23 Helpful Tips for Driving in Baja California Sur

This post shares 23 helpful tips for driving in Baja California Sur, to make your Baja road trip seamless and hassle-free!

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Driving in Baja California Sur

Without a doubt, the best way to see the beautiful state of Baja California Sur in Mexico is by car.

Remote beach towns, dusty desert tracks and hidden beaches make driving the best (and in our opinion really the only way) to experience it.

Our Baja California Sur road trip was the highlight of our six-month trip around Mexico.

If you’re planning on driving in Baja California Sur, then there are a few things you need to know before hitting the open road.

For first-timers, renting a car in Mexico and road-tripping around can be a little daunting. But don’t worry, we’re here to help!

🔔 This post is about driving in Baja California Sur, and it doesn’t share any information about crossing the US border in Baja California Norte.

Most of the driving tips apply to both states, but if you’re looking for information about driving into Mexico from the USA, check out this handy post by my friend Brooke, covering details on the border crossing, mandatory insurances, documents required etc.

Renting a car in Baja California Sur

If you are arriving in Baja California Sur by air, you can rent a car once you arrive.

The best places to rent a car are from three airports around the state, as you won’t be able to get one in many of the smaller towns.

I’ve got some tips below to help in the process of renting a car, explaining the often-confusing aspect of insurance.

• 🚗 Check prices and browse for rentals from:
  • Los Cabos International Airport here
  • La Paz International Airport here
  • Loreto International Airport here

Is driving in Baja California Sur safe?

Yes, driving in Baja California Sur is safe.

In our experience, the roads and traffic were organised and well-signed, and most drivers were patient and polite.

Besides a few different quirks in Mexican driving etiquette and traffic laws, driving here is straightforward.

In this post, I’ll cover some of these quirks and arm you with the tips you need to safely drive around the state, and have an epic road trip without any stress or driving-related issues.

If we, two Aussies driving on the wrong side of the road, can do it – so can you!

23 Tips for driving in Baja California Sur

1. They drive on the right side of the road

If you’re an American or Canadian driving in Baja, this is obvious to you.

But as Australians flying into Mexico and picking up a rental car in Baja California Sur, we had to remind ourselves that they drive on the right side of the road in Mexico!

This was our first experience driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. It took a while to get used to, but after six months of travelling around Mexico (three months of those spent driving) we got the hang of it!

2. Consider renting a 4×4

If you are not driving into Baja from the USA in your own car, you will need to rent a car once you arrive.

It is worth considering renting a 4×4.

Many people would argue otherwise, and I will admit it’s not mandatory.

But we believe it will make your road trip around Baja a whole lot more fun, with less worrying about damaging a compact rental car.

It will cost you more, but we think it pays back in spades to have complete freedom driving in Baja.

If you’re just sticking to the main towns (Cabo Todos Santos, La Paz etc.), a standard compact car is fine.

But if you want to get off the beaten track, a 4×4 will come in handy!

It’s possible to drive onto the beach in many places in Baja California Sur. Which is a whole lot of fun if you have a car that can handle it. And not so fun if you can’t do it, or attempt to do it and get stuck in the sand!

Having a 4×4 will get you anywhere you want to go, and you won’t have to avoid the soft, sandy tracks you’ll encounter in many places around the state (more on that below).

We rented a Jeep Wrangler and we had an absolute blast cruising along the beach, down bumpy roads and across dusty arroyos (dry riverbeds).

3. Rental car insurance is confusing in Mexico

Renting a car in Baja California Sur is pretty easy, but the insurance side of things can be complicated.

There are two types of car insurance you need to consider:

1. MEXICAN LIABILITY INSURANCE

All rental cars are required by law to have mandatory Mexican liability insurance.

This insurance is a third-party cover for other people and their property. If you cause an accident the liability insurance will cover bodily injuries and property damage to others.

Most good insurers should include this in the price of the rental car, Given that it is mandatory and the rental agency is the one that provides the insurance.

You can’t substitute your credit card or travel insurance for liability insurance, it must specifically be Mexican insurance.

However, something many people get caught with is browsing for rental cars online, with large international rental companies (Avis, Hertz etc.) who don’t include the mandatory insurance in the pricing.

Travellers see a too-good-to-be-true price for a rental car online, only to turn up to collect the car and get slammed with huge extra fees for liability insurance.

