from bajainsider.com
Parallel with Key West and 1,800 miles towards the setting sun lies a small city called La Paz. Located slightly north of Cabo San Lucas, La Paz is snugly nestled between mountains, desert and a pristine, azure bay. The city has all the traditional Mexican culture, architecture, foods and customs that one might expect to find anywhere in Mexico but this is where the similarities end. La Paz literally means peace and this is exactly what can be found here.
La Paz stands in stark contrast to the crime and violence that has been reported so frequently in other parts of the country. Here, it’s a crime if you don’t watch the sun set with a cold drink in your hand and the only violence comes in the form of an occasional thunderstorm. They’re not exactly the things that makes headlines but it is precisely those aspects which set La Paz apart from the rest of mainland Mexico.
Peace is not the only foundation for this tranquil town. There are four universities, several acclaimed hospitals and one of the highest per-capita income levels in all of Mexico. Maybe that’s why it was rated by Money magazine as “one of the best place to retire”. But that was in 2003 so maybe something has changed since then. In truth, it has, but pretty much all for the better.
In 2003, there were a few thousand foreigners, who had discovered the secrets of La Paz. Seven years later, that number is well over 10,000. This influx has also resulted in the emergence of more shopping malls with anchor stores like Walmart, Home Depot and Sam’s Club. The home construction industry has reaped the benefits too. Suburbs were sparsely populated just a few years ago now boast active homeowners associations, private streets and underground services. A few savvy companies have even worked environmental planning into their aspirations and their consideration for the environment has paid off in home sales. Fortunately, home prices remain reasonable and a Mexican style home with well appointed amenities can still be found for under $200,000.
The other constant is the obvious abundance of natural beauty. And most of it remains largely undeveloped land. To our way of thinking, miles of white sand beach near a populated area is the perfect location for hotels, restaurants and other tourist attractions. But Mexicans replace our “lets make money “ theme with “lets enjoy this together as a family on Sundays”. True, it might be harder to find a palapa on beaches closer to town but if you’re willing to drive a few miles further, the chances that you can find 300 yards or more of virgin, empty beach that are right around 100%. And the sights below the water are every bit as good as those above.
So what of drug wars, narco trafficking, kidnapping and violence? Not here. This is La Paz and the city lives up to it’s name. The border is nearly a thousand miles away and easily forgotten as soon as you step off the plane. Yet despite the constant balmy weather, the profound tourist potential and all that the city has to offer, La Paz remains a fairly well kept secret. And for those who believe that the headlines are universally true, it will almost certainly remain so.