My Cabo Trip Report
Jul 7th, 2004, 05:53 PM
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My Cabo Trip Report
Yes it is late in coming but better late than never. How did we feel about it. Ripped Off. The value for dollar wasnt
there. My buddy and I went to a pizza palor and it cost us nearly $40 bucks a piece for an entree and a drink.
The beach called Medano is over run I mean over run in every sense of the word with Beach Sellers who are at you from the moment you sit down until you leave. We found out later that there is little restriction on this activity cuz the Big Honchos who supply the junk to sell bring these poor people in to do the selling , they make a pittance the Honcho makes the most. They buy the licences for the sellers and there is too much money to be made hence the lack of consideration for the aggravation they cause the tourist.
On a long weekend it is one big drunk with boozers staggering up and down the dusty streets. Picked up a real bad cough down there. Needed anti biotics. One friend had to go home cuz of the cough.
Yes the sex trade is active you cannot miss the girly bars or strip joints are everywhere and some located next to the popular tourist hangouts. It isn't hare to pick them out as they hang in and around the local tourist party places . Saw one old geezer trying to get what looked like a fifteen year old hooker into the hotel, you could tell the front desk was not happy. Saw her later with her pimp strutting the street down by the Hard Rock.
Was approached on the street to buy drugs, went next door to squid roe one night after seeing another {we saw a few] good bar fight and saw a gringo trying to buy a transvestite who was sitting at the table behind us while we placed our food order. She wanted $100 bucks , he preferred the brunette over the dyed blond one. You could tell what they were by the size of their Adams apples.
There were very few good swimming beaches and heard of some kids getting caught in a big wave and nearly drowning. Cabo has very bad undertows and when the surf is up it is best not to swim in so called swimmable beaches. Didn't like Medano for not only was is run over with beach vendors it was in the Bay where the Cruise Ship comes in and the Marina. Anyone who has boated knows that the toilets pump out into the water. Not so good. The marina water was dirty and there was an oil skim on Medano's water.
Worse yet were the times share. They are right at the airport as you get off the plane. They will tell you there isn't a bus to town to get you to attend a timeshare presentation for a half cut taxi rate.
They will get on tour buses posing as tour reps to get you to attend a presentation. What is worse if you attend and don't buy. You have to wait for an hour for the free ride back to the hotel. Worse yet again I was told at one presenetation I could rent it out for a terrific rate, resale it with no problema etc etc.
I would seriously advise a search on google or other sources and Check out the "Timeshare fraud in Mexico" it covers all these lies and more.
In the summer it is stinking hot and the winter it can blow cold, I mean real cold.
Something my travel agent never told me.
there. My buddy and I went to a pizza palor and it cost us nearly $40 bucks a piece for an entree and a drink.
The beach called Medano is over run I mean over run in every sense of the word with Beach Sellers who are at you from the moment you sit down until you leave. We found out later that there is little restriction on this activity cuz the Big Honchos who supply the junk to sell bring these poor people in to do the selling , they make a pittance the Honcho makes the most. They buy the licences for the sellers and there is too much money to be made hence the lack of consideration for the aggravation they cause the tourist.
On a long weekend it is one big drunk with boozers staggering up and down the dusty streets. Picked up a real bad cough down there. Needed anti biotics. One friend had to go home cuz of the cough.
Yes the sex trade is active you cannot miss the girly bars or strip joints are everywhere and some located next to the popular tourist hangouts. It isn't hare to pick them out as they hang in and around the local tourist party places . Saw one old geezer trying to get what looked like a fifteen year old hooker into the hotel, you could tell the front desk was not happy. Saw her later with her pimp strutting the street down by the Hard Rock.
Was approached on the street to buy drugs, went next door to squid roe one night after seeing another {we saw a few] good bar fight and saw a gringo trying to buy a transvestite who was sitting at the table behind us while we placed our food order. She wanted $100 bucks , he preferred the brunette over the dyed blond one. You could tell what they were by the size of their Adams apples.
There were very few good swimming beaches and heard of some kids getting caught in a big wave and nearly drowning. Cabo has very bad undertows and when the surf is up it is best not to swim in so called swimmable beaches. Didn't like Medano for not only was is run over with beach vendors it was in the Bay where the Cruise Ship comes in and the Marina. Anyone who has boated knows that the toilets pump out into the water. Not so good. The marina water was dirty and there was an oil skim on Medano's water.
