Todos Santos, Mexico

The geography of Todos Santos (All Saints in English), like many of the increasingly popular destinations in Baja California, is primarily composed and surrounded by seemingly opposing terrain. Todos Santos sits right by the Tropic of Cancer, dipping its toes in the Pacific Ocean while overlooking the Baja Desert gently leaning against the foot of the Sierra de la Laguna (Lagoon’s Mountain Range in English), the southernmost mountain range in the Baja California Region which is notable for the dry forest eco-region at the base of its incline and the pine-oak forests toward its tip. Because of this peculiarity of the Sierra de la Laguna, it has been declared a biosphere reserve (which means this piece of geography’s ecosystem is to be protected internationally) Todos Santos and many of the towns that touch the range became buffer and transition zones to this reserve, becoming nature-friendly communities.

Todos Santos lies midway between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz (The Peace in English); one hour north of Cabo San Lucas and one hour southwest of La Paz. Geographically speaking, Todos Santos is essentially a plain that is incidentally surrounded by other bodies of land and water. Its flat lands are ideal for growing all sorts of crops; in the ninteenth century, Todos Santos’ geography was known for producing excellent sugar cane. Today, Todos Santos is brimming with vegetable and chili farms, fruit orchards and ranches. It has also expanded to the nearby ocean, adding fishing to its livelihood.

Some of the nearby shores of Todos Santos, however, are not meant for standard beach activities – swimming in particular. These beaches are prone to rip tides, undertows and steep underwater drops near the shore. They are nevertheless beautiful, and one can still have a picnic or a nice stroll on its sandy stretches. Todos Santos’ more standard beaches like Playas Las Palmas (Palms Beaches in English) and Playas Los Cerritos (Cerrito Beach in English) are popular for swimming and shell collecting; Playas Los Cerritos is also known as a surfer’s hub.

All of the elements of Todos Santos’ surrounding territory combined make up a unique and beautiful landscape that creates a cradle of peace and tranquility for locals and visitors alike.