About La Paz

"El Patrón" is located in La Paz, the pearl of México, the capital of the State of Baja California Sur. It's a land of beautiful contrasts, of desert, sky and sea.  It is the ideal location for an enjoyable vacation.  You will quickly discover why it is appropriately named La Paz. "The Peace". La Paz was recently named as one of the 10 best places in the world to retire (MONEY MAGAZINE). Its residents, "Paceños", are a very calm and relaxed people, always hospitable, with easy smiles.  Their natural sincerity and pleasing manner blend with the festive and friendly environment.

Its clean, sandy beaches offer tourists and locals the best sites to rest and enjoy water activities in what Jacques Cousteau called "the world’s largest aquarium." Its mountains and valleys afford ideal places to walk, explore, and camp and to marvel at the amazingly rich flora and fauna, characteristic of the desert and semi-desert zone. The historic sites exhibit a part of the rich ancestry of its people.

La Paz offers all types and prices of lodging: from large tourist hotels, where the international level of luxury and comfort satisfy even the most demanding guest, to the moderately priced hostels for backpackers.  There are also a variety of sites to camp under the stars and trailer parks for the wandering traveler.

The magic of this location is due in part to its serene ambience. Because this tranquil environment inspires creativity, many artists call La Paz home. In the words of John Steinbeck: "Even the air in this place is miraculous and the perception of reality changes by the moment."

History and Geographic Location

Mexico is located in the southern region of North America. It shares its borders with the United States to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the south. To the east, is the Atlantic Ocean and to the west the Pacific. In the northwest region of the country you find a long peninsula, a piece of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California, or Sea of Cortez. This is the Peninsula of Baja California, which, because of its great length, is divided into two states.

The peninsula of Baja California has been inhabited for more than 12,000 years, but little is known of these first settlers. Only cave paintings have been left as testimony of their existence. In the 16th century, the peninsula had only a few semi-nomadic tribes of fishermen and fruit and seed collectors, such as the Cochimi, the Guaycura and the the Pericu. Hernán Cortes, motivated by the fantastic stories like those of the Las Sergas de Esplandián, organized the first trip to these lands in 1533. He even directed the second expedition, arriving at the bay on May 3, 1535. He baptized the lands as the Bay of Santa Cruz; but after 2 years the camp was abandoned, mainly because the dry soil would not allow for cultivation.

Finally, in 1596, Sebastian Vizcaino disembarked in the bay, renaming it La Paz and established a permanent camp. The Spanish quickly discovered the richness of the pearls and exploited them almost to extinction. In 1720, the Mission of "Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz Airapi" was founded and in 1974 the territory was made a state.