RV Journey in Baja California – Every part We Discovered

In 2021, we went on our first RV journey to Baja California and on this publish we’ll share every part we realized and ideas on 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 sources for RV journey in Baja.

After you’re executed with this information, try our podcast with Paul Pritts, a very good good friend of ours who has been touring to Baja since he was a youngster 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 checklist since we began full-time RVing in 2015. When Bob Wohler’s of Off-Highway Security 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 Excursions and Occasions 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 beneath or hold studying.

Mexican Vacationer Card (FFM) for Baja

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 web site. After paying $575 Pesos per software we every acquired an e mail to obtain and print our Mexican vacationer card.

You can even receive a FFM on the INM workplace once you cross the border into Mexico. Since we had been on a bunch tour, everybody utilized for his or her FFM on-line and introduced a printed copy. Be certain to print a replica of your FFM receipt to indicate the INM workplace on the border crossing. In any other case, you might have to pay the payment once more earlier than you may get the official stamp, which somebody on our tour skilled.

There are a number of insurance coverage carriers primarily based in the US specializing in 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 coverage by means of Baja Certain. 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 problem, there was just one quantity to name quite than making an attempt to determine who has which insurance coverage.

In the event you’re not required to buy by means of a selected insurance coverage service on your Baja RV journey, make sure you store round and verify together 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 the US and each corporations provide auto insurance coverage protection in Mexico.

Be certain to do your analysis and perceive the coverage you’re getting. In my article on RV Security and Preparedness, one of many ideas 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 realize 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 will 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 she or he promptly responded to all our questions by way of 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 by means of Baja Certain, you may get the day by day fee, 6 month fee, or an annual fee. Since we had been on a seven evening, eight day Baja tour, we opted for the day by day fee. We additionally had the choice of extending our protection whereas we had been there however we’re instructed it needed to be executed through the week whereas the workplace was open. In the event 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 car to the Baja peninsula? You’ll want to contact your lien holder about their necessities for taking the car throughout the border into Mexico. Under are some articles we discovered on driving a financed car to Baja together with info on whether or not or not you want an official letter of permission.

Crossing Into Mexico with a Financed Car

The right way to Drive Financed Automobiles into Mexico

Car Permits and Financed Automobiles

Mexican Customs Restrictions

Each 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 residence 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 is just not 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 web site for the hottest info on how one can 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 just a few beers chilling within the fridge and opted to buy recent produce and different meals gadgets as we traveled round Baja.

Since we bought our insurance coverage by means of Baja Certain, we learn lots of the useful resource articles on their web site about touring to Baja in a car. This publish particulars what gadgets you may convey driving into Baja.

Border Crossing by Land into Baja Mexico

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

Previous to crossing, our information held a bunch assembly and checked everybody’s paperwork to ensure we had every part 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 introduced 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 happening a guided tour of Baja or exploring by yourself, put collectively your individual Earlier than You Go Guidelines. This checklist might embody your RVing device package, important RV gear, your journey water filter and gadgets particular for worldwide journey.

This Earlier than You Go Guidelines comprises gadgets that you could be not have thought-about, however are good to have in your checklist. It’s additionally good observe to verify the U.S. Division of State’s web page on touring to Mexico for the most recent info and journey advisories.

One essential tip I need 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 payment once more on the immigration workplace.

Driving in Baja California

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

Regardless of being effectively paved, many sections of the highway had been very slim with no shoulder and drop offs on both facet. 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 move 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 similar time! Lots of our highway guidelines don’t apply in Mexico so be very conscious.

To provide 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 direction of Mexico 1 to Bahia de los Angeles. From there we made our means 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 cellular app, which got here in very useful. The app additionally tracked our complete journey which we will export or share with mates. See our publish on Important Apps for RVing for different apps we use whereas touring.

In the event you favor to have paper maps, each of NatGeo Baja maps can be found for buy on Amazon.

Suggestions for Driving in Baja

Do a fast seek for Baja driving ideas and also you’ll discover some widespread ideas which can be talked about again and again. 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 beneficial to drive at evening. The roads can get very slim and sharing the highway with giant vans when it’s darkish simply didn’t appear to be 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 ideas that features paperwork to have with you and coping with the police throughout 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 vans 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 beneficial 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 gasoline tank, we didn’t should refill 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 the US.

At every gasoline station, we needed to look forward to an attendant to come back 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 cheaper on the Pacific facet in comparison with the Sea of Cortez facet.

Many of the gasoline stations had very clear loos 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 parking zone.

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

Army Checkpoints

Relying on the place you go in Baja, you’ll seemingly 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 might have a look inside. Then we had been waved by means of the verify level and pulled over to attend for the remainder of the group.

These navy verify factors are a part of touring in Baja and range when it comes to how in depth they look at the camper and what questions they ask. At one navy verify level, they opened each of our backpacks and appeared 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 be aware concerning medicines – when our backpacks had been checked, the officer went by means of every pocket, wanting over the gadgets. Of be aware, 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. In the event you do carry prescriptions, be sure to search for what documentation you should present it’s a prescription. We might advise towards placing any drugs, and so forth in unmarked containers and so they might increase considerations should you’re searched.

Seashore Tenting in Baja

There’s loads of seaside tenting in Baja California on the Sea of Cortez facet in addition to the Pacific Ocean facet. Earlier than we began our Baja journey, our information beneficial the ebook Traveler’s Information to Tenting Mexico’s Baja: Discover Baja and Puerto Peñasco with Your RV or Tent. It’s a very good useful resource to have earlier than and through your Baja journey.

Seashore tenting on the Sea of Cortez facet 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 just a few 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 might additionally reference iOverlander to discovering tenting in Baja.

The campground facilities in Baja diverse as did the worth. We stayed at fundamental campgrounds with none hookups and really fundamental facilities. These campground price between $10 and $40 per evening and one of the fundamental campground was additionally the most costly.

Some campgrounds in Baja had flushing bogs and chilly water showers, others had scorching showers, flushing bogs and even recent water to fill your tanks. Learn our publish on water filtration methods 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 appeared abandoned. All of us parked, arrange camp and loved the remainder of the day. That evening whereas we sat on the campfire, a automobile drove up and a man got here out to gather the tenting payment. It was $40 US and the most costly 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 might have appeared for a cheaper possibility.

Not one of the campgrounds we stayed at had rest room paper within the loos 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 own home with you, we nonetheless loved sampling the native fare.

In fact the primary merchandise on our checklist 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 may seize an ice chilly beer to get pleasure from 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 with a purpose to strive these wonderful tostadas. Every part 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 the tostada spot, all of the eating places we discovered had been by strolling round. One in every of Joe’s favourite eating places served Sinaloa fashion grilled rooster with freshly made tortillas.

Security and RV Journey in Baja

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

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

We suggest taking steps to make sure you’re ready for no matter comes your means whereas touring. Learn our publish on RV security.

Border Crossing by Land Again to United States

Crossing the border again into the US 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 may see the truck campers from the tour had been about 20-30 vehicles in entrance of us. The road was inching alongside once we acquired a name from our information telling us that the border hours of operation had modified because of the 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 just a few 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 massive lesson right here is to double verify the hours for the port of entry and don’t assume it is going to be open through the hours posted (Tecate’s border crossing was nonetheless listed as being open till 10pm). Additionally, have at the least 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 moveable tenting rest room within the camper.

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

Assets for RV Journey in Baja

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

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