San Ignacio

Experienced Baja travelers often pass straight through Guerrero Negro [1] and push on to San Ignacio (pop. 4,000) for an overnight stop on the way to points south.

With its picture-perfect oasis, restored 18th-century Spanish mission, colonial buildings, and variety of places to stay [2] and eat [3], the town offers an appealing combination of scenery, history, and visitor services.

Before the Jesuits arrived, the Cochimí knew San Ignacio as Kadakaamán (Creek of Reeds). Abundant freshwater made it a prime location for growing wheat and other crops during the mission period. Today the town consists of a small commercial and residential area surrounding the Misión San Ignacio Kadakaamán [4] and plaza.

The weather here is moderate, compared to the surrounding Vizcaíno Desert [5]. Nights can be chilly in the winter, and all the standing water makes for a healthy population of mosquitoes.

San Ignacio suffered severe flooding from Hurricane Jimena in 2009, and many businesses are still on the mend.

Getting to San Ignacio

Aguila (tel. 800/824-8452, www.autotransportesaguila.com [6]) and Autotransportes de Baja California (ABC, tel. 800/025-0220, www.abc.com.mx [7]) buses stop at the bus terminal (7 A.M.–11 P.M. daily) a half kilometer north of town. There are six buses daily in both directions.