North of Mulegé, near Km. 151, a sandy road departs Highway 1 heading east toward the wide and undeveloped bay of Santa Inés—a great place for a midday swim or beach stroll. There are multiple ways to reach the white-sand beach that lines the bay.

Follow the network of sandy roads, choosing the most-traveled branches and taking care not to get stuck in patches of loose sand. Eventually you will end up at the low dunes that guard the beach. You can pitch a tent and spend the night here, although there are no facilities and you may be asked to pay a few dollars for overnight use of the site.

At the north end of Bahía Santa Inés (Km. 156), a 20-kilometer graded road leads to remote Punta Chivato, a popular sportfishing destination and a great spot to set up camp and snorkel the rocky point. A handful of palapas offer shade, and the beachfront camping area can accommodate RVs as well as tents.

Hotels

The high-end Posada de las Flores (off the main, unnamed dirt road that leads to Punta Chivato, tel./fax 615/155-5600, U.S. tel. 619/378-0103, www.posadadelasflores.com, US$210–490/night) group took over the historic Hotel Punta Chivato, a onetime luxury fly-in resort that opened in 1966. Like its sister properties in Loreto and La Paz, the inn has large and stylish rooms with air-conditioning, private baths, fireplaces, and garden patios.

Other amenities include a boat ramp, small desert golf course, pool, and sea kayaks. Rates include breakfast, snacks, and dinner, but don’t include tax or a US$18-a-day service fee. There is a small tienda at the hotel.

You can also camp on the beach or contact Costa Cardonal (www.costacardonal.com) to inquire about vacation rentals that may be coming on the market as new homes are completed.