If you have an interest in Baja, get ready to come visit us as the summer heat is fading and the Sea of Cortez in beautiful for all kinds of recreation. From mid-October through the early part of December is my favorite time of year in Baja.

For those of us that live here year round, the middle of October brings a break from the summer heat and humidity. One morning you wake up and realize, like the flip of a switch, summer is over.

Another reason the end of summer is welcome is the return of the tourists. The travel industry in Los Cabos has noticeably grown just in the time that I have been here. Los Cabos has developed a steady stream of worldwide tourists. Even still, August and September are the ‘bottom’ of the year. Many locals refer to the ninth month as ‘Sep-hambre’ (hambre means hunger in Espanol) Tourism makes up a significant part of the economy in all of Baja Sur and everything slows down in those last few weeks of September. This makes right now a fabulous time to come visit!

Baja Sur is always visitor friendly, but in the fall everyone in the travel industry is going to be just tickled pink to see you. The facilities that serve you will also be all spiffed up. Most businesses use the late summer months to make repairs and improvements for the coming tourist season. New restaurants and businesses also plan to open their doors in early October so they can maximize the seasonal dollar.

If you are interested in fishing or scuba diving – don’t waste a minute in getting here. The fishing is at its peak. From Loreto to Los Cabos the fish are biting. Dorado, Marlin, and tuna can be found in numbers. If you are a diver, this too is the peak of the year. I have been down at over 100’ and waved to the person leaning over the back of the boat above. The same sea life that the fishermen seek abounds for the diver as well. And with such crystal visibility, it is no wonder the Sea of Cortez attracts divers from all over the world.

For people who just plain like to swim and hang out at the beach, this is prime time too. The temperatures have cooled off enough that you no longer feel like a sausage in I frying pan at the beach. The air is cooler, but the Sea is still spectacular. With temperatures into the upper 80°’s, it is still easy to just walk right in and let the Sea envelope you.

With the cooler weather, many folks take to the trails to do some hiking in Baja. We will be exploring more of this activity in the weeks ahead, but if you get out there now, along the mountain trails of which there are plenty, you can still find running water and even waterfalls in Baja Sur.

If you are a sailor, or windsurfer in Baja California Sur what’s not to like! The winds are blowing again after the dead calm of summer. Friends of mine have already been enjoying some pretty raucous days of windsurfing and kite boarding in La Ventana and I wholly intend to get away for some sailing this coming weekend.

If you have some intentions of making a real estate investment in Baja this year, this is also the best time to do so. Real estate professionals have spent all summer gathering up new inventory and preparing for fall. We are seeing more Canadian investment in Baja Sur this year. As the Canadian dollar reaches par with the US dollar for the first time since I was riding a tricycle, our BC buddies are finding Baja Real Estate a bargain.

Since Baja real estate is still a significant value compared to that just north of the border, combined with the beautiful locations in a resort and beachfront living the market in Baja Sur continues to boom. As with anything, getting here early provides you the best selection and the best chance of landing a bargain.

You will also find that this is a great time to drive Baja California’s Highway 1. Over the summer significant bridge projects have been underway all along Highway 1. I am told by friends who have driven south in the last few weeks that all the projects are either complete or in the wrap-up stage. Paving projects are complete and one veteran Baja Driver told me that it’s such a breeze of a drive now it almost takes all the adventure out of the trip.

Finally, there is Baja herself that makes now a wonderful time to visit. Throughout this article are photos of just some of the dress of green that the state of Baja Sur has adorned for you. With the rains brought by our mansoonal season, all of Baja Sur has blossomed in the colors of the rainbow. Although the desert has already started to brown a little and the grasses are going to seed, if you hurry you can still see the desert in her splendid green glory.

So, drop what you’re doing, pack the car or book a flight and come play in Baja California Sur. We’re all dressed up and ready – let the party begin!

Tomas