(I spent the entire month of January 2024 in Mexico, traveling down the Baja California Peninsula. This is my last post in my series about the trip– check out other posts from this as well, all will include ‘Baja’ or ‘Bahia’ or ‘Playa” in the title, and will likely feature pictures of pristine beaches).
If you followed along with all my Baja posts– thank you for reading this far.
In retrospect, the thing that stuck with me about Baja in general was how very touristed it could feel, and how crowded most of the bigger beaches could be– feeling nearly stuffed-to-the-gills with people in their rigs (like in the post about Playa Santispac).
This is an entry to say that not ALL of Baja is full of giant, luxury machines and loud, drunk Americans and Canadians. There are dozens (if not hundreds) of smaller beaches that dot the peninsula on the bay side– and if you are lucky enough to snag a coveted spot at them, you CAN find true relaxation and peace on a Baja beach.
My favorite beach experience in all of Baja was (head and SHOULDERS above the rest): Playa Coco. It had come on a recommendation from my caravan host, and I am thrilled to say it was the most serene experience I had during my month in Mexico.
Playa Coco is protected in just a few small ways– one: the road into the beach is dirt and hardly flat, which prohibits the truly gargantuan Class A big-rigs from making their way down there, two: it’s not very large, with the ability to fit fewer vehicles in the cove area, and three: its small size might ward off people from even attempting to get a spot on it.
I was able to show up on a weekday and easily snag a spot on Playa Coco for just $10 USD a night. Yep– THIS VIEW– parked about 6 feet from the ocean– was just over ten bucks. Sometimes, van living felt like an absolute bargain– and this was one of those moments, as even a basic hotel with this kind of beachfront view would have been priced at least 10 times above that amount, if not far more.
Mac immediately took advantage and went splashing throughout the shallows, even finding a doggy friend to join him in the shenanigans. I immediately got out my beach chair and sat my bum on it, stretching lazily out into the sand. It was a real “aaaaaaaaaaahhh” moment, if I’m honest.
Whereas other beaches in Baja had been full of people and cacophony, Playa Coco was full of the best kind of nothingness: I savored the lack of noise. It felt like true paradise to be on a beautiful beach, but still to feel some real quiet. Mac and I both felt more at-ease than we had in some time.
In the evening, the quiet vibe became even more pronounced. Now, this was partially luck– I’d heard some particularly raucous van-lifers had recently passed through and disrupted the chillness on this very beach. Which made me treasure the subtle sounds even more– I listened to the rush of the pelican wings as they glided over the surface, and the gentle lap of the waves onto the cove’s edge.
It was so relaxing that it nearly lulled me to sleep. When you watch the video below, pay close attention to what you hear– NOTHING! That’s right, just the quiet lapping of the waves and… peace.
If you’re ever heading to Baja, absolutely prioritize going to Playa Coco– which felt like one of the chillest-and-yet-best beach experiences available on earth.
Posted by Sun
