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About Comondu, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Comondú –
A True Desert Oasis
By: Slade Ogletree
Comondú is a Municipo, or Municipality in the State of Baja California Sur. In Mexico, states are further broken down into Municipos. Similar in many ways to the American system of counties and parishes, these Municipos are in charge of handling the Administrative affairs in that area, and are themselves run by elected officals.
Comondú has a population of 63,830 inhabitants as of the 2005 census (INEGI). With a land area of 16,858.3 km² (6,509.03 sq mi), it is the seventh-largest municipality in area in Mexico. The municipal seat is located in Ciudad Constitución. This is, along with nearby Ciudad Insurgentes are th best places to stock up for your expedition into this remote and beautiful geographic marvel.
Comondú, a Cochimi word meaning “Reedbed in the Ravine” emerged in a crevice that is 800 meters (3/8 of a mile) wide and 16 kilometers (10 miles) long. It is located on the western side of the Sierra Giganta mountains, and boasts an awe inspiring view of the Pacific Ocean. Tall Palm trees, lush gardens, and thriving orchards abound. The endless melody of numerous streams add to the spectacular beauty of the surrounding cliffs.
This true oasis in the desert is comprised of old towns like San José and San Miguel de Comondú – and several other small pueblos – which had their origins as a mission outposts. Their natural and cultural wealth has sparked growing interest in the region as a source of “alternative tourism”. The ports of San Carlos and Lopez Mateos are the winter home of the grey whales, and are also excellent spots for sport fishing. San Juanico Bay attracts avid surfers who come for some of the highest waves in the world.
Comondú looks like a crack opening on the heart of the Sierra de la Giganta. There sit the picturesque villages of San Miguel and San Jose de Comondu, about two miles apart. Missionaries from Loreto, exploring the area in search of more sites to establish missions, discovered Comondu 32 miles northwest of that port, just about halfway between the two seas and located beside a spring where several tribes of Indians lived. In order to convert them, José de la Peña Castrejón and Salzinez Marquis de Villapuente founded these missions. These quaint villages provide the ideal jumping off place for those who love adventure, ecotourism, regional history and culture. These oases in the desert and rugged peaks with cave paintings provide a multitude of sites to explore.
San Luis Gonzaga has been called “an Emerald set in the grey savannah of the desert”. Here we can find a startling variety of flora and fauna along with views of stunning sunsets over the Pacific. The rugged mountains provide the visitor with a range of opportunity for exploring and breathtaking vistas.
The towns of Lopez Mateos and San Carlos, located near Magdalena Bay, and are considered the two prime spots for Whale Watching on the entire Baja Peninsula. Located on the northern and southern ends of the bay, respectively, these otherwise sleepy towns brim with tourists and Marine Biologists following the migration of the Grey Whale. This is where the whales come to calve. Both towns offer Boat or "panga" trips for gray whale watching from January to March. There are also ecological tours around the bay, camping in the islands and sports fishing. Arts and Crafts abound and look for the Grey Whale Festivals in February and March.
A drive of 125 miles north of Ciudad Constitución will take you to the spectacular San Juanico Bay, a favorite spot for serious surfers who come in both summer and winter to ride some of the world’s longest waves. A tiny fishing community with just 500 inhabitants, San Juanico has only in the last few years been discovered by tourists, drawn to the area simply to relax or in search of adventure in the marvelous natural surroundings. Just one kilometer (about half a mile) away is a sea lion refuge, a great place to observe these fascinating marine mammals. A hybrid wind energy plant supplies electricity to the entire community.
The Muncipo of Comondú covers a vast amount of sparsely inhabited desert. It is blessed, however, with a vast array of the very best treats Mother Nature has to offer scattered about it’s interior. While fine resort hotels are non-existant, and hotels of any sort are few and far between, with a bit of planning or a willingness to camp the area makes a fine destination. Day trips from Cabo, La Paz and Loreto are also very popular. Here the visitor will find a slice of the Baja that originally made Baja so attractive in the early days. Comondú is remote, friendly, and teeming with nature’s wonders.