"This archipelago off the coast of La Paz (which takes the name of the main island) is a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. While the islands are uninhabited by humans save for a small fishing camp made of temporary structures, they’re home to a great variety of flora and fauna. In addition to dolphins, frigate birds, and ring-tailed cats, you’ll find the only known black jackrabbit population in the world. Celebrated eco-friendly activities company Cabo Expeditions leads daylong archipelago tours that include exploring the mesmerizing volcanic landscape, a ceviche lunch, and an opportunity to swim on Ensenada Grande Beach—often cited as one of the world’s most beautiful—plus guided snorkeling with the incredibly playful pups at the Los Islotes sea lion colony."

"The one-hour drive from Cabo San Lucas to Todos Santos is dotted with tempting detours. Chief among them is Playa Cerritos, one of the few Pacific-side beaches safe for swimming. Of course, it’s not the swimming conditions that attract legions of surfers each year, but the wonderful swells and breaks, which invariably make for an excellent outing on the waves. You can rent a board or sign up for lessons at Mario Surf School, and otherwise there’s plenty to support a day at the beach. Grab a bite at the Cerritos Beach Club, pick up a trinket or two from one of the local artisans, and treat yourself to a shoreline horseback ride or an oceanfront massage."

"Capital of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, La Paz is an eco-tourist magnet, surrounded by protected islands in the Sea of Cortes, white sand beaches with rich birdlife, and seas teeming with fish and mammals. The area used to be a pearl diving center till the 1930s and compared with Cabo and other nearby areas, it still feels a bit sleepy, but in a good way. Stroll along the palm-fringed three-and-a-half mile Malecon that runs from the Marina de la Paz in the south to Playa Coromuel in the north. Local artists sell their wares along this boardwalk and you can meet whale-watching operators and surf instructors as well as fellow kayakers, hikers, bikers, and divers too. La Paz also has a beautiful colonial cathedral and a fascinating little reptile museum and conservation center (El Serpentario de la Paz) that is staffed completely by volunteers who are striving to protect local reptiles and other species. See your lizards and snakes up close here rather than in the wild. Safer for you and them! In partnership with Adventure Travel Trade Association"

"Todos Santos A celebrated artists' colony an hour north of Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos was named a Pueblo Mágico by the Mexican government in 2006 because of its natural beauty, historical relevance, and cultural riches. These riches are on display in artisan shops and artist-operated galleries that dot the former sugar town. Among the artists with studios or galleries in Todos Santos: Tori Sepulveda, Arturo Mendoza Elfeo, Jill Mollenhauer, and Michael Cope. There are several arts and music events throughout the year, including the annual Todos Santos Open Studio Tour each February, at which you can meet the artists in their studios and purchase their work. It’s also easy to do a one- or two-hour self-guided art walk through Todos Santos, including a stop in the charming if misleading Hotel California; the property is not the one featured in The Eagles’ hit song."

"Red Travel Mexico Red Travel Mexico was not named after the color but after the Spanish word for a fisherman's net. The company, which is a hybrid of tour company and non-profit eco-resource and which has gotten high marks for its community based work, operates a sea turtle conservation project in Baja's Magdalena Bay. Travelers get to trek out to remote beach areas and work with local eco experts finding, tagging, and studying the turtles. Sleep is under the stars or in pitched tents while toilets are eco-friendly. Trips include meals, along with a celebratory margarita after a long day of sea turtle work, and travelers get to meet local wildlife experts and, of course, the sea turtles themselves. In partnership with Adventure Travel Trade Association"

"Magdalena Bay, the largest bay in Baja California Sur, sits near La Paz and is a seasonal haven for the gray whale. Gray whales, which reach up to about 50 feet in length and can live about 70 years in the wild, travel here in the winter to mate. A common sight in the waters off a whale-watching vessel is a mother gray with her calf—an encounter that travelers will never forget. Most of the whale watching tours are run by fishermen who ply their regular trade in other seasons and whose families have been making a living from the sea for generations, although the focus of their work has shifted today towards conserving the sea's resources rather than exploiting them. While the whales are the stars of the show at Magdalena Bay, the area’s beautiful and wild mangrove swamps are also winter homes for migrating birds like Brant geese and about 100 other species. The area also has a burgeoning eco-tourist industry aiming to transform the area into a hub for sea-turtle conservation. In partnership with Adventure Travel Trade Association"

"The clear, clean warm waters of the San Ignacio Lagoon are the nursery grounds for gray whale pods and their newborn calves. The whales arrive here every winter after migrating for over 10,000 miles from their Arctic feeding grounds, give birth, and nurse their calves in these relatively pollution-free waters. Recently, a large industrial project by Mitsubishi that threatened the lagoon was successfully turned back by conservationists. The area was designated a Biosphere Reserve/World Heritage Site by the Mexican government in 1988, but the long-term survival of this rare, undisturbed whale breeding and nursing site may depend on the advocacy of environmentally aware travelers determined to defend the lagoon after having visited it. In partnership with Adventure Travel Trade Association"