todgru
Senior Member
Baja Mexico 2022 Notes
Travel dates: 10/31 - 12/17 2022 (48 days)
Baja, Mexico: November 6 to December 11, 2022 (34 days)
We left Maupin, Oregon, on October 31st. We visited a few places on the way to Mexicali, where we crossed on November 6. Rough itinerary of our travels:
October
31 US camping
November
1-7 US camping
6-8 San Felipe
9-11 Gonzaga Bay, Campo Beluga
12-13 San Ignacio
13-18 Santispac
18-23 Loreto, Romanita RV Park
24-26 Bahia de Concepcion, dispersed
27-12/1 Bahia de Concepcion, Playa de Requescion
December
2-3 Guerrero Negro, dispersed
4-8 Bahia de Los Angeles, dispersed
9-10 abandoned RV park near San Felipe
10 border crossing
10-18 camp in the US, travel to home
Notes from the 48 days of travel, US and Mexico, lessons learned, and what I would do differently next time:
1. Purchasing the FMM at the border crossing was easy. No real need to purchase online. Either way works. Regardless of the dates listed on the FMM, our border agent updated the permit to 180 days(6 months), the maximum for tourist visits in Baja.
2. Return to the US can use any crossing. Confirmed. US officials do not inspect Mexican documents - only passports.
3. Safe drinking water was easy to find (aqua purificada, purificado de aqua). Several stores had water purification systems, even some small markets. The purification process was: filter, reverse osmosis, UV, and minerals added for hard/soft water. You can use your own water containers or pick up containers at the locations. Cost around $60mx for 60+ liters - about $3 USD/16 gallons. Also, bottled water was easy to find in 6 to 11-liter containers. The water tasted great in all situations!
4. Gas stations were everywhere. Pemex and other brands. Most accepted credit cards. Some remote stations were cash only due to a lack of phone/internet. No need to travel with extra gasoline/diesel. I filled whenever I was down to about 1/2 tank, rarely did my tank get to 1/4.
5. We used butane for cooking in two container types - cartridges(Jetboil) and canisters(which look like a spray paint can). I could find the canisters in hardware stores. I did not find cartridges.
6. Starlink worked great! Never had any issues with it. I worked four days a week from the camper, with video and audio calls and data speeds of 100-200mbps. We could use our phones to make and receive calls. I was able to keep in touch with friends and family. Skip any thought of using cell-based mobile data services; it's overpriced, slow, and doesn't work boondocking! (I'm writing this while camped on a beach at Bahia de Los Angeles, and no cell signals of any kind.)
7. Our 200ah LiPo battery, 220 watt solar system kept up with demand(Starlink, laptops, phones, lights). Our system charges while driving. We had a few cloudy days while stationary, which negatively impacted keeping the batteries topped off. The battery dipped down to 11.8 volts at one point. I plan to upgrade the battery and charging capacity to overcome the clouds. It's not always sunny and 75F! Whatever power system you think you need, double it.
8. iOverlander app was handy for finding camping locations and finding purified water. But do not take reviews too seriously. We found several place descriptions wrong or generally misinformed. Google maps is not helpful for finding water - but good for downloading offline maps and road navigation.
9. Cell service (Verizon) only existed in towns/cities.
10. Baja has many free dispersed camping locations. We stayed in several.
11. The managed campgrounds ranged from $400mx to $200mx/night $20usd to $10.
12. Some managed campgrounds had non-potable well water available in big blue barrels, delivered for $200mx. Useful for showering after swimming. On one occasion, we used the Sawyer water filter and drank it for a few days. Tasted OK.
13. Several campgrounds had showers. Water warmth varied.
14. I mostly avoided campground toilets. Except in Loreto - nice!
15. The Ogo Composting toilet worked great! Gone are the days of digging cat holes or adding chemicals for stinky porta-potties. Remember: don't overfill with coco coir; replace the coco coir every 2 weeks(max); bring extra coco coir - I could not find coco coir or peat moss in Baja. We saved our used coffee grounds to bolster the little coco coir we had left. Vinegar was easy to find in grocery stores.
16. Some beaches and towns had mosquitos at dawn and dusk - they love me! Bring whatever you find helpful to defend yourself because you'll want to be out and about, not hunkered down in the camper. I don't like bug spray for my skin, but I'll use it on my hands and face. Next time, all my clothes will get a heavy dose of Permethrin Fabric Treatment. Citronella candles worked when it wasn't windy. Costco solar-charged bug zappers worked great.
17. Fairy lights are great for adding ambiance to evening camp activities. We had great success with cheap USB light strings from Amazon. I need to install a few external USB ports on the camper to power the lights.
18. Baja is very safe - we've never felt threatened. I feel just as safe camping in the Baja boonies as in dispersed locations in Oregon. Mexicans are very friendly, helpful, and generally happy. A smile goes a long way down here!
19. Roads can be a challenge for larger rigs. Mainly because the roads do not have shoulders, the curves are tight, and turns are not banked like we're often used to stateside. The lanes look as wide as the highways in the states, but the shoulders are soft, non-existent, or dangerous drop-offs. On-coming 18-wheelers fill their entire lane. Around bends in the road, their trailers can be in your lane. Mexicans love to go faster than you and will pass if they can, even the 18-wheelers. I pull over and slow down and let them pass. If a rig you're following is slow and has a left blinker on, that means they are giving you the signal it's safe to pass them - but only pass if you think it's safe; otherwise, back off.
20. Road damage from rain takes a while to repair, and the road shoulders are easily washed out from the rain. Flagging for damaged roads is minimal and one of the only two reasons you don't drive at night: road damage and free-range cattle/horses/donkeys/goats. Otherwise, it's assumed you are a good enough driver to drive safely.
21. Prescription drugs are cheaper in Mexico than in the United States. Visits to the doctor are less expensive as well. I'm very fortunate to have good health insurance in the US. I wanted to research healthcare costs and process differences between the US and Mexico. Several of the medications I purchased did not need prescriptions. Mexico would be a great place to retire with its lower cost of living and decent health care.
22. I have yet to find good coffee beans. The Marino Cafe Puro beans can be found in every grocery and are OK.
23. Learn some Spanish! My wife can speak enough that we got by OK. But I missed a lot of opportunities to chat with folks and enjoy the people. I picked up some Spanish just by hearing it all the time. Emersion in a Spanish-speaking culture would go a long way to learning the language.
24. All the towns we visited and places we camped were a mix of locals and tourists. In the dispersed areas, we met a few locals - ranchers or fishers - in passing. No place really felt "tourist". No McDonald's and no Starbucks. Mexican families were eating at the same restaurants we ate at, visiting the same beaches, and shopping at the same grocery.
I'll add more to this list if I recall anything useful to the group.
Finally, if you have thought about going to Baja, you should; it's easy and fun. It was a stress-free, warm adventure!!
Tod Gru
Travel dates: 10/31 - 12/17 2022 (48 days)
Baja, Mexico: November 6 to December 11, 2022 (34 days)
We left Maupin, Oregon, on October 31st. We visited a few places on the way to Mexicali, where we crossed on November 6. Rough itinerary of our travels:
October
31 US camping
November
1-7 US camping
6-8 San Felipe
9-11 Gonzaga Bay, Campo Beluga
12-13 San Ignacio
13-18 Santispac
18-23 Loreto, Romanita RV Park
24-26 Bahia de Concepcion, dispersed
27-12/1 Bahia de Concepcion, Playa de Requescion
December
2-3 Guerrero Negro, dispersed
4-8 Bahia de Los Angeles, dispersed
9-10 abandoned RV park near San Felipe
10 border crossing
10-18 camp in the US, travel to home
Notes from the 48 days of travel, US and Mexico, lessons learned, and what I would do differently next time:
1. Purchasing the FMM at the border crossing was easy. No real need to purchase online. Either way works. Regardless of the dates listed on the FMM, our border agent updated the permit to 180 days(6 months), the maximum for tourist visits in Baja.
2. Return to the US can use any crossing. Confirmed. US officials do not inspect Mexican documents - only passports.
3. Safe drinking water was easy to find (aqua purificada, purificado de aqua). Several stores had water purification systems, even some small markets. The purification process was: filter, reverse osmosis, UV, and minerals added for hard/soft water. You can use your own water containers or pick up containers at the locations. Cost around $60mx for 60+ liters - about $3 USD/16 gallons. Also, bottled water was easy to find in 6 to 11-liter containers. The water tasted great in all situations!
4. Gas stations were everywhere. Pemex and other brands. Most accepted credit cards. Some remote stations were cash only due to a lack of phone/internet. No need to travel with extra gasoline/diesel. I filled whenever I was down to about 1/2 tank, rarely did my tank get to 1/4.
5. We used butane for cooking in two container types - cartridges(Jetboil) and canisters(which look like a spray paint can). I could find the canisters in hardware stores. I did not find cartridges.
6. Starlink worked great! Never had any issues with it. I worked four days a week from the camper, with video and audio calls and data speeds of 100-200mbps. We could use our phones to make and receive calls. I was able to keep in touch with friends and family. Skip any thought of using cell-based mobile data services; it's overpriced, slow, and doesn't work boondocking! (I'm writing this while camped on a beach at Bahia de Los Angeles, and no cell signals of any kind.)
7. Our 200ah LiPo battery, 220 watt solar system kept up with demand(Starlink, laptops, phones, lights). Our system charges while driving. We had a few cloudy days while stationary, which negatively impacted keeping the batteries topped off. The battery dipped down to 11.8 volts at one point. I plan to upgrade the battery and charging capacity to overcome the clouds. It's not always sunny and 75F! Whatever power system you think you need, double it.
8. iOverlander app was handy for finding camping locations and finding purified water. But do not take reviews too seriously. We found several place descriptions wrong or generally misinformed. Google maps is not helpful for finding water - but good for downloading offline maps and road navigation.
9. Cell service (Verizon) only existed in towns/cities.
10. Baja has many free dispersed camping locations. We stayed in several.
11. The managed campgrounds ranged from $400mx to $200mx/night $20usd to $10.
12. Some managed campgrounds had non-potable well water available in big blue barrels, delivered for $200mx. Useful for showering after swimming. On one occasion, we used the Sawyer water filter and drank it for a few days. Tasted OK.
13. Several campgrounds had showers. Water warmth varied.
14. I mostly avoided campground toilets. Except in Loreto - nice!
15. The Ogo Composting toilet worked great! Gone are the days of digging cat holes or adding chemicals for stinky porta-potties. Remember: don't overfill with coco coir; replace the coco coir every 2 weeks(max); bring extra coco coir - I could not find coco coir or peat moss in Baja. We saved our used coffee grounds to bolster the little coco coir we had left. Vinegar was easy to find in grocery stores.
16. Some beaches and towns had mosquitos at dawn and dusk - they love me! Bring whatever you find helpful to defend yourself because you'll want to be out and about, not hunkered down in the camper. I don't like bug spray for my skin, but I'll use it on my hands and face. Next time, all my clothes will get a heavy dose of Permethrin Fabric Treatment. Citronella candles worked when it wasn't windy. Costco solar-charged bug zappers worked great.
17. Fairy lights are great for adding ambiance to evening camp activities. We had great success with cheap USB light strings from Amazon. I need to install a few external USB ports on the camper to power the lights.
18. Baja is very safe - we've never felt threatened. I feel just as safe camping in the Baja boonies as in dispersed locations in Oregon. Mexicans are very friendly, helpful, and generally happy. A smile goes a long way down here!
19. Roads can be a challenge for larger rigs. Mainly because the roads do not have shoulders, the curves are tight, and turns are not banked like we're often used to stateside. The lanes look as wide as the highways in the states, but the shoulders are soft, non-existent, or dangerous drop-offs. On-coming 18-wheelers fill their entire lane. Around bends in the road, their trailers can be in your lane. Mexicans love to go faster than you and will pass if they can, even the 18-wheelers. I pull over and slow down and let them pass. If a rig you're following is slow and has a left blinker on, that means they are giving you the signal it's safe to pass them - but only pass if you think it's safe; otherwise, back off.
20. Road damage from rain takes a while to repair, and the road shoulders are easily washed out from the rain. Flagging for damaged roads is minimal and one of the only two reasons you don't drive at night: road damage and free-range cattle/horses/donkeys/goats. Otherwise, it's assumed you are a good enough driver to drive safely.
21. Prescription drugs are cheaper in Mexico than in the United States. Visits to the doctor are less expensive as well. I'm very fortunate to have good health insurance in the US. I wanted to research healthcare costs and process differences between the US and Mexico. Several of the medications I purchased did not need prescriptions. Mexico would be a great place to retire with its lower cost of living and decent health care.
22. I have yet to find good coffee beans. The Marino Cafe Puro beans can be found in every grocery and are OK.
23. Learn some Spanish! My wife can speak enough that we got by OK. But I missed a lot of opportunities to chat with folks and enjoy the people. I picked up some Spanish just by hearing it all the time. Emersion in a Spanish-speaking culture would go a long way to learning the language.
24. All the towns we visited and places we camped were a mix of locals and tourists. In the dispersed areas, we met a few locals - ranchers or fishers - in passing. No place really felt "tourist". No McDonald's and no Starbucks. Mexican families were eating at the same restaurants we ate at, visiting the same beaches, and shopping at the same grocery.
I'll add more to this list if I recall anything useful to the group.
Finally, if you have thought about going to Baja, you should; it's easy and fun. It was a stress-free, warm adventure!!
Tod Gru
do u vent it out the tie down access hole?
