A whale of a time: Los Cabos in the winter is good for people and wildlife

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico — "Nothing wholly admirable ever happens in this country" wrote essayist Brooks Atkinson, "except the migration of birds."

The same could be said for the migration of whales.

In the long-day summer months, whales like to hang out in the shallow, food-rich Arctic waters, where they can easily eat their fill of krill and plankton.

But every autumn, one of nature's amazing seasonal changes occurs. Hundreds of whales move from the increasingly colder waters of the far north to the warm, calm waters of the Baja Peninsula.

The enormous creatures travel up to 7,000 miles, completing their journey by late December. They stay in the warmer, southern waters until March, when they travel north once more. This exceptional round-trip migration is the longest made by any mammal in the world.

They come south because the climate, shallow waters, salinity and abundant marine life make the bays and lagoons of the Baja Peninsula an ideal place to birth and rear their young.

This annual migration phenomenon also makes Los Cabos — located on the very tip of the Baja — a great place to go whale watching any time between December and March.

Los Cabos is the name given to the "turista" corridor that stretches for about 20 miles between the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo on the tip of the peninsula that juts out to separate the Sea of Cortez from the Pacific Ocean. In recent years, the region has seen a lot of development and it has become a popular resort area. Its proximity makes it especially appealing for North Americans from the Western states.

The whales like it, too. Of the 11 species of whales found worldwide, eight venture to the waters of Baja: minke, Bryde's, fin, sei, humpback, beluga, gray and blue.

Humpbacks are probably the most popular, known for their distinctive dives that show off their flukes. But the minkes and grays are more prevalent in these waters. And grays are likely the ones