Worse yet were the times share. They are right at the airport as you get off the plane. They will tell you there isn't a bus to town to get you to attend a timeshare presentation for a half cut taxi rate.
They will get on tour buses posing as tour reps to get you to attend a presentation. What is worse if you attend and don't buy. You have to wait for an hour for the free ride back to the hotel. Worse yet again I was told at one presenetation I could rent it out for a terrific rate, resale it with no problema etc etc.
I would seriously advise a search on google or other sources and Check out the "Timeshare fraud in Mexico" it covers all these lies and more.
In the summer it is stinking hot and the winter it can blow cold, I mean real cold.
Something my travel agent never told me.
Jul 8th, 2004, 07:13 PM
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What is even worse is when they tour operators try to promote this as a prime fishing destination.
For one thing is cost about $150 for a panga [by the way these pangas get caught in the high waves and surfs and people have drowned}and $500 for a good boat for a day. I had friends that went out and caught zip.
Here is the real scoop on fishing:
Quote:
In Steinbeck's day, the marine life on this tiny island near Loreto was meager compared with places that he and Ricketts found to be "ferocious with life," such as Cabo San Lucas. Now Cabo has been picked nearly clean by fishing and shellfish harvesting, and tainted by polluted runoff from an urbanized coast.
The Sea of Cortes, officially known as the Gulf of California, has experienced a stunning decline of sea life in the last few decades, as have many other places.
It's rare to come across the once-plentiful goliath groupers that reached 500 pounds, the giant manta rays known to leap out of the water, the frenzied schools of yellowtail jacks chasing sardines to the shore, the circling columns of hammerhead sharks that once delighted fishermen and inspired the late oceanographer Jacques Cousteau in 1986 to proclaim the Sea of Cortes the "aquarium of the world."
end of Quote and from:
http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/la-me...la-newslocal-1
And Here is the Scoop :
A dying sea a must read for fishermen.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/archive...ects/dyingsea/
For one thing is cost about $150 for a panga [by the way these pangas get caught in the high waves and surfs and people have drowned}and $500 for a good boat for a day. I had friends that went out and caught zip.
Here is the real scoop on fishing:
Quote:
In Steinbeck's day, the marine life on this tiny island near Loreto was meager compared with places that he and Ricketts found to be "ferocious with life," such as Cabo San Lucas. Now Cabo has been picked nearly clean by fishing and shellfish harvesting, and tainted by polluted runoff from an urbanized coast.
The Sea of Cortes, officially known as the Gulf of California, has experienced a stunning decline of sea life in the last few decades, as have many other places.
It's rare to come across the once-plentiful goliath groupers that reached 500 pounds, the giant manta rays known to leap out of the water, the frenzied schools of yellowtail jacks chasing sardines to the shore, the circling columns of hammerhead sharks that once delighted fishermen and inspired the late oceanographer Jacques Cousteau in 1986 to proclaim the Sea of Cortes the "aquarium of the world."
end of Quote and from:
http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/la-me...la-newslocal-1
And Here is the Scoop :
A dying sea a must read for fishermen.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/archive...ects/dyingsea/
Jul 8th, 2004, 08:12 PM
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I'm sorry to hear you had such a lousy time in Cabo. My husband and I have been there twice and really enjoyed it. We don't do the club scene really, so maybe we missed all the drunks, hookers, etc. and we knew in advance of some reasonabley priced restaurants. The beach vendors were annoying, but no worse than any other tourist areas in Mexcio. We'd go back in a heartbeat.
Jul 10th, 2004, 12:10 PM
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We were lucky in one sense that we did not run into problems with the Police but met a guy who had nothing but grief.
His sin was to stand outside waiting for a taxi at the end of the night. The police called him over and there he went thinking they were going to help him. What happened was they hauled him down to the jail and he had to pay $100 for being drunk or go to jail.
Now I hear they have pulled some real nasties on the tourist which have been reported. That is to haul them down to the ATM machine and extort money.
I would seriously advise reading the State Dept travel warnings regarding the police. ATM extortion scam is real well known in Cabo.
His sin was to stand outside waiting for a taxi at the end of the night. The police called him over and there he went thinking they were going to help him. What happened was they hauled him down to the jail and he had to pay $100 for being drunk or go to jail.
Now I hear they have pulled some real nasties on the tourist which have been reported. That is to haul them down to the ATM machine and extort money.
I would seriously advise reading the State Dept travel warnings regarding the police. ATM extortion scam is real well known in Cabo.
