With the United States now, more than six months after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, we have become accustomed to the new normal. We are adapting the way we paint and learn, socialize with our friends and family circle and, yes, we even travel.
According to a study conducted through tourism marketing company MMGY Global, this fall deserves to see some boom, given the growing popularity of remote work and education, as well as a long-repressed preference for roadside after months. Approximately 64% of readers plan to take a recreational vacation lately in the next six months. use any of your paid annual leave.
As the list of destinations for Americans continues to change, many travelers look south of the border, where U. S. citizens are allowed since June. In particular, many head to Los Cabos. The west coast destination is very popular with Americans. representing 90% of its more than 3 million tourists annually. Visitors to Cabo are also loyal: 70% of tourists are normal consumers and 20% are at least 4 times a year.
So who’s visiting now, and how’s a global pandemic going there?Here’s what you want to know about making plans for a vacation in Los Cabos right now.
At the time of publication, Los Cabos had 183 active instances of COVID-19 and, according to the New York Times, the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, where Los Cabos is located, has registered a total of 9033 instances since the beginning of (compared to the title, Florida recorded a total of 665,722 cases). COVID is obviously a threat in Cabo, but fate is cautious and we have decided to keep this number low.
On March 15, the local Chamber of Commerce, consisting of hotels, developers, architects, engineers, shipping professionals, etc. , met to discuss the situation, at this stage there were less than a hundred instances displayed in Mexico. made a decision as a destination, apart from state or country decisions, to close completely on April 1. It was closed again until June 15. For a destination whose main industry is tourism (the local economy), this has had significant significance Although Baja California Sur is the smallest population at the time between the states of Mexico, it suffered the greatest loss of tasks during the pandemic, surpassed only by Quintana Roo, which is home to Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
“Having our destination absolutely closed for the first time without a known reopening date is horrible,” said María del Pilar Buendana, head of education and quality at Viceroy Los Cabos. two months. “
Meanwhile, many hotels have done their best for their workers.
Gabriel Ibarra Macías, sales and marketing director at Mexico Grand Hotels in Los Cabos, said he and other executive workers had agreed to pay cuts to help offset the number of lower-level workers whose jobs would be affected. “We looked for them to be to stay and come back, ” he said.
Meanwhile, the personal sector was running fast and struggling to find a viable reopening solution. “Normally, it’s the government that combines and puts protection and fitness protocols in position, and local businesses will have to comply to reopen,” he said. Rodrigo Esponda, General Manager of the Los Cabos Tourism Board. “Here was quite the opposite. Companies like Marriott, IHG, Hilton and others have been looking for which hotels they want to reopen safely. Restaurants did the same. They then went to government, and the government made it mandatory for the personal sector to comply with the regulated.
They developed a five-phase strategic plan, contrary to the federal government’s three-phase plan. Los Cabos has remained in the first phase since June, meaning it can operate up to a maximum of 30% – in hotels, restaurants and other venues. An aptitude committee evaluates their weekly position and, starting next week, they will move to phase 2, which will increase that number to 40%. Some might say, that is, some corporations that desperately need to reopen, that fate is also cautious, but the general consensus is that they will do everything in their power to ensure the protection of as many others as imaginable and safeguard their long-term livelihoods and livelihoods. hurry to reopen too quickly. ” The worst thing would be to have to close again, ” said Esponda.
“If there’s one thing to say about the other people who paint in Cabo, it’s how resilient we are,” Buendía said. “Neither a storm, a hurricane, or now even a pandemic can prevent us. We’re getting up faster than we thought, and we’ll be completely soon. “
Before COVID-19, a sunny weekend afternoon in the hot spot of school recess saw streets full of people and music; now, the desert the city turns out to be deserted, as if it were the only one (rather than its bosses) that fed the hangover with too many shots of tequila.
More than two-thirds of the windows are closed and the open ones only give space to a maximum of one handful. A football game plays on the TVs in every open bar we spend. Some have small teams of tourists looking at the bar or have a drink at the outside tables. Others have only one or two local fans.
Following the advice of our taxi driver, we stop at Tacos Guss, a gap in the locals’ favorite wall, for a snack and a bloodless beer. The cash-only menu offers delicious tacos at MXN $25 (approximately $1 USD). smaller orders are served with a giant tray of dressings and six bowls of sauce, all covered with plastic.
Then we head to Cabo Wabo Cantina, a status quo owned by Sammy Hagar de Van Halen and certainly one of the most productive places in the center of Cabo San Lucas. A couple at the outdoor bar upstairs; 4 couples on the floor of the floor, outdoor bar; After we refused to come down, the dining room host looked forward to return that night, when there would be live music on the appointed stage. Although tempting, I’m not comfortable enough with the concept of visiting a popular bar at night.
