RV Travel in Baja California – Everything We Learned

In 2021, we went on our first RV journey to Baja California and on this put up we’ll share every thing we realized and suggestions to your Baja tenting journey. This information will cowl getting a Mexican Vacationer Card, Baja auto insurance coverage, Mexican customs restrictions, border crossing into Baja, driving in Baja, getting gasoline in Baja, security, seaside tenting, and different assets for RV journey in Baja.

After you’re achieved with this information, try our podcast with Paul Pritts, a great pal of ours who has been touring to Baja since he was a young person and now leads teams for meet-ups on the seashores there.

RV Journey in Baja

Going to Baja in an RV has been on our journey bucket record since we started full-time RVing in 2015. When Bob Wohler’s of Off-Road Safety Academy introduced he was providing a guided tour by means of Baja California, we each jumped on the alternative. To discover a tour like Bob’s, try our Overland Tours and Events Roundup.

The Baja peninsula is a well-liked Mexico journey locations for RVers and our week lengthy journey didn’t disappoint. Watch our Baja journey video under or maintain studying.

We every utilized for a Mexican Vacationer Card or FFM for our Baja California journey. The method to acquire the FFM was very straightforward by means of the Instituto Nacional de Migración website. After paying $575 Pesos per software we every acquired an e mail to obtain and print our Mexican vacationer card.

You may also get hold of a FFM on the INM workplace whenever you cross the border into Mexico. Since we had been on a gaggle tour, everybody utilized for his or her FFM on-line and introduced a printed copy. Be sure that to print a duplicate of your FFM receipt to indicate the INM workplace on the border crossing. In any other case, you could have to pay the charge once more earlier than you will get the official stamp, which somebody on our tour skilled.

There are a number of insurance coverage carriers based mostly in america focusing on Baja auto insurance coverage insurance policies. As a result of we had been on a guided Baja caravan journey, we had been required to buy our auto policy through Baja Bound. One of many causes everybody on the group tour was required to make use of the identical Baja insurance coverage service was in order that if any of the RVs had a difficulty, there was just one quantity to name reasonably than making an attempt to determine who has which insurance coverage.

Should you’re not required to buy by means of a particular insurance coverage service to your Baja RV journey, make sure you store round and test along with your U.S. auto and RV insurance coverage supplier to see if they provide protection in Mexico. We’ve used Progressive and Geico for our auto and RV insurance coverage in america and each corporations provide auto insurance coverage protection in Mexico.

Be sure that to do your analysis and perceive the coverage you’re getting. In my article on RV Safety and Preparedness, one of many suggestions is to grasp your insurance policies earlier than you want them. Speak to the insurance coverage agent and skim by means of the coverage so you recognize what is roofed and what’s not lined.

Baja Certain Insurance coverage Expertise

Baja Certain is an insurance coverage dealer. They work with a number of corporations so you may have choices when deciding which coverage is best for you. The expertise of buying our auto insurance coverage by means of Baja Certain was superb. Shauna was our contact and he or she promptly responded to all our questions through e-mail and on the cellphone.

Since we personal a closely modified 2000 F350 truck and pop-up camper we wished to ensure the aftermarket upgrades had been lined by the coverage. We had been in a position to set a money worth for the truck and a separate money worth for the camper. For 9 days and the utmost legal responsibility restrict, our coverage ended up costing simply over $300.

Whenever you get a quote through Baja Bound, you will get the day by day charge, 6 month charge, or an annual charge. Since we had been on a seven evening, eight day Baja tour, we opted for the day by day charge. We additionally had the choice of extending our protection whereas we had been there however we’re advised it needed to be achieved throughout the week whereas the workplace was open. Should you plan to spend an prolonged period of time in Baja, it might be extra economical to buy a six month and even an annual auto coverage.

The excellent news is we didn’t want to make use of our Baja Certain insurance coverage whereas touring in Baja so I can’t present any suggestions on claims expertise with Baja Certain.

Driving a Financed Car in Baja

Are you driving a financed automobile to the Baja peninsula? Remember to contact your lien holder about their necessities for taking the automobile throughout the border into Mexico. Beneath are some articles we discovered on driving a financed automobile to Baja together with info on whether or not or not you want an official letter of permission.

