At the extreme north end of Bahía de Palmas (13.6 km/8.5 mi north of Los Barriles), Hotel Punta Pescadero (tel. 612/141-0101, U.S. tel. 800/426-2252, www.puntapescadero.com, US$150) is a small fishing resort on 125 palm-studded acres overlooking a sandy beach.

The resort is popular with private pilots, since it has a paved landing strip (1,065 m/3,500 ft, Unicom 122.8, US$25 landing fee), and you’ll likely hear regular fly-in guests trading stories at the bar. (As at other Baja airfields, plane theft is a very real concern here; throttle locks and prop chains are essential. Contact Baja Bush Pilots, www.bajabushpilots.com, for more information. Baja Bush Pilot and AAA discounts available.)

A small housing development is growing up next to the airstrip, so the Punta Pescadero’s once-secluded nature is changing, but compared to the congestion of Los Barriles, it remains off the beaten track.

Each of 21 spacious rooms comes with a seaview, private veranda, air conditioning, satellite TV, and refrigerator; some have cathedral ceilings and fireplaces (quite nice on winter evenings), and all were renovated in 2005. King-size beds are made in crisp white linens with fluffy pillows and down comforters. During the windy season, ask for a room that faces southwest for a terrace that’s sheltered from the El Norte gusts.

A gracious staff speaks excellent English, and public areas include a restaurant with large picture windows, outdoor patio dining, dive shop with compressor, small pool, lighted tennis court, and rental equipment for scuba and free diving, boating, and fishing.

Petroglyphs are visible in nearby rock caves that once served as Amerindian burial sites.

The unpaved side road out to the actual point is not recommended for RVs or trailers.