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Loreto Mexico Cruise Port Guide
Location:
Your ship will drop anchor in Loreto Bay, and you will be transported ashore via ship's tender to the Malecon, Loreto's pleasant boulevard.
Printable map to take along.
Watch a destination video.
Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers
Monthly Climate Averages for Loreto Mexico
Sightseeing:
Loreto (or Conchó) was the first Spanish settlement on the Baja California Peninsula. It served as the capital of Las Californias from 1697 to 1777, and is the current seat of the municipality of Loreto in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. The city of 14,724 people (2010 census) is located on the coast of the Gulf of California, about 350 km (220 mi) north of the state capital, La Paz.
The city is now a tourist resort, catering mostly to U.S. travelers.
There are seven buildings in Loreto from the 18th to the 20th century that are considered historical monuments by the federal government; the most important is the Mission of our Lady of Loreto, which is at the start of El Camino Real ("The Royal Road"), an historic corridor that follows north along the ancient route of the Spanish missions, to its ending in Sonoma, California, USA
Tours Excursions Transportation:
The town center is walkable, with all sights within a few blocks of one another.
Fishing. Loreto has long been regarded as one of the best places for fishing. Yellowtail, sailfish, marlin, wahoo, roosterfish, and dorado are abundant in the blue waters of the Sea of Cortez.
Whale Watching. The waters off Loreto are home to several species of great whales including Blue, Fin, Bryde's, Humpback, Orca, Sperm, and many others. This is perhaps the richest area in the world for whale and dolphin diversity.
Diving and Snorkeling. Excellent scuba, free diving, and snorkeling nearby due to the fantastic diversity of marine life. The convergence of tropical influences from the south and temperate conditions from the north bring together an amazing array of species. Local dive shops and charters are available.
It pays to compare your cruise line shore excursions here.
Nearby Places:
Shopping and Food
The quiet, quaint streets of downtown Loreto offer numerous boutiques from which you will discover the amazing creativity of the Mexican people. "Productos artisanias" or "artists products" refer to the myriad of hand-made arts and crafts found throughout Mexico. In Loreto, you'll find genuine silver jewelry, paintings, fine textiles from the mainland, ceramic and wood sculptures, blown glass and metal designs.
Currency:
The currency of Mexico is the peso (MXN). The symbol for pesos is the same as for US dollars, which can be slightly confusing. Prices in dollars (in tourist areas) are labeled "US$" or sport an S with a double stroke. There are about 17 peso to 1US$.
US dollars are widely accepted in the far north and in tourist locales elsewhere.
Credit cards are not as widely accepted as in Europe or the USA. Some companies make an extra charge of around 5% on such transactions.
Communication:
Spanish is the main language. English is largely spoken in border cities with the United States as well as tourist destinations.
In town you will find several cafes which offer free WiFi for customers.
Opening Hours and Holidays:
Mon-Sun 1000/1100-2000/2200 (big towns and cities); Mon-Fri 0900-1400/1600 (rest of the country).
- January 1st
- February 2nd: The Candelaria Virgin Day, celebrated in many places around the country
- February 5th: Constitution Day(1917)
- February 24th: Flag Day
- March 21st: Birth of Benito Juárez (1806). 2006 was the bicentennial year.
- May 1st: Labor Day.
- May 5th: The Battle of Puebla against the French army, 19th century. (Not an official holiday)
- September 1st: Dia del Informe. Although no longer official, it is still important as it is the day in which the Mexican President addresses to the Nation of the progress his administration on a yearly basis. Every President makes six Informes
- September 16th: Independence day (from Spain - 1821).
- October 12: Discovery of America (Descubrimiento de America)
- November 2nd: Day of the dead (Not an official holiday)
- November 20th: Revolution day (1910)
- December 12th: Guadalupe Virgin Day. Unless is not official, is one of the most important Mexican Holidays
- December 25th: Christmas
Easter is widely observed nationwide, according to the yearly Catholic calendar (the first Sunday after the first full moon in Spring.
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