Crossing Into Mexico with a Financed Vehicle

How to Drive Financed Vehicles into Mexico

Vehicle Permits and Financed Vehicles

Mexican Customs Restrictions

Every time we journey to a different nation, we all the time search for the customs rules for that nation. That is particularly essential when touring in an RV as a result of we’re bringing our dwelling on wheels and what’s allowed in a single nation will not be allowed in one other or the quantity could also be restricted. Going to Mexico will not be our first worldwide border crossing, we’ve visited a number of Canadian Provinces in an RV.

So what do you have to convey to Baja? Or extra importantly, what are you able to convey to Baja Mexico? Go to the Mexican Customs website for the freshest info on easy methods to clear customs on the Baja Mexico border. There’s a part on gadgets/items you can not convey into Mexico in addition to solutions to different questions.

To make it straightforward on ourselves, we arrived with a number of beers chilling within the fridge and opted to buy contemporary produce and different meals gadgets as we traveled round Baja.

Since we bought our insurance coverage by means of Baja Certain, we learn most of the useful resource articles on their web site about touring to Baja in a automobile. This post details what items you can bring driving into Baja.

There are a number of border crossing choices when driving from america to Baja Mexico. Our caravan of 9 campers crossed at Puerto Mexicali II on a Sunday morning and had a really clean border crossing.

Previous to crossing, our information held a gaggle assembly and checked everybody’s paperwork to ensure we had every thing so as. He had despatched a really detailed e mail to every of us so we knew what we needed to convey. After we arrived on the border, our tour information offered an official invitation letter from the Baja Tourism Board to the immigration workplace.

All 9 automobiles pulled into the inspection space the place the brokers requested us questions and inspected our campers. There was additionally a canine working the world and sniffing the automobiles. We weren’t requested to open our fridge or any of the storage bays and cupboards in our camper. The border agent was very pleasant and had restricted English. After the inspection we walked over to the immigration workplace to indicate our passports and the “Entrada” portion of our FFM and get the “Salida” portion stamped.

Earlier than You Go Guidelines

Whether or not you’re occurring a guided tour of Baja or exploring by yourself, put collectively your individual Earlier than You Go Guidelines. This record might embody your RVing tool kit, essential RV gear, your travel water filter and gadgets particular for worldwide journey.

This Before You Go Checklist comprises gadgets that you could be not have thought-about, however are good to have in your record. It’s additionally good apply to test the U.S. Department of State’s page on traveling to Mexico for the most recent info and journey advisories.

One essential tip I wish to share with you is to convey copy of your FMM receipt. After we crossed the border into Baja, a pair individuals in our group didn’t have a printed copy of their receipt and needed to pay the charge once more on the immigration workplace.

Driving in Baja California

We drove a great portion of Baja California, however we didn’t make it all the way down to Baja California Sur. Our expertise of driving in Baja was superb. The roads had been nicely paved, the highway indicators had been straightforward to learn and comply with, and after we did get off the pavement, the sand was exhausting filled with some ruts and washboard sections.

Regardless of being nicely paved, many sections of the highway had been very slender with no shoulder and drop offs on both aspect. We encountered many giant semi-trucks which had us slowing down and hugging the sting of the pavement. The native drivers tended to hurry and would go at any alternative, even in blind curves – so be careful! We received in a single scenario on a two lane highway the place we had vehicles 3-4 extensive all passing on the identical time! Lots of our highway guidelines don’t apply in Mexico so be very conscious.

To offer you an concept, we drove Mexico 5 south by means of San Felipe to an off-road detour to Coco’s Nook earlier than getting again on Mexico 5 in the direction of Mexico 1 to Bahia de los Angeles. From there we made our manner north on Mexico 1 to Ensenada then drove Mexico 3 to Tecate then ended up on Mexico 2D, which is a toll highway that received us to the Otay Mesa Land Port of Entry. In complete, we drove over 800 miles in Baja California.

Baja California Maps

We downloaded the NatGeo Baja California map on our Gaia GPS mobile app, which got here in very helpful. The app additionally tracked our whole journey which we will export or share with mates. See our put up on Essential Apps for RVing for different apps we use whereas touring.

Should you desire to have paper maps, each of NatGeo Baja maps are available for purchase on Amazon.

Ideas for Driving in Baja

Do a fast seek for Baja driving suggestions and also you’ll discover some frequent suggestions which can be talked about over and over. The preferred one we got here throughout was don’t drive at evening, which we by no means did.

