Coming from the lonesome dirt road and the dream beaches, Los Cabos and the corridor can cause a cultural shock. The two cities San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas at the peninsulas southern tip are commonly known as Los Cabos. They are touristic, commercial, and Americanized, but clean, pretty and covered with greenery as well. The 28 km in-between are called The Corridor, a four-lane highway with palm trees and bougainvilleas. The whole thing is a stronghold of luxury tourism with marinas for mega yachts, five star hotels, villas and condos, jewellery and souvenir shops, restaurants, art galleries, and many entertainment options.
Los Cabos shall be the most expensive holiday destination in Mexico or at least well on the way. San José del Cabo is still the more Mexican of both cities. It has a beautiful historic plaza with restored colonial buildings, a mission thats not the original one but has a long history, and a colony of artists. Tourism thats ailing and harsh competition lead to aggressive pricing policy and partially offensive touting for customers (more in Cabo San Lucas). A tout lures us into a shady and cool terrace bar at the plaza (La Internacionál) with wonderful view. The ice-cold beer is just one dollar hardly more than in the supermarket.
The Corridor accommodates nearly every market an American or other heart could wish for: If Wal-Mart or Home Depot, if Costco or Sams Club, theyve got everything. Cabo San Lucas is a place for partygoers and bargain hunters who chase the best happy hour and all-you-can-eat offers. Huge cruise liners spit their human freight into the city. Its a bit detrimental to the ambience that the coast is completely blocked by buildings and nearly not accessible. Even Cabo San Lucas landmark, finisterra, lands end, Baja Californias southernmost tip with its characteristic arch can hardly be spotted.
42 km north of Cabo San Lucas the road meets a huge dry wash with ATV and dune buggy rental on both sides. You need a 4×4 to reach Playa de Migriño, a popular surf beach, though way too dangerous swim. The waves are impressive even with low tide. The more high tide comes in the more water brushes against the rocks and sprays high into the air, and the rollers conquer the beach.