Jul 10th, 2004, 12:28 PM
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Yeah, corrupt cops suck. One thing that happened while we were there was a little scetchy. We were hanging out at Cabo Wabo, when the cops came in and locked the place down. They then frisked each male in the place looking for drugs. They even went through my husband's wallet and socks! Afterwards, locals told us that Sammy Hagar isn't greasing the authorities enough. Pretty bogus!
Jul 15th, 2004, 04:59 PM
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Yes, we watched them operate down there.
One night one poor tourist got chased right through the lobby for little more than buying a half sack at the end of the night and bringing it home. He knew what was coming. They got him last time. A single tourist on alone on the street at night walking home.
Then the two young kids foolish enough to be walking around with a open can of beer. They were on them so fast. Had em up against the wall on the main street. Heard one asking how much is this going to cost.
Folks it is called the MORDIDA , mexican word meaning bite. Yes read the state dept travel warnings on this one.
One night one poor tourist got chased right through the lobby for little more than buying a half sack at the end of the night and bringing it home. He knew what was coming. They got him last time. A single tourist on alone on the street at night walking home.
Then the two young kids foolish enough to be walking around with a open can of beer. They were on them so fast. Had em up against the wall on the main street. Heard one asking how much is this going to cost.
Folks it is called the MORDIDA , mexican word meaning bite. Yes read the state dept travel warnings on this one.
Jul 16th, 2004, 03:45 PM
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Well there are other issues with this resort and that is lack of proper sewage treatment.
We are talking of an area of 100000 plus people and there is only 45 hooked up. Guess where the rest is going. Not only that the treatment system they have is antiquated and cannot handle the volume at times with excess spilling up thru parts of the towns grates. The stinky oozy stuff turns to dust vermin.
When there is a hurricane or tropical storm the whole system has blown right out hence the need to close down many of the towns restaurants.
Reports have it there has been sewage in Cabo Bay with hints that one of the hotels has been dumping again.
Major problem for the fish industry is run off into the ocean of those fertizlers that are used to keep those lawns and other turf areas green
We are talking of an area of 100000 plus people and there is only 45 hooked up. Guess where the rest is going. Not only that the treatment system they have is antiquated and cannot handle the volume at times with excess spilling up thru parts of the towns grates. The stinky oozy stuff turns to dust vermin.
When there is a hurricane or tropical storm the whole system has blown right out hence the need to close down many of the towns restaurants.
Reports have it there has been sewage in Cabo Bay with hints that one of the hotels has been dumping again.
Major problem for the fish industry is run off into the ocean of those fertizlers that are used to keep those lawns and other turf areas green
Jul 17th, 2004, 03:15 PM
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Since Cabo consistently gets troubled reviews, I wonder why folks choose to go there. On the Baja, La Paz is sweet and not overly touristed over on the Sea of Cortez. Further down the west coast Puerto Vallarta is a dream and I'd think a similar airfare for most.
Oct 24th, 2004, 01:27 PM
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Talk about being ripped off! We were in Cabo for our 30th anniversary. We planned on purchasing a new wedding ring and shopped around. Ran into a couple having Margarita's at "Cheers" (Mike and Donna) and they directed us to a shop close by called HERNANDEZ GOLD FACTORY" - sales man and owner "Fernando". We picked out a setting and returned the next day to pick it up. Call me a FOOL - should have known not to trust a human - he sold us a piece of steel, buffed and polished with three small birthstones in it (our children). $950. Was suppose to be white gold. UGH! He was such a good crook that he even had his jeweler engrave 14kt in the band.
I am in the process of tracking him down and will return - crooked cops or not. If anyone knows of this place (I have his "business card) DON'T GO THERE!
He has messed with a family that is not of the "norm" and I will get my ring come hell or high water.
WATCH OUT FERNANDO!!
I am in the process of tracking him down and will return - crooked cops or not. If anyone knows of this place (I have his "business card) DON'T GO THERE!
He has messed with a family that is not of the "norm" and I will get my ring come hell or high water.
WATCH OUT FERNANDO!!
Oct 25th, 2004, 10:30 PM
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Was in Cabo only briefly (thank God) off a cruise ship. What a dump!! Had been told to go to The Office or a good meal on the beach. Big deal. Nice setting but SO EXPENSIVE. Someone called Cabo "the poor man's Hawaii" What an insult to Hawaii. The comedian on the cruise ship joked, "How'd you all like Cabo? Did you know a hurrican swept through there and made 2 million dollars worth of improvements?"
