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Baja Shops - Bargains & Barter
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Photos by Dan & Lisa Goy
Dan and Vicky Ibarra
Ibarra's Pottery - Very unique indeed.3 of 8
Photos by Dan & Lisa Goy
Artesano's
Good selection at Artesano's.4 of 8
Photos by Dan & Lisa Goy
La Bufadora Shop
Choice is everthing
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Photos by Dan & Lisa Goy
La Bufadora Shop
Selection, selection, selection.6 of 8
Photos by Dan & Lisa Goy
Blanket Factory
Operating Loom at Blanket Factory
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Photos by Dan & Lisa Goy
Santispac Beach Shopping
Vendors galore.8 of 8
Photos by Dan & Lisa Goy
Blanket Factory
Wonderful selection at the Blanket Factory.By Dan & Lisa Goy
A tour of Baja would not be complete without an opportunity to shop for those special items “Hecho en Mexico” (Made in Mexico). Many RVers tell us they rated shopping at local markets, shops and beach vendors as one of their most rewarding travel experiences. The benefit of traveling in an RV is you have lots of room to bring your treasures home.
Mexican vendors do love to barter, but beware: if they feel you are trying to devalue their goods too much, they will become upset and may even refuse to trade with you. Where items are priced then often that is the price you pay. We shop at many stops and locations across Baja on our tours, these are our favourite five (5):
La Bufadora
La Bufadora is a marine geyser located on the Punta Banda Peninsula. We stay in an RV Park in Punta Banda about 10km (6 miles) away and have an excursion to this site. La Bufadora is the one of the largest blowholes in North America, often shooting upwards more than 30 metres (100 ft) above sea level.
In addition to this unique geological water feature, there is a gauntlet of vendors, selling regional arts and crafts, curios, and food, in small shops crammed side by side along a narrow asphalt road to the blowhole. Although this may be a little intimidating, there are great shopping opportunities here with good selection and terrific prices. Do not take your RV here unless it is a small one, really small. As you approach the entrance you will have several parking attendants attempting to flag you in, just keep going slowly! You can park at a municipal lot a short walk before the actual attraction for 25 pesos saving you time and money.
Bahia Concepcion
This bay is 23 miles long and the largest on Baja, located a short drive south of Mulege and largely dominated by gringos. The waters off most beaches are so warm, calm and shallow, even the most timid landlubbers enjoy frolicking in the waters and many spend the entire winter here. There are twelve (12) dry camping (boondocking) beaches used by many RVers and our groups stay at Santispac.
Many Mexican families work the beaches collecting camping fees, selling baking, fruits, vegetables and fresh seafood. Mulege vendors sell hats, hammocks, blankets, carvings, t-shirts, jewellery and much more.
Artesano’s
Located just on the outskirts of Cabo San Lucas at Km 4 on Mexico 1, Artesanos offers a wide variety of furniture, pottery, copper, pewter, ceramics and much more, mostly made in Mexico. They have over 40,000 square feet of space and probably the best selection in all of Los Cabos. Artesanos began as just one man selling his wares next to a vacant lot. You should leave at least an hour to look through their vast variety - all prices are fixed, so no bargaining. They are open 9am – 2pm Monday through Friday.
Factory of Mexican Blankets
This shop is located at KM 69 on westcoast Highway #19 between Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos, just south of Pescadero, owned and operated by Efren & Vivianne Parada. Most of the products are actually made by the family business in Taxcala but they also have a large loom on site where Efren weaves rugs. Bargain and barter is the modus operandi here, be fair and we assure you the price will be right.
Ibarra’s Pottery
Located four blocks inland from the Malecón at 625 Guillermo Prieto between Torre Iglesias and Republica, this is one of the best kept shopping secrets in La Paz. This is a family run ceramic pottery business, founded in 1958 by Mr. Julio Ibarra and his Juanita. They both attended the Art School of San Carlos located in Pachuca, Hildago and their ceramic pieces have achieved national and international prestige. Designs go from traditional to contemporary and you can actually watch potters working on site shaping the clay and painting the items. Prices are fixed with a small mark up if you use a credit card. Open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
People selling arts, crafts and artifacts are often artisans or vendors making a simple living and supporting a family. Some may also be the creators of the wares they are offering for sale, so any deep devaluation of their work might be taken personally. Be fair and reasonable and better discounts are always given when purchasing multiple items.
Enjoy the experience!
Dan & Lisa Goy are the proprietors of Baja Amigos RV Caravan Tours