La Paz vs. Nuevo Vallarta vs. ???

[jimp1234]

I'm planning on retiring and sailing from NorCal down to the Sea of Cortez at the end of year. My wife won't be retiring until next year. We're going to be more "commuter cruisers" than liveaboards. We want to decide on a location for our introduction to the Sea of Cortez and we'll be staying mostly in a marina. We're thinking about either La Paz or Nuevo Vallarta, and I'd be interested in hearing from folks who'd care to comment on either of these locations. A few ancillary questions below.

1. Most marinas here is the bay area restrict liveaboards. While we don't plan on being on the boat full time we might be on the boat for 2 weeks out of the month. Are Mexican marinas similarly restrictive?
2. Looks like there are direct flights to PV from our area, where La Paz requires transfers. Anyone fly into Cabo San Lucas and then do land transport up to La Paz?
3. It looks like La Paz might be better to do some 3 - 4 day local passages where we'd anchor out overnight. Banderas Bay looks like great sailing but maybe not as many destinations for overnights. But maybe I'm wrong?
4. Any comments on specific marinas in either of these areas?
5. Finally should we consider any other locations for our starting point in the SOC?

Any and all comments would be appreciated.

[JPA Cate]

La Paz. Everything you need is walking distance from the marina, and there are many more interesting anchorages within a day's sail to explore. You have to take a bus from Nuevo Vallarta into PV for everything.

That said, I really don't know how your plan will work out with regard to hurricane season. We always left Mexico well before it. My Jim was there for one hurricane, and Puerto Escondido became a sort of mad house, way too full of boats, and people being insensitive to their neighbors ways of wanting to anchor. He eventually opted for some islands nearby, that he would have had to move anchorages when the wind shift comes. It was not entirely satisfactory, but, it was an option that only the experienced cruisers (anchorers) tried, and was safer, therefore.

Quite a few people base themselves out of San Carlos, that would be a Golfo de California option, as well.

I don't know how well you'll like marina life, to me it feels crowded, sort of like an apartment building, or a trailer park. The good thing is that there are other cruisers there. It can be quite hot, with little breeze, and the boat slips not aligned well with the wind flow, so being out at anchor is often cooler. Wind scoops really help direct the airflow below.

Ann

[Qismat]

Originally Posted by jimp1234

I'm planning on retiring and sailing from NorCal down to the Sea of Cortez at the end of year. My wife won't be retiring until next year. We're going to be more "commuter cruisers" than liveaboards. We want to decide on a location for our introduction to the Sea of Cortez and we'll be staying mostly in a marina. We're thinking about either La Paz or Nuevo Vallarta, and I'd be interested in hearing from folks who'd care to comment on either of these locations. A few ancillary questions below.

1. Most marinas here is the bay area restrict liveaboards. While we don't plan on being on the boat full time we might be on the boat for 2 weeks out of the month. Are Mexican marinas similarly restrictive?
2. Looks like there are direct flights to PV from our area, where La Paz requires transfers. Anyone fly into Cabo San Lucas and then do land transport up to La Paz?
3. It looks like La Paz might be better to do some 3 - 4 day local passages where we'd anchor out overnight. Banderas Bay looks like great sailing but maybe not as many destinations for overnights. But maybe I'm wrong?
4. Any comments on specific marinas in either of these areas?
5. Finally should we consider any other locations for our starting point in the SOC?

Any and all comments would be appreciated.

We're in nuevo vallarta right now. Leaving to sea of cortez in a month for the summer.

Paradise village marina is awesome for having to fly back home. The marina is cheap ($900 a month for our 45 foot boat - don't charge for overhangs). Drinkable water. pump out built into the dock. Amenities - AND: Fiber optic RELIABLE internet. Its literally a perfect marina to me.

You can liveaboard in paradise village - And use the pools, hot tubs, beach.

The bad: There isn't really anywhere to go here and anchor unless you want to go to la cruz or yelapa, both of which are really uncomfortable overnight. So you spend your time at the resort.


La paz:
La paz is full - Good luck getting a slip - they're booked out for months and months. We were also told it would be around $4K a month for our boat at costa baja marina. No thank you.

Ground transport from cabo to la paz isn't the easiest - its an hour and a half-2 hour travel from the airport in cabo.

You may want to consider loreto for a home base - Though the cell signal anywhere north of la paz is absolute trash - so if you have to work online at all, i dont think it will work too well for you.

If I were you, I would come down to banderas bay for your first stint - then once your wife retires, head north.

[jamhass]

This is actually a highly personal decision, as there is no perfect solution for all. Depends in part on how much time you will spend in the marina vs out in anchorages, how much boat work you expect, visitors, etc etc.

La Paz is truly great spring and fall. PV (any marina in the area) wonderful for winter, and do NOT neglect Barra de Navidad -- it has a great marina and many lovely anchorages within a few hours sail.

Summer is tough depending on your personal tolerance for heat, humidity and insurance restrictions. Hurricanes do run up the sea. If you don't live on the boat in the summer, there are a number of options. San Carlos is usually fine on the hard, but has been hit. Mazatlan and PV are pretty safe but humid. Both PV and La Paz have excellent boat services available. The new marina in Pt Escondido is nice, but becoming expensive and a car (or plan for rentals and cabs -- all readily available) is nearly a necessity. Loreto is nice, but no marina other that PtE. Lots of great anchorages within an easy day sail.

Bottom line, best to try them all, following the sun and then decide.

Flights in/out of PV are indeed easiest, but others are manageable, even carrying boat gear.

