Why Travel to Cabo Pulmo?

Located near the Southern tip of Baja, Cabo Pulmo is a sleepy town 60 miles away from the touristy area. Fewer than 200 people call it home.  But just step into the water, and you'll find the only living coral reef in the Sea of Cortez, teaming with life. Decades ago, Jaques Cousteau called it the World's Acquarium.

Destructive bottom trawling and other unsustainable fishing practices nearly ruined it forever. Thankfully, in 1995, Mexico's President designated the offshore area of 17,560 acres a national marine park.   And it worked.  Between 1999 and 2009, the biomass - pounds of living things - increased 463 percent.  Recent photographs of the area provide a stunning tribute to a place, which UNESCO included within a world heritage site in 2005. Other photographs show rays breaching the water as if flying.

The reef should really be "reefs," plural.  Eight of them range located from close to shore to a short five minute boat ride into the bay, with depths ranging from about 12 feet to about 100 feet.

On shore is a desert landscape, which appeals to Oregonians this time of year.  So far, it retains an undeveloped beauty.  So, we figure, get there now, fit our feet into fins, and enjoy.