Baja or Mexico mainland

Marty I see you have PM turned off. Feel free to email me at "tequilahombre@telus.net" and I will let you know when & where you can attend a seminar if you are located in BC. So far, I am doing 2 this summer, one in Kelowna in June and one in Abbotsford in Sept (with Dan from Baja amigos).

I have done both and I am now a wagon master for Mainland caravans down there. There are lots of great places to go in Mexico, even within a days drive south of the border. I have my own favorites, it depends on what you want and how far down you want to go.

I do recommend using a caravan the first time, but many are too much of independent traveler types for that. The reliable ones are

Adventure, Caravanas de mexico, Fantasy, Baja Amigos, Baja winters.

Lots of great sources for information on the web.

1) The Mexico section of this forum
2) Facebook groups: On the road in mexico, RVing in Mexico, plus several others
3) Mexico Rv Forums (Not a forum, but an info site)
4) Rolling hOmes
5) On the road in Mexico
6) Kevin & Ruth

Baja is known as mexico light, a bit easier since you do not require a vehicle permit, but IMO not as interesting as the mainland. If you have specific questions, PM me, and I will be happy to answer them. I present seminars on the subject, so I have most of the latest info. My next one is at the RV lifestyles seminars in Kelowna BC in late June.

We are currently in Loreto on the Sea of Cortez. Heading to Cabo San Lucas with numerous stops.

Stayed the night in Gurerro Negro last week and went whale watching in Scammon's Bay. They have counted over 2,100 this year in the bay. We saw at least 500+! Needless to say IT WAS EPIC!!!

Baja is easy to travel. Good roads (and a few potholes), plenty of gas stations, and friendly people.

Not sure if I am allowed to promote another forum here, but there are Facebook groups specific to RVing in Mexico. If you are on Facebook, do a search. LOTS of good information and sharing of experiences, recommended RV parks, etc. We have not RV'd in Mexico (yet) but have spent a lot of time in the country and love it there.

I would agree. We love mainland Mexico and from the cultural and historical point of view it's hard to replace. Amazing country and rewarding RV experience. However the Baja has lots to offer as well and provides a different experience while still allowing for an enjoyable Mexican experience. The history is from a different and newer era and it is a much more laid back experience but that comes with advantages for the novice RVing in a foreign country. I'm not sure I noticed more english speakers along the way but the locals, the security checkpoints and tourist industry in general are certainly more used to dealing with RVers and the challenges that can arise. Traffic situations are very few (important for a driver like me) and getting lost is hard because the towns are smaller and there is only one main highway going down the peninsula.

Obviously learn the courteous words like please and thank you, Señor y señora etc. Many people working in the tourist industry will be able to converse at a basic level. Many police officers will have a reasonable vocabulary. Not so much the military but they have bilingual cue cards and signs where they will be able to point to a question and you will be able to point to a response.

Enjoy your trip. Amazing country and we have enjoyed our time there immensely. We have RVed through 27 of the 31 states and look forward to returning someday but for now we are more centered on Europe and North Africa.

Having been in Mexico a lot, though not by RV, I would suggest the Baja for your first trip if you do not speak Spanish well. The locals speak better or more English, you can't really get lost, I don't think there are any toll roads and I'm sure there are other reasons.

Here's a link to a good discussion on RV parks in Mexico from two days ago. As you go through it, you'll see several people have blogs, such as Brian & Sue on their travels in Mexico that you should look at.

Mexico RV parks.

Go back through Jim's posts, he's spent a few winters there.

Jim's Blog

Also, read this on Mexican electricity.

Bill