La Paz On Your Own

Getting Around

Orientation

Your ship will berth in the port of Pichilingue, the deep water port for La Paz. Pichilingue is 10 miles, or 16 kms north of La Paz. All of the excursions leave from the Pichilingue docks. If you're doing La Paz on your own, you can get a taxi into town; the fare is around $50 pesos.

Because you'll be landing in Pichilingue, and the limited amount of time you'll spend in the port, you don't really want to rent a car, due to the hassle factor.

Taxis will get you most everywhere you want to go, whether downtown or to the beaches north of Pichilingue.

Check with your cruise line about the shuttle services they offer between the port and La Paz city.

Shopping

What's Special in La Paz

When in La Paz, think arts & crafts and jewelry. The La Paz area is also one of the few places in the world where cultured black pearls are grown and harvested.

Sea of Cortez Pearls Pearls were the New World's biggest export until the full development of gold and silver mines in Mexico and Peru. Amazingly, the value of the pearls exported to Spain exceeded that of all other exports combined. In Europe, the Americas become known as "the lands where the pearls come hither."

One of the most famous New World pearls was La Peregrina (the Pilgrim), found in Panama in the mid-16th century. Noted for its beauty and dark-gray color, La Peregrina has the size and shape of a pigeon's egg. Former owners have been King Phillip II of Spain, Mary Tudor of England, Queen Mary I and Napoleon III. Elizabeth Taylor has owned the gen since it was given to her by Richard Burton in 1969. (A few years ago, the actress lost the pearl. After a frantic search, the precious gem was finally found in the mouth of her pet dog.)

By the 16th Century, the "black pearls" of the Gulf of California had earned the title of "Queen of Gems, Gem of Queens," since so many of them adorned the crowns of European kings and queens, as well as their clothing, necks, hands and ears. During the 1700s, La Paz was the black pearl center of the world.

In 1893, Dr. Jose Gaston Vives started the world's first commercial pearl oyster farm. His farm was able to grow some 8 to 10 million pearl oysters and employed 1,000 laborers. The pearl farm was destroyed in 1914 during the attack of the Constitutionalist Army at La Paz. From then on, pearls had to be obtained by the means of nude diver armadas.

Sonoran Yaqui Indians were considered to be the best pearl divers, able to dive to depths of 50 feet to fish the oysters, but as fishing intensified, fewer pearls were obtained. By the 1940's, pearls were no longer found in the Baja California waters, having been killed off by disease.

The pearl industry was revived in the late 1990's with the development of the first commercial pearl farm in the American continent. Today, Perlas del Mar de Cortez is the sole producer of cultured pearls in the region. Annual production of cultured pearls from this farm is around 5,000 cultured pearls.

Recommended Shopping in La Paz

Most shops are on or close to the Malecon. Away from the Malecon you will find small leather shops and vendors that sell ironwood carvings. Shop around so you know your prices. There are bargains to be had, but the street vendors will drive a hard but friendly bargain.

To see the locations of the recommended shops listed below, see our Map of La Paz Shops.

Artesanias la Antigua California
Artesanias la Antigua California has the best selection of Mexican folk art in La Paz.
Located at Paseo Alvaro Obregon #220

Artesania Cuauhtemoc
Artesania Cuauhtemoc is the workshop of weaver Fortunado Silva and his crew. You can purchase ready-made carpets, wall hangings, yard goods and clothing. Some work is imported form Guatemala, but there is a good selection of pieces woven by Silva himself.
Located on Abosolo between Jalisco and Nayarit

Casa Maria
Casa Maria has good quality arts and crafts, including folk art and furniture.
Located on Abosolo between Jalisco and Nayarit

Ibarra's Pottery
Julio Ibarra oversees the potters and painters at Ibarra's Pottery. Mrs Ibarra paints the plates, bowls, plaques and more in a variety of geometric, Aztec and floral patterns. You can buy from the shelves or have something custom made, ready in a week or two.
Located at Guillermo Prieto 625, between Torre Iglesias and Republica

Mercado Madero (Municipal Market)
You can grab a bite at an outdoor food stall in the block-long municipal market, or enjoy browsing for local arts and crafts, fresh produce, nuts, and meats.
Located at Revolucion and Degollado

Baja California Cuisine

Traditional Baja California cuisine consists of simple but nutritious dishes featuring meat (beef or goat), fish, shellfish and beans.

Regional Specialties of Baja California Expect to find the following dishes in traditional Baja cuisine; click on the links for the recipes of each dish.

• Gallo Pinto: minced beef with rice, potato and other vegetables served as a hot stew
• Cabrito al pastor: In this common main course, found throughout northern Mexico, a baby goat is cooked to a crisp, juicy perfection on a spit over glowing mesquite coals and served with guacamole, roasted onions, salsa and totopos (crisp tortilla chips).
• Machaca: dried, salted beef that is re-hydrated, lightly roasted over fire, soaked in water to remove the salt and to soften, then pounded to pieces, ideally over a mesquite trunk using a mesquite pole. Then it's put in water again to get out more salt, and finally squeezed and fried in a skillet. A salsa is made with onion, chili, tomato and oregano; the salsa is then mixed into the fried beef, and the whole thing is cooked for about five minutes. Most people expect to eat this dish with wheat tortillas and beans.
• Almegas Tatemadas: especially in Loreto, local clams are cooked by piling dry wood over them, then downing them with hot sauce, cilantro, lemon juice and salt.
• De Apoyo cheese: a dry cheese especially good for grating, produced mostly during the rainy season
• Chimangos: wheat-flour fritters topped with honey

Cuisine in La Paz

La Paz restaurants are known for seafood dishes. You can also find excellent Sonoran beef, chicken, pork and vegetarian food prepared in traditional Mexican styles, plus and an array of Italian, Asian, French and nouvelle cuisines in the local restaurants.