We spent 10 years (part time, never mid summer) in the area, mostly out of La Paz, but much time spent on the mainland (Maz to Barra) and loved it all. Went through one hurricane in La Paz, no real issues, but important to be in a well secured marina with appropriate pre-hurricane boat prep and a good boat-minder if not on board.

[sv_pelagia]

Transport Cabo airport to/from La Paz is easy. Did it several times.

No "liveaboard" issues.

We really enjoyed La Paz (great little town). And yes, lots of close cruising destinations. When in La Paz, we moored at Marina Palmira.

Boats in main marinas in La Paz did not suffer significant hurricane damage during Hurricane Odile direct hit (2014).

Of course Marina Costa Baja is super expensive...(and hot/windless, far away from town, etc). Other marinas in La Paz vary, but don't be surprised if they equal (or exceed) south Cal prices.

[rbrazil]

Originally Posted by jimp1234

I'm planning on retiring and sailing from NorCal down to the Sea of Cortez at the end of year. My wife won't be retiring until next year. We're going to be more "commuter cruisers" than liveaboards. We want to decide on a location for our introduction to the Sea of Cortez and we'll be staying mostly in a marina. We're thinking about either La Paz or Nuevo Vallarta, and I'd be interested in hearing from folks who'd care to comment on either of these locations. A few ancillary questions below.

1. Most marinas here is the bay area restrict liveaboards. While we don't plan on being on the boat full time we might be on the boat for 2 weeks out of the month. Are Mexican marinas similarly restrictive?
2. Looks like there are direct flights to PV from our area, where La Paz requires transfers. Anyone fly into Cabo San Lucas and then do land transport up to La Paz?
3. It looks like La Paz might be better to do some 3 - 4 day local passages where we'd anchor out overnight. Banderas Bay looks like great sailing but maybe not as many destinations for overnights. But maybe I'm wrong?
4. Any comments on specific marinas in either of these areas?
5. Finally should we consider any other locations for our starting point in the SOC?

Any and all comments would be appreciated.

Hi,
We’ve done what you are about to do. Its an amazing adventure! We’ve had our boat in Paradise Village Marina for the past two years and flew back and forth (commuter cruising) many times. Flights are direct, simple, inexpensive. An Uber from the airport takes 20 minutes and costs $6. The marina is a hurricane hole, so no worries about insurance hassles. They allow liveaboards, have drinkable dock water, have 24hr gated (card key) security. You are allowed FULL ACCESS to Paradise Village Resort, which includes a world class beach, several swimming pools, tennis courts, restaurants etc. It’s amazing! Great for having friends come visit. They stay in a condo or the resort, you stay on the boat. There is a mall (not the kind you are thinking of) mere steps from the slip where you can get breakfast, lunch, dinner, laundry service, (drop off today, pick up tomorrow) a bank, grocery store, emergency medical office, (a full service hospital is 200 yards away) tequilla store, very nice clothing stores, etc. I could go on and on. Its grows on you how convenient everything is. The PV Yacht allows 2 week reciprocal privileges from your yacht club. A true relaxing paradise.
The sailing is almost always a beam reach with winds from 10-20 knots. Bandaras Bay is huge. A few hours sail and you can anchor out or grab a slip in La Cruz and stay a few days. A few hours the other way and you are in magical Yelapa. Dont miss Yelapa. You’ll catch a mooring and may have a rolly night, but its totally worth it. You can sail overnight to Chamela, a huge bay with no glitz or glamor, just a nice peaceful anchorage with some beachside palapa restaurants. Punta Mita is an anchorage we never tried and you can head north to San Blas.
We never tired of taking an Uber or taxi to downtown PV. TONS to see and do.
We just sailed from PV to Barra de Navidad because the clutches of PV were sucking us in. We could have easily stayed there forever!! Barra is beautiful and has a few more close sailing destinations. We will headquarter here for the next year, doing two week to one month trips. After that the Sea of Cortez is calling. Hope this helps.

[Celestialsailor]

I spent 3 years in the SOC. I mostly stay in Marina La Paz. Originally founded by a couple of Gringo's cruising in the 70's. Their son, Neil, runs it now. Definitely charging U.S. prices. Due of course to Mexico being a "Venus fly trap" for cruisers.

Once there and enjoying all the cruising areas that abound and then looking at the fact of limited stay in the Pacific with lack of resources.

Then there is the slog back up the coast to "go home". That is also unattractive. All sorts of options play out to stay. So every year prices there increase and people pay it.

[BoMoose]

I have a house in Los Barriles, about an hour drive from SJD, almost half way to La Paz. We share a cheap car ($3000) with friends. We park and love San Jose storage at the airport for about $60 USD a month. I just renewed Mexican insurance $267 USD for a year. That drive in the dark is no bueno but the timing of most flights works just fine for day driving. I commute to LA sometimes 2-3 times a month so the car is the way to go and pretty affordable.

These guys are also great, https://ecobajatours.com/index.php/home/
.. but the timing doesn't always work

San Diego people love the cross border express. This brings La Pax airport into play. You park north of the border, then walk south right into the Tijuana airport terminal! Then take a Mexican domestic flight Tijuana-La Paz. I tried it once driving from LA to check it out. Cross border express parking is expensive so a lyft ride if not to far is better.

I like all things Baja better than the mainland. I cruise the Channel Islands out of Ventura and owned a boat with The Moorings chartering many different locations for two years. I haven't sailed the SOC but have explored Baja by land and done some awesome whale watching trips. La Paz north looks like epic cruising.