Escaping Winter Cold to the Beaches of Baha
Trading Hawaiian Palms for Baja's Hidden Gem
Every winter, when I finally get tired of freezing my tail off back home, I head to somewhere tropical for a couple of weeks to thaw out. For years, my default setting was Hawaii—usually flying off to Maui to trade the frost for the gentle tradewinds. But in the winter of 2019, I wanted to shake things up and try something new. I decided to head down to the Baja Peninsula in Mexico instead.
I had heard whispers about an artist community nestled along the Pacific coast, about a 45-minute drive north of the wild scene in Cabo San Lucas. The place is called Todos Santos. It’s a pretty little town filled with art galleries, cozy cafes, and sprawling, virtually empty white-sand beaches bordering the ocean.
Historically, Todos Santos was founded as a mission town back in the 1700s and later became a thriving sugar cane center. Today, it’s officially recognized by the Mexican government as a Pueblo Mágico (Magic Town)—a designation given to places that preserve rich cultural history and natural beauty.
Sunset Magic and Local Palapas
One late afternoon, I happened to be on one of these quiet beaches just as the light was starting to turn. The scene was anchored by a classic palapa sitting just beyond the flat sand in the low dunes. These open-sided, thatch-roofed structures are everywhere down here. Traditionally woven from dried palm leaves over a wooden post frame, they serve as the ultimate natural shade spots to keep cool under the scorching Mexican sun.
As the sun sank lower toward the Pacific, the sky went completely wild. High-altitude cirrus clouds caught the last rays of light, stretching out like brushstrokes across the sky in vibrant shades of magenta, coral, and soft gold. Compositionally, I wanted to balance that explosive overhead canvas with the rustic palapa in the lower third, using the sweeping sand dunes and coastal vegetation to frame the shot.
A Memory Worth Carrying Home
It turned out to be an incredible trip. Beyond catching sunsets on the sand, I even managed to get out on a small boat for some whale watching, coming so close to humpback whales that I could have practically reached out and touched them. Todos Santos turned out to be a truly special corner of the world, and every time I look back at photos like this one, I'm instantly transported back to that warm winter escape.
Explore More of My Adventures
Escape the winter chill with a vibrant sunset captured over the quiet beaches and thatched palapas of Todos Santos, Baja California Sur.