One of our favorite moments when we bring someone to Loreto for the first time happens as the plane approaches the airport for landing. As we descend over the Sea of Cortés, the plane comes so close to the water some passengers wonder if we’re going to land on the beach. Heads all turn towards the windows and eyes open wide as the beauty of the local landscape becomes visible - a rare meeting of the mountains, desert and sea.

A local legend says that Loreto is “where the mountains come to swim.” The legend may just be right, as the mountains appear to be tripping over one another to get to the sea.

The World’s Aquarium
Ask any marine biologist and they’ll tell you that the Sea of Cortés is the most biologically rich body of water on earth. So much so that Jacques Cousteau himself proclaimed it “the World’s Aquarium” and the Mexican government established the Loreto National Marine Reserve to protect the thousands of species of marine life (including sea lions, dolphins and whales) that make their home here.

Mountains of the Giants
The Sierra de la Giganta mountains that surround Loreto light up in brilliant oranges and reds as the sun rises each day. One of the local guides loves to take visitors on early morning hikes into the hidden canyons and tranquil oasis that wait so close to the town and the Villages.

A Vast Desert
Right next to the blue sea and towering mountains is a vast desert that stretches on for miles in every direction. Take a trip into the desert and you’ll see hundreds of cacti jut up out of the landscape. But this is not a barren desert. It is lush with succulents, wildlife and even an occasional palm-filled oasis. The contrast of the shimmering beauty of the sea with the bold beauty of the desert is what makes Loreto such a unique, special place.