Well Wandering - Todos Santos
The Well Wandering travel guides are our most favourite thing we create here. We believe that frequent travel is the best way to help you to live in the moment and always come home from trips feeling incredibly inspired and even more connected to this beautiful world we live in. While there are so many emotional benefits to travel it can undoubtedly be hard on your physical health. Even if you typically live a healthy lifestyle vacation can be a time of overindulgence; leaving you tired and rundown by the time you board that plane back to ‘real life’. At Well Wandering we believe that enjoyable travel doesn’t have to come at the expense of healthy living and that you’ll be much happier and healthier both during and after your trip if you incorporate a touch of healthy food and a fell wellness practices while on your vacation.
After 5 years of visits we’re finally ready to share our much requested Todos Santos travel guide. This magical little town in Baja has become a little Mexican home away from home and we try to head down there at least once a year as a little ‘writers retreat’. The energy, food & people are so wonderful there, it’s such an amazing place to relax and create well wandering content for you guys & gals. We hope you enjoy this recap of our favourite places to eat, stay and play in our favourite little Mexican town & feel free to slide into the DMs or comment below if you have any questions.
TO EAT:
El Refugio: a family-run restaurant specializing in our two favourite ‘foods’; mezcal & pozole. Chef Noel is a true mezcal expert and his food is just as complex and interesting as our go-to Mexican liquor. Start with a bowl of pozole + a ‘skinny’ mezcalita and order whatever he’s cooking up as fish of the day to enjoy with your mezcal tasting flight. Bonus; there’s a sweet little kitten kicking around for dinner company if you’re a solo traveller like us. We cook pozole inspired by their cookbook monthly and have been slowly working our way through the rest of their beautiful book (available on amazon incase a trip to Baja isn’t in your near future).
Pacifica Fish Market: these tacos are totally worth the 25+ minute walk outside of downtown Todos. Grab the ‘taco trio’ for a little taste of everything; blackened fish taco, grilled fish & battered shrimp. This tasty trio is quite filling and comes with just the right combination of spicy, crispy and pickled toppings, the perfect early Baja dinner. Make sure you stop by some of the cute shops on your way back into town and check out the nearby beach to watch the sunset.
Tre Galline: Arnaldo’s go-to lunch & dinner spot, this hidden gem of Todos Santos serves the most beautiful Italian-Mexican fusion at a very reasonable price. We loved the carpaccio and almond crusted fish; all gluten free & tre(s) delicious!! A little birdie (spoiler, it’s Arnaldo) told us that the building this restaurant resides in has just been sold to developers so we’re really hoping it stays around but suggest you get over there asap .. just in case.
El Santo Chilote Taqueria: everyone in the know eats lunch at this wildly inexpensive taco spot. The tacos are plentiful and come with an awesome selection of salsas, coleslaw and fresh veg toppings. They’re also a gut-‘safe’ local taco spot with or without your well-wandering digestive travel packs; we’ve eaten there >20 times with no GI issues thus far.
Simpre Viva: a completely self-sustained organic farm and restaurant that is an absolute wonder. Located in Pescadero (about 20 minutes outside of Todos), this lovely little farm grows all of their own produce which translates to incredibly fresh in-season food that showcases Mexico’s unique terroir. Most of their dishes are cooked to smoky perfection over a wood fired hearth & their cocktail menu is just as special as their entrees. Our dream Simpre Viva menu = roasted octopus to start with grass-fed steak + fresh kale salad for dinner & simple dessert of house-grown strawberries with fresh cream.
Jazacafe: located in a quaint little courtyard tucked inside artist Ezra Katz’s gallery this is our top spot for a light healthy lunch and one of the best (skinny) margs in town. While the food is undoubtedly amazing the friendly, hardworking staff makes this spot extra wonderful. Make sure you try their fish taco with that spicy habanero crema, they also have great panini’s & salads for when you’re all taco-ed out. While you’re there we also recommend that you stop by the gift shop to the left of the restaurant, we love their handmade napkins & ceramics.