We have heard stories of travellers booking via sites like Expedia or Booking.com, where it specifically states insurance is included, but upon arrival, the rental companies won’t comply.

Be wary of this, and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Expect a few hundred dollars added on at pick-up if you’re not positive that the insurance is included.

2. COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER

The second type of insurance you need to consider is a collision damage waiver.

This insurance covers any damage that you cause to your car.

So if you crash your rental car into someone else, the liability insurance covers the other person/car. But the collision insurance will pay for the damage to your rental car.

Collision insurance is not required by law in Mexico and is generally not included in the price of the rental car.

If this is not included in the cost of the rental (it most likely won’t be), all agencies will offer it to you as an extra.

This insurance can be quite costly, and whilst it is worth having the peace of mind, you can explore other avenues before agreeing.

If you have travel insurance (which you absolutely should have!), most policies generally include cover for rental cars.

So if you damage your rental, you can call on your travel insurance to pay for this. The same goes for credit card insurance, so it is worth investigating your policy.

You can deny any kind of collision damage insurance if you don’t want it. But it means you will be out of pocket for any expenses if you incur damage to the car.

In our opinion, it’s worth the peace of mind and we felt safe knowing our travel insurance covered collision damage.

4. Watch out for topes

Topes, or speedbumps in English, are everywhere in Mexico!

If you’re lucky, they will be painted either a solid colour or stripes and have plenty of warning signs. But more commonly, these topes can be unmarked, and appear in what feels like the middle of nowhere!

They are commonly found on the outskirts of towns, designed to slow down traffic on the freeway before entering the town.

But if they’re not marked, you don’t know to look out for them and hit one at 100 km/h, you’re going to do some damage.

Always watch for topes, even when you least expect them!

5. Don’t drive at night

When I first read warnings against driving at night in Baja California Sur, I had visions of narco groups and car hijackers.

Really, the reason you shouldn’t drive at night is not so sinister!

Free grazing is permitted in Baja California Sur, which means that goats, cows, donkeys or any other farm animal are free to wander around wherever they like.

You need to keep your eyes peeled for animals on the side of the highways during the day, and it’s customary to flash your hazards if you see any four-legged friends, to alert other drivers.

But at night time, the roads are very poorly lit outside of major towns, and it’s very dangerous to come around a tight bend and possibly be face-to-face with a huge cow.

Throw in the large potholes and unsigned ‘topes’ (speedbumps), and driving at night is not worth the risk.

We did short runs around towns, grabbing dinner or coming home from the beach after sunset etc. But most of the towns (read: most) are better lit and taking it slow, you should be fine.

But we would suggest avoiding any freeway or long-haul driving after dark.

6. There are only a few major roads

It’s pretty easy to get your bearings in Baja California Sur.

There are three major roads/highways, and a combination of them will get you pretty much anywhere you want to go around the state!

• 🛣️ Highway 1: also known as the Carretera Transpeninsular (Transpeninsular Highway), runs the entire length of the Baja Peninsula from Tijuana in the north, to Cabo San Lucas in the south. This highway crisscrosses from the west to the east coast and runs through many major towns.

• 🛣️ Highway 19: in the southern part of the state, Highway 19 runs along the west coast from Cabo San Lucas to Todos Santos, where it turns inland and reconnects with Highway 1 just outside of La Paz. This road was of fantastic quality and was four lanes wide with a large shoulder for most of the journey.

• 🛣️ Los Cabos Toll Road: the only toll road in Baja California Sur, the Los Cabos Toll Road. This road connects the two Cabos (Cabo San Lucas v San Jose del Cabo) via an inland route, avoiding traffic around the two towns. The current price of the toll isn’t cheap, at 160 pesos for a car. Unless you’re in a big hurry, it’s easy to avoid this road.
  
  The section of Highway 1 that runs between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo is known as the Tourist Corridor Highway and is very high quality, with multiple lanes, clear signage and easy entry/exit points.

7. And the rest are mostly dirt

And outside of these highways, most of the roads are dirt!

In cities like La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo the roads are paved. They are mostly decent quality, but you have to keep your eyes out for potholes.

However, in the smaller towns, most roads are unpaved.

Generally, they are very easy to drive around, and for the most part, a standard car can easily handle them. In and around established towns the roads are compact gravel.

Once you get off the tourist trail and start heading into places like the East Cape, Cabo Pulmo, Santiago or some natural attractions around Loreto and La Ventana, the roads deteriorate.

