Best Baja Books & Reading Guide

Accommodations Review

We had a room with a balcony. Saw many birds (pelicans and gulls) following the ship and fishing throughout the night just outside of our balcony. It was a great little room.

COVID Logistics

In general, it was a very friendly and open environment, despite the COVID pressure.

Itinerary Review

While we did not get to snorkel with the young California sea lions due to wind (had to completely skip that), and there weren’t too many whales or dolphins while making the journey to the Pacific side, we had one absolutely enchanting morning with the whales on the last day—one came right up to the boat and hung out with us. The trip was worth it just for that morning.

Another spectacular sighting was to see about a hundred brown boobies swarming the cliffside of Isla Danzante and diving into the ocean in perfect unison on our first full day. It was as if they were herding the fish from just the above the water — all of them moving so fast in complete unison. There were birds — brown pelicans, boobies — diving all over the place as we watched from the top of the cliff. It was simply breathtaking! That, I thought, was the magic of Baja! The Vista Walk to the top of the cliff gave us an incredible sighting of numerous brown boobies dive-bombing down the cliff. I had never seen so many boobies flying and diving in unison, coming back out of the water, gliding over the water's surface with such speed and agility. I was completely mesmerized. Also, we had our first encounters with the jumping cactus and a very impressive Cordone cactus that was several times my height.

We did not get to kayak nearly as often as I thought, and I hoped for more intimate encounters with the birds, but overall, mom and I think that one morning with the gray whale was worth the entire admission.

Isla San Francisco - amazing clear turquoise waters, thousands of fish -- some very colorful and beautiful, Sally Lightfoot crabs, pelicans diving in front of my kayaks, and the ridge walk with the perfect view of the gorgeous Moon bay and desert vegetations. Adrian also showed us a Chugwala.

By far, the most incredible experience was on the last day at Bahia Almejas. Unlike at Magdalena bay where I felt that we were chasing after the mother-calf gray whale pair, the last day felt very different. We were in a very large body of water, and the whales surrounded us. One particular friendly gray whale came to our boats and stayed with us, lifting its beautiful head out of the water and allowing us to touch and kiss him. He or she stayed by my side for a long while, allowing me to take a very close look at all the barnacles and whale lice, and to feel him and talk to him. It was truly an once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Meals Review

The menu was not variable enough to my liking -- always fish similarly prepared, beef/port of some sort, and vegetarian choices. I did mostly enjoy the fish options. The dining staff was really excellent. I met some of the best companions on this trip, and we have exchanged contact information. We are already in correspondence and hope to make other trips together. One family of 3, in particular, made the week particularly enjoyable. The meals times with this family were so much fun that I nearly cried every time from laughing so hard.

Crew & Guides Review

Of course I treasured learning about the plant species, and the naturalists were (particularly the Mexican biologists) were so knowledgeable that I loved listening to them. The naturalists, particularly Adrian and Carlos - the two Mexican biologists - were true experts of the region's fauna, marine life, and various Sonoran desert ecosystems. Shane Sanders, another naturalist, photographer, and bird expert, took great care to help correct the settings on my camera and took particular effort to be sure that mom and I had the best opportunities for whale and bird watching. While Sarah was very responsive to my requests, I felt as though she did not have the typical energy of an expedition leader. Lindblad was very responsive to my requests to add a bird walk on couple of different days.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Andrew Browning is simply the best. He is the most reliable, responsive, detail-oriented, and meticulous travel guide I have ever had. I could not ask for anyone better and feel extremely fortunate to have had the chance to work with Andrew. He made all the difference!!! I really missed him when he was away on paternity leave. Andrew Browning at AdventureSmith has been one of the best parts of the whole process. He is as honest and trustworthy as he is thoughtful and meticulous. He takes such complete care of you that I would always want to work with Andrew in particular to prepare and book a trip whenever possible. One just cannot get better guidance than what Andrew can offer.

Traveler Advice

I have always wanted to go to Baja for marine mammals and bird watching. While we did not get to see any huge pods of dolphins or humpback whales up and close (did see a few in the distance), the close encounter with the gray whales on the last day made up for the previously lackluster whale encounters. It's hard not to expect fantastic encounters with wildlife when you go to a place like Baja, but the encounters are highly unpredictable as is the wind and water. One has to do his or her best to remain flexible and have an open mind and be willing to enjoy whatever happens and appreciate it. There is true magic to Baja, and it is heartwarming to see places that can not only recover from human destruction but also thrive.

Accommodations Review

Bryan and Sergio were amazing hosts and Chef Iker’s food was amazing. We miss Panda❤️ Our girls would have taken her home if they could!

Meals Review

Loved all of it - chef iker made me my favorite chilequiles one morning and it was fantastic!

Crew & Guides Review

Allen made our trip! He was so accommodating, knowledgeable and all around great guide! We loved him!

Traveler Advice

Bring lots of water and hats and clothing to protect from sun.

Accommodations Review

Our cozy cabin on the ship was all that we needed. The fact that the cabins were cleaned/attended to daily made the small space do-able.

Meals Review

The meals blew me away. Not only were the meals healthful and thoughtfully planned, but special requests were honored with a smile. I enjoyed always having options, and everything I tried was delicious. I feel that the selection of beers and wines could stand to be looked at again. Some were good, and some just didn't add much to the dining experience.

Crew & Guides Review

All of the guides had a great level of enthusiasm, and were ready to help in any way that they could. Lindsey from Montana was exceptionally helpful and caring. Liz gave an excellent massage. Esa brought smoothies after our yoga class one morning. Jeremy had great knowledge to share on our desert hikes.

Itinerary Review

I was really there for the snorkeling, which was great, but I literally had tears streaming down my face when we encountered a blue whale one evening. I had not expected to be lucky enough to see one, and the sound of the whale exhaling as it surfaced in front of our boat is something I will remember for the rest of my life. I enjoyed the experience of being in the midst of an explosion of life. Combined with the remoteness, this was a good combination for me. There were no places that I did not enjoy. On the last night of the trip, we were treated to a slide show of the week's activities, put together by the staff.

Transportation Review

We made airport transfers on our own, so I cannot comment on that part, but all transport during the trip was great. The suggestion to stay at El Encanto the day before we met the group was a good one.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

The intro materials about the Baja could stand to be bulked up a little.

Traveler Advice

Be prepared for the trip of a lifetime!

Accommodations Review

I thought our cabin was in the perfect location. We had a gorgeous view and no one could walk past our window. We were also close to the lounge and dining room.

Meals Review

Snacks at 4 pm instead of 5 pm or 6 pm would have been nice.

Crew & Guides Review

Jeremy did a terrific job of organizing our activities. Getting small groups into snorkeling, or kayaking, or hiking, or scenic boating was amazing! We felt very safe snorkeling.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Your packing list was fine but the boat provided binoculars and water bottles so we didn't need to pack them. [Our Adventure Specialist] was very helpful in choosing a cabin.

Meals Review

Excellent. They were kind enough to meet my vegan requests!

Crew & Guides Review

All superb...especially appreciated Merith and Mike. Also, the on-ship personnel were great, in particular Jennie and Josh, stewards.

Itinerary Review

Liked them all! [I most enjoyed] hikes on the islands and skiff tours. Made most everything available to all.

Traveler Advice

Prepare for a real adventure, geared for most 'age groups'!