Instead, we head to El Farallón, a place to eat by the cliff in Pedregal, an exclusive domain of Cabo San Lucas, to watch the sunset over the water. A personal champagne tasting and a skillfully ready day fishing is a sumptuous cleanser for the dusty depression palace of a closed city.
Although there seems to be the same number of closed businesses, San José del Cabo has an absolutely different atmosphere than its sister city. Locals and tourists enjoy the warm weather of the night, with young people betting fortunately on the city square and couples walking hand in hand. through the narrow streets.
The Art Walk, a weekly outdoor exploration of the art galleries of San José del Cabo and one of the city’s main attractions, is unfortunately closed at this time of year, but there are still enough open galleries and craft department stores to quench the thirst of the creators. . I like the gallery of the Spanish artist Enrique Bascon and I talk about his oil portraits and his comedian drawings, as well as I appreciate the lighting fixtures made at home Turkish-Mexican in Olympos.
Dinner at Don Sánchez is an absolute must, where under the twinkling lights of your socially remote courtyard, you can enjoy a variety of dishes, all prepared with fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. There is an espresso to vegetarians, with a wide variety of meatless artistic options. Be sure to check your full wine list for local bottles you’ve been carrying lately; Los Cabos offers the world’s largest variety of small production Mexican wines.
Road trips are fashionable right now, and it’s imaginable to get to Los Cabos. It’s a bit of a hike, though, just 1,000 miles from Tijuana and about 24 hours’ drive from San Diego. If you’re ready, Baja California Sur has some amazing surfing destinations where you can avoid the road on Federal Highway 1, which connects to Interstate Five in the United States.
If you prefer to fly, rest a safety that there are several options, since August there have been daily direct flights to Los Cabos International Airport in American, Alaska, Delta, Southwest and United from Los Angeles, Dallas, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose (CA), San Francisco and Houston, as well as weekly flights from Chicago and Charlotte. Starting November 14, the East Coast will be more connected, with a direct flight twice a week from New York on Eastern Airlines.
I flew from the northeastern United States, which regularly has terrible features to reach mexico’s west coast off-season. Despite betting on dates and times and booking well in advance, any flight with connections of less than 10 hours charged about $800 Instead, I booked two separate aeromexico tickets: from New York to Mexico City, then from Mexico City to Los Cabos, and ended up paying just over the part of the value originally indicated. East Airlines announces that its launch fee will be $200 on circular holidays for the aforementioned flight.
It is also imaginable to fly personally, for those in cabo’s luxury market looking for an additional safety point when traveling during a pandemic. The main foreign airport of San José del Cabo and the smallest foreign airport in Cabo San Lucas was made up of personal or charter aircraft, the latter experienced very few interruptions in service, even during the pandemic, while last June, flights to San Jose del Cabo airport (where all advertising aircraft arrive) dropped by 80% compared to last year , Cabo San Lucas The figures fell by only 4%. Some luxury hotels are even offering deals with spouse airlines, such as waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal’s personal passport in Pedregal special with Schubach Aviation from SoCal, which can serve teams from 4 to 8 others across the United States.
For everyone, spotting planes can be a fun activity, as locals get familiar with the personal jets of prominent visitors. As I was picked up on arrival, for example, my driving force pointed to a sublime black jet stationed on the track, noting that it belonged to boxing champion Floyd Mayweather.
Most los Cabos hotels and tour operators offer seamless public and personal transfers to and from the airport, its hotel and the city centre, and this is the simplest (and cheapest) option.
Although this is a more expensive option, I propose that I attach myself to personal movements at this time: the only public movement I made with an excursion operator did not require (or impose) the use of masks, and I was uncomfortable being close to others in a closed van. I trusted Transcabo to move from one position to another. Each trip was comfortable, safe and presented the right service.
Ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft are offered in Cabo, but are not recommended. You cannot take them to the airport (drivers do not have a permit required to pick up passengers in the area). Your most productive bet is to set before you travel, but if you plan to use a local taxi, be sure to specify the amount before you travel, as there is no meter.
When it comes to accommodation in Los Cabos, you can choose between a hotel and a personal rental. A combination of the two – exclusive personal accommodation located between normal rooms, with access to all the comforts of the resort – has been a trend in development in Los Cabos. Capes, and it’s a very valuable option now. Cautious travelers may agree that the supplement values the safety and tranquility of having their own cleaning space.
Located on a hill overlooking the sea, the rock formations of Land’s End and the surrounding villages, Encantada Hacienda Apartments will offer two-bedroom villas and three- to four-bedroom own houses in an adorable enclosed property domain. the apartments are adorned with their own infinity pools (with pool bar), jacuzzis, hammocks, fireplaces and grills. A non-public butler must be available to satisfy all your whims, from coordinating transfers to booking dinner.
