Water sports are the attraction on the crescent of sandy beaches stretching from Muelle Storni in the north almost to Punta Cuevas in the south. In these sheltered waters, hazards like rip currents are nonexistent, but at low tide the water retreats hundreds of meters on the gently sloping beach.

The road may be paved and fuel much easier to come by than in the early days of peninsular travel, but Baja California remains a classic route for travelers who enjoy the thrill of a long road trip. All you need is ample time, a reliable vehicle, and an ability to cope with unpredictable situations.

Travelers with a week or more can experience the many dimensions of the lower Baja peninsula by making a circular route around the Cape Region via paved highways Mexico 1 and Mexico 19. Extending a total distance of approximately 564 kilometers (350 mi), this route takes visitors along the lower slopes of the Sierra de la Laguna, through the sierra’s former mining towns, across the plains of La Paz, and along the coastlines of the East and West Capes as well as the Corridor between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.

After winding its way over the Sierra de la Laguna heading southeast from La Paz, Mexico 1 reaches the Gulf coast once again at Los Barriles, more or less in the middle of the wide and exposed Bahía de las Palmas. The bay is roughly 32 kilometers long, extending from Punta Pescadero in the north to Punta Arena at its southern end.

These are available right on the beach at a number of the north-side resort-hotels, such as the Sheraton, Las Palmas Resort, Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta, and NH Krystal.

The same sports are also seasonally available south of Cuale on Playa los Muertos, in front of the Hotels Playa los Arcos and Tropicana. Expect to pay about $50 per half hour for a personal watercraft, $75/hour for waterskiing, and $25 for a 10-minute parasail.

Swimming, surfing, sailboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, sailing, and personal watercraft–riding are the Puerto Vallarta region’s water sports of choice.

You can rent Jet Skis, kayaks, and other gear from small kiosks on the beach, including in front of El Viejo y El Mar restaurant (Calle 19 at Calle 78). There, the equipment is available 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. daily; ask in the restaurant if you don’t find anyone on the beach.

East of Progreso, the coastal road wanders behind a long string of summer houses for seven kilometers (4.3 miles) to the small fishing village of Chicxulub Puerto. The town is run-down, has few hotels, and the beach is always filled with boats—not too appealing for most travelers.

However, the strong, steady wind and shallow, obstacle-free shoreline make for ideal sailing, windsurfing, and kiteboarding conditions, and wind-sport athletes come to Chicxulub from all over the world to play and train. The town is home base for two of Mexico’s 2004 windsurfing Olympians.

The best—and perhaps only—reason to visit Chicxulub Puerto is for the wind sports. And for that, all roads lead to Marina Silcer (Antigua Carretera Progreso-Chicxulub km. 3.5, tel. 969/934-0491, www.marinasilcer.com, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Tues.–Sun.). One-on-one instruction is available for all levels in windsurfing (US$167/eight 1.5-hr. sessions), sailing (US$232/four 1.5-hr. sessions for two people), and kiteboarding (US$350/six 1.5 hour sessions). You also can rent gear by two-hour increments and afterward use the marina’s semi-Olympic-size swimming pool. There’s a good seafood restaurant on-site too. To get here, turn left at the old gasoline station on the outskirts of town.