Why Baja
Every vanlife person we'd met who'd done Baja said the same thing: "Do it. Just do it." The Pacific coast has some of the most dramatic and empty camping in North America. The food is extraordinary. The people are incredibly friendly to travelers. The total cost for 3 weeks — including gas, food, camping, and the ferry back — was $840 for two people. That's not a typo.
Before You Cross: The Preparation
Baja is a single highway (MEX 1) for most of its length. Services get sparse south of Guerrero Negro. The preparation matters more here than on a US road trip.
- Mexican auto insurance is mandatory — US insurance doesn't cover you in Mexico. Buy Baja Bound or MexPro online before you cross. About $25–$35/day for a van.
- Tourist card (FMM) — required for stays beyond 72 hours. Get it at the border or online at gob.mx.
- Carry extra diesel or gas — two 5-gallon jerry cans minimum south of Guerrero Negro. Pemex stations are 100+ miles apart in some sections.
- Cash in pesos — cards work in major towns, but many small restaurants, camping spots, and tiendas are cash only. Get pesos at the border.
- Spare tire plus tire plug kit — the road shoulders in rural Baja are rocky. We used the plug kit once.
The Three Breakdowns
Breakdown #1: Flat Tire, Km 312
Pulled off to look at the Pacific view, drove back onto MEX 1, and immediately felt the rear driver's side go soft. Sharp rock on the shoulder had sliced the sidewall. Sidewall punctures can't be plugged — we were on the spare within 20 minutes and found a vulcanizadora (tire repair shop) in the next town, 34 miles south.
Breakdown #2: Dead Battery in Mulegé, Km 1,102
Three straight overcast days meant our solar wasn't keeping up. We parked in Mulegé for two nights with high power usage (laptops, fridge, lights). Woke up to a battery at 4%. The engine battery (separate from house batteries) was fine — the starter van started. But we couldn't run anything until we found a shore power hookup for 4 hours.
Breakdown #3: The Scary One — Overheating, Km 847
This was the one that could have ended the trip. Temperature gauge spiked suddenly near Loreto. We pulled over immediately — never drive through an overheating warning. Coolant reservoir was bone dry. The lower radiator hose had developed a small crack from vibration on the rougher sections of MEX 1. We lost maybe 2 liters of coolant in 20 minutes of driving before noticing.
The Camping
Baja free camping is something else entirely. Beaches where you're the only vehicle for 5 miles in either direction. Desert nights so clear the Milky Way feels close enough to touch. Pacific sunsets that hit different when you're watching from the roof of a van on a cliff edge above the ocean.
Our favorite spots (from iOverlander): Playa El Coyote south of Mulegé, a hidden cove north of Loreto that we won't name because we want it to stay hidden, and the east cape near Los Barriles with turquoise water and zero other campers.
What to Pack That You Won't Think Of
Saved our trip literally
Stomach issues happen; have antibiotics from your doctor
Water sources are scarce; top off every chance you get
Satellite communicator for emergencies — no cell signal for hundreds of miles at a stretch
We saw 4 people with flats who didn't have one
You'll help someone even if your van doesn't need it
Cost Breakdown: 23 Days in Baja
| Category | Total (2 people) | Per Day |
|---|---|---|
| Mexican Auto Insurance | $575 | $25 |
| Diesel fuel | $180 | $7.80 |
| Food (mostly markets + tacos) | $310 | $13.50 |
| Camping fees (occasional) | $60 | $2.60 |
| Ferry back (Cabo to Mazatlán, van) | $420 | — |
| Repairs (tire + hose) | $72 | — |
| Miscellaneous | $85 | $3.70 |
| Total 23-Day Trip | $1,702 | ~$37/day for 2 |
That's cheaper than staying home in most cities. Baja is one of the most affordable road trips you can do from the continental US, and it delivers experiences that cost 10× that in comparable tourist destinations.