Todos Santos, Baja California Sur
Encyclopedia
Todos Santos is a small coastal town at the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna
Mountains, on the Pacific
coast side of the Baja California Peninsula
, about an hour's drive north of Cabo San Lucas
on Highway 19
and an hour's drive southwest from La Paz
. Todos Santos is located very near the Tropic of Cancer
in the municipality
of La Paz
. The population was 5,148 at the census of 2010. It is the second-largest town in the municipality.
During the 19th century Todos Santos thrived as the Baja sugarcane capital, which is still evident by the ruins of sugar mills. Now the rich farmlands have been re-worked & the town prospers from an abundance of vegetable & chili farming, avocado, papaya & mango orchards, fishing & ranching.
The mission Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz was founded by father Jaime Bravo in 1723. It is located across the street to the southwest from the small town plaza. This mission contains the statue of the Virgin of Pilar, which is the focus of Todos Santos main festival in October.
More recently, there has been a gradual increase in tourist activity and a boom in real estate development. Handicraft shops, owner-operated art galleries featuring landscape paintings of local scenes (some artists from Guadalajara and other parts of Mexico also exhibit works in Todos Santos,) upscale restaurants, boutique hotels and restored colonial buildings have contributed to the gentrification and redevelopment of the town. The Hotel California is a favorite stop here because of the name association with the song made famous by "The Eagles."
There are many beautiful beaches within a 15 minute drive of Todos Santos. However, some of the area’s beaches, with rip tides
, undertows
, and fairly steep drop offs that are close to shore, are not considered safe for swimming. Playa Las Palmas and Playa Los Cerritos are great beaches for swimming and shell collecting. San Pedrito Point, Los Cerritos and other local surf breaks attract surfers from around the world. There are many accommodations both at San Pedrito and at Cerritos beach.
Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, was named a "Pueblo Mágico
" in 2006.
Sierra de la Laguna
The Sierra de la Laguna is a mountain range on the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. It lies at the southern end of the peninsula in the state of Baja California Sur, and is the southernmost range of the Peninsular Ranges....
Mountains, on the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast side of the Baja California Peninsula
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
, about an hour's drive north of Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas , commonly called Cabo, is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the municipality of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,463 people...
on Highway 19
Mexican Federal Highway 19
Mexican federal highway No. 19 runs along the Pacific coast of Baja California Peninsula from Cabo San Lucas up to Todos Santos where it turns inland and eventually joins Mexican Federal Highway 1 a few miles south of San Pedro, Baja California Sur.-Towns and landmarks:* San Pedro* Todos Santos*...
and an hour's drive southwest from La Paz
La Paz, Baja California Sur
La Paz is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and an important regional commercial center. The city had a 2010 census population of 215,178 persons, but its metropolitan population is somewhat larger because of surrounding towns like el Centenario, el Zacatal and San Pedro...
. Todos Santos is located very near the Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
in the municipality
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
of La Paz
La Paz (municipality)
La Paz is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Its area of 20,275 km² makes it the municipality in Mexico with the fourth-largest area. It had a population of 251,871 inhabitants in the 2010 census...
. The population was 5,148 at the census of 2010. It is the second-largest town in the municipality.
During the 19th century Todos Santos thrived as the Baja sugarcane capital, which is still evident by the ruins of sugar mills. Now the rich farmlands have been re-worked & the town prospers from an abundance of vegetable & chili farming, avocado, papaya & mango orchards, fishing & ranching.
The mission Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz was founded by father Jaime Bravo in 1723. It is located across the street to the southwest from the small town plaza. This mission contains the statue of the Virgin of Pilar, which is the focus of Todos Santos main festival in October.
More recently, there has been a gradual increase in tourist activity and a boom in real estate development. Handicraft shops, owner-operated art galleries featuring landscape paintings of local scenes (some artists from Guadalajara and other parts of Mexico also exhibit works in Todos Santos,) upscale restaurants, boutique hotels and restored colonial buildings have contributed to the gentrification and redevelopment of the town. The Hotel California is a favorite stop here because of the name association with the song made famous by "The Eagles."
There are many beautiful beaches within a 15 minute drive of Todos Santos. However, some of the area’s beaches, with rip tides
Rip current
A rip current, commonly referred to by the misnomer rip tide, is a strong channel of water flowing seaward from near the shore, typically through the surf line. Typical flow is at 0.5 metres per second , and can be as fast as 2.5 metres per second...
, undertows
Undertow (wave action)
Undertow is a subsurface flow of water returning seaward from shore as result of wave action. This type of shore current can play a role in material deposition such as creating sand bars....
, and fairly steep drop offs that are close to shore, are not considered safe for swimming. Playa Las Palmas and Playa Los Cerritos are great beaches for swimming and shell collecting. San Pedrito Point, Los Cerritos and other local surf breaks attract surfers from around the world. There are many accommodations both at San Pedrito and at Cerritos beach.
Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, was named a "Pueblo Mágico
Pueblo Mágico
The Programa Pueblos Mágicos is an initiative led by Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism , in conjunction with other federal and state agencies, to promote a series of towns around the country that offer visitors a "magical" experience – by reason of their natural beauty, cultural riches, or...
" in 2006.