Many people will swear that you don’t need a 4×4, and I think in most cases you don’t. But I would be very careful around these places. The compact gravel turns to soft sand, and the bumps and ruts can be bone-rattling!

If you’re visiting after heavy rain, always check conditions with local operators before setting out to a remote area.

8. Speeds are displayed in kilometres per hour

As Aussies, this was easy for us. But if you’re an American, it’s something you need to be aware of.

Road speed signs are in km/h, and most cars (if rented in Mexico) have speedometers in kilometres too.

The highways are usually 90 kilometres per hour, but in some places, it increases to 110 km/h.

Speed in Mexico is not enforced, so you’ll see plenty of people driving a lot faster in this!

However, our experience driving in Baja was that most drivers are patient, and will safely pass you if they want to go faster.

I don’t think I drove more than 100 km/h, I wasn’t comfortable doing so, but I never had any pushy or impatient people riding my rear.

In towns, the speed limit drops to 40 or 60 km/h and there are plenty of topes (speedbumps) to enforce this!

9. The roads are very narrow

The only thing that terrified me about driving in Baja California Sur was the narrowness of the roads.

Highway 1 in particular is the worst culprit, and for large stretches of the highway, it is only one lane each way, with no shoulder.

If you’re used to driving on the right side, this won’t be as scary for you.

But just when I thought I was mastering driving on the other side, I had to work out how to position the car inside a very narrow lane.

If you go too far over one side, you’re going to have a head-on with a semi. And if you go too far to the other side, you’re going to fall off the side of the road into a rocky ditch.

The highway isn’t like this everywhere, and in many stretches (usually around bigger towns) the road widens, and you either have multiple lanes in each direction, or a shoulder that you can cross into if need be.

But there are many parts of the road where you are climbing up through the mountains, and it is incredibly windy and narrow so be wary.

People worry about the bumpy roads when driving in Baja, but to me – this was much easier!

You can only drive slowly, and there are no lanes or markings. The road is barely wide enough for two cars to fit through, so passing other vehicles is a slow affair requiring you to pull over and virtually come to a stop. Easy!

10. There are angels to help if you breakdown

If you find yourself broken down on the side of the road, never fear.

In Mexico, there are these wonderful people called ‘Angeles Verdes‘ (Green Angels) who patrol Federal highways and offer free mechanical assistance to stranded motorists.

They were set up with tourists in mind, and it is a fantastic service to offer to visitors.

If you are broken down, dial “078” to report your issue. Lift the hood of your car and wait for the angels to arrive and help you. They’re impossible to miss with their bright green trucks.

11. Download maps offline

When driving in Baja, one minute you’re in the middle of the town. The next, you’re isolated in the middle of the desert with no phone service!

Always count on losing service on lengthy drives, so it’s best to download offline maps in advance.

Google Maps allows you to select an area you want to download, so select the entire state and always have a map even without phone reception.

12. There are military stops at key points along Highway 1

Don’t be alarmed if you encounter a checkpoint with soldiers carrying big guns.

This is quite foreign for us as Australians, but we knew these checkpoints were dotted around the state.

The military will ask where you are headed, look at your passport, and want to have a look inside your car and trunk.

Nothing to worry about, just be prepared.

I can only remember going through one checkpoint, which was outside of Loreto heading north towards Mulege. The soldier was polite and friendly, and we were on our way within minutes.

13. Don’t try and pump your own gas, someone will do it for you

Again, this concept is probably not so foreign if you are American or Canadian, but getting petrol (aka gas!) in Baja California Sur was a whole new experience for us!

For starters, the Spanish word for petrol is gasolina, which to us means LPG gas. But no, it means unleaded petrol and your car will be either regular (usually green) or premium (usually red).

Petrol is sold in litres (litros) and at the time of our visit, was around 22-25 pesos per litre.

Just roll up to the gas station, wait in line and when it’s your turn an attendant will come to your car and ask how much you want. They will put the pump in and clean your windows while it is filling.

You can usually pay via cash or card for the fuel. A tip of 5-10 pesos for the attendant is expected in cash.

In other parts of Mexico, gas station scams can be common. We didn’t encounter anything like this driving in Baja California Sur, but there are two things to be aware of.

The first is that the pump is not at 00.00 when the attendant starts pumping, and they will cheekily charge you for the previous fill too. We never saw anything like this.

