La Ventana
La Ventana is a small fishing village on the shore of La Ventana Bay south of La Paz on the eastern side of the Baja California peninsula in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. The village was founded in the early 1940s by the La Paz pearl diver Salome Leon. When pearl diving became unprofitable, Salome brought his family over the mountains from La Paz to La Ventana Bay to found the village. Many of his descendants continue to live, fish, and work in the village.[1]
Name origin
La Ventana | |
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La Ventana Location in Baja California Sur | |
Coordinates: 24°03′01″N 109°59′20″W / 24.05028°N 109.98889°WCoordinates: 24°03′01″N 109°59′20″W / 24.05028°N 109.98889°W | |
Country |
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State | Baja California Sur |
Municipality | La Paz |
Elevation | 7 ft (2 m) |
Population (2010[2]) | |
• City | 255 |
• Urban | 0 |
La Ventana (english "The Window") is named for the 'window' to the Gulf of California between nearby Isla Cerralvo and Punta Arena, which contrasted with the closed-in La Paz Bay from which the first inhabitants relocated.
Wind conditions
La Ventana Bay (Bahia de la Ventana) is well known for consistent north winds that blow from November to April, and is considered one of the world's top kiteboarding destinations.[3] It has been nicknamed 'Hood River South' by tourists who kiteboard in La Ventana in the winter and in Hood River, Oregon in the summer. As such, many if not most tourists in La Ventana come from the Pacific Northwest/Cascadia region.
Other activities
During the summer months La Ventana offers good fishing and diving opportunities. In addition, the following activities are available year-round:
- Horseback riding
- Island trips
- Kayaking
- Mountain biking
- Spearfishing
- Hot Springs at the beach
- Scuba Diving
References
- ↑ Baja California's Rugged Outback by Michael E. Long, from National Geographic Magazine, October 1972, pages 544 to 551
- ↑ 2010 census tables: INEGI Archived 2013-05-02 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Trinidad, Erik (September 7, 2011). "The World's Top 10 Kiteboarding Spots". DNews. Retrieved 2016-05-14.