Controversial note; you may notice that there’s a very popular beach-front spot missing from our guide, and we’re a bit conflicted about this one .. the food is good & the views are undoubtedly incredible, however last time we were there they over charged / double charged on multiple items from our meal. This was quite obviously intentional by the restaurant as a way to try and increase our bill and it happened while we were dining with a local gallery owner & a local restauranteur (we emphasize the company because we can’t imagine the shenanigans they pull on tourists). We did see a whale there once though so we’ll try again next visit before naming names but for now they’re SUS.
TO SHOP
Ulula; this ‘mystical gypsy heart boutique’ is the must-shop stop for all of you chic wandering hippie queens. They specialize in women’s clothing (we love their long handmade gauze skirts as beach cover ups) and stock jewelry from our favourite artist; see below. We’ve also picked up a few tarot decks here and love their ever changing selection of crystals, candles & incense to help make our hotel rooms feel more like home.
Angela Zancanaro jewelry; art + jewelry are our 2 favourite ‘souvenirs’ to collect while travelling and we can’t leave Todos without grabbing yet another piece from Angela’s beautiful collection. We stack her hand-hammered gold rings for a laid back, yet elegant beach look, and already own 4 pairs of her gorgeous earrings including the mist set & cleo studs. We have our eye on her gorgeous statement cuff for our next Todos Santons AZ jewelry purchase if she’s still making this style when we return in the fall.
Zocalo; this shop specializes in mostly local-produced, ethical fashion & accessories and we honestly can’t get enough. It has a beautifully curated selection of Mexican-made goodies & the owner works directly with artisans to support local communities in Mexico. Their delicate dangling earrings pair beautifully with handmade crop tops and flowing dresses. We recently purchased this beautiful set & already regret leaving behind this maxi dress that would have made for the most perfect post-pool fancy dinner coverup.
Etnica; a lovely little downtown boutique filled with embroidered Mexican caftans, pouches + blouses all handmade in Oaxaca. We still wear the embroidered turquoise caftan we purchased 5 years ago as a beach cover, or tucked into a high waisted pant back in Canada post-vacation. They also have some beautifully well-crafted leather goods if you’re in need of a new purse, wallet or belt.
El Centenario; our buddy Arnaldo’s shop! Stop by & say to hi to the unofficial mayor of C. Centenario himself, he’ll give you a shot of tequila (with a $5 purchase of the cutest shot glasses in Baja) and provide you with the kindest, most thoughtful Baja-proud local Todos suggestions.
San Cristobal; yea, we’ll continue to blabber on about this uber chic boutique hotel on the beach (‘to shop’, ‘to drink’, ‘to stay’) but the best part has to be their epic gift shop. Candles, incense, cards, clothes, bikinis, pillow cases and gorgeous robes in that classic San Cristobal rainbow stripped print; we have one hanging in our bathroom as a for decoration only statement piece. It’s that beautiful!
la Sonrisa de la muerte; while there are so many beautiful galleries in todos Santos, this one makes our places to shop list due to their easy to travel with prints, tops and post cards. We especially love co-owner Saskia Onvlee’s prints & are planning to purchase her piece ‘mar’ for our new home.
photo source: https://shopzocalo.com
TO DRINK:
If you can master at least once Spanish phrase before your trip it should be this; ‘una mezcalita picante, sin azucar’. While these magical 5 words will get you a wonderful low sugar alcoholic experience at almost any restaurant or bar that you happen to walk into, we do have a few favourite drinks / spots that we recommend, if you’re into that sort of thing ..
Barracuda Catina: the undisputed cocktail masters of todos Santos & Cerrito’s beach, we loved every single thing we’ve ever sipped here. Each drink is equal parts thoughtful + delightful, with interesting ‘rimmers’ & unique flavour combinations. We absolutely adored the hibiscus sugar-rimmed mezcal & melon liquor based ‘cocktail of the day’ that we enjoyed on our last visit (and will be trying to recreate it at home for you in an upcoming post), but you can’t go wrong with their ‘Sexy Mexi’ or ‘Pineapple Express’ cocktails available on the menu year round. We’d also happily put this restaurant in our ‘to eat’ section. Their Baja style fish + grilled shrimp tacos are the perfect accompaniment to these cool cocktails.