As soon as we received on the highway in Baja we understood why it’s not advisable to drive at evening. The roads can get very slender and sharing the highway with giant vehicles when it’s darkish simply didn’t look like a good suggestion. Plus, shoulders typically had a steep drop off, if there was a shoulder for that part of the freeway.

Baja Certain has an in depth article on Baja driving tips that features paperwork to have with you and coping with the police throughout site visitors violations.

Fuel and ULSD Diesel in Baja

Pemex (Petróleos Mexicanos) is the state owned chain of gasoline stations in Baja. We did see Arco, BP and Chevron stations all through our journey, however we solely added gasoline at Pemex. Out of the 9 campers on our Baja journey, 5 ran on gasoline and 4 ran on diesel, together with our truck. One of many diesel vehicles required Extremely Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) which was accessible at each station we stopped for gasoline.

The NatGeo Baja map had gasoline and diesel stations clearly marked, which made it simpler to plan our subsequent gasoline cease. Our information advisable submitting up as typically as we stopped as a result of the subsequent station might be out of gasoline.

Since we’ve a 51 gallon after market fuel tank, we didn’t need to replenish as typically as different individuals on the tour. On the Pemex station, there was all the time a separate space for the diesel pumps and these have a black deal with, not the inexperienced that we’re used to in america.

At every gasoline station, we needed to look forward to an attendant to return by and pump the gasoline for us and we all the time paid in money. The gasoline costs didn’t range an excessive amount of in Baja California, however we observed it was inexpensive on the Pacific aspect in comparison with the Sea of Cortez aspect.

Many of the gasoline stations had very clear bogs with rest room paper, trash cans and a market to purchase snacks and provides. At one Pemex station we even purchased a scrumptious seeded watermelon out of the mattress of a truck within the car parking zone.

We additionally noticed guys on the aspect of the highway promoting gasoline out of the again of their vehicles from bottles. I don’t know if this was simply gasoline or if they’d diesel however until you had been operating on fumes, I might wait till you’re at a gasoline station as you don’t wish to run the chance of getting contaminated gasoline.

Army Checkpoints

Relying on the place you go in Baja, you’ll possible come throughout a number of navy checkpoints. The primary navy checkpoint we encountered was proper earlier than San Felipe heading south on Mexico 5. That one felt barely intimidating as a result of it was our first one and we didn’t know what to anticipate. They requested us the place we had been going and requested us to open the camper so they may have a look inside. Then we had been waved by means of the test level and pulled over to attend for the remainder of the group.

These navy test factors are a part of touring in Baja and range by way of how in depth they study the camper and what questions they ask. At one navy test level, they opened each of our backpacks and regarded by means of the contents.

Everybody we encountered was pleasant and a few spoke a really restricted quantity of English. Kait and I each used the tiny little bit of Spanish we knew to interact in informal conversations.

A word relating to medicines – when our backpacks had been checked, the officer went by means of every pocket, wanting over the gadgets. Of word, he pulled out the bottle of generic Excedrin I carry and requested about it. When he realized it was “like Aspirin,” he appeared content material and put it again. Should you do carry prescriptions, be sure to search for what documentation it’s worthwhile to present it’s a prescription. We’d advise towards placing any capsules, and so on in unmarked containers they usually might increase considerations if you happen to’re searched.

Seashore Tenting in Baja

There may be loads of seaside tenting in Baja California on the Sea of Cortez aspect in addition to the Pacific Ocean aspect. Earlier than we began our Baja journey, our information advisable the e book Traveler’s Guide to Camping Mexico’s Baja: Explore Baja and Puerto Peñasco with Your RV or Tent. It’s a great useful resource to have earlier than and through your Baja journey.

Seashore tenting on the Sea of Cortez aspect was one of many highlights of our journey by means of Baja. Our favourite spot was Playa La Gringa in Bahía de los Ángeles. Anticipate to be boondocking because it’s a primitive tenting space with no hookups or facilities. There have been a number of trashcans scattered alongside the seaside. It was very peaceable and quiet throughout our keep and the water was good and calm for kayaking.

Since we had been on a guided tour, we didn’t have to fret about discovering campgrounds every evening, but when we had been to return on our personal, we’d additionally reference iOverlander to discovering tenting in Baja.

