What You Need to Know Before Your Visit to La Ventana
Planning a visit to La Ventana? There are some things you need to know to make the most of your trip. We wrote a short La Ventana travel guide, so you are completely prepared for your holiday!
Why should you visit La Ventana?
La Ventana is a town located in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Here you will find beautiful beaches, clear waters, and year-round warm weather, making it a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts, including windsurfers and kiteboarders. La Ventana is located on the eastern coast of the Baja California peninsula, on the Sea of Cortez, and is about a 40-minute drive from the city of La Paz. You can immerse yourself in a lot of ecotourism opportunities here, such as whale watching, hiking, and exploring the local flora and fauna.
We, at Agua Salada, can help you with everything you need to have the best visit to La Ventana ever. But first things first, there are some important things you need to know about this popular little beach town.
What do you need to know about La Ventana?
1· La Ventana and El Sargento are twin towns, both located in the Bay of La Ventana
La Ventana and El Sargento are actually pretty much the same place. El Sargento is the northern part of the bay, starting around Club Cerralvo or Oxxo (nobody really knows!), and La Ventana is the southern part of town.
As a child, Everardo, an Agua Salada co-founder, used to hear a story from his grandfather that the name El Sargento comes from a boat that sank near Las Palmas beach. In fact, that is where the village of El Sargento was founded. The village of La Ventana was founded near Playa Central, where the boat ramp is located today.
2· Cash is king
As quickly as this place is growing, we do not yet have an established bank, and most businesses only take cash. There are currently three ATMs in town, but the fees are high, and you cannot take out a lot of money. Make sure to bring enough cash for your trip. Alternatively, you can go to La Paz to take out the cash in an ATM.
3· Beaches in Mexico are federal zones
The fact that beaches are federal zones in La Ventana means that they cannot be privately owned, for at least 20 meters from the high tide line. As a result of this, you can go camping on any beach freely. But make sure you leave the place cleaner than when you arrived. Trash left behind after your visit to La Ventana is very harmful to the marine animals here.
4· It comes in handy to know a bit of Spanish
I know, it’s difficult to take on a completely new language. But, I promise you that Mexicans will greatly appreciate you trying to learn their language. I am a strong believer that when visiting a country, one should adapt to the culture, and learn some of it. The food part is easy, but try learning a few words, even one a day. This allows you to communicate with the local community, and makes you feel proud.
Duolingo has a great free platform. If you want to take online or in-person lessons, contact us here, so we can connect you with awesome teachers or tutors.
5· Please conserve water during your visit to La Ventana
Water is a scarce resource in La Ventana. We don’t have much precipitation in Baja California Sur, yet many people build (big) homes every year. This is an alarming subject, and it’s important for us, as residents and visitors, to be very careful with our water usage. You might want to look for a more sustainable hotel when choosing your stay.
During your visit to La Ventana, turn off the water when you brush your teeth, take quick showers, and get drought-resistant plants.
6· Its windy in the winter, and very hot in the summer
As a Canadian, one of the things I really appreciate about Baja California Sur is the difference in seasons. Winters are exciting and vibrant; the north wind pushes the kites downwind, the town fills up with part-time visitors, and events overflow. The water temperature goes down, and the visibility is lessened. Make sure you bring a warm jacket since the evenings can get very cold here!
The hurricane season happens in August and September and brings some heavy rain. It gets very humid here, and mosquitoes are out and hungry! During this time, electricity is unstable, so it may not be the best season for you to plan your visit to La Ventana if you are a digital nomad.
Between May and November, the water is warm, visibility is great, and it’s the best time to get in the water!
7· You cannot drink tap water, and shouldn’t brush your teeth with it.
Tap water in La Ventana will either come from the city, or is trucked in. City water is getting saltier by the year (see #5), and as of today, it is not even adequate to water the plants. You can buy a refillable “garrafon” at one of the grocery stores and use this water to cook, make coffee, drink, and brush your teeth.
8. Do not flush toilet paper in your Baja toilet
Since La Ventana is in a rural area, septic tanks are quite small. Because of this, flushing toilet paper requires more maintenance for the owners. Besides that, there is a risk of clogging the plumbing systems. There will most likely always be a little bin for you to deposit your paper after using it.
9. WhatsApp is the most used mode of communication
WhatsApp is a must for your visit to La Ventana. So if you don’t already have this app, I recommend that you download it before your trip! Most hotels, Airbnb, local vendors, and even doctors use WhatsApp to communicate by text and/or phone calls.
10. Beaches are not crowded
La Ventana is one of those unique places where you can still have a beach all to yourself. Surprising right? Whilst traveling, I remember meeting a girl who told me she visited La Ventana in the spring to relax. But because she did not see anyone on the beaches, she thought that they were dangerous to swim in, and didn’t get in the water!
Truth is, we are so lucky to have a very large coast of pristine beaches in this town. If there is no wind, you will most likely see very few people on the beach. So, let yourself enjoy one of the last nearly empty beaches in the world!
For more tips for your visit to La Ventana, follow us on social media @aguasaladabcs
