The two cities at either end of the “Golden Corridor” are very different from each other.  San Jose del Cabo is more colonial, has a history that dates back to the 1700’s and is a bit more refined and polished.  San Jose is the county seat of the municipio (County) of Los Cabos.  San Jose is a great place to enjoy a quiet downtown stroll, some less hectic shopping, a quiet lunch or dinner.  Many of the colorful shops are located in restored buildings dating back to the early 1900’s.

The sportfishing frenzy, nightlife and the beach scene are not the most important items on the daily agenda here.  San Jose is not a typical beach town, even though the  beach is very near.  The emphasis here seems to be a bit more focused.  The daily activities seem more sedate here, a seemingly less hurried atmosphere.

San Jose was a large city (by Baja standards) when Cabo San Lucas was still a tiny fishing village. Now the two cities are about equal in population although San Jose now seems the less busy of the two.  The city is built a short distance away from the beach and the lack of a marina seems to have instilled a completely different focus on this delightful city.

The downtown area is centered around the church, city hall and main plaza with its adjacent park.  Most of the activity is within a few blocks of the plaza or around the 9-hole public golf course located a short distance west of town, which is also where most of San Jose’s hotels are located.

A short distance to the east of San Jose you will find the village of La Playita, home of the local fishing fleet.  Pangas can be rented from the beach to take you fishing out toward the Gorda Banks, possibly the most productive fishery in the Sea of Cortez.

La Playita is also the gateway to the incredible pristine beaches of the East Cape and the infamous, yet to be improved, coastal road that connects the secluded residential developments along this remote stretch of Baja.  The trip from La Playita to La Ribera (see our Southern Baja map) is an adventure that is not for the timid.  If you decide to make the trip, take a cooler and a picnic lunch and make a day of it.  The incredible beaches and unspoiled beauty of this area will be in your memory forever.  Check with the locals before you attempt this all day adventure.  The road can be impassable during the rainy season (summer) and is very rough, even when it is good condition.  Your return trip can be made by way of Highway 1, which is paved and is an easy drive.  To the west of San Jose del Cabo you will find some of San Jose’s most popular beaches and surfing areas known as Costa Azul.  In the bay near the Hotel Palmilla you will see a small fishing fleet nestled near the green expanse of their breathtaking Jack Nicklaus designed 27-hole golf course. 

Just past Palmilla you begin to enter the “Golden Corridor” (map) which is famous for spectacular beaches, even more spectacular beachfront resorts and some of the most incredible golf courses to be found anywhere in the world.  This incredible stretch of coastline, which lies along the tranquil shores of the Sea of Cortez will lead you to Cabo San Lucas, 16 miles to the west, at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula.   There are many, usually deserted, beaches to explore along the corridor, most of which are just a short distance from the road.  Two of our areas finest scuba and snorkeling beaches, Chileno and Bahia Santa Maria, are located along the corridor between the Hotel Cabo San Lucas and the Hotel Twin Dolphin.

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