The beaches of Northern Sonora begin just 60 miles south of Yuma, Arizona, at Golfo de Sta. Clara, and continue uninterrupted for 30 miles. They are virtually deserted and offer the perfect environment for a mexican family vacation.
* visit shrimp farms
* explore abandoned salt mines
* fish or birdwatch in the protected Biosphere
* SCUBA or snorkel on the massive reefs
* take a tour to the majestic sand dunes
* take a guided fishing trip
* rent an ATV and go beach combing
* just sit back, relax with a few margaritas and soak it all in.
It doesn't matter whether you are in a tent on the beach, a resort, a hotel or an RV park. El Golfo has something for everyone and it's all affordable and your experience is guaranteed to be safe and most importantly - FUN.
Travel to El Golfo, de Santa Clara, Mexico
It's a 65 mile trip from the border town of San Luis to El Golfo De Santa Clara. The road is a fair to poor but paved 2 lane road with lots of slow farm equipment to navigate around. Pay attention to the signs! Get Mexican Insurance and drive defensively! We buy insurance at the border. Also, gas up at the border in the US. The Mexican gas is usually a poorer grade but is acceptable. Also, you need 4WD to drive on the beach and check the tides and head down the beach at low tide or when it's going out.
There are plenty of places South of town to camp on the beach. Just pay attention to the high tide marks and setup above them. For the past few years, the Mexican Military have been trying to keep the campers and ATV folks on the beach in stead of inland in the dunes so you may want to check with the local policia before setting up camp very far inland.
You may have to wait to return and stay away from the estuaries, they will get you stuck real quick. There are several military checkpoints to pass through on the road, just don't bring anything like fireworks or drugs along, be very polite to the military and you should be OK. Do not bring any firearms with you either. You will end up in a Mexican jail if they are discovered. Sometimes they do search your vehicle at the military checkpoints along the road. We travel in a group and try to be friendly to everyone. Remember, you are in Mexico not the US. The Mexican military are present along the road and also close to town and they rule.
Very little information is available about El Golfo, as it is not a normal tourist destination. There are a few RV parks, but very poor quality. Basically it is a very poor fishing village. Bring everything you need including water and camping equipment. The beach area is trashed in places but varies from year to year. South of town there is nothing (I mean NOTHING) but beach and desert for 30+ miles. There is a lighthouse about 28 miles down the beach and it is a neat day trip. Again pay attention to the tides. There is a Tide Chart at the El Capitan Bar on the Beach on the South side of town.
When you get there, if it's during the week, the beach will be deserted but on warm weekends in the spring and early summer, there are hundreds of folks around, mostly at the Lighthouse to watch the crazies on the sand dunes.
We bring all out own food and water but others in the group do eat at the local restaurants (there are 3-4 of them) with varying degrees of success from year to year. We haven't had any incidences of theft but we try to have someone in camp most of the time.
We don't do much in the water. There are plenty of jellyfish and stingrays. Almost every year someone gets stung. But some folks in the group do go swimming.
Also if you can, bring vehicle spare parts like axles, hubs, clutch plates, belts, etc. and extra tires in case of breakdowns. We had a clutch go and had to make a cell phone call to San Diego for parts.
The return across the border into the US again will take 2-4 hours plus the drive time so plan ahead.
That's about it, It's a great experience, but you have to go prepared.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFvFdohASfo&mode=related&search=
Mexico: Destination
By Maxine And Mike Brookes
The wonderful fishing village of Golfo de Santa Clara is located approximately 90 miles south of Yuma on the eastern shore of the Sea of Cortez.
We have thoroughly enjoyed several trips there with our trailer over the past two years, and the RV accommodations are great.
Take Hwy. 95 south from Yuma to San Luis, then Mexico 003 to the end of the road, which brings you to this destination. Because 003 has recently been upgraded, you can make either a day trip or a longer one if you wish, on paved roads.
Information on hotels, restaurants, and things to do may be obtained on the Web at www.visitelgolfo.com.
The dunes, desert, and 80 miles of wonderful beach make this one of our favorite spots to visit. The people are friendly, and you can find great places to eat as well.
The village is quaint in many ways but still offers a good medical clinic, doctor, and pharmacy.
And, perhaps most important of all: There’s lots of shrimp! When your visit to El Golfo is over, you will surely want to take some home.
Come see a little bit of "Old Mexico" just 72 miles from the border.
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