Hotel Casa Tota: the service at this chic hotel is always incredible (it’s been the same lovely gentlemen there since we first visited 5 years ago) and they make the best ‘mezcalita picante, sin azucar’ in town. Cocktails come with fresh chips & the tastiest salsa on the block so order a few drinks, tip well & tell them we sent you.
San Cristobal: happy hour at this upscale hotel is one of the highlights of any Todos trip. This bougie beach front hotel is outside of our budget for week-long accommodations (although we’re considering brining the biker beau here next time for few nights for a special treat) but you can still enjoy the incredible views, cool vibes AND THAT GIFT SHOP without breaking the bank when you visit for happy hour drinks & snacks. Well crafted, unique cocktails are available at special prices every Tuesday from 5 - 8, which also happens to be the perfect time to catch the sunset. May we suggest the ‘Mexican fire drill’ (Jalapeño infused mezcal, lime, pineapple, yassss) to drink as you munch on the best guacamole and fresh oysters.
Guaycura Sky Lounge: we had this location saved on our phone as ‘the one with upstairs pool & the world’s most beautiful tamarind margaritas!!!’. Located in the heart of Todos Santos they have the most spectacular views of the town and a really neat cocktail menu. Their margarita de tamarindo is sweet, tart, sexy & just perfect when paired with that 10/10 vista. We believe you can also buy a day pass to their roof top pool, which would be the perfect way to pass an afternoon if your own hotel is pool-less.
Spicy mezcalita recipe: our favourite afternoon cocktail to drink while reminiscing about good times in Baja; 3 oz ‘good’ mezcal + 1 tbs fresh squeeze orange juice + juice from 2 limes, splash of sparkling water + 1/2 fresh small jalapeño (seeds removed), thinly sliced + 1 - 2 tbs flakey sea salt or tajín to rim glasses. Add all the ingredients except the salt & soda into a cocktail shaker with fresh ice and shake for 30 seconds. Strain & pour in salt-rimmed short glasses filled with ice, top with a lime wedge & a thin slice of jalapeño.
WHERE TO STAY
Casta tota; aka the first ever hotel we stayed at in town. Casa tota is in a prime location (right in town but not too close to all the noise & busyness) and has chic instagram-able rooms. They also have a lovely little pool and their friendly bartenders will deliver that spicy skinny mezcalita straight to your lounge chair. It’s reasonably priced & a great value, highly recommend.
La Bohemia; we’ve been trying to book here for years but this hip little boutique spot is always booked up. We finally got a room for a few nights on our last trip and it was definitely worth the wait. The all white (great for pictures) hotel has 9 rooms situated around lovely gardens, a palapa-shaded patio, and a cute mini pool. A delicious breakfast is included in the stay and their in-house bar serves beer, wine and cocktails throughout the day & night. The on site host was extremely friendly and helpful and we cannot say enough good things about this spot. The only, tiny con; t’was a bit noisy in the early morning hours thanks to some enthusiastic chickens & dogs next door. For us, this was easily taken care of by the complimentary ear plugs provided by the hotel by perhaps pass if you’re a very light sleeper.
Guaycura; we loved this hotel offering luxury accommodations at reasonable prices. Guaycura is at the top of our list for restless sleepers since it’s in a very quiet, yet well-situated area. It It’s located in a historic building in town that used to be a sugar mill and the rooms are spacious, clean & cool. The food was incredible, they offer spa services, and the roof top pool is the best in town. They’re also affiliated with el faro beach club, which is included (along with transportation) in the cost of your stay.
Desert Moon; this beachside surfer haven is a great, affordable option if you want to get away to the beach for a few nights. All of the rooms come with the most incredible ocean views and this hotel is only a 1 minute walk from Cerritos beach. It’s not fancy, per-say, but it’s clean & delivers cool bohemian surfer vibes. These rooms also come with a kitchen, including coffee maker, dining table and microwave perfect for when you’re all taco’ed out and want something home-cooked. There are quite a few stairs involved in getting you to your room, beach or the rip tide surf bar & pool situated at the top of the hotel so it’s not a great option if you have any mobility issues, but otherwise we highly recommend this spot.
