10 Ways to Travel Sustainably in Los Cabos
Los Cabos is a popular getaway that’s only a short flight from California. More and more tourists are visiting every year and hotels and vacation rentals in Los Cabos are filling up faster than ever before. You can go down to this part of Mexico to experience some of the natural beauty and participate in the ecotourism or simply enjoy a few days of surfing. Whatever you’re here for and decide to do, travelling sustainably has never been more important. Here are 10 ways that you can make your trip to Los Cabos as sustainable as possible.
1# Choose the Right Tour Company:
Some of the tour companies in Los Cabos are only out there to make as much money as they possibly can. This means that they may not care as much about leaving their print behind afterwards. An example of this is that some of the tour guides throw litter and their cigarette ends into the mountains or desert on a tour. This shows that they aren’t really bothered about the environment. Research the tour companies before you book one to make sure you join and give money to the ones that care.
2# Respect the Local Communities:
You’re a guest in their country and should behave like one. Some may want to go out and party all night and do the things that they probably shouldn’t. Unfortunately, this happens quite a lot when arrogant tourists fail to show any respect to the locals. If you do venture out of the touristy areas, don’t cause damage or do anything inappropriate.
3# Don’t Disrupt the Ecology:
Ecotourism is growing in popularity in Los Cabos. You can kayak and snorkel in and around the bay where you can see hundreds of tropical fish and marine life. It’s also possible to reach some of the more protected islands. If you do, enjoy what you see, but make sure that you don’t leave any litter behind or disrupt the local wildlife.
4#Release a New Born Turtle into the Ocean:
At certain times of the year, turtles come and lay their eggs on some of the beaches. When they hatch, only a small proportion of them actually make it to the water. The others either go in the wrong direction or are attacked by wildlife. It’s possible to join a tour or group in Los Cabos where you can release the newborn turtles into the water. You should always make sure you join a reputable group to do this and never attempt it on your own.
5# Stay at Smaller, Greener Hotels:
Over the last few decades, the region has had a lot of development and construction. While this may seem to be good on the surface and to help boost the local economy, it’s also damaging to nature. Larger hotels and resorts consume too much power and waste many resources. If you want to reduce your impact, consider staying in some of the smaller hotels. Or even better, find a place to stay that’s green.
6# You Don’t Have to Feel Like You’re in the Arctic:
This is related to the point above. You don’t have to sit inside your room with the air conditioner on full at all times. This consumes a lot of energy and larger hotels are bigger culprits. An alternative is to raise the temperature to reduce power consumption or simply open the window whenever you can.
7# Eat Fish from Local Fishermen:
One of the legacies of growing tourism is that the bigger corporations are making a lot of money from selling fish to the restaurants. The fish are caught after dragging large nets across the water and a significant percentage of the fish aren’t even consumed. This disrupts the ecology of the area and is highly wasteful. The methods that they use also damage the seabed and increase pollution. Local fishermen, on the other hand, are more sustainable. And, buying from them (or places that source from them) has the double bonus of reducing the environmental impact and putting money back into the local economy.
Image from Pixabay
8# Rent a Bicycle:
It’s easy to get around Los Cabos and you’re not too far away from nature. A greener and cheaper option than catching a taxi or relying on the bus is to rent a bike. You can cycle around the town and get the bonus of the extra exercise as well.
9# Clean Up Your Mess:
If you smoke, don’t throw the butt onto the floor. And if you have any litter make sure you carry it and throw it in the garbage. Too many tourists come here and are more relaxed about littering or leaving a mess behind. You should set an example and treat the place in the same way as you would back home.
10# Learn About the Environment:
The more that you know about a place, the better equipped you are at doing your best to protect it. It’s a good idea to read about the environmental issues that Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsular, in general, are faced with. When you know what the problems are, you can find it easier to protect them.
The Takeaway Message:
Los Cabos is a beautiful destination with lots of amazing things to do and see. However, there’s also a darker, environmental legacy of the tourism. Educate yourself and do the best you can for the environment to make sure your trip to this destination is as sustainable as possible.