Loreto, a seaside paradise in Baja California

More than halfway down the Baja California peninsula lies the sleepy seaside town of Loreto, hemmed in by jagged, rust-colored peaks on one side and the Sea of Cortez on the other.

Its desert backdrop is reminiscent of a Spaghetti Western, complete with sagebrush and giant cacti topped by the occasional vulture.

But the harsh, dry landscape is offset by alluring islands in typically tranquil waters that teem with life, what Jack Cousteau famously referred to as “the Aquarium of the World.”

The Mexican town of about 15,000 exerts a pull on visitors, including my wife and me. We liked it so much we've been twice in the past couple of years and even fantasized about living there.

John Steinbeck visited Loreto in the early 1940s, memorializing the trip in his book “Log from the Sea of Cortez.”

He wrote of the friendly reception and the “fantastic and exotic scenery.” At the end of his journey he was reluctant to leave.

“Already our crew was trying to think of ways to come back to the Gulf,” he wrote. “This trip had been like a dreaming sleep, a rest from immediacies.”

That's a bit how we felt after a recent weeklong stay in Loreto.

On our flight back, I spoke with Lucinda Neumann, a vacationing truck driver from Salt Lake City traveling with her husband.

“It's not the real world. I'll come back,” she said of Loreto. “I like it here.”

But when she heard I was planning to write about it, she gave me a friendly warning: “Don't make it sound too good. Everyone will want to go there.”

So a little reality check: It can get quite hot in the summer - the average high in August is 97 degrees - and flash flooding can occur during the Mexican hurricane season from June through November. With that caveat, here are 10 reasons to go.

1. It's easy to get there. A little over 40 years ago, before a paved highway was built all the way down the Baja Peninsula to La Paz, Loreto was remote. Now it's convenient to fly out of Santa Rosa to Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines and pick up a connecting flight to Loreto, about two hours away. The downside is that fares tend to be a little more expensive than to the more touristy Mexican destinations.

2. Accommodations are inexpensive. Hotels and vacation rentals are reasonably priced. We have stayed at the same vacation rental twice because it is so affordable and nice, paying only $75 a night for a one-bedroom “casita” with kitchen, air-conditioning and cable TV. It is part of an unoccupied beachfront villa north of the downtown, overlooking a mostly empty beach that stretches for miles, just made for jogging, strolling or taking a swim.

Because the American homeowner wasn‘t there, we had full use of the terrace and balcony, perfect for taking in the sunrise with morning coffee or sunset with a margarita, as the waning light turns the volcanic rock islands into palettes of orange and dark blue.

3. It's laid back. Loreto has only one traffic light, and there are no vendors on the street or the beach hassling you to buy something, although a salesman may try to entice you with a freebie in exchange for a sales pitch at the elegant Villa Del Palmar time-share development about 10 miles south of town.

“They don't have the bar life, taverns and stuff, the rustle and bustle of Cabo,” Jack Jessup, a retired police officer from Camano Island, Washington, told me when I asked what he likes about Loreto.

“It's a smaller town, and you see more traditional Mexican stuff,” said his wife Joni. “There's no McDonald's, Dairy Queen or Burger King. People are so friendly.”

4. It's clean, and crime is not a factor. Municipal workers sweep the streets and beaches, and people feel safe. “There is no problem walking alone at night. Here, we don't worry about it,” said Mary Schwarzer, 57, a semi-retired American woman who splits her time between Loreto and Deming, N.M.

She said there is the occasional break-in when people are away from home for an extended period.

But, “the crime rate is just about nonexistent,” said Jim Borden, a Bakersfield builder who has a beachfront villa in Loreto. “There's not even a jail in town. Everyone is pretty much employed.”

5. The whale watching. On our first visit to Loreto, it was March and we spotted numerous whales from shore and close to the islands. The season for humpback, fin back, pilot and the massive blue whale runs from about February to April. But our initial trip involved flying to Loreto and driving a rental car to San Ignacio Lagoon on the Pacific Coast side, about four hours away.

We spent three magical days in a small cabin resort where a limited number of visitors are allowed to witness up close - even touch - some gray whales and their curious newborn pups as they prepare for their epic migration to Alaska (by way of the Sonoma Coast).

6. The fishing. The waters around Loreto have been decreed Mexico's largest marine preserve, which limits the size of boats and commercial fishing. The Gulf of California Islands were declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2005, which means fish and aquatic life stand a better chance of thriving. Ocean water temperatures can range between 60 degrees in spring and the 80s in summer.

There are sport fishing trips are available for all types of catch. Sail fish, marlin and Dorado (Mahi Mahi) are featured in summer. Winter is defined by yellowtail.

7. The scuba diving and snorkeling. To get close look at the underwater life one day in May, we ventured to nearby Isla Coronado to scuba dive next to a sea lion colony. A few of the curious creatures plunged down to check us out before darting away. The visibility was somewhat hampered by clouds of krill, but we saw a few green turtles, a half-dozen manta rays, schools of yellowtail fish, a few moray eels and a porcupine puffer fish, along with some healthy looking fan corral.

Between dives, our boat pulled onto a white sand beach rimmed by turquoise water, an inspiring place for lunch. Other visitors who weren't scuba diving reported decent snorkeling.

8. The kayaking. The relatively peaceful waters of the Sea of Cortez are ideal for multiday tours and day trips by kayak. Guided tours are available with overnight camping on the islands. The winds tend to be light in the morning but can increase significantly in the afternoon, making for a more challenging paddle.

9. The history connection. The first Spanish mission in the Californias was our Lady of Loreto, established in 1697 at the start of the El Camino Real, which follows the historic route of the Spanish missionaries north to Sonoma, the last mission founded in 1822. The Loreto mission is in the town's center, next to a small plaza ringed by shops, restaurants, City Hall and arbor-shaded walkways.

In the neighboring mountain town of San Javier, historical buildings include a mission founded in 1699, considered one of the best preserved on the peninsula.

10. The food. If you like seafood at a bargain price, this is the place. There's plenty of tasty fare, from a captain's platter with halibut, shrimp and octopus at the Giggling Dolphin, to fish tacos at Orlando's. Some restaurants grill your day's catch for you.

We liked the spinach, onion and mozzarella empanadas, or beef and green olive empanadas at the Uruguayan-owned Mezzaluna restaurant.

Clark Mason is a Press Democrat staff writer. Contact him at clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com