The second is that the attendants can try and trick you when paying in pesos. You will hand them the amount, and they will quickly switch your large note (usually a 500 peso note) for a small one (usually a 20 peso note which is blue like the 500), claiming you gave them the wrong amount.

We had nothing but good, honest service in Baja California Sur, but we do think this one was tried on us in another part of Mexico. If you can speak any Spanish that helps, and he didn’t get away with it.

We always stuck to paying for fuel on card (tarjeta), because it is one of the only things that you can pay for on card without extra fees. And because fuel is usually a large amount, paying in cash (effectivo) burns through your pesos quickly.

14. Fill up when you get the chance

Long stretches of road in Baja are remote, with no gas stations.

If you’ve got a long drive ahead of you, be sure to fill up when you have the chance.

We made it practice to fill up before we left a major town, even if we weren’t empty. Just to be sure we wouldn’t get caught out on a remote stretch of highway!

15. Don’t park where the road is painted

It is pretty easy to find parking around towns, and in most places it is free.

If you’re in busy areas like Cabo San Lucas, you will see paid parking lots, which save you time and hassle driving around trying to find a park.

We never had any issues parking and leaving our car on the road.

But the thing to be wary of when parking is any coloured paint on the curb.

It differed between towns, but if you saw red markings (sometimes yellow, sometimes orange) this generally means you can’t park there.

To check the colourings, look at the areas on the corner of a road. You can’t park right where someone is about to turn into the road, so if those areas are painted red, that indicates that red is the colour you want to avoid parking on.

If in doubt, ask a local!

16. There are lots of one-way roads in towns and cities

Many towns around the state have one-way roads. It can be confusing and not clearly marked, so we always used Google Maps to direct us, even if we were just going a few blocks.

You often need to overshoot where you’re going and do a big grid to get back to your destination.

17. Understand the hazard lights

Mexican drivers use their hazard lights far more frequently than we ever do in Australia.

The only time I would ever switch my hazards on would be if I’m completely broken down in the middle of the road. Otherwise, my brake lights should do the trick.

But in Mexico, it is customary to use your hazards to alert drivers behind and oncoming to any hazard.

Even if you simply need to slow down because there is a slow truck ahead.

If there is anything interrupting the rhythm of driving along the freeway at a usual speed, they will use their hazards and you should too.

And of course, it could save an innocent goat’s life!

18. Learn some Spanish phrases for driving

If you don’t speak Spanish, it’s worth learning some key phrases before you go. Here are a few keywords that will come in handy for driving:

• Alto – stop
• Tope – speed bump
• Peligroso – dangerous
• Cuidado – caution
• Curvas peligrosas – dangerous curves (common to see in Baja California Sur!)
• Entrada – entrance
• Salida – exit
• Cruse de peatones – pedestrian crossing
• No hay paso – no through/road closed
• No rebase – no passing/overtaking
• Guarde su distancia – watch your distance
• Disminuya su velocidad – slow down
• Reductor de velocidad – reduce speed for an upcoming tope

19. Don’t drink and drive

This is an obvious one, but yes, it is illegal to drink and drive in Mexico, and you don’t want to end up in a Mexican jail.

It can be easy when the margaritas are so good and so cheap. But plan your days accordingly, and if you want to have a drink, organise alternative transport.

Besides the fact that you are putting your own and others’ lives at risk, you can get in serious trouble.

We never saw any breathalyser stops as we have at home. But that doesn’t mean you should disobey, and it would only take one police officer to pull you over and breath test you.

20. Wear your seatbelt

Wearing your seatbelt is mandated by law in Mexico, and you can be fined for not doing so.

There are some questionable interpretations of this, whereby the driver and front passenger have to wear them, but those in the back don’t.

I’d recommend everyone in the car wearing a seatbelt all the time. Not because it’s law, but for your own safety.

21. Carry the correct documents

There are a couple of things you need to make sure you have in the car, in case you are pulled over by the police:

• Vehicle registration and insurance: your rental company should provide this, and it’s usually stored in the glove box. Be sure you know where these documents are before leaving the rental agency.
• Driver license and copies: I would suggest carrying your actual drivering license with you. But it’s a good idea to also have some photocopies of it, in case you don’t feel comfortable to hand over your license to the police.
• International driving license: an international driving license is not mandatory in Mexico for many countries (USA, Canada, UK, EU, Australia etc.). However, if your license is in a language other than English or Spanish, it’s a good idea to bring one.
• Copies of your passport: although it’s technically the law to carry your passport with you at all times in Mexico, it’s not very practical. Instead, we carried photocopies of our passport and copies of our FMM tourist pass, as well as images on our phone.

