Claudia’s guidebook

The beach below us is nice and exclusive. Only residents of Puerta Del Mar have access. It is fun for surfing & boogie boarding or just relaxing with a book/drinks. Sometimes when the tide is high, you may have to walk to the left toward Campo Lopez, you will always find a beach there. Just wear water shoes or flip flops.

Just down the street and great surf!

La Fonda at the bottom of the hill to the South has a Spa with reasonable rates. Check it out if you want or need some pampering. I highly recommend the massage or getting a mani/pedi and you can order a margarita or food while you are getting your service.

Golfing. We are conveniently located 10 minutes from Bajamar. Go to: http://www.golfbajamar.com/golf.html.

You will see the beautiful dunes just North of us. They are on the ocean front. If you go on the free road North from our house and there are a few places that rent ATV’s. Cost is $45.00/hour.

About a 45 minute drive south of our place and you will be out in the Guadalupe Valley which is filled with local wineries. Great day trip. Get an early start as the wineries usually close by 4pm or 5pm. Some of the smaller wineries require reservations so call ahead and plan your day. Also, Sundays are family day in Mexico and many wineries might not be open. My recommendations in this access order:Frida’s, El Cielo, Baron Balche, Decantos, (have appetizers at any of those wineries) and then finish off at Finca Altozano or Fuego.

We have wifi.

We have a fully stocked kitchen with plates, utensils, cooking pots and pans. I always leave a roll of paper towels in the kitchen. If you plan to use paper cups, plates, bowls, paper napkins, please bring the ones you like to use. If you are planning on doing a lot of cooking please bring the items you will need. We also have wine glasses, champagne glasses, margarita glasses, etc. We do have some spices but if you are a gourmet cook you might want to bring what you like. There is a great coffee maker that has a metal filter so you don’t need filters.

There are dolphins almost every day in front of our house. I can’t guarantee it but they are always fun to watch. The surfers are also fun to watch.

You can exchange your US dollars before you go down but you don’t have to. When you exchange your money you pay a fee and when you exchange back you pay another fee. In Mexico they do accept US dollars almost everywhere. The exchange rate is about 18/1. Rule of thumb is to not bring big bills down with you as they are hard to cash at most places. A LOT OF restaurants only take cash, be sure to ask before you assume they take cards. We usually try to bring lots of 20’s and even some 10’s and 5’s. Smaller currency is easier to deal with in Mexico.

There is an ATM machine inside Puerto Nuevo village by the Ortega restaurant. This one charges a typical fee (double check! Things can change). There is one closer at “El Jefe” grocery store in the little town next to us called Primo Tapia. They charge a very hefty fee. About 10% of the amount you are withdrawing. If you want to avoid the fee, head to Puerto Nuevo or to Rosarito to pull out cash at any of the main bank’s ATM and those fees are more reasonable. The best advice is always to bring enough cash.

We have a fully equipped kitchen. If you like particular foods, you might want to go to a US supermarket before you go down. There are really good supermarkets in Baja but their selection and variety is different and a bit more limited than in the US. In Mexico, we have Calimax, these are nice but not fancy. One of them is located by Puerto Nuevo just 10 minutes north of our house.

Be sure to call your cell phone company to find out about their international roaming plans.

Works every time.

She is our trusted caretaker and has amazing skills in typical Mexican dishes. You can choose to add services to every day of your stay or don’t add any at all. Just let us know 1 week in advance. Her pre-set menu includes breakfast dishes such as huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, etc. And her dinner menu include chiles rellenos, bistec ranchero, shrimp in chipotle creamy sauce, etc. Ask me for more details!

Have Hanna Bader come to you for an ocean front yoga class! She is amazing. Hannah Bader is a certified E-RYT (experienced registered yoga teacher) she has been teaching yoga for 8 plus years all over the world. Hannah teaches a variety of styles from vigorous flow to gentle movement. Restorative yoga, Goddess yoga (a blend of dance and yoga, really fun for a group of ladies!) Pranayama (breath work) and Meditation. Hannah is available by appointment, she will come to the house and provide all the necessary equipment. Yoga sessions are tailored to fit your needs. She is very reasonably priced

Shana will come to the house and bring her own massage table. She charges $35/hour (not including tip). I have booked her for myself and my husband and she is top notch. She set up her table right on the master bedroom with the sliding doors open. The ocean sounds only add to the experience. Highly recommend you treat yourself! The best way to contact her is by messenger thru facebook. Look her up by searching “Massage by Shana” and send her a message. I recommend contacting her a week in advance and confirming a day in advance. https://www.facebook.com/massagebyShana/