Restaurants

Recommended Restaurants in La Paz

To see the locations of the recommended restaurants listed below, see our Map of Recommended La Paz Restaurants.

Los Tres Chiles
Mexican food
Corner of Abosolo and Jalisco
Tel: (612) 348-5521.

Las Brisas del Mar
Steak house
Corner of Paseo Alvaro Obregon and H. Colegio Militar
Tel: (612) 1235055

Caffe Milano
Italian
Esquerro 15, Centro
Tel: (612) 125-9981

El Taste
Mexican
Paseo Alvaro Obregon #780
Tel: (612) 122-8121

Carlos 'N Charlie's
Mexican
Located on the Malecon at Calle 16 de Septiembre
Paseo Alvaro Obregon
Tel: (612) 122-9290

The Dock Cafe
American
Marina de la Paz, at the corner of Topete and Legaspy
Tel: (612) 125-6626

Paleteria y Neveria La Michoacana
Ice Cream
This ice cream is famous throughout the region, and is quite tasty. Worth a visit if you've got a sweet tooth. Branches on Paseo Alvaro Obregon and Calle Madero.

Activities

Beaches

There are several beaches in La Paz or on the Pichilingue peninsula. These include:

• Playa El Coromuel, a sandy stretch of beach north of the tourist wharf in town. There's an open-air seafood restaurant here, too.
• Playa Caimancito, located 3 miles north of town near the Concha hotel. The beach has calm water, lots of sand, and you can get something to eat or drink at the hotel.
• Playa El Tesoro, a crescent-shaped beach with some palapas, is about 2 miles south of the Pichilingue wharf.
• Playa Pichilingue is located about a mile away from the Pichilingue wharf.
• Playa Balandra, fronting a narrow inlet, is a great place for snorkeling in the reef. The beach is located about 3 miles north of the Pichilingue wharf.
• Playa El Tecolote, at the north end of the peninsula 5 miles from the Pichilingue wharf, has some great swimming and snorkeling conditions. The water sports center here rents ski boats, kayaks and other craft, and can also arrange trips to Isla Espiritu Santo.
  

City Sights

Museo Regional de Antropologia e Historia
This museum tells the history of the peninsula from the pre-Columbian age up to the Revolution of 1910. The gift shop sells ceramic pieces and replicas of Aztec, Toltec and other pre-Columbian art works.
Located at the corner of 5 de Mayo and Ignacio Altamirano
Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm; Saturday 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Admission free.

Cathedral de Nuestra Senora de la Paz
The cathedral, built in 1861, replaced the original mission built by the Jesuit missionaries in 1720. Located at the corner of Revolucion and 5 de Mayo.

Plaza Constitucion (Jardin Velazco)
La Paz's small city square (Zocolo) is opposite the cathedral. The city square is enclosed by 5 de Mayo, Revolucion de 1910, Madero and Ave. Independencia.

Malecon
Paseo Alvaro Obregon, the seawall promenade, runs from Calle 5 de Febrero to the northeastern city limits. It's where you'll find the tourist zone, with bars, restaurants and shops. There's also several benches to enjoy sitting and watching the Sea of Cortez and the boats.

Diving

Baja Quest offers diving excursions. They're located at Calle Rangel #10, between Avenidas Sonora and Sinaloa. Tel: (612) 123-5320.

Baja Expeditions, a tour operator out of San Diego, offers diving excursions, sea kayaking, whale watching and wildlife cruises.
Tel: (800) 843-6967 from the U.S.

Fishing

Baja Diving & Service, operating from the Club Cantamar Resort & Sports Center, offers a variety of sports-fishing excursions. Their downtown office is located on the Malecon at Paseo Alvaro Obregon #1665-2 at Plaza Cerralvo. Tel: (612) 122-1826.

Fisherman's Fleet, operates out of the Hotel Los Arcos on the Malecon. They offer chartered tours to Isla Cerralvo, Muertos Bay and Bahia de la Paz. Tel: (612) 122-1313.

Kayaking

Baja Expeditions, a tour operator out of San Diego, offers diving excursions, sea kayaking, whale watching and wildlife cruises.
Tel: (800) 843-6967 from the U.S.

Sea & Adventures, a tour operator headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, along with their sister company Mar Y Aventuras/Posada Luna Sol, offer sea kayaking and whale watching expeditions. Tel: (800) 355-7140 from the U.S. Their number in La Paz is (612) 123-0559.

Whale Watching

The La Paz area itself is not a prime whale watching zone, but in season the whales frolick in the Sea of Cortez. The following operators provide whale watching tours:

Baja Expeditions, a tour operator out of San Diego, offers diving excursions, sea kayaking, whale watching and wildlife cruises.
Tel: (800) 843-6967 from the U.S.

Sea & Adventures, a tour operator headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, along with their sister company Mar Y Aventuras/Posada Luna Sol, offer sea kayaking and whale watching expeditions. Tel: (800) 355-7140 from the U.S. Their number in La Paz is (612) 123-0559.