Todos Santos, Mexico - An Authenic, Understated, Art, Food, Fishing And Surfing Haven

I hate big resorts that are expensively isolated from the place you are actually visiting - why I had never been to Cabo.  Todos Santos, on the other hand, kept coming up on my radar for it's reputation as a sleepy, unspoiled town, known for its arts & crafts community, fishing and surfing.  Just an hour North of Cabo, on the Pacific side of Baja, Todos Santos is an actual and cultural oasis in the Mexican desert and a new favorite escape.  I was also delighted to discover that it is a foodie mecca with the friendliest inhabitants both local and expat.

Stay:

We stayed at Guaycura Boutique Hotel, a well-preserved historic building which dates back to the mid-nineteenth century and features 14 cheerful and unique suites, most of which have balconies and huge iron soaking tubs. We loved our sunny balcony and enjoying margaritas on the scenic sky deck while listening to local live music!

Another hotel that caught my eye, was the relatively new Hotel Casa Toto which opened in October of 2011 and has 15 rooms starting at rates of $93/night,  a pool, hot tub, free yoga, a lovely sun deck, and a restaurant that gets great reviews for amazing food and prices.

Eating:

As I already mentioned the food is delicious in Todos Santos.  The freshest fish, just hours out of the water and there is an emphasis on local organic produce. Our biggest highlight was stumbling into Tre Galline -  and meeting Chef Angleo Dal Bon and his partner, Magda Valpiani, who have honored their roots and created an authentically Italian restaurant that embraces Todos Santos' natural resources.  While we ordered tuna tartare and a unique and delicious shrimp pasta with saffron sauce and zucchini, our meal did not end there as Chef Angelo and the neighboring table we became friends with shared several dishes with us -  a fresh fish stew and an array grilled local fish all caught that afternoon. Our friends had accompanied Angelo to the beach where all the fisherman come in to select their dinner.  The tuna tartare and fish was some of the best I've ever had.

We also tried La Casita for dinner, known for its sushi and tapas.  The salmon sashimi with crab and avocado was amazing and we were tempted to go back just for it.

There are several good options for breakfast.  La Esquina is a cool, calm, outdoor, organic cafe slightly off the beaten path and know for its breakfast and lunch. It also offers free internet during breakfast and lunch, so is a popular spot for health conscious visitors.

Our favorite chef, Angelo, from Tre Galline, also owns the historic Caffe Todos Santos, located right in town. He takes pride in carefully selecting and roasting his coffee beans that the coffee and espresso is made with. Start your day in the Caffe's tranquil garden, with perfect coffee, delicious eggs and remarkable pastries.

Beaches:

While Todos Santos is know for its surfing and fishing, swimming is not advised at several of the beaches due to the extremely strong currents of the Pacific.

One beach walk/hike that we loved was starting at Playa La Poza and walking the mile+ beach, past the famous light house to where the fishermen operate.  Swarms of pelicans oversee the fishermen hauling in boats stocked with freshly caught fish. Fresh margaitas and grilled fish on the terrace of Posada La Poza, is a welcome reward afters hours of walking in the scorching sun.

Playa San Pedro Las Palmas is a sanctuary! A beautiful beach located at the end of a palm grove where sweet dogs and wild horses will keep you company.  You can swim at this beach...

Cerritos is the place to surf!  We refreshed our skills and then watched pro surfers doing their thing in the bigger waves. If you want to take a lesson Mario Beceril operates his surf school right on the beach.  The serious surfers will find spots all over....