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Dan and Lisa Goy
Travel Tips to RVing on Baja
Hwy 1 Baja Sur
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Dan and Lisa Goy
Travel Tips to RVing on Baja
Cow hazard on Baja
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Dan and Lisa Goy
Travel Tips to RVing on Baja
Entering Mexico
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Dan and Lisa Goy
Travel Tips to RVing on Baja
Green Angels on patrol
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Dan and Lisa Goy
Travel Tips to RVing on Baja
Hwy 1 in Catavina
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Dan and Lisa Goy
Travel Tips to RVing on Baja
Military checkpoint on Baja
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Dan and Lisa Goy
Travel Tips to RVing on Baja
Roads can be narrow
Story & photos by Dan and Lisa Goy
We have been RVing on Baja since 1985, operating our Caravan Tour service since 2009 and have driven Hwy 1 over 50 times. We do not know everything; however, we have witnessed much and are happy to share the following:
1. Be prepared before departure
We recommend you purchase a map, camping book (Camping Mexico’s Baja), a Mexican phrase book, and get Baja on your GPS if you have one. We have actually met RVers on the road in Baja with none of the above and no clue where they are, or where they are going.
Make sure your RV is in good shape and everything works, there are no Camping Worlds on Baja. Mexican vehicle liability insurance is a must, we use Baja Bound and there are several other reputable providers on line. Driving in Mexico without insurance significantly increases your chances of seeing the inside of a Mexican jail.
2. Complete your Mexican tourist card
Canadians travelling on regular Canadian passports do not require visas to enter Mexico if the purpose of their trip is tourism and the stay does not exceed 180 days (a fee is applicable if entering by land. For those travelling by air the fee is included in the price of the plane ticket).
However, all Canadians entering Mexico either by plane or land should have a tourist card filled out and have it stamped at their first port of entry. When entering by land, you will have to go to the immigration booth located at the border crossing. When entering by plane and transiting through Mexico City, your tourist card should be stamped in Mexico City before boarding towards your final destination. Don’t lose this card – you will need to show it when you leave.
3. Do Not Drive at night!
This is rule #1 for RVing on Baja and we still find campers that do this. The roads are dark, often narrow, unfamiliar, used by large transport trucks, buses and impaired drivers, and you are likely to hit a cow!
4. Watch your speed, stay in your lane, keep the rubber on the road
Most of Baja is posted at 80 kph (50 mph). Some of the highway is very narrow, most often with no shoulders. If you leave the road you are probably not getting back on without a tow truck. We have lost many driver side mirrors, mostly from other RVers driving like they are on the I-5; what is the hurry?
5. Topes
These speed bumps come in all sizes, sometimes with signs, sometimes not. You will often find these at each end of a town or village and also in town. Use caution and slow down to avoid damaging your RV. Every RVer (including us) has a tope story.
6. Know where you are going and how long it will take to get there
Planning 101 - six hours of driving is plenty for those driving Baja for the first time. Always leave some extra time in daylight hours so you do not get caught in the dark. Our RV caravans routinely depart at 8:00-8:30 am, arriving shortly after lunch.
7. Stay calm and polite at the military checkpoints
You will encounter a few of these on the way south and on your return north. They will often ask where you are coming from and where you are going. Snowbirds in RVs are not their target audience, particularly Canadians. They are looking for guns and drugs and will often wave you through heading to Los Cabos and inspect your RV heading back to the US. The soldiers staffing these checkpoints are young, usually from villages in southern Mexico and fascinated with the inside of your RV.
8. Do not camp alone
This is not an issue at signed campgrounds, RV parks or well-used beaches where fees are collected daily. We are talking about the boonies, like a beach or out in the open desert. We have never had a problem in 30+ years camping in Mexico, and the only incident (one) we have heard about was with a couple camping alone.
9. Avoid camping on the beach at Easter
Easter in Mexico is celebrated through a combination of Semana Santa (Holy Week – Palm Sunday or Domingo de Ramos to Easter Saturday) and Pascua (Resurrection Sunday until the following Saturday). This is the biggest holiday in Mexico and locals on Baja head to the beaches in droves. Unless you want to experience Mexican cultural immersion up close and personal, stay away.
10. Avoid Hurricanes
This seems like a no-brainer but we actually had a couple who insisted on driving to Los Barriles, BCS as a hurricane was approaching. November hurricanes (Chubascos in Mexico) are rare but they do happen. Big wind, heavy rain and major flooding are all regular features of hurricanes making landfall, none of which go well with RVs. We returned to La Paz and sat out hurricane Sandra.
11. Bonus Tip: In the event of a breakdown - Green Angels (Angeles Verdes) to the rescue
In the unlikely event you have a breakdown on the Baja highway, be assured help is on the way. The government sponsors the Green Angels (like AAA trucks), who patrol Hwy 1 every day northbound and southbound looking for tourists and locals alike needing assistance. “Federales” (slang term for Federal Police) also patrol the road and can contact both the Green Angels or a tow truck if required. In addition, the first Mexican on the scene is also likely to stop and offer assistance.
www.BajaAmigos.net - 1-866-999-2252 (BAJA)
Dan & Lisa Goy are the owners of Baja Amigos RV Caravan Tours.