22. Keep your eyes on the road

The scenery around the state is spectacular, and it is very easy to be distracted when driving in Baja.

From epic coastal views on the stretch between Loreto and Mulege, to the giant Cardon cacti forests around La Ventana and the epic mountains between La Paz and Magdalena Bay, you are in for some pretty scenic drives!

But it is so important to keep your eyes on the road. Especially when it is winding and narrow.

If you’re travelling with a companion, take turns to share the driving. And if you’re able to, pull over to enjoy the view!

There are sporadic viewpoints, and some stretches of road have a decent shoulder to pull out in.

23. La Paz is a strange place to drive (beware of the cuatro altos)

We found driving in Baja California Sur pretty easy. I mean, most of our time was spent on empty dusty roads, so how hard can that be?

But one place we did find a bit confusing was the city of La Paz.

Firstly, it is a ‘city’ (I use quotation marks as La Paz is more like a large town, and nothing compared to the size of cities like Mexico City or Guadalajara). But it does mean there is more traffic than the smaller towns around the state.

The city is laid out in a grid, meaning a lot of four-way intersections, mostly one-way streets.

The strangest thing we found in La Paz was their ‘cuatro alto’ signs. Meaning ‘four stops’ in English, we only ever saw these signs in La Paz, nowhere else around the country.

I have tried to find some concrete information about these signs but came up fruitless. So here is our interpretation of the cuatro altos. If anyone has the correct answer, please let me know in the comments!

When you approach one of the many four-way intersections in La Paz, you will see one of three things:

• Nothing – no signs, meaning you can proceed at speed and the other direction will give way to you
• Alto (stop) – this sign indicates that you need to stop at the intersection and give way to the other direction, moving on when clear to do so
• Cuatro alto (four stop) – the confusing one!

If you get a cuatro alto, the other direction will also have this sign too. This means that all directions in the intersection will stop.

That’s all good and well, but if everyone at the intersection is stopped, who goes?!

From watching local drivers, we came to see that these cuatro alto signs are more like ‘give way’ signs.

You need to approach the intersection slowly and be prepared to come to a complete stop if someone coming from the other direction is there before you.

But the other drivers will approach in the same way, so it kind of becomes a slow nudge forward, and whoever was there first will go.

Only after also slowing down, watching the other person to check they are slowing down, and some awkward bunny hops forward before someone puts their foot down and goes through the intersection.

So we felt like we had mastered this cuatro alto thing. Slow down, a bit of give and take to watch other drivers, and if you were there first eventually you would go through.

But, a few days into our stay in La Paz, there were traffic police out and about and I (Sally) got pulled over for not coming to a complete stop at the cuatro alto sign.

Guess our interpretation was wrong!

I got fined on the spot by a lovely female police officer. She was patient with us with our Spanish and explained clearly what I did wrong and what needed to happen. We had to take the ticket to the police station to pay the fine in person. She suggested going straight away to just pay for it.

So we drove about 20 minutes to the police station in La Paz, which was also the local court. After jumping from a few different counters, we were able to pay the fine on credit card.

It was half the price the officer said it would be, so maybe we got a discount for quick payment? I don’t know! But there were no bribes or corrupt business involved!

Anyway, the point is, that driving in La Paz is a bit different to driving in other parts of Baja.

We noticed a lot of traffic cops out and about, and I have read that it is common for tourists to be fined here. So be aware of those damn cuatro alto signs, and (apparently!) come to a complete stop each time!

Top tips for driving in Baja California Sur

Driving around the epic roads of Baja in our Jeep rental car is one of the fondest memories we have of our six-month trip to Mexico.

I have never visited anywhere as beautiful as Baja California Sur, and driving is the only way to experience the best of this stunning state.

I hope this post has shared a few handy tips you didn’t know before, to prepare you for your Baja California Sur road trip.

Honestly, I was nervous before we arrived but I had nothing to be worried about.

Driving in Baja is the easiest and least stressful we experienced in all of Mexico. Enjoy the dusty roads, scenic views and occasional cow, goat or donkey!

OUR BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR TRAVEL GUIDES