Living It Up In Los Cabos

Aug 30, 2008

Anyone who has ever vacationed in Los Cabos senses immediately that this destination is not one to rest on its laurels. Yet, those who return are still surprised to see just how much the area continues to enhance and expand on an already robust recreation roster.

Augmenting tried and true choices are new activities that magnify the diversity of Los Cabos’ natural land and sea assets. Here’s a look at several new diversions that further define Cabo as a colorful Baja escape with something for everyone.

Swimmers can get up close to bottlenose dolphins at Cabo Dolphins.

Ecotourism continues to make its mark in Los Cabos, thanks to the biodiversity and natural beauty of its surroundings. Exhilarating zipline tours are geared to extreme nature lovers and thrill with a bird’s-eye view of Baja’s striking desert terrain.

With the UNESCO-protected Boca de Sierra National Park as a backdrop, Cabo Adventures’ Canyon Canopy Adventure Tour whizzes above remote trails across canyons and riverbeds. The five-hour trek adds more rush with swinging bridges and a Tarzan swing. An optional 90-foot rappel and climbing wall add to the fun.

Cabo Adventures has launched a Desert Safari that navigates the untouched Baja outback via a Mercedes-Benz all-terrain Unimog. For clients into off-the-beaten-path challenges, this bumpy, four-hour journey heads through dry streams and past remote villages to the heart of the Sierra Mountains. And with typical Cabo flair, the jaunt includes a tequila-sampling finale.

On Baja Outback’s Hummer tours, passengers actually take the wheel of an H2 during off-road treks to Todos Santos, Rancho La Verdad, Santiago and the East Cape. Exciting yet safe, each expedition offers unique learning experiences while traversing the compelling microclimates beyond Cabo’s beachfront resorts. Treks range from four to eight hours.

With both competitive and aquatic appeal, Cabo Adventures’ three-hour America’s Cup outings bring sailing enthusiasts a unique racing opportunity aboard world-class America’s Cup contender yachts. The professional crew teaches everything from tacking and jibing to grinding the winch and trimming the sails. Less adventurous clients can relax on deck and cheer their team on as they race past El Arco and along the Los Cabos coastline.

For an entirely different perspective of Cabo, Caborey’s 12-minute helicopter tours buzz above El Arco, Lover’s Beach, the Marina and the resort area. Hour-long flights are also available to cover even more ground.

Recently making its grand opening splash, Cabo Dolphins lets swimmers and non-swimmers get up close and personal with Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins in the safety of its state-of-the-art facilities located in the Marina. A Dolphin Swim allows lovers of the friendly mammals to get acquainted with a half-hour orientation and a half-hour of petting, stroking and swimming.

Those preferring their first dolphin experience on solid ground can enjoy the Dolphin Encounter and specially designed Dolphin Kids programs, or simply watch dolphins swim underwater through special porthole windows. For extremists who are into training marine mammals, the ultimate Trainer For A Day program allows participants to spend an exciting day working beside dolphin trainers.

Golf continues to evolve into one of Los Cabos’ prime attractions, with seven 18-hole, one 27-hole and one nine-hole course already in place. The most recent addition is Club Campestre San Jose, an 18-hole beauty designed by Jack Nicklaus. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierras, the course treats golfers to ocean views from every hole.

Several more courses are currently under development in the area, with two additional Jack Nicklaus courses set to open in September at the Cabo Pacifica mega-development.

Recent enhancements to the destination’s already plush luxury spa scene include the February opening of Saltwater Spa at Casa Dorada, where signature treatments were created to unite the healing powers of chromotherapy, thalassotherapy and aromatherapy. Cabo Villas Sparitual opened last December, while the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort completed renovations to its existing two-story facility to unveil Spa Oasis a month earlier.

With Los Cabos, always expect more great things to come.