Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo may be the most populous towns–and tent-pole tourist 
destinations–of Los Cabos, but there’s much more to Baja California Sur’s southernmost municipality than merely these two places.
The Los Cabos municipality as a whole encompasses more than a dozen other communities that are well worth a visit, from Santiago and Miraflores to the small towns on the picturesque East Cape, a belly-shaped coastal arc that stretches over 70 miles from San Jose del Cabo to the Bay of Palms.
The East Cape has been much in the news of late thanks to the opening of the new Four Seasons Los Cabos at Costa Palmas (in La Ribera), an ambitious new luxury resort and residential development–complete with yacht marina and championship level golf course–headlined by one of the world’s foremost hospitality luxury brands.
But that’s hardly the only reason to visit this beautiful region. The small East Cape community of Cabo Pulmo, for example, boasts one of the largest living coral reefs in North America in its protected offshore marine park, as well as the highest concentration of sea life in the Sea of Cortez. The East Cape also offers, at least during winter months, world-class whale watching and windsports (windsurfing, kiteboarding and the like), the latter created by the strong El Norte winds that blow down the coast each year between mid-November and mid-March.
And the East Cape has a bit of culture too, which is shown off to good advantage in annual events celebrating arts, crafts, drama and cuisine. A number of these signature events, in fact, are happening soon; providing even more reasons to explore what we sometimes like to refer to as “the other side of Los Cabos.”
First up is the annual Baja Shakespeare Festival. For nearly 20 years, the small East Cape fishing town of Buenavista has welcomed visitors for fun-filled theater twists on cultural classics…often but not always Shakespeare. Last year’s selection, The Sea Princesa and the Frijole, was based on the classic Broadway hit, Once Upon a Mattress; the show that launched comedienne Carole Burnett’s career back in 1959. This year’s presentation is A Baja Chorus, a takeoff on the long-running Broadway musical, A Chorus Line. The highly anticipated production will be held during consecutive weeks at Hotel Buenavista Beach Resort (March 6th to 8th and 11th to 14th). Tickets are $20 each, or $400 pesos.
Next up is the East Cape Arts Festival, which since 1994 has been the best showcase for regional arts, crafts and East Cape culture. The 2020 edition is scheduled for March 15 at the Hotel Palmas de Cortez in Los Barriles, and in addition to creative arts and crafts–from paintings and pottery to clothing and blankets–regional music and dance will also be spotlighted, as will traditional Mexican food and drink.
Inland from the East Cape is the small town of Miraflores, which is notable for several reasons, including the unusual longevity of its residents and its annual summer harvest festival celebrating pitahayas. This succulent cactus fruit (from the prickly pear variety) was once the favorite food of the area’s indigenous inhabitants, the Pericues, and is still prized by modern Cabeños for both its taste and antioxidant qualities. The latter, in fact, may be why so many Miraflores residents seem to live past the century mark.
Nowadays, Miraflores is known as the foremost organic farming community in the Los Cabos municipality, the place the region’s best restaurants go to source their produce. It’s the perfect place, in other words, to host an organic food festival that focuses on the traditional cuisine and culture of Los Cabos. The annual Festival Sabores de Baja (sabores translates as tastes or flavors) will be hosted by Doña Pame Restaurante from noon to 5 p.m. on March 8th, and will feature live music from local performers.
For more information about events, activities and villa rentals in Los Cabos, call us TOLL FREE at 1-888-655-4548, visit www.LosCabosVillas.com , or email us at Info@LosCabosVillas.com.
Photo credit: Sabores de Baja
Upcoming Events Calendar
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Los Cabos Pro-Am Golf Tournament at Cabo del Sol – Jan. 12 – 16
Tropic of Cancer Concert Series in Todos Santos – Jan. 15 – 19
La Ventana Classic – Jan 16 – 20
Whale Watching Season – January through April 15th
February
Todos Santos Writers Workshop – Feb. 1 – 8
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27
Todos Santos Artists’ Open Studios Tour – Feb. 7 – 9
Los Cabos Half Marathon – Feb. 9
Biker Week Los Cabos – Feb. 13 – 17
San Jose del Cabo Jazz Weekend – Feb. 14 – 15
Rock Fest in Cabo San Lucas – Feb. 15
Carnaval in La Paz – Feb. 20 – 25
March
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Mar. 5, 12, 19, 26
Baja Shakespeare Festival – Mar. 6 – 8, 11 – 14
Sabores de Baja in Miraflores – Mar. 8
East Cape Arts Festival – Mar. 15
Todos Santos Film Festival – Mar. 26 – 29
El Triunfo Arts & Crafts Festival – Dates Not Yet Announced
April
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Apr. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Semana Santa – Apr. 5 – 11
NORRA Mexican 1000 – Apr. 17 – 24
Warren Hill’s Los Cabos Jazz Festival – April 30 – May 3
Gala de Danza at Viceroy Los Cabos – Dates Not Yet Announced
May
Warren Hill’s Los Cabos Jazz Festival – April 30 – May 3
485th Foundation Festival in La Paz – May 3 – 5
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – May 7, 14, 21, 28
El Dia de la Madre – May 10
Gastrovino Food & Wine Festival – Dates Not Yet Announced
White Party at ME Cabo/Blue Marlin Ibiza – Date Not Yet Announced
June
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – June 4, 11, 18, 25
7th Cabo Summer Slam/Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament – June 11 – 13
Los Cabos Open of Surf – Dates Not Yet Announced
Fiesta de la Musica in San Jose del Cabo – Date Not Yet Announced
24th Stars and Stripes Golf and Fishing Tournament – June 24 – 28
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