Whale watching season is in full swing on Mexico’s Pacific coast. And few places gear up for it quite like Los Cabos.
Beth Koopmann, activity manager for Cabo Adventures, tells Travel Agent that sightings have already been brisk.
“So far this year, we've received mainly humpback whales, but we have also observed a higher number of gray whales and even some appearances of orcas. There has been a lot of action as the whales are making their way down to breed. We've seen newborns as well, and we have recorded new sounds from the humpback whales. It has been a good start of the season, but we have three more months to go and are expecting many more sightings,” said Koopmann.
Operators such as Cabo Adventures use inflatable 36-ft. boats that can maneuver close to the whales. The season typically lasts till mid-April and agents enrolled in the "Adventure Agents" (http://www.cabo-adventures.com/travel-agents) program can book using net rates.
New Resorts
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| Rancho San Lucas Entrance |
Prime Pacific locations have proved a big selling point for developments such as Quivira Los Cabos and Diamante Cabo San Lucas. A new resort set to open this year will also claim Pacific bragging rights. Rancho San Lucas is an 834-acre master planned community north of Quivira and Diamante. It’s about 30 minutes away from the Pueblo Magico town of Todos Santos.
Features of Rancho San Lucas include a Greg Norman-designed golf course with ocean views from most of the holes. Also in the works is a commercial village with restaurants, boutiques and convenience store services.
The centerpiece of the property will be two Grand Solmar resorts.
“We’re the first development on the new beltway from the San Jose del Cabo Airport to Los Cabos. Instead of having to cross Cabo San Lucas, you can just take the beltway down to the Pacific Highway that takes you to Todos Santos and La Paz,” Claudia Velo, director of sales and marketing for Rancho San Lucas tells Travel Agent.
Rancho San Lucas lies on property that has been in the family-owned Solmar Group for a long while. The company is a pioneer in the Los Cabos hospitality industry.
“The project has been on the drawing board for close to a decade. We hadn’t moved forward because our CEO wanted it to be just right. He has such a great love for the area,” said Velo.
A soft launch of phase one of Rancho San Lucas is set for December 20, 2017. It will include the back nine of the golf course, as well as the hotels. An official opening will take place in early 2018.
The resort hotels will be a two-in-one proposition. Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas Golf & Spa Resort will be very similar to Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa. But it will have some distinctive features, such as a saltwater lagoon. Set on a wide (but not swimmable) stretch of beach, Solmar is investing heavily in water features so that guests won’t miss the ocean.
The Residences at Grand Solmar will be an even more upscale option.
What distinguishes the two?
“The Residences are more spacious. We will offer two, three and four-bedroom units. No studios. The finishes are more luxurious, and we will have amenities such as butlers and valets,” said Velo.
She adds:
“Our market is really families. We get a lot of baby boomers who have been coming to Cabo for 25 years. As they do better in life, they want to move up to another level of service. Maybe now they’re bringing the grandkids. We definitely feel that the market is there for this product.”