Quintessential

Quintessential

Where the Desert Meets the Sea

A visitor flying into Los Cabos will likely recognize they're headed out to the middle of nowhere. From a plane it's easy to observe the peninsula's stark, brown terrain. You'll realize soon after landing that even though the tip of Baja once also resembled the rest of the dry, inhospitable, stark desert, it has been transformed into an inviting desert oasis. The desert topography, where once only cacti and a few hardy palms resided, is now punctuated by dozens of hotels, manicured golf courses, and brimming swimming pools. As shown by the thousands of sun-worshipping, partying people seemingly oblivious to the fact that true desert lies, literally, across Highway 1 from their beachfront hotel, Los Cabos has successfully beaten back the drylands. Pay some respect to the area's roots by taking a hike or tour around the surrounding desert landscape.

Eclectic, Inspired Cuisine

Not too long ago the dining options in the Cape were pretty limited, though tasty, to tacos de pescado y cerveza (fish tacos and beer) or pollo y cerveza (chicken and beer). But no longer, amigos. Walking the streets of Cabo and San José and simply looking within their own hotels, travelers will be pleased to find grand dining experiences thanks to innovative chefs who are playing around with traditional Mexican fare, as well as bringing to town unexpected cuisines, and doing a damn good job of it. Think sushi with curry sauces, blue crab tostadas with avocado foam, shrimp tacos with maguey worms, and even "Spontaneous Cuisine," which utilizes the freshest ingredients available that day, and takes into account patrons' preferences, to create the ultimately spontaneous dish. Things will never go completely high brow here because, some days, nothing beats tacos and beer.

The Main Event

The Bisbee Black & Blue Jackpot Marlin Tournament has become the angler's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Back in 1980 a group of gringo fishermen was sharing salty tales in a beachside Cabo bar when the question "Who's Cabo's best fisherman?" arose. By God, there was only one way to settle it—hold a fishing tournament. Southern Californian Bob Bisbee organized the first competition and five boats entered. The $5,000 prize from their entry fees went to..Bob Bisbee. Immediately he realized he had something here. Every year after that the tournament grew exponentially, becoming a popular fixture during October in Cabo. In 2007 the total prize money was $3,838,620. Past winners have kept their winnings in Cabo: Phil Gentile's prizes included a Cabo sportfishing yacht and he established the Picante Sport Fishing Fleet. Brady Bunte started Cabo Chips.

Don't Stop the Parade

You've heard the saying "wine, women, and song," right? Well, along the festive Médano Beach it's "cervezas, chicas, y música" (beers, babes, and music). A walk along this colorful, pulsating half-mile stretch of beach, on the east side of Cabo San Lucas's harbor, is full of bikinied babes and buff dudes strutting their stuff, with local vendors selling theirs. Fun-loving crowds sit and sun, and eat and drink, listening to the rock and roll from the beach bar next door. Teams queue up for impromptu games of soccer and volleyball, Jet Skis roar in the distance, and Cabo's eternally ample sun beats down on it all. El Médano is essentially a daylong parade route, the parade itself fueled by buckets of beer, powerful margaritas, and that carefree feeling of being on vacation.