San Cristobal; named in honour of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, surfers & sailors this stylish hotel sits right on the beach and is a Baja must visit. The views cannot be beat; it’s framed by the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, Punta Lobos, and the Pacific Ocean! The hotel bar also happens to be the best place to watch the local fishermen launch their boats from the beach, and the sunrises, sunsets and tides are the greatest amenities the hotel has to offer. The only downside to this booking is the cost of stay ($$$) but even if it’s outside of your budget we recommend that you stop by for happy hour or dinner to experience even a taste of the luxury that is San Cristobal.
photo source: hotel san cristobal facebook page
WELLNESS
Massages; two of the best massages of our lives were experienced on trips to Todos Santos. Connect with the team at La Bohemia for a massage with Sophie & splurge for the 90 minutes for $90USD, it’s totally worth it. We also can’t stop thinking about our Thai massage from Hesed, it was over 5 years ago & it was absolute healing perfection. We lost Hesed’s information and just found him again through a mutual acquaintance at the end of our last visit. Will 100% be looking him up for our next trip (& every trip after that!). Honourable massage mention to the gals at el Faro beach club, the massages were quite good but the ocean view & sounds of the waves crashing during our treatment was definitely the highlight. This was our priciest massage experience so far but it came with a day pass to the pool & beach club, worth it in our opinion.
Whale-watching; no need to book a guided whale-watching tour, you can literally see them everywhere right from the beach. They hangout around 100 feet from the shoreline and are easy to spot. Look for grey whales from January - March & humpback whales between October - January. Grab a towel, book and a few hard topo chico from the gas station on your way out to the beach, & you’ve got a perfect way to spend a day. We’ve had great luck spotting whales from the beach to the left as you head north out of town, past La Esquina (with lots of free parking at the beach entrance).
Cuatro Vientos; yoga, pilates, meditation & dance classes, all in a beautiful location just outside of the city of Todos Santos. This magical little studio runs well-priced (<$20) classes 7 days a week. We especially loved the yoga / pilates with Mariana & Liz’s flow yoga classes. Make sure to stop at La Esquina just across the road after your class for healthy options like their oat pancakes, smoothies & smoked marlin lettuce wraps.
Surf; there’s something magical about the ocean. Crashing waves + sunny rays create the perfect opportunity for relaxation, and a day of surfing can help to release stress, relief anxiety and brings an amazing sense clarity & peace. Cerrito’s beach is our top choice for surfing; located about 25 minutes from the town of todos santos it’s definitely worth a day trip and is great for both advanced & beginner surfers. If you want to take lessons we recommend that you check out the guys at Mario’s Surf School. The instructors are patient & friendly, and they’ll even organize to pick you up and drop you back off at your hotel in Todos Santos if you don’t have your own transportation.
Pura Vida health food store & restaurant; Pura Vida has delicious, vegan and non-vegan prepared food options and a great little store with a variety of health food items and excellent produce. They also have a decent supplement & herbal tea section, in case you forgot to pack your well wandering vitamins. It’s our go-to place for vegan chocolate truffles & desserts, and we always try and spend a working afternoon there while we’re in town for a visit.
Hike at Punta Lobos; our favourite trail can be found close to San Cristobal hotel. Park by the abandoned-looking stone building and look for the sign that says “Puerto Viejo” or the old port, follow this trail along the coastline for beautiful ocean views. If you’re feeling extra adventurous you can also access a small peaceful bay from the hiking trail that has clear, still water for swimming. The hike is about 1 hour each way and we recommend you go early to miss the peak heat of the day. Don’t forget to pack lots of water, sunscreen & your well wandering sun protection pack since the trail gets really sunny.
TO DO:
Our dream Todos Santos travel itinerary;
Monday: recover from your flight with a relaxing pool day. We recommend checking out day passes at Guaycura or el Faro beach club if your hotel is without pool. An afternoon massage from the incredibly gifted Hesed can help you release all of the tension from dealing with the airline’s current bull shit (all our flights have been delayed or canceled, lately). Finish up your first day with a luxuriously health meal at farm to table restaurant Simpre Viva.
