Historic Loreto





Narrow Channel into Puerto Escondido

Giant Mountains towering over Marina Fonatur

Mission of Our Lady of Loreto

Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto

Lunch Time at a Pretty Cafe near the Town Square

A Nice Bistro in Town Square

From Honeymoon Cove on Isla Danzante, we motored to the nearby Port of Escondido accessed by a narrow channel that leads into this protected harbor.  Puerto Escondido or Hidden Port is sheltered behind a headland; the mountains to the west rise steeply like a cathedral, creating a spectacular setting for Marina Fonatur.  The marina, completed in 2007, is a popular stop for cruisers not only for its beauty and protected harbor, but also for its proximity to the town of Loreto.  We took a taxi into town to spend the afternoon and visited the historic mission church, “Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto” (Mission of Our Lady of Loreto) and its adjoining Museum housing relics from the Loreto area with information on the early missions throughout Baja.  Loreto is the site of the first Spanish settlement in Baja and the first mission of the California’s established in 1697 by Jesuit padre Juan Maria Salvatierra, the site was probably chosen for its steady spring of fresh water.  Loreto was the start of “the royal road” (el camino real), an historic corridor that follows north along the ancient route of the Spanish missions to its ending in Sonoma, California, USA.  As the settlement grew, Loreto became the political and economic capital of Baja.  Unfortunately in 1829, a destructive storm forced the government to move the state capital from Loreto to its current location in La Paz.  The mission church at Loreto is the center of the lovely town square; manicured trees arch over the streets connecting the square, creating a pleasant community gathering spot; we discovered several nice sidewalk cafes and coffee shops around the square.  We also walked the newly constructed promenade along the waterfront and reminisced about our first visit here in 1990-91.  We had landed our private plane at the Loreto Airport and took a taxi to a resort compound located north of town.  I can still picture the Mexican children running through the dirt streets barefoot, playing around their homes just outside the gated resort.  Our sons, then in their early teens, were shocked at the cultural differences.  A lot has changed since then; today, Loreto is a tourist town with mostly paved streets and newly constructed homes and condos with a mixture of modern stores and traditional shops. 


Manicured Tree Arches



Traditional Shops near the Town Square



Waterfront Promenade - Loreto