Add-on 2: Exploring Todos Santos and Turtle release at Playa las Tunas
Todos Santos, which lies about 1h north of Cabo San Lucas, is a popular day trip destination. It is a nice authentic Mexican town and popular with people who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Los Cabos area.
With a few exceptions, most of the beaches in Todos Santos are not safe for swimming, due to strong waves and dangerous undercurrents. But we will visit Playa Los Cerritos, which has a designated swimming area.
We will take a self-guided walking tour of downtown Todos Santos, then relax and eat lunch at Playa Los Cerritos and witness a turtle release at Playa las Tunas right after sunset.
Today, most of the driving will be on paved roads, except for a few miles on high-quality compacted dirt roads that are suitable for all types of cars.
If you don’t want to drive back to Los Cabos in the dark, or if you plan to continue on to e.g. La Paz tomorrow, then you can stay in Todos Santos overnight.
Where to stay in Todos Santos
Todos Santos has lots of hotels and Airbnbs. Here is what is available during your visit:
We really enjoyed staying at hotel Olas de Cerritos near Playa Los Cerritos.
Here is our review:
Hotel Olas de Cerritos near Todos Santos
Olas de Cerritos is a green oasis in the surrounding semi desert. The hotel is located off a dusty compacted dirt road and, when you enter the gate, everything changes.
You see the pool and well-cared for hotel grounds surrounded by the beautifully designed hotel buildings.
To get to the hotel you should use a GPC to ensure that you don’t miss the exit off Highway 19. Once you exit the paved highway, you will need to drive on a dusty but good quality compacted dirt road for about 1 mile (1.7 km).
There is parking inside the property.
The rooms with a small kitchen are of good size, even though the restroom is small.
Pots and pans are supplied on request.
The A/C is quiet and efficient and wifi is fast.
Breakfast is a la carte, and prepared while you wait. You select 1 of 3 choices. Be aware that portions are comparably small, but there is plenty of coffee and tea.
The hotel staff is very nice, but some only speak little English – the receptionist, however, speaks excellent English.
The hotel provides beach umbrellas and beach chairs. It is an easy 950 ft (282 m) walk away from Playa Los Cerritos / Cerritos Beach.
Self-guided Todos Santos walking tour
The historic downtown area of Todos Santos which is of interest to tourists is comparably small.
Start your self-guided walking tour of Todos Santo at Hotel California. This is one of the busiest areas of Todos Santos and you may only find a parking spot a few blocks away. That is OK, the area is mostly flat and it will be an easy walk.
Hotel California
Hotel California is the busiest tourist attraction in Todos Santos. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with the famous 1976 Eagles song as the band’s lead singer, Don Henley, has stated in the past. The hotel was even sued by the band for false association with their song.
But that has not stopped Hotel California from capitalizing on its name. The hotel sells t-shirts and other memorabilia, and their restaurant seems to constantly be crowded with tourists wanting to dine in or just having a cup of coffee at Hotel California.
And yes, the hotel has designated check-in and checkout times and you can leave the hotel!
Cielito Lindo Market
Cielito Lindo Market has two entrances: one is directly to the right (northeast) of Hotel California on Calle Benito Juarez, and the second is directly left (southwest) of Iglesia Mision Todos Santos on Manuel Marquez de Leon.
Todos Santos has lots of souvenir and handicraft stores in its downtown area - Cielito Lindo Market is a dedicated and enclosed market for souvenir and handicraft vendors.
Iglesia Mision Todos Santos
The site where this mission was founded was selected and named “Todos Santos” (All Saints) by Father Jaime Bravo from Misión de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz Airapí in 1723 or 1724. The site was selected as a favorable place to convert the local Pericue lndians and for its beneficial climate, soil, and fresh water to support agriculture.
Corn and sugar cane were among the most important crops that were cultivated here, and over time, Todos Santos became one of the main providers of Mission of Nuestra Senora del PiIar in La Paz.
In 1733 the mission became the Mission of Santa Rosa de Todos Santos and father Segismundo Taraval was appointed the resident missionary.
The Jesuit's attempt to outlaw polygamy led to a revolt of the Pericue and some other Indian bands in southern Baja California in 1734 and 1735. Father Taraval escaped the destruction of the mission.
A large force of Spanish and Indian military from the mainland was able to mostly suppress the rebellion, and the Todos Santos mission was reestablished in 1737 under Jesuit Bernardo Zumziel.