Dec 9th, 2004, 07:17 AM
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Wow, sorry to hear most of you had such a crappy time. Other then the cruise ship person, my first question would be where did you stay, with locals? I mean most of the hotels there are gorgeous, well kept and have excellent service. Every place we went to eat both fancy and super casual - were excellent , and I live in NY so I'm a tough critic. The swimming at our hotel (westin) and at "lover's beach" by the arch was awesome. We aren't bar hoppers or club-goers, so I guess that is a different scene and with that comes other issues. Yes, all of Mexico has vendors that are relentless but anyone who does even minor research knows that going in. You say no and keep walking. The jewlery scam, what can I say.. who buys gold in mexico? I would think that was a given.. not to be mean, but it's not a place known for it like St. Thomas is let's say. All in all what you all have described does not sound like the Cabo we went to this past November. And if you read other reports on this site, they agree with me. If you are into the bar-hopping, club scene.. Cancun is a great place. Very americanized and very clean (not the outskirts though)
Dec 9th, 2004, 07:56 AM
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jomomma< Have you contested the charge on the wedding bands?, I think Visa o MC are quite swift in fixing frauds.
I live in Mexico and Cabo is considered a very expensive destination, close or equal to Cancun.
Clubbing and Night scene are legends of shady people and corruption. A lone man doesn't stand a chance.
Baja California goverment has strict laws regarding drinking in public, soliciting and buying drugs. So "Police" are just sitting there waiting for someone to take the bait.
Advice to the wise (things you would do in the US too)
1.- Don't have open drinks in public places.
2.- Don`t drink and drive.
3.- There are NO legal Drugs, buying them is against the law.
4.- If you're in a shady place, strange things can happen. (Stay in well known areas , with lots of people around)
5.- Street vendors get it after the first firm NO.
I live in Mexico and Cabo is considered a very expensive destination, close or equal to Cancun.
Clubbing and Night scene are legends of shady people and corruption. A lone man doesn't stand a chance.
Baja California goverment has strict laws regarding drinking in public, soliciting and buying drugs. So "Police" are just sitting there waiting for someone to take the bait.
Advice to the wise (things you would do in the US too)
1.- Don't have open drinks in public places.
2.- Don`t drink and drive.
3.- There are NO legal Drugs, buying them is against the law.
4.- If you're in a shady place, strange things can happen. (Stay in well known areas , with lots of people around)
5.- Street vendors get it after the first firm NO.
Feb 1st, 2005, 06:18 PM
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Well things are heating up again between the Taxi Union {the poor Sobs that contract them out from the Rich and Politically connected honchos who own them }, the hotel assoc. and of course the tourist who is caught in the middle.
How it works is the drivers are getting P.O. at loss of possible fares.
The tourist buys a package which includes transport from and back to the airport.
This is perfectally legal, however, doesn't sit well the Taxi Union, who not so long ago were blocking tour buses and forcing tourist to disembark and purchase fares from their outrageously overpriced taxis. Cabo's fares are higher than back home here.
The hotels are unhappy , however the dispute continues.
So, they are up to again. Just thought I would prepare you for possible headaches you may encounter on your vacation.
How it works is the drivers are getting P.O. at loss of possible fares.
The tourist buys a package which includes transport from and back to the airport.
This is perfectally legal, however, doesn't sit well the Taxi Union, who not so long ago were blocking tour buses and forcing tourist to disembark and purchase fares from their outrageously overpriced taxis. Cabo's fares are higher than back home here.
The hotels are unhappy , however the dispute continues.
So, they are up to again. Just thought I would prepare you for possible headaches you may encounter on your vacation.
Feb 19th, 2005, 09:11 AM
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Well Cabo's old and underfunctioning sewage treatment with its leaks and spills of raw sewage into the ocean down by San Jose , the Cabo Town City grates, down in Cabo Bay by Missions, near the gold course is up for discussion again.
Reports have it that the town officials are trying to pass it onto Fontar {mexican developement} to fix the resorts big time sewage system problems. It appears the real issue is who is going to fork out the mega bucks to fix the problem which is ongoing.
The fact that Cabo's system can't handle the sewage has been going on for some time.
Reports have it that the town officials are trying to pass it onto Fontar {mexican developement} to fix the resorts big time sewage system problems. It appears the real issue is who is going to fork out the mega bucks to fix the problem which is ongoing.
The fact that Cabo's system can't handle the sewage has been going on for some time.
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