San Ignacio is a sleepy little colonial town nestled in a date palm oasis. We arrived at the downtown plaza after driving 4.5 hours from Bahiá de Los Ángeles. This small area is surrounded by beautiful old buildings with pops of color. Immediately you can tell that there’s something different about San Ignacio in comparison to the other Baja towns we’ve seen.
We spent the day searching for Lavanderia Lalo, a one-man laundry business tucked deep into this small town. That itself was quite the adventure, if you can imagine our big ol’ Sprinter driving through the tiny dirt roads! ??
We absorbed the vibe of San Ignacio — chill and quiet as we walked around, taking in this picturesque place. That night, we got permission from the local policia on duty to park overnight at the plaza, under the Indian laurel trees. It was one of our best nights of sleep. ?
The next day was Valentine’s Day, even though we had all forgot what day it was. Levi and I had a breakfast date, as did Steven and Harv. Afterwards, we explored Misión Nuestra Señor San Ignacio de Kadakaamán, a beautiful mission founded in 1728.
The following day we arrived at Ecoturismo Kuyima in the afternoon, with the intention of whale watching the next day. Our plan was to just chill out and simply enjoy the beautiful view. Shortly after we arrived, the host at Kuyima asked if we’d be interested in seeing a local family measure and release some tortugas back into Laguna de San Ignacio! DUH! We couldn’t believe our luck.
A quick and cramped van ride later took us to a small community where a tent was set up by the bay. There, we met Pancho, his wife and two sons, who are fisherman that realized the turtle population in the area was dwindling. The family partnered with Grupo Tortuguero de Las Californias, a conservation group, and now help document and monitor the sea turtle population. It was the first time they had opened this experience for visitors, so it was completely free for all of us!
Steven, Levi, Harvey and I got to take care of the turtle you see pictured. The boys named him Tucky, and we poured water on the big guy until it was his turn to get measured. Steven and I helped with the measurements, and then we all helped release Tucky back into the sea. It was an incredible experience that we’ll never forget! ???
The next day we were scheduled for our whale watching tour. We all had high hopes for petting a whale, which we were told happened on occasion. It was a beautiful day on the lagoon, and our Captain Shoppy pointed out multiple whales over the course of our three-hour tour. We couldn’t believe how close they would get to the boats! While we didn’t get to touch one, we did spend the entire trip in awe of these beautiful and gentle creatures.
We didn’t expect much from San Ignacio. Heck, we didn’t really know what to expect. But after 24 hours in this cute little town and two days at the lagoon, it left an imprint on us that we’ll never forget!
Have you ever traveled to someplace unexpected and were taken away by its beauty and charm?
