dandc

We are traveling to LaPaz in April, flying into Cabo.... and had planned to rent a car to drive up to LaPaz. However, we've heard that driving "isnt a good idea", bus is cheap and same time, etc.

At the same time, I'm finding conflicting or somewhat confusing information on taking a bus instead. Can anyone help with some specifics or ?? Where would we get the bus, how often do they run, do I need to get tickets/res in advance, etc?

Thanks much,
DandC

suze

I would rent a car, because it will be really handy to have it to get around once you are IN La Paz.

The nicest beaches are all a ways outside town and I never could figure out any public transportation during my 2 week stay there.

dandc

What is the drive like? Is it really far, bad road, dangerous, or something like that? Trying to evaluate the real issue!

suze

I don't know, I flew into La Paz directly. I believe it is about 4 hours on a regular highway. I can't imagine it is "dangerous".

Try the 'search' feature here, as I remember reading trip reports that included this information.

Bill_H

<b>What is the drive like? Is it really far, bad road, dangerous, or something like that?</b>

Piece of cake. About 2.5 - 3 hours ... narrow road, winding in sections but not very much traffic. We've done this drive a couple of times as part of a day trip around the entire southern tip of the penninsula (ie, San Jose - East Cape - La Paz for lunch - Todos Santos - Cabo - San Jose).

Bill

dandc

Just one more question/clarification - which way to go? Looks farther to go 'west' through Todos Santos, but maybe less curvy. Is one way better if we are just trying to get from point A to B?

(We will likely return to SJD via Todos Santos at the end of the trip, so we dont NEED to go on the front end, unless it's faster/better/more pleasant.)

thx!!

Bill_H

<b>Just one more question/clarification - which way to go?</b>

Cortez side is fine from the San Jose airport.

<b> Looks farther to go 'west' through Todos Santos, but maybe less curvy.</b>

There's a lot more heavy truck traffic on the Pacific side, the road is narrow and people speed. Very little traffic at all on the Cortez side.

Bill

dabodin

At the end of February we did exactly what you're proposing. We flew into San Jose (Cabo) airport, rented a car, and drove up the Cortez side to La Paz. Bill is exactly right: there was very little traffic and it took about 3 hours. The road is fine all the way. At the end of our vacation, we drove back down the Pacific side, staying at Todos Santos for a few nights. I believe it might be theoretically shorter to go this route, but there is more traffic and we constantly got stuck behind slow trucks. You also have to drive through the city of Cabo, which takes a bit of navigating. The worst traffic we ran into on the whole trip was trying to get to our hotel in La Paz - the main street in and out of town is very congested with lots of stop lights. From the outskirts of La Paz to the hotel area, it probably took 45 minutes to go only a few miles. However, it was during rush hour, so it kind of depends on what time you get there.

We, too, heard that driving was dangerous, but only at night. We ended up having to drive a couple of times in the dark, and it was fine. You just have to watch out for cattle, goats and donkeys on the road!

Angela_m

We also are planning on a drive to LaPaz from Cabo and keep reading about taking the Cortez side route. The last time we tried this we drove on a dirt road with potholes and no markings and it took us a very long time. Is there another road that follows the coast? We would like to stop at some of the beautiful beaches we passed on our last trip.

Bill_H

Angela, sounds like you were on the primitive beachfront road (usually marked 4x4 only) that goes past Los Frailes, Cabo Pulmo and Punta Colorado. Totally different 'road' than what we are talking about.

<b>Is there another road that follows the coast?</b>

The rest of us are talking about Mex 1, which is paved all the way, though narrow. It does not follow the coast, instead from the airport it crosses a small mountain range and then skirts the Bay of Palmas at East Cape for several miles, then heads back into the mountains towards La Paz.

Totally different road

Bill

Angela_m

Thanks Bill for the clarification. From the map we have, it doesn't look like there are too many access roads from Hwy 1 to the coast, although I've read about fishing and snorkeling trips which leave from East Cape, i.e. Cabo Pulmo. How do you get there other than traversing that dirt road?

Bill_H

<b>it doesn't look like there are too many access roads from Hwy 1 to the coast</b>

You can access the Cortez side beachfront on dirt roads from south of La Paz or from East Cape going north toward La Paz or going south towards San Jose, or you can access it from San Jose, which I think is what you did.

<b>Cabo Pulmo. How do you get there other than traversing that dirt road?</b>

To get to Cabo Pulmo you have to go on a dirt road but it's better from the north (Punta Colorado) than from the south (San Jose).

Try this link ... http://www.cabopulmo.com/ and click on 'maps and info' to get driving directions from the SJD airport ... I've been to Punta Colorado many times to fish and it's not as bad as the south end of the dirt road near San Jose (or at least it wasn't when I was there ... things can change after every heavy rain).

Bill

Ag3046

Recently back from East Cape. The Cabo Pulmo road is particularly bad right now for some reason.