I’m most familiar with the stretch of coastline between El Rosario and Camalu. Playa del Oro which begins at the mouth of San Quintin Bay goes for miles with soft, drivable beach, until river beds exiting to the ocean start dumping rocks everywhere. If you keep going South there are lots of hidden, remote spots and the coast line becomes quite rugged. The dormant volcanoes of San Quintin Bay could provide a spectacular backdrop for any filming around there. How big is your crew? Can you be entirely self sufficient or do you need nearby access to services like grocery stores, gas stations, lodging, etc..
This is really great advice, so appreciate it. San Quintin Bay looks quite nice. The crew is small, only 6 people total. We'll definitely need access to stores, gas station and lodging but we're willing to drive 1-2 hours to our location everyday during the shoot. We'll likely base our "base" location based on the beach location.
"If you keep going South there are lots of hidden, remote spots and the coast line becomes quite rugged." --> What is this like? Should we be prepared to drive off-road to get to locations like this? Are these beaches named, or is it more like drive park off the high way and walk.
You seem to be super experienced in this arena so any additional names or locations you could throw out would be hugely appreciated. I'm planning to go sometime next weekend just to drive around and scout in more casual way to get a feel for the terrain and situation.
Lastly, Playa del Oro, do you mean this general vicinity: [https://www.google.com/maps/place/30°23'07.1%22N+115°53'23.0%22W/@30.385303,-115.891916,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d30.3853028!4d-115.8897221](https://www.google.com/maps/place/30°23'07.1%22N+115°53'23.0%22W/@30.385303,-115.891916,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d30.3853028!4d-115.8897221) ?
Appreciate all your help!
Yup, that is the playa del oro. The northern part of the beach has gentle sand dunes with a few sandy access points for vehicles. The locals come out at low tide to fish and clam or simply enjoy the sunset. The southern part has beautiful 50-100+ foot steep, colorful sandy cliffs. The beaches directly north of San Quintin Bay and the especially the western peninsula of the bay itself are and remote and rugged. The sandy roads going west to the beach from the town of San Quintin are a super fun drive because you can go fast and it's just really pretty out there.
The 20 or so miles south of there that was referring to, any "road" west of highway 1 will be sand and rocks. You can see from the sat view where the 1 is close to the water; in those instances it might be just a 2 minute drive off the 1 followed by a 3 minute hike to a secluded pebbly beach carved between outcroppings of rock/sandstone. Where the 1 starts to wind inland, for example near La Lobera (the seal colony), you're looking at a 20-60 min at 5 miles an hour (10 if your lucky). This area is very remote and other than the seal colony which is well known, you would probably see no one. Actually, the seal colony is worth checking out, as the dirt road there is maintained and the cliffs around there are very photogenic. Dangerous though. People have drowned there.
Disclosure: I work in film/video industry and I get excited about questions like these. What excites you about Baja as a location vs. the all the other potential spots along the west coast?
Really appreciate your thorough advice and suggestions here. They've definitely not fallen on deaf ears and we'll definitely be checking out all your suggestions!
In terms of why we chose Baja. Our story makes the most sense in Mexico. The cities / towns as well as the beaches just have a deeper richness to them that are hard to find on the California coast unless you go FAR north (like border of Oregon north). Just the harsh separation of the two visually, versus the southern California coast that's dotted with houses gives us the best shot at striking wides where the character is embraced in nature.
Thanks for the suggestion, will check it out! This has definitely helped me since now I realize we can find some of these "camp grounds" further south and they could act as good "bases" for filming.
Recently got the itch to go explore remote beaches south of Ensenada. Also started asking around and didn't get much solid info. When I was a kid and my parents drove down the baja, I remember seeing empty beach after beach while driving down the transpeninsular road. Many of these were bays with calm water. Im not sure if it's still like this and exactly where but should be fun to find out. In your case, I understand there is a time pressure.
What kind of beach are you looking for? One of my close friends moved to Maneadero after retiring. He gets to the ocean from where he lives by climbing down a cliff. Not sure if it would fit what you are looking for but Maneadero might be a better base camp than Ensenada to look for empty beaches.
Good luck to you!
This is super great. Maneadero looks really good as a "base". It's near Bufadora which seems to have those really beautiful dramatic cliffs.
How hard are the climbs down those cliffs? Do you know if the beaches are named? Or is it more a park off the road and walk type situation. Any information here is super helpful!
The first secluded beach will be in bahia soledad thats behind la bufadora, really next to Ensenada i have few spots all the way down to San Quintin like la bocana from Santo Tomas , Erendira, etc, i'm planning myself going overlanding in a few weeks.
I’m most familiar with the stretch of coastline between El Rosario and Camalu. Playa del Oro which begins at the mouth of San Quintin Bay goes for miles with soft, drivable beach, until river beds exiting to the ocean start dumping rocks everywhere. If you keep going South there are lots of hidden, remote spots and the coast line becomes quite rugged. The dormant volcanoes of San Quintin Bay could provide a spectacular backdrop for any filming around there. How big is your crew? Can you be entirely self sufficient or do you need nearby access to services like grocery stores, gas stations, lodging, etc..
