The living coral reef at Cabo Pulmo drew Nikki Goth Itoi and her husband, Paul, to Baja for the first time in 2000. In 2002, they both quit business jobs to drive Mexico's Baja and mainland coasts for several months. Seven thousand miles and countless tacos later, they remembered the people, cuisine, and tropical-desert scenery of Baja best of all—and they have returned as often as possible ever since.

Nikki Goth Itoi has experience writing for print, radio, and online media. Her work has been published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Red Herring, IndustryWeek, Business 2.0, Hemispheres,> and other publications. She is the author of Moon Hudson River Valley and a contributing editor to Gemütlichkeit: The Travel Letter for Germany, Austria, & Switzerland and the New Europe. A native of New York State, Nikki has traveled throughout Mexico, Europe, Asia, and the United States for work and fun.

When not on the road, Nikki enjoys outdoor activities in the San Francisco Bay Area, including bay swims, bike rides, and backcountry skiing. She and Paul live in San Francisco with their son, Emmett.