From Jorge

This week, we travel through the heart of Baja California Sur — from the fearless determination of Cabo’s firefighters, who turned buckets into Mexico’s first fire boat, to the state’s bold shift toward regenerative tourism that’s redefining what “paradise” means. Along the way, we revisit the places that keep reminding us why this corner of the world still feels like an adventure: Todos Santos, La Paz, El Triunfo, Santiago, La Ventana — each with its own pulse, story, and proof that progress here still comes from vision, grit, and community.

Cabo’s marlin season just wrapped, and it it didn’t disappoint. The 2025 Bisbee’s Black & Blue saw 177 teams chasing glory and a jaw-dropping $7.45 million purse. In the kind of photo finish only Baja seas can stage, Magic Touch landed a 459-pound blue marlin to edge Rising Sons/Magnifico by just two pounds. Still, the runner-up cashed the biggest check, $2.58 million, after going all-in on jackpots. Ten black marlin, 113 blues, and more than a few late-night celebrations later, the “Marlin Capital of the World” proved it still earns its name.

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Subject of the Week

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There’s something deeply humbling about Cabo San Lucas’ fire department. Long before the red trucks, shiny helmets, and modern gear, there was just one man, Gildardo Payán Azcárraga, a few buckets, and a stubborn sense of duty. In the early 1980s, while Cabo was still more fishing town than destination, Payán decided someone had to protect the community. So, he did. From his home patio, with borrowed radios and his old truck, he founded what would become one of Mexico’s most respected fire departments.

I still remember Gildardo showing up at my office in Marina Sol, in the mid-’80s, asking for help and donations to get the fledgling department off the ground. He had no uniform, no budget, just conviction. Word spread, and the community answered. Everyone pitched in however they could: a tank of fuel, a few pesos, a used hose. Cabo was small back then, but it had a big heart, and Gildardo knew how to reach it.

Today, that same spark has grown into a professional force that protects thousands, locals and visitors alike, on land and now at sea. From the days of borrowed boots and buckets to operating AINA, Mexico’s first official fire boat, Cabo’s firefighters have earned every ounce of admiration. Their training, discipline, and courage have turned vision into legacy.

If you want to see what that legacy looks like in motion, take a moment to watch their YouTube video about the fire boat AINA, Mexico’s first of its kind. It’s a short but powerful look at the courage, teamwork, and determination that keep Cabo safe, both on the streets and across its busy harbor.

How far has that vision come, and still, I can’t help but think Gildardo would look at all this with pride, but not satisfaction. He’d already be planning the next upgrade, the next piece of equipment, the next challenge. Because that’s what people of character do: they see progress not as the finish line, but as permission to keep pushing forward.

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Clarity → Action

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Q: “How can I confirm that the construction on my East Cape property (Los Cabos municipality) is fully authorized and correctly recorded ?”… Laurent M., Desoto, TX

ILT’s Answer
In Los Cabos, every new build, addition, or renovation must be supported by a clear paper trail through Desarrollo Urbano (Urban Development) and Catastro (Cadastral Office). The key documents include:

1. Manifestación de Construcción (Construction Manifest) – the initial declaration filed before any work begins, describing the project’s size and purpose.

2. Licencia de Construcción (Construction License) – the official permit authorizing the build, issued by the Municipality once plans are approved.

3. Licencia de Terminación de Obra (Termination of Construction License) – confirms that the project was completed as approved and complies with local regulations.

4. Probable Environmental Clearance – required in certain areas, especially along the East Cape coast or near protected zones, to certify compliance with environmental laws.

Once construction is complete, these documents, or any subsequent upgrades — must be submitted to the Catastro Office. Catastro uses them to update the property record, adjust the construction value, and reassess property taxes (predial). According to the Reglamento de Catastro para el Municipio de Los Cabos, any change that alters the physical characteristics or value of the property must be reported and reflected in its cadastral record.

Failing to update Catastro can create problems later, from incorrect valuations and unpaid taxes to delays when selling or transferring the fideicomiso.

Got a question? Email [email protected]. We’ll reply directly, and, with your OK, feature it in a future issue (anonymous if you prefer).

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Some places you plan to visit. Baja California Sur just sneaks up on you. One turn it’s desert, the next it’s ocean, then mountains, then desert again, like the land can’t make up its mind. It’s not built for tight schedules; curiosity works better than GPS. Around here, every road, and occasionally a boat, leads somewhere worth finding.

Start with Todos Santos, where the park at the center of town is the unofficial living room, shaded, slow, and surrounded by art. Food carts crank up their grills, locals chat like nobody’s in a hurry, and artists set up along cobblestone streets to paint whatever Baja throws at them that day. Step into a gallery and you’ll spot the region’s greatest hits: ocean blues, dusty reds, and sunsets so golden they’d make a travel influencer or youtuber weep.

Keep heading north to La Paz, a city that actually earns its name. The Malecón at dusk looks like someone spilled the world’s biggest watercolor set. From there, hop on a boat to Isla Espíritu Santo, it’s a short ride and a long memory. The sea flashes every shade of turquoise imaginable, and when you slip in to swim with the sea lions, they size you up like a clumsy cousin who somehow got invited. They twist, dart, and play, and before long, you feel like you’ve been welcomed to swim with them.

Drive inland to Santiago, where palm groves and waterfalls appear out of nowhere, just when you think the desert has run out of surprises. Then head to El Triunfo, a town that’s a history lesson and a time capsule. Explore the old mine, then the cemetery neatly divided into Chinese, British, and Mexican sections, a must-see snapshot of who built the place and, well, stayed forever. Before leaving, stop at the English tea house that somehow brings a slice of the Victorian era to Baja. The tea’s strong, the cookies are perfect, and oddly enough, it all makes sense.

Wrap it up in La Ventana, where the wind is as constant as the colors in the bay. Kitesurfers carve across the water, mountains glow in the late light, and the day ends without ever feeling finished. That’s Baja California Sur, unpredictable, unforgettable, and occasionally sarcastic. You don’t plan Baja; you let it have its fun with you.

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For decades, Mexico sold sunshine and ocean views, but travelers are changing. Today’s visitor wants purpose, not just a postcard. And Baja California Sur, where desert meets turquoise sea, is quietly reinventing the idea of travel itself. Here, “regenerative tourism” means leaving a place better than you found it, and that’s not just a slogan; it’s policy, practice, and a growing local pride.

Sustainability was once about doing less harm. Regeneration goes further, restoring coral reefs, empowering coastal towns, and treating tourism as a living system of renewal. In places like Cabo Pulmo, fishermen turned conservationists have revived one of the most vibrant reefs in the Pacific. Proof that when locals lead, nature listens.

The state’s new EMBRACE IT initiative adds a small $25 visitor fee that funds environmental and cultural projects. Call it a “membership to paradise.” It’s simple but bold, a way for travelers to chip in for the beauty they came to enjoy. As one official said, “Unforgettable experiences deserve lasting protection.” Hard to argue with that logic, even for a cynic like me.

The national framework still lags behind, but Baja Sur isn’t waiting for permission. It’s already proving that tourism and conservation can thrive together. For those of us lucky enough to live, visit, or invest here, the message is clear: paradise doesn’t just need to be protected, it needs to be partnered with.

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