LaVentana Mexico.... the incredible baja.. yes you can drink the water and also this is a very safe area of Mexico the 1000 mile drive makes it so. Kind of hard to commit a big crime and drive away 1000 miles. In fact LaPaz for our big city is rated in the top safest cities in north america.

OK even safer is LaVentana a town of 600 that grows to 2,000 in the winter as the Canadians and Americans and a few Germans arrive. We are 30 Miles south of LaPaz population about 300k. This place was discovered by windsurfers about 25 years ago. It is now considered one of the best places to get a kite fix in the winter in North America. For various reasons, temp, winter is about 72-78 F day with 3 days of rain a year, so 362 days of sun. Next consistent wind, we rarely have gusty conditions, wind is side shore, wind blows to the bottom of the bay so if you have equipment failure you do not end up in Panama. We have wave spots for advanced people and it is a great place for beginners because of the catch all end of the bay. Water temp to me is cold, 70 degrees so I wear a shorty. Some kite in shorts with rash shirt. For beginners and intermediate or those who hate cold I recommend a full 3/2. Some years we have 30 days straight on the water. The season is November to May. There are two airports (LAP) LaPaz and Cabo (CSL), Cabo is the one with many airlines and many flights. There are buses from cabo and private vans that bring many here. There is gear rental in the area.

hey Dean,
do you have a place down there? Don't recognize it from your photos....

Marina, obviously you have been to LaVentana before.

That is not my place. It is a friends, if anyone wants information on it they will need to contact me directly as the forum rules state I am not to post commercial links, I have no financial interest in that property what so ever. He is just a neighbor that has asked me to help him since he does not speak english. Imagine that he the owner does not speak english in Mexico. He is about 5 properties North of me.

Since you have been here I live 2 properties north of the campground.

And for those who do not know there is a very large low cost campground, that I also have no commercial involvement in. It is in the "golden mile" of prime kiting area. the cost of camping there which has nice bathrooms with showers(no hot water) is beachfront about USD$10.00 for a site. And if not beachfront about $6.00. you can imagine many are there for 5-6 months.

The first camper for the winter season just showed up yesterday. Also for those who are really poor and can go without showers there is a arroyo area to the north of that not large but many camp there for the entire season for free. there are several fruit and vegi trucks that come through and stop at the campground 2 or so times a week as well as mini store and several restaurants within 2-10 minute walks.

Food is very low cost at restaurants, a 7 dollar meal is very common. Cervasa is about USD$1.50. Fresh fish caught that day is 3 minute walk for about $6-8 a kilo. Or 30 minute walk to buy from the 22 yo cutie... that includes mahi mahi and yellow fin tuna steaks. Shrimp is not cheap at about $10.00 a kilo. catch your own octopus right in front, if you can see them. Saw one yesterday, they just blend in so well.

I have a lot of information about our area at my non-profit site just area information, it is a bit overwhelming for people who do not live here to follow,. at www.la-ventana.info my home is the .com of the same and that s the best way to contact me if you need more information..

For those looking for property, non beachfront is very low cost and building is about $100.00 a square foot on up.

we have a kite competition/charity event end of January where you can demo many kites.

"We have wave spots for advanced people"....

What are the wave spots like? I've always had an eye on baja but didn't think the waves were that great there. Are the waves consistent for surfing and wave kiting?

I like the idea of camping too, didn't realise that was available.

Is it advisable to hire/buy a car if i'm coming long-term? Coming from the uk i'm thinking about flying into LAX and making my way down via San Diego. Any advice welcome. Thanks

Baja has waves!

have a look here:

http://locations.splocs.com/kitesurf/re ... ornia.html

http://locations.splocs.com/surf/region ... ornia.html

There are two places for the waves here, one if a el norte (pressure gradient) hits it is all over. and if just big winds between my property and my friends. And in the very south part of the bay there are almost always decent waves. Just unforgiving on the south side because it is on shore. For surfing, you do have to go to Todos Santos, a 1 hour drive to the pacific side. The surf at Cerritos beach brings people down in droves.

If you are coming from other than North America, here is what I will do, feel free to come to my place for one night in a room for free to get yourself adjusted. and feel free to camp on my property for a few days also for free with hot showers till you decide what you have gotten yourself into.

Probably the lowest cost is to fly to LAX, then just take a bus directly from there (many available) directly to the border. At the border cross and either take a bus (they are nice) for 24 hour ride and $120.00 and they leave about 5 times a day so no reservation needed. Or fly direct from Tijuana to LaPaz via Volaris airline once a day for about $200.00 with gear. I have their link on my .info website You must get a visa right at the border for $30.00. as you cross by foot right as you enter on the right is the immigration office. USA$ dollars can be used all throughout baja, but it will be a bad exchange rate except in major grocery stores.

You do not need a car here... and they are expensive, they are real cheap online till you arrive and tell you you must have insurance and that costs double the car rental. But as I said unless you go the the pacific side you do not need a car. We have a local bus that goes to the big town, LaPaz 2 times a day, (usually). and plenty of low cost places to eat, a bakery right next to the campground. Mexican Eggs for breakfast is about $4.00. and as I said fresh fish to be bought and vegi truck several times a week. and a mini-super a block away all over town that has beer and foodstuff.

This town does shut down at 8-9pm. there is no nightlife other than a campfire here or there and any campfire is open to anyone and all. There are a few bars, but seems even the college kids can not handle the sun/wind/ kiting all day. Oh, there is beach volleyball for different levels at the campground every morning.

Also in the summer there is a place called San Carlos in Baja Norte on the pacific side about 5-7 hours south of the USA that is epic wave and wind. The unpaved road there is very rough and it is isolated.

a was thinking, if you are a long term-er and camping, here is what I would do. there are very few camping items that can be bought in LaPaz. and quality is not good.

Fly to LAX rent a car in USA as it is cheap with drop off San Diego. Go to REI or lower cost Sports Authority in CA buy your camping stuff. Drive to the border with your stuff, park the car at a border lot about $5.00 (go to otay mesa crossing). As you walk across the border, Get your immigration visa, with your stuff take a taxi to the bus station, ship that stuff to LaPaz, very reasonable price. go back to the usa where your car is take the car to the San Diego airport for drop off. At the airport there is a bus for Volaris airlines in TJ. when you book your airline ticket, also book that bus.

when you are leaving at the end of the season sell all the stuff, only the tent will be beat by the wind and not sellable. You must buy a decent tent, the cheap ones do not last a season here. should get about 1/2 on all items in good shape.

here is a link to some pics of the waves in laventana.

http://www.ikitesurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16650

also if you do come, buy a cheap cell phone at radio shack, a ATT go phone. Get a USD$30.00 one and you get $30.00 worth of credit. it works in USA and mexico and it pay as you go. only ATT works in our town. and you can add minutes online. lots of internet places here free at the coffee breakfast places..

here is you tube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxP3Ww7f_Xg

here are some pictures of the baja in the last week. northern baja. this is primitive free camping and is about 10 hours from the border. Punta San Carlos blows for the next month and picks up again sprint all through summer. this is very typical wind wave action there.

where I am is LaVentana and kiters have been out the last i think 7 days straight. air temp today is 87 degrees.

http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23392