Tuesday: hop on the bus (located at the terminal turistica in downtown todos Santos) or grab your rental car and head to la paz for a day at the beach. Our favourite beach is called Balandra Beach & can be found easily on google maps, with lots of parking. We had a lovely little post-beach fresh fish dinner at Playa El Tecolote (no website), but there are lots of great restaurants by the water to choose from. Ideally head back to todos after dinner, roads are safe but we prefer to be at the hotel before it gets too dark.
Wednesday: stay local & explore all of the cute shops & delicious restaurants in ‘downtown’ todos Santos. Feel free to wander up and down the streets (the town is basically laid out in a giant square) and stop at whichever shops & restaurants call to you, but this is our perfect in-town itinerary hour-to-hour;
9:00am; breakfast at your hotel! most boutique hotels we’ve stayed at in town have complimentary breakfast but we recommend Cafelix if you need to go out. Their chilaquiles are awesome!
10:00am; stop by taller 21 for the best latte in town & a pastry if you fancy (nothing gluten-free or vegan typically available, sadly), sip your coffee at the small table outside the cafe if it’s free, otherwise we like to take our coffee a few blocks down the street to the town square and do a little people watching in the sunshine.
10:30a.m - 1:00pm; see our ‘to shop’ section above and stop by as many little shops as possible. Don’t forget to shop with a reusable bag to cut down on your ecological footprint while travelling. Our favourite todos souvenirs = jewelry, napkins, art & a handmade hammock if you have room in your suitcase.
1:00pm; for lunch in town we recommend Jazacafe. Bring a book and hang out in the gardens for a bit after you’ve finished your meal.
2:30 - 4:00pm; how about an afternoon cocktail crawl? stop in at any / all of our favourites listed in the ‘to drink’ section and let us know which place has your favourite drinks.
4:00 - 5:30: nap
5:30 - 7: dinner at el Refugio. Get the pozole, you won’t be disappointed & this hearty soup will fuel you up for your night of dancing.
8:00pm: Head over to Jardin Alquimia for live music and dancing! Todos Santos is a pretty chill city with Alquimia Wednesday’s being the only real ‘party night’ in town. They have a live salsa band which is always amazing, & quality cocktails made by charming bartenders. Dance the night away and finish your evening with one of their wood fired pizzas.
Thursday: we usually crave a relaxing day after Wednesday’s big party night so head a little outside of downtown Todos Santos for some yoga at Quatro Ventros, healthy food at Esquemia & sunset whale watching on the nearby beach. It’s a healing & peaceful way to get your energy back after a late night.
Friday: wake up early, pack a bag for the day and head off for a hike at Punta Lobos before the day gets too hot. After, head to El Farro down the road and change into your bathing suit for a day of reading & relaxing by the pool at the best beach club in Baja. You can shower there, get cute & then go on over to San Cristobal for happy hour and a fancy dinner on the beach.
Saturday: Saturday calls for an unofficial Todos Santos art crawl. Dress up a little and stop by the many galleries that you’ll find in this artsy town. La Sonrisa De La Muerte, Galeria Logan & Galeria de Todos Santos are some of our favorites but feel free to just walk around and see what you find. You can’t throw a stone in Todos Santos without hitting a sweet little gallery or handmade artisan shop so wander up and down the streets and stop at whatever shop calls to you. End the day at Todos Santos Brewing; a great local brewery with live music & trivia nights, along with locally brewed beer tasting flights and delicious bar snacks. For the gluten-free crowd recommend the FAB’s, low sugar, moderate alcohol fermented beverages, similar to kombucha but without the tea base.
Sunday: spend your last day at Cerritos Beach! It’s about a 20 minute drive from downtown Todos Santos and there’s lots of free parking by the beach. Come early (before 9am) if you want to try surfing, then spend the rest of the day frolicking in the waves or relaxing on the shore. End your beach day with a late lunch of fresh tacos & afternoon cocktails at beachside Barracuda Cantina to escape some of the heat of the day before you head back to your hotel to pack!
