Mulege — Destination Guide: Overview

Mulegé has an envious location, with enough scuba diving, kayaking, hiking, and mountain biking opportunities in its vicinity to drive any outdoor fanatic absolutely nuts. The town itself has somehow managed to resist the intense growth experienced by other Baja towns and consists of dusty, single-story adobe buildings, narrow streets, and a wee central plaza, complete with a taco stand or two (depending on the local entrepreneurial climate). The warm-water scuba diving is some of the best in the world, but the town still only has a single (but excellent) dive operator. Perfect. Inland, hikers can explore the rugged Sierra de San ...

Mulegé has an envious location, with enough scuba diving, kayaking, hiking, and mountain biking opportunities in its vicinity to drive any outdoor fanatic absolutely nuts. The town itself has somehow managed to resist the intense growth experienced by other Baja towns and consists of dusty, single-story adobe buildings, narrow streets, and a wee central plaza, complete with a taco stand or two (depending on the local entrepreneurial climate). The warm-water scuba diving is some of the best in the world, but the town still only has a single (but excellent) dive operator. Perfect. Inland, hikers can explore the rugged Sierra de San Francisco and the spectacular Cañón La Trinidad. And a short drive south of town brings you to the outdoor playground of Bahía Concepción, with some of the best diving and kayaking on the entire Baja peninsula. Mulegé was founded in 1705 and its mission, completed in 1766, is one of the best preserved in Baja. To top it all off, Mulegé is consistently bathed in a warm, subtropical air, which makes those afternoon cervezas taste that much better.

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.