The campground facilities in Baja various as did the value. We stayed at primary campgrounds with none hookups and really primary facilities. These campground price between $10 and $40 per evening and probably the most primary campground was additionally the costliest.

Some campgrounds in Baja had flushing bathrooms and chilly water showers, others had scorching showers, flushing bathrooms and even contemporary water to fill your tanks. Learn our put up on water filtration systems for RVs.

Relying on the campground, there might or will not be somebody there to greet you and take your cash. On the first campground we stopped at, it regarded abandoned. All of us parked, arrange camp and loved the remainder of the day. That evening whereas we sat on the campfire, a automotive drove up and a man got here out to gather the tenting charge. It was $40 US and the costliest of the journey. Because it was already darkish and we had been all arrange, we paid the charges however had we recognized previous to arriving, we’d have regarded for a inexpensive choice.

Not one of the campgrounds we stayed at had rest room paper within the bogs so we all the time made certain to convey our personal.

Meals and Drink in Baja California

Whereas one of many perks of RV journey in Baja is having your property with you, we nonetheless loved sampling the native fare.

In fact the primary merchandise on our record of issues to eat in Baja had been fish tacos. China’s Place stroll up taco stand in Bahía de los Ángeles had nice made to order tacos. We loved the fish and shrimp tacos a lot we ended up going again for spherical two. There’s a comfort retailer subsequent door the place you possibly can seize an ice chilly beer to take pleasure in with the tacos.

The very best meals we had in Baja had been tostadas at La Guerrerense in Ensenada. We determined to interrupt away from our tour on the final day as a way to strive these wonderful tostadas. Every thing we ordered was wonderful together with the shrimp ceviche and the tostada especial with cod and octopus topped with sliced avocados.

There was no scarcity of nice meals in Baja California. Except for the tostada spot, all of the eating places we discovered had been by strolling round. Considered one of Joe’s favourite eating places served Sinaloa fashion grilled rooster with freshly made tortillas.

Security and RV Journey in Baja

After we advised family and friends we had been going to Baja, one questions we saved getting was “Is it protected to journey by means of Baja California?” We didn’t have any security considerations touring in Baja Mexico. One motive was as a result of we had been in a gaggle and there’s security in numbers. One other was as a result of Bob, our information, was nicely versed within the space and we knew we had been in good arms. As a pal Paul put it in our podcast with him on Baja, “Simply don’t do something silly. Use frequent sense, and also you’ll be effective in Baja.”

That stated, you will need to be ready and have security plans in place whenever you’re out on the highway. The present occasions have taught us how essential it’s to not get caught off guard and need to scramble when emergencies come up. It’s additionally essential to not let concern cease you from living the life you want, however making ready for all eventualities will serve you nicely if issues go unsuitable.

We advocate taking steps to make sure you’re ready for no matter comes your manner whereas touring. Learn our put up on RV safety.

Border Crossing by Land Again to United States

Crossing the border again into america from Baja California was fairly the memorable expertise for us.

We received in line on the Tecate Port of Entry round 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and we might see the truck campers from the tour had been about 20-30 vehicles in entrance of us. The road was inching alongside after we acquired a name from our information telling us that the border hours of operation had modified as a result of pandemic. Any automobiles that didn’t make it handed the gate by 2 p.m. must go to a different border crossing.

Sadly we missed the reduce off by a number of automobiles and drove to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. We ended up in line for 5 hours earlier than lastly getting again to the U.S. The large lesson right here is to double test the hours for the port of entry and don’t assume it will likely be open throughout the hours posted (Tecate’s border crossing was nonetheless listed as being open till 10pm). Additionally, have no less than one backup border crossing with driving instructions.

Whereas ready in line in Otay Mesa to get again to the U.S., we noticed all kinds of meals distributors, trash collectors, and even leisure alongside the route. There have been additionally indicators for public restrooms, which we didn’t use since we had our portable camping toilet within the camper.

Be ready for a protracted wait (we had been in line at Otay Mesa for over 5 hours) and don’t neglect to test the U.S. customs rules on issues corresponding to gadgets to declare, duty-free limits, and prohibited gadgets. Try Baja Bound’s post on re-entering the U.S. from Mexico.

Assets for RV Journey in Baja

There are a selection of assets on RV journey in Baja. Here’s a record of those that we used (some have been talked about above):

That’s it! I hope you discovered this put up useful in planning your individual RV journey to Baja California.