Puerto San Carlos Overview

Every year at whale watching time, tiny Puerto San Carlos (pop. 3000) undergoes a magical transformation. Beginning in November, hotels dust off their bedposts, tent encampments blossom, and local pilots commandeer every available fishing boat to transport tourists to experience some of the best whale watching in the world, as thousands of gray whales migrate from the Bering Sea through the Pacific to Bahías Magdalena and Almejas. During peak mating season (mid-Jan. to mid-Mar.), the lovestruck creatures wow crowds with aquatic acrobatics. When the whales and tourists leave in April, the town reverts back to a sleepy fishing village marked by boarded-up restaurants and sand roads.

Transportation. Puerto San Carlos is at the end of Mex. 22 and is accessible by car and bus. Autotransportes Águila (☎136 0453) has a tiny terminal in a storefront on La Paz and Morelos, with only two daily buses that go to Ciudad Constitución (1hr.; 7:30am, 1:45pm; 52 pesos). From there you can catch southbound or northbound buses. (Office opens roughly 1hr. before bus departure.) Coming from Ciudad Constitución (the only route to Puerto San Carlos), Mex. 22 curves around the town to the docks; a rare paved road leads down to the left to become La Paz, the only street in town. All other streets here are sandy tracks that can easily trap the unwary driver; take great care when parking on the side of the road. Street signs are often missing, and of those that exist, many are sun-bleached to the point of illegibility.

Practical Information. There are no ATMs, casas de cambio, or credit card connections in town. Make sure to bring cash from the banks in Ciudad Constitución. The tourist office, near the docks, is usually only open during whale watching season. If the office is closed, the friendly staff at Hotel Alcatraz (☎136 0017), on La Paz, offers plenty of information. The police (☎136 0694) can be found at La Paz and Callejón Baja California, on the park. The medical services at IMSS (☎136 0211), at La Paz and México, include a pharmacy. (Open M-F 8am-8pm.) Telecomm, on Puerto Acapulco at the park, offers fax services (☎136 0048; open M-F 8am-2pm) and Internet access is available at Ciber Gimasi, on La Paz across from the post office (open daily 10am-11pm). The post office is located on La Paz between México and Juárez, near the park. (Open M-F 8am-4pm.) Postal Code: 23740.

Accommodations And Food. Finding budget rooms isn’t easy. Puerto San Carlos has only 100 rooms among its few hotels—during whale watching season, they are at a premium. Prices can rise by up to 25% and reservations are a must. The prices given in this section are low-season rates. Motel las Brisas 2, on Puerto Madero right off La Paz, offers the best value in town. Basic rooms around a parking lot have private baths. (☎136 0498. Singles 150 pesos; doubles 180 pesos. Cash only.) The rooms at Hotel Palmar 4, on Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta, all have A/C, private bath, and TV. (☎136 0035. Singles 250 pesos; doubles 300 pesos. Cash only.) The nicest hotel in San Carlos, Hotel Alcatraz 5, on La Paz near the junction with Mex. 22, has bright, clean rooms with TV and shaded patios. (☎136 0017. Parking available. Singles 450 pesos; doubles 600 pesos. Cash only.) Hotel Brennan 5, on La Paz, has a strong Irish theme. Green decor dominates the large rooms, and you’ll have to spend plenty of your own green to stay in one. Parking is available, and all rooms have A/C and TV. (☎136 0288; www.hotelbrennan.com.mx. Singles 400 pesos; doubles 550 pesos. Cash only.)

Dining in San Carlos is peaceful: a string of restaurants/living rooms along La Paz and Morelos allows you to meet locals while enjoying fresh, local seafood delicacies. Restaurant la Pasadita 3 (☎136 0129), on La Paz and México, is a town favorite. Enjoy simple, informal dining at the countertop seating or outdoor tables. Platters of pollo con mole or grilled fish and generous tortas cost 20-35 pesos, while fresh fish goes for 40 pesos. (Open M-F and Su 7am-5pm. Cash only.) Also popular is Mariscos los Arcos 4, La Paz 170. Known for its seafood, los Arcos serves tasty breaded fish (60 pesos), fried crab tacos (55 pesos), and clam ceviche (40 pesos). (☎136 0347. Open daily 9am-9pm. Cash only.) Restaurant/Bar El Patio 5, on La Paz in Hotel Alcatraz, is a bit more upscale than the other spots in town. El Patio serves a wide selection of Mexican food, including a shrimp omelette with coffee and juice for 110 pesos. (☎136 0017. Open daily 7am-10pm. Cash only.) Supermercado Falayma, on La Paz at the park, has a wide selection of groceries and meats for beach barbecues. (☎136 0102. Open daily 7pm-10pm.)

Beaches And Outdoor Activities. Both Bahía Magdalena and Bahía Almeja lie just south of Puerto San Carlos, and veterans insist that the warm climate makes San Carlos a more comfortable place than Guerrero Negro for visitors during the winter. Bahía Magdalena is the source of 65% of Southern Baja’s fish yield each year, and more than 75% of the local population are in maritime trades. In addition, extensive mangroves, intertidal sand, mud flats, and seagrass beds make the barrier island’s ecosystems as biologically diverse as the bay itself. Among the animals that call the islands home are two colonies of sea lions. Dolphins also swim in the bay. Visitors can explore the bay by boat through ecotours run by local agencies. Viajes Mar y Arena (☎136 0599) has an office on Mex. 22 near the docks. The company runs kayaking, fishing, and surfing trips, along with whale watching trips during season. During peak whale watching season, a number of other companies offer whale watching tours for 650 pesos per hr. per person, with a minimum of five people per boat. Ask around town to find a guide. Hotel Alcatraz also rents kayaks for 36 pesos per day.