SAN JOSé DEL CABO
Paddleboarding at Grand Velas Los Cabos resort
Clockwise from below: Sommelier at Grand Velas Los Cabos resort; Cocina de Autor restaurant; sea lions in the Gulf of California
DAY TWO
MORNING Wake up early for the 20-minute drive to the marina for a boat tour to Land’ s End and the iconic El Arco in the Sea of Cortez. Vessels of all kinds— kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and glass-bottom boats— make the round trip. Rancho Tours offers private charters in one-, two- and three-hour increments in pontoon boats helmed by an experienced captain. It’ s a 10- minute journey to the arch, passing idyllic coves carved from tall cliffs and the popular Lovers Beach. You can spot King Angelfish with their bright orange colouring and yellowtail surgeonfish from the boat deck.
It’ s also possible to kayak the distance, thanks to several sandy beach pit stops and calm waters along the well-travelled route. You’ re almost guaranteed to spot a sea lion in the marina, and you could possibly end up seeing manta rays and sea turtles in the harbour, too.
AFTERNOON Have lunch at one of the many restaurants that line the marina. Local favourites include Los Deseos or Baja Lobster Company, where the outdoor oyster bar serves fresh catch with a view. Order a dozen Baja Nautilus oysters with an ice-cold Pacifico Clara beer and raise a glass while reciting the local mantra,“ No bad days in Cabo.” Later in the afternoon, meet up with a scent designer in the resort’ s wellness centre to create a customized fragrance that guests can take home in the form of a room spray or essential oil blend. Select from primary aromas and decide how much of each selection to add to the mixture to create a signature blend. The final product is a sensory reminder of your trip. Then, head back to the room to recharge for the evening with a quick siesta.
EVENING Tonight’ s dinner is at Michelin-starred Cocina de Autor at the Grand Velas Los Cabos resort. A visionary tasting menu takes guests on a culinary journey from the coast to the interior of the country. A single oyster— cultivated by Bendito Mar, a regenerative aquaculture sea farm— is dressed with lemon verbena oil and green strawberry, and topped with a shiso blossom from the resort’ s dedicated farmland in Miraflores. Next is the halfmoon scallop, designed to echo the semi-circular shape of the resort and topped with an avocado mousse and seared chilis. Decadent wagyu beef is served in an appealing cube shape and enhanced with beetroot and oestra caviar. Finally, a coconut mousse energized by mango, yuzu and passion fruit is paired with a glass of sparkling moscato. After dinner, head to the outdoor terrace to participate in the resort’ s stargazing experience. A former NASA astronomer gives a guided tour of the heavens, pointing out the constellations while detailing how the ancient Maya calendar relates to the night sky. The powerful telescope brings Saturn’ s rings and Jupiter’ s moons into focus as you search for shooting stars.
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