Vamos a La Playa: Playa Los Cerritos

Muy rico, el agua!

By Maria

When I arrived on the road to Los Cerritos Beach for the first time on a hot afternoon, two local ladies hitchhiking to the beach told me that the water there was “muy rico.” And when I finally ease myself into the green waves, I realize on a cellular level how true this is. I could float on my back in this gentle sea all day. And I pretty much do.

Playa Los Cerritos is popular for its surf and boogie-board breaks, and for being the only swimmable beach on the western cape of Baja.

There’s a consistent surf break about a hundred meters from shore, but by the time the waves reach the sandy-bottomed swimming area they are friendly, cresting and frothing at a temperature that is both refreshing and not-too-cold at the same time. Sea temperatures here are at their coolest in March (68-73 degrees Fahrenheit) and reach their peak warmth in September (79-86 degrees Fahrenheit), according to surf-forcast.com.

Local surf instructors, their faces painted white with titanium dioxide, call out “amiga!” wanting to rent me a surfboard. It’s about $50 for the day, which includes a two-hour lesson, they tell me.

Others call out offering umbrellas, boogie boards, massage, and friendship. There are also a few vendors walking up and down the beach selling Mexican blankets, handcrafted jewelry, ice cream, and popcorn. Once, when I point out to a man selling Mexican blankets that I am already laying on one, he leans down and checks the tag to ensure that it is not a Made-in-China knock off.

After a few days, the vendors come to recognize me as a turista who doesn’t buy anything, and I’m relieved when they only call out “hola amiga.”

I come here often with a Tom Robbins book and sunscreen, and with the friends I make at Espacio Amor, which is a 15-minute walk on a bare-feet-friendly dirt road. The sunsets here are incredible on this west-facing beach, and the water stays just warm enough to swim after the sun has set.