You’ll also need to go to the rest of the resort, adding the rooftop infinity pool at Vista Encantada Spa Resort
Those who need the same point of privacy, but closer to the action, deserve to stop at the multi-bedroom cottages, villas and private houses of the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas. at the 30% capacity limit and have even had to reject potential consumers during peak hours, such as July 4), the hotel has recently created extended stay packages. Guests can benefit from a 30% reduction for a stay of at least seven days, or a full week off for a remaining month. They will also offer a distance learning program in Spanish Baja Cultural Immersion for children, which includes categories of Spanish, wellness categories with activities such as tennis and yoga, and local cultural explorations.
Those who do not have children or are looking for a shorter stay can still enjoy the sumptuous privacy: each room has its own outdoor terrace and plunge pool, and private concierges are available to help you 24 hours a day. .
Marquis Los Cabos, an all-inclusive adults-only property, includes 3 infinity pools, as well as laughter music and lawn games such as horseshoes and cornholes. A friendly waiter, Arturo, temporarily learned my call and drinks preferences, and continued to refresh my drink the day without me having to order. And in the evening, the live music of an experienced saxophonist accompanied a delicious dinner under the stars.
At a higher value is the sumptuous Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos. Perhaps the most impressive feature of the assets is its perfect food and beverage service. Eight restaurants remain open on site, all require advance reservations (which can be made smoothly through your non-public concierge) to reduce the number of people dining at the same time.
It soon became transparent that Le Blanc has a very unwavering fan base. “Customers started booking their stay until the moment we reopened,” an employee said. At the aisle bar, I heard one woguy say to another, “This is my twelfth day here. “And at the spa, when I showed him the location of the hot tub, I heard a guy say, “I got it!I’ve been here five weeks.
Wet and humid environments are possible breeding ground for the virus, so if you need a spa, it is vital to do your studies on cleaning and hygiene policies.
One of the best, according to Travel Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, is the Waldorf Astoria Spa, which lately is open for treatments, as well as offering its foot cleaning ritual with special herbs.
Therapists wear masks and clients receive a disposable, lightweight, ventilated mask to use their remedies. Apart from the treatment rooms, the only additional appliance open lately is the personal outdoor pool. During the 40 minutes I was sitting in the sun, I had plenty of room for myself.
I had a similar delight in Miracle Spa, I was told that the mask was optional (for me, not for the staff), so I took mine off. I spent a lot of time in the jacuzzi (other hydrotherapy items, such as the sauna and steam room, were closed) and in the majestic outdoor pool, where I was absolutely alone.
Things were different in White Spa, albeit very regulated. The spa is only open to resort visitors, and everyone has free access to hydrotherapy amenities, whether or not they buy treatment. Reservations are required in advance and each guest is assigned a public non-concierge to advise them through the steps. It’s about managing other people’s flow and making sure only two or three people use one installation at a time. The amenities seemed blank and well taken care of, although the lack of mask among visitors (which are not required anywhere in the complex) in the conversion rooms and fully interior bathrooms was noteworthy.
Many establishments are closed in Los Cabos, but some features are open and available.
The Cabo Luxury Sunset Sailing tour with Cabo Adventures brings you closer to Land’s End, a must-see charm for many, and offers the perfect sunset prospects from the Sea of Cortez. Couples of guests have express places to sit on the sailboat to make some distance although they have not been two meters away, due to the open bar and snacks provided , the use of the mask was also not required.
Los Tamarindos is a beautiful biological farm and a place to eat on the outskirts of San José del Cabo. Its categories of artisanal cuisine will allow you to harvest your own vegetables and herbs from the farm, and then advise you on preparing your own four-course meal. . If you’re dining on site, try any dish or cocktail made with new mangoes.
The French explorer Jacques Cousteau called the Sea of Cortez “the aquarium of the world,” because of the impressive array of marine life found below the surface. See for yourself on a dive or snorkel with Cabo Pulmo Diving. Our dive instructor, Pilu, took us to an amazing dive site called El Vencedor, which is home to a dozen friendly sharks.
Gary Jeffrey of Denver and Michael Obrochta of Chicago have been friends since years of training and in combination every few months for diving. The Capes were their first vacation – they went to Cabo Pulmo in particular to see the sharks – from the beginning of both said they were “excited and relieved” that even though each and every object was back in the water, and they chose to come to Cabo because it was a destination they had already visited and loved , and because it was the first open position for them. . They said it was two of the six tourists in total who stayed in the city that week, and the only two in their accommodation. “We had the whole reef for us,” Jeffrey said.