If you’re looking for a quiet, relaxed vibe where you can disconnect and enjoy the picturesque views, then Bahiá de Los Ángeles is for you.
About Bahiá de Los Ángeles
Bahiá de Los Ángeles (also known as BOLA or “Bay of Angels”) is a beautiful area of Baja, where the desert meets the sea. It is best known for its panoramic views, tranquil bay, and sport fishing. It isn’t an easy trek from San Felipe – about 5.5 hours – but well worth the effort. There are 16 islands that surround the bay, which provided some incredible wide-ranging views.
There is no cell service in BOLA.
What to Do in Bahiá de Los Ángeles
Relax and Enjoy the View
Honestly, it’s a great place to enjoy the lack of cell service and just be. We always give ourselves one or two days to stay here, and then end up staying for a week! Plus, at our recommended camp spot below, we always meet fellow travelers who become fast friends. Sometimes just hanging out is the way to go in Baja!
Paddleboard, Kayak or Take a Boat Tour
BOLA is a protected biosphere of almost 1,500 square miles. All 16 islands are part of the reserve and have a diverse and unique marine population which includes many endangered species like the whale shark, fin whales and five species of sea turtle. The azure-blue water is awesome for paddleboarding, and you can often see a variety of sea life!
Visit Playa La Gringa
One of our must-stops in BOLA is Playa La Gringa! Not only can you camp here if you don’t mind being exposed to the wind, but there is a fantastic short hike nearby called Punta La Gringa (which delivers on epic views), gorgeous waters to paddleboard or kayak, and TONS of sea shells to come through!
Where to Eat in Bahiá de Los Ángeles
China’s Place
If we’re being honest, we make the detour to BOLA mostly for China’s (“Chee-nah”) taco stand. Their fish and shrimp tacos are out of this world, and easily within our top two list of all Baja taco shops. It is simple food, but you’ll find yourself eating here a LOT. And don’t quote me on it, but usually once a week they make birria.
Siete Filos
At Campo Archelon (more on this campsite soon), my favorite place to hang out is Siete Filos, the café on site. YES – a café on site! For $50 pesos (just under $3), I could get a delicious latte con soya every morning. (Except on Wednesdays when the café is closed.) The café was always filled with great music, and you could order paninis, salads or one of their sweet treats. Siete Filos felt like a great communal space, and it’s where we met a lot of great travelers in Baja. There is WiFi too! It could be spotty if there were others trying to use the internet too, but if you were solo – it worked great.
Restaurant Alejandrinas
If the other options in town are closed, or you want to dine out with a group, check out Alejandrinas. Classic Mexican food, strong-as-hell margaritas!
Where to Camp in Bahiá de Los Ángeles
When you arrive in Bahiá de Los Ángeles, there were several camping options to choose from. Punta La Gringa is best known as a free boondocking area right along the bay. There’s also Daggett’s, which is a little community of its own that offers palapas facing the beach (be forewarned that there are aggressive dogs living at this location). And then there is Campo Archelon.
Campo Archelon
Based on our research, Campo Archelon is the place to stay in Bahiá. And I can attest to this sentiment! It’s only 3km away from the small, rural town, and was originally established as a sea turtle rescue and research facility by the late marine biologist, Antonio Resendiz. As soon as you see the Campo Archelon sign, you know you’re entering a unique place. Rocks lined the dirt road to the property, with little signs like “disfruta del silencio” every so often.
There are several palapas facing the bay. The stone and thatch palapas were a hot commodity during our stay given the wind, however we were able to secure one for our last two days. If you’re tent camping, you will want to be in a palapa when the wind picks up. Besides the palapas, there is a small beach area we pulled into camp at. You could probably fit 5-7 vans or campers there if you didn’t mind a tight squeeze. We had 2-3 “neighbors” during our time here, which gave us plenty of space and privacy. There also is another area for campers more inland.
When you arrive, there’s an office near the beach camping. Don’t worry if there isn’t anyone there – the family who runs Campo Archelon is always on the go, working on something around camp. Gloria, the owner, makes her rounds daily to ask if you were coming or going, and will collect payment at that time. The vibe is muy tranquillo!
For WiFi, you can connect near the office or Siete Filos, the café on site. You need to be close to the office, but there’s a little patio area (and a hammock!) where most people hang out to connect. The WiFi could be finicky as well but worked pretty decent if you were the only one there.
Campo Archelon also offers a few kayaks on site for guest use. Getting out on the water on a calm morning is the way to go!
There are several bathrooms on the property. The bathroom for campers has two stalls for men and women, but there’s another restroom close to the café. The restrooms were always clean and stocked with toilet paper. This seems like a pre-requisite, but in Baja, you never know what you might get!
The showers were also very clean, but you can’t always count on the hot water. We recommend taking showers when the campground isn’t as busy, which is usually during the day. There are two showers each for the ladies and gentlemen with doors. Again, something that you can’t guarantee in Baja!
Finally, I must mention the beach again. There’s nothing quite like waking up right next to the water! It was also incredible to watch how quickly the calm tide would change. We would wake up to high tide, and only a few hours later the tide would be so far out that you’d have to trek over the rocks to get to water. It made a great spot to check out marine life like sea anemones. Bahiá de Los Ángeles was the first place we brought out our paddleboard. The calm waters made it the perfect place to explore.
If you can score one, the palapas are $8 per person. For the beach camping, it is $6 per person.
In addition to the camping areas, Campo Archelon rents out little casitas for $73-$83/night. These are pretty cute, albeit basic.
In Summary
As you can see, Bahiá de Los Ángeles is a place worth visiting for several reasons. With its tranquil ambiance and captivating landscapes, BOLA is an ideal destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike!
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