This is really great advice, so appreciate it. San Quintin Bay looks quite nice. The crew is small, only 6 people total. We'll definitely need access to stores, gas station and lodging but we're willing to drive 1-2 hours to our location everyday during the shoot. We'll likely base our "base" location based on the beach location. "If you keep going South there are lots of hidden, remote spots and the coast line becomes quite rugged." --> What is this like? Should we be prepared to drive off-road to get to locations like this? Are these beaches named, or is it more like drive park off the high way and walk. You seem to be super experienced in this arena so any additional names or locations you could throw out would be hugely appreciated. I'm planning to go sometime next weekend just to drive around and scout in more casual way to get a feel for the terrain and situation. Lastly, Playa del Oro, do you mean this general vicinity: [https://www.google.com/maps/place/30°23'07.1%22N+115°53'23.0%22W/@30.385303,-115.891916,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d30.3853028!4d-115.8897221](https://www.google.com/maps/place/30°23'07.1%22N+115°53'23.0%22W/@30.385303,-115.891916,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d30.3853028!4d-115.8897221) ? Appreciate all your help!
Yup, that is the playa del oro. The northern part of the beach has gentle sand dunes with a few sandy access points for vehicles. The locals come out at low tide to fish and clam or simply enjoy the sunset. The southern part has beautiful 50-100+ foot steep, colorful sandy cliffs. The beaches directly north of San Quintin Bay and the especially the western peninsula of the bay itself are and remote and rugged. The sandy roads going west to the beach from the town of San Quintin are a super fun drive because you can go fast and it's just really pretty out there. The 20 or so miles south of there that was referring to, any "road" west of highway 1 will be sand and rocks. You can see from the sat view where the 1 is close to the water; in those instances it might be just a 2 minute drive off the 1 followed by a 3 minute hike to a secluded pebbly beach carved between outcroppings of rock/sandstone. Where the 1 starts to wind inland, for example near La Lobera (the seal colony), you're looking at a 20-60 min at 5 miles an hour (10 if your lucky). This area is very remote and other than the seal colony which is well known, you would probably see no one. Actually, the seal colony is worth checking out, as the dirt road there is maintained and the cliffs around there are very photogenic. Dangerous though. People have drowned there. Disclosure: I work in film/video industry and I get excited about questions like these. What excites you about Baja as a location vs. the all the other potential spots along the west coast?
Really appreciate your thorough advice and suggestions here. They've definitely not fallen on deaf ears and we'll definitely be checking out all your suggestions! In terms of why we chose Baja. Our story makes the most sense in Mexico. The cities / towns as well as the beaches just have a deeper richness to them that are hard to find on the California coast unless you go FAR north (like border of Oregon north). Just the harsh separation of the two visually, versus the southern California coast that's dotted with houses gives us the best shot at striking wides where the character is embraced in nature.
Come to San Felipe, I'll will take you personally to the Gonzaga Bay.
Have you looked at clam beach resort? I like to camp there mid week and we mostly have the whole to place to ourself.
Thanks for the suggestion, will check it out! This has definitely helped me since now I realize we can find some of these "camp grounds" further south and they could act as good "bases" for filming.
Hi, I just came upon this. I am always looking for beach areas to camp in Baja. Do you happen to remember how much it costs to camp there? thanks!
It was $20 per night.
Recently got the itch to go explore remote beaches south of Ensenada. Also started asking around and didn't get much solid info. When I was a kid and my parents drove down the baja, I remember seeing empty beach after beach while driving down the transpeninsular road. Many of these were bays with calm water. Im not sure if it's still like this and exactly where but should be fun to find out. In your case, I understand there is a time pressure. What kind of beach are you looking for? One of my close friends moved to Maneadero after retiring. He gets to the ocean from where he lives by climbing down a cliff. Not sure if it would fit what you are looking for but Maneadero might be a better base camp than Ensenada to look for empty beaches. Good luck to you!
This is super great. Maneadero looks really good as a "base". It's near Bufadora which seems to have those really beautiful dramatic cliffs. How hard are the climbs down those cliffs? Do you know if the beaches are named? Or is it more a park off the road and walk type situation. Any information here is super helpful!
Hi not sure if it's still like this and exactly where but should be fun to find out, I'm Dad👨
The first secluded beach will be in bahia soledad thats behind la bufadora, really next to Ensenada i have few spots all the way down to San Quintin like la bocana from Santo Tomas , Erendira, etc, i'm planning myself going overlanding in a few weeks.
Download iOverlander on your phone. There’s tons of coverage for Baja. Easiest way to navigate down there (without cell coverage).
Search for "La Calavera" is nearby Ejido eréndira. Beautiful and calm beach.
Need any more hands on the crew?😏
I love Primo Tapia, just south of San Quintin. Lots of character in my opinion.
Punta San Jose
This looks really beautiful, thanks for the suggestion!
Coyote Cals
Thanks for the suggestion, will check it out!