Mulege: Like a Sahara Oasis.

Mulege

Thinking of where to go this winter? There is a special place in Mexico’s Baja Peninsula that is more like an oasis in the Sahara than a village on the Sea of Cortez.

South Baja has many delights, but the essential thing it lacks the most is fresh water, either by rainfall or in rivers and streams. So much so that there are only two permanent places where small rivers can be found, San Ignacio and the subject of today’s article, Mulege.

In truth, Mulege’s river is little more than a large creek, mostly tidal and joined by run-off from the mountains some way in land.

But it’s the date palms which give Mulege the true oasis feel and a yearly harvest which helps sustain some of the locals.

Mulege also boasts, if that’s the correct word, a defunct territorial prison, perhaps the first such without bars as the 30 or so prisoners were allowed out to work and only locked up at night. It is now a museum; a new prison further north now keeps residents in 24/7...Shame.

The name Mulege is a Cochimi Indian name, meaning “Large Ravine of the White Mouth.” and cave paintings are available if you want to do a bit of swimming at the inland end of the creek.

Mulege is also the gateway to the 33-mile-long Conception Bay with its beaches and idyllic waters.

Many Gringos call the place home, mostly in the cooler months as Mulege can get very warm indeed which is fine if you’re off to the beach.

I have been and stayed there several times and find Mulege one of the most laid-back places in Mexico. Time has little meaning here, there’s not much to do, which is the beauty of the oasis in this over-stressed world…plenty of info online re: hotels, etc., etc.

If religion is your thing, Mulege has a 300-year-old, plus, mission, established by Padre Juan de Urgarte, Santa Rosalia de Mulege.

Owning a small boat would increase the pleasure and activity potential of Mulege and Bahia Conception by a huge factor. Fishing is good, so are water sports such as kayaking in these placid waters.

Many snow birds come here from the wintry parts of the US and Canada, some stay as long as 6 moths (the maximum, a 180 day visa).

Many head down to La Paz, South Baja’s capital and a great destination itself where I lived for 5 years and miss daily. Shops are good there, so are all the other facilities of a growing town of 300,000 or so.

Santa Rosalia, an interesting old copper mining center, is just to the north of Mulege and Loreto, another popular tourist destination, between Mulege and La Paz.

Then there is the frenzy of the Cape if you really want to partake of the drinking rock ’n’ roll life. Not me!