wayne, Bing Crosby and Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s. The sandy, laid-back town of Los Barilles, surrounded by hot springs and waterfalls, has become an ecotourism hub; Santiago, at the foot of the mountains, has a little zoo and a great hike to a waterfall and lagoon. The still-remote Cabo Pulmo's marine park draws divers to the Northern Pacific's only living coral reef.

While Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, and a spate of resort developments are still on the drawing boards, you can still find humble bungalows and modest hotels on the East Cape. For a taste of what Cabo might have been like in the 1950s, try Rancho Buena Vista, which likes to call itself the last of the "golden age" Baja fishing lodges. First opened in 1952, it was recently restored to send you right back to old Hollywood, but its location ? and its customizable packages ? will launch you into all the area's latest activities if you aren't in the market for a fish tale to recite at your next cocktail party.

Christine Delsol is a former Chronicle travel editor and author of "Pauline Frommer's Cancún & the Yucatán."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/03/10/mexicomix031010.DTL