In 1748 the hostile native non-converted Indians were mostly extinct due to diseases and military action, and the hostilities stopped.
The diseases that the Spaniards imported kept wreaking havoc in the Spaniard-friendly converted native Indian population at the Santa Rosa mission, and in 1768, its population was too low to support its agriculture.
The Santa Rosa mission was helped by the Franciscans who sent 746 semi-nomadic native Indians, but within a year 300 of them died in an epidemic of measles, and others ran away. The population continued to dwindle and in 1825 the mission was closed.
The church was later reopened under the name Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Todos Santos.
The building has undergone several renovations and expansions over the years, namely in 1786, which have altered how the original church looked like.
Letras Todos Santos
Located in a small plaza on the northeastern side of Iglesia Mision Todos Santos is the Todos Santos Sign (Letras Todos Santos) which provides a good opportunity for some nice photos, not just of the sign, but with the wings that are painted on the wall, and the valley.
Plaza Centro
Plaza Centro is an almost typical Mexican central plaza, which is mostly deserted during the heat of the day, but comes alive in the evenings. It has a church (Iglesia Mision Todos Santos) on one side and a government building on another.
Unlike many other central plazas, the gazebo (kiosco) is built on an elevated platform on one end of the plaza.
Avenida Legaspy
Avenida Legaspy from Iglesia Mision Todos Santos to Avenida Gral Topete is filled with colorful buildings and stores.
Walk along the street and stop at the small plaza on the left (northwest) between Teatro Gral. Manuel Marquez de Leon and Besame Mucho Bazar.
And then continue northwards to admire the murals painted on the government building to your right.
More streets to explore in Todos Santos
You are now getting towards the end of your self-guided walking tour of Todos Santos.
We like to encourage you to keep walking around and explore the myriads of small art galleries and stores that can be found here.
The nicest areas are the parts that are marked in red on the map below.
Playa Los Cerritos / Cerritos Beach
Located in the small village of Pescadero south of Todos Santos, Playa Los Cerritos is the best swimmable beach in the Todos Santos area.
Make sure to use a GPS to ensure that you don’t miss the highway exit, and that you find your way to the beach. Once you get off Highway 19, you will need to drive the last 1.2 miles (2 km) on a compacted dirt road which has several forks and very few signs.
The beach is a popular surfing spot, so if you are planning to swim, make sure to stay far away from the surfers.
The yellow building that you see at the northern end of the beach is the former luxury hotel Hacienda Cerritos / Cerritos Beach Resort.
With Barracuda Cantina and Big Fun Beach Club, Playa Los Cerritos has two good beach restaurants for lunch.
If you want, you can rent an umbrella and beach chairs to make your stay more comfortable and provide some shade, as there are no trees that could provide shade.
Tortugueros Las Playacita - Baby Sea Turtle Release at Playa las Tunas
To get to the Baby Sea Turtle Release site on Playa las Tunas north of Todos Santos, follow the directions from your GPS to Tortugueros Las Playacita. When you get close to the beach (Playa las Tunas), the compacted dirt road (Camino International) makes a sharp left. Follow the road for about 400 ft (120 m) until you see boulders to your right that block vehicle access to the beach (Playa las Tunas). Find a parking spot here and walk on the beach. Once you pass the dunes, you will see what looks like a greenhouse to your right. This is where the turtle release starts.
Come here 30min before sunset, so that you can take a guided tour of the greenhouse (which protects the eggs and hatchlings and controls the temperature) and see the baby turtles that will be released.
At the time of writing, baby turtle releases happen right after sunset:
every day from December 8 until Jan 30 around 5pm
most days in February around 6pm
sporadically during March around 6pm
Admission is free, but you can donate or buy one of their shirts to provide financial support.
Please don’t touch the baby turtles. You can take as many photos and videos as you like, but touching them is forbidden.
When everyone lines up near the water for the baby turtle release, don’t cross the line to avoid stepping on the baby turtles.
It will be dark when the release is over, so be prepared to drive in the dark.
Please be advised that it is not safe to swim at Playa las Tunas. You can definitely come here hours before the baby turtle release to sunbathe, enjoy the tranquility, or to have fun in the sun, but swimming is not allowed.
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Author: Rudy at Backpack and Snorkel
Bio: Owner of Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides. We create in-depth guides to help you plan unforgettable vacations around the world.
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