La Paz, Mexico

Like Los Cabos, La Paz is growing at breakneck speed. Its malecón (waterfront promenade) now spans over 3.5 miles along the tranquil Bay of La Paz, separating alternating stretches of sand and seawall from the growing city behind it. Although this isn't a beach destination in the same sense Cabo San Lucas is (good beaches are several miles away), the sea is still the main attraction. About 4.5 miles offshore, the barren, uninhabited Isla Espíritu Santo is one of the world's great kayaking destinations. Sport fishing is fantastic year round. Dive operators offer snorkeling and dive trips and, between January and April, ...

Like Los Cabos, La Paz is growing at breakneck speed. Its malecón (waterfront promenade) now spans over 3.5 miles along the tranquil Bay of La Paz, separating alternating stretches of sand and seawall from the growing city behind it. Although this isn't a beach destination in the same sense Cabo San Lucas is (good beaches are several miles away), the sea is still the main attraction. About 4.5 miles offshore, the barren, uninhabited Isla Espíritu Santo is one of the world's great kayaking destinations. Sport fishing is fantastic year round. Dive operators offer snorkeling and dive trips and, between January and April, take passengers whale watching out on the bay. At the end of the day, when the sun throws its fiery warm light across the glassy water and onto the city, you can wander the bustling streets of downtown La Paz and (unlike Cabo) feel like you're actually in Mexico; although colonial buildings are nil, so are the chain hotels and hordes of tourists that define Los Cabos, 2.5 hours south. And the outdoor taquerías and family-run restaurants are popular with tourists but far from touristy. Think of it as the perfect alternative to – or addition to – those booming resorts to the south.

About the Expert

Danny Palmerlee is the main author of numerous Lonely Planet travel guides, including Ecuador, Argentina, South America on a Shoestring, and Pacific Northwest Trips.