You can no longer "Take a stroll along the malecón and watch the fisherman unload their catch of the day." The Mexican government has banned all commercial fishing in the upper Sea of Cortez.

Buying in San Felipe and El Dorado Ranch is not always a safe bet. Many buyers lost money and didn't get what they paid for. There appears to be NO recourse. Buyer Beware! Extreme due diligence may not even be enough to protect you.

I was surprised to find this author is a Reader staff journalist. I had assumed the piece was a paid plug written by someone from the tourist industry. It reads like an advertisement, not a news article. Hey Reader, did an editor read this? What is the angle?

Thanks for all the feedback! This is the Reader's travel section, for news we'd suggest you check out http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/baja/ (ALL Baja-related articles, including news articles).

Crime: comments are noted in the article, and here's some more info (although a little old) on safety in San Felipe for visitors: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150775-i528-k4328594-Is_San_Felipe_safe-San_Felipe_Baja_California.html.

Baja Diamante golf course (source: http://www.allaboutbaja.com/bajagolf.html): "The Baja Diamante project is located adjacent to the big enclosed marina. This was going to be home to northern Baja's first Nicklaus designed golf course, a 'links-style', 18-hole championship golf course. This project has been in a holding pattern for the last three years due to the economy. Who knows if this will ever really get off the ground. Call their sales center at (866) 341-0167 (U.S. toll free) for the latest update on the project. It would be nice to see this project completed, as the master plan is seriously nice."

San Felipe may be a good vacation spot, although I wasn't impressed with it on the one occasion I was there. Speaking of that one trip, in Mexicali, almost in the shadow of the state capitol complex, I was the victim of a shakedown by a traffic cop who claimed I'd run through not one, but two, STOP signs. Neither existed, or if they did, were invisible, which meant the same thing. Keep in mind that the BC state government was busy promoting tourism and encouraging folks to drive to San Felipe. And yet the local cops were preying on those very tourists, right at that traffic circle by the capitol. Makes no sense, but that's Mexico fer ya'. If you want to drive in Mexico, be prepared tor crazy driving and getting pulled over for imaginary offenses. Oh, by the way, when you're across the border any expectations of police restraint and fairness are out the window. Instead you're totally at their mercy. Come to think of it, I'll pass on driving in BC and pass on San Felipe.

I traveled to San Felipe every year for 20 years, sometimes 3 times a year. I always took my wife and 3 children, we camped at the beach in one of the many camps, Los Amigos was our favorite. There were absolutely no commodities there other then showers and restroom. It was our favorite camp because there was never anyone there, we had the whole beach to ourselves. I never once had any trouble, we always felt safe even though we were alone, I never got stopped by the cops, even once. It was incredible at night with the full moon or other times with a million stars and the Milky Way, just laying on the sand watching the stars, it was so clear on moonless nights that you could follow the satellites from horizon to horizon. I can't travel there anymore since I lost a leg but my memories make me smile.