Mexico: Todos Santos

I had been to Cabo San Lucas with Brian on a cruise about 15 years earlier, and we opted for the boat ride to see the famous "El Arco" natural archway at land's end (very beautiful - no regrets). On my second trip, I wanted to see something on land. Since most of Cabo San Lucas was built starting in the 80s, the town is focused 100% on tourism. I noted the cruise offered an excursion to a colonial mission about an hour north of the port. That appeared to be something I could enjoy. Luckily, the tour only had 25 people, so it didn't feel overwhelming (the guide said his tour the day before had 50 people!).

After exiting the port, Mexico Route 1 follows the coast and provides amazing views. I was actually astonished how beautiful (and empty) the scenery appeared. On one side the mountain spine of Baja California rises up, and on the other stretches an endless string of lovely beaches. I understood more why "Cabo" meant more than just the overbuilt port area.

Finally we reached the little town of Todos Santos where we set off on a short walking tour.

Todos Santos is a Mexican town located in the municipality of La Paz , in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur , about 3 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean , directly across the Tropic of Cancer . Designated a Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town ), Todos Santos is 81 km from the city of La Paz and 85 km north of Cabo San Lucas . Its climate is temperate (due to its pleasant climate, it is known as "The Cuernavaca of Baja California Sur"). It boasts an oasis that has sustained a thriving fruit orchard (especially mango, papaya, and avocado) and allows for the proliferation of palm trees and other vegetation distinct from the xerophytic forest that predominates in the surrounding area. There are several nearby beaches, including San Pedrito, Los Cerritos, Los Esteros, Punta Lobos, La Poza, and Batequitos. Their strong waves make these beaches ideal for surfing.

(Wikipedia)

The old elementary school was converted into a museum by a former teacher, Néstor Agundez. Although small and folksy, it documents the history of the small town from its roots with the Airapí people, to the Jesuits, to the Spanish, and finally to Mexico. The murals inside the school were painted by adult students when the place served as a "normal school" for training teachers. They had been painted over and forgotten and were rediscovered during a museum renovation. Hats off to Néstor for preventing the destruction of the building and turning it into a focal point for the small town.

On the drive north from Cabo San Lucas, we passed thousands of cardón, a Mexican cactus similar to the saguaro. It is endemic to Baja California and often used in local landscaping.

For such a religious name, Todos Santos has known a lot of conflict: between the natives and the Jesuits, the Jesuits and the Spanish, and even Mexico and the US. Because of that, the original mission church was destroyed and its exact location lost to history. In fact, the current church was built by the Dominicans in the mid 19th century. It is worth noting that most of the buildings in town are not "colonial" Spanish, but Mexican from that period. Those that have been restored are very beautiful - and Todos Santos has renovated most of its small downtown. In a very random coincidence, the Tropic of Cancer passes right through the town square.

January 2026

Finally, Todos Santos holds the venerable, "presumed" Hotel California of Eagles fame. Interestingly, the builder of the hotel back in the 20s was a Chinese-American who went south of the border to seek his fortune. The current owner completely cashes in on the urban legend surrounding the hotel. Unfortunately, almost everyone agrees that although the song references a trip through Mexico, the Baja hotel in the song is more likely allegory for the Beverly Hills Hotel, where many music and movie deals were made when the Eagles were active as a band. However, inasmuch as there is no Santa Claus, but his image is everywhere at Christmas, I think that we can all "believe" that the Hotel California in Todos Santos is the original, too.

I had no idea what to expect on the tour - in fact, our guide's father was from there and he spent a lot of time in the town in his youth. However, the tour turned out to be more about our guide Paul's personal history and connections (which was informative since he experienced the rapid development of the region first hand) and less about the history of the town itself. Since most of the people on the tour reacted well to his very personal style, I assumed that was what they wanted to hear. I ended up finding out the "real" history of Todos Santos online in my stateroom that evening.

What I experienced was a cute little town in an "oasis" in the desert. Trees and palms provide shade all over town and the immediate area next to Todos Santos is green, not brown. No doubt the place was populated back to native times because of the availability of water. The entire town center has been renovated beautifully. Todos Santos is filled with boutique hotels, restaurants, and craft shops. And.... Americans (and Canadians). Many have purchased property there.

Todos Santos is a location where many expats have retired. I have to admit, the place is appealing: nice little town, very safe, beach nearby, and an international airport only about one hour away. It is a little too isolated for me personally, but I would add it to a list of places I wouldn't mind returning for a longer, relaxing vacation.

Todos Santos - definitely worth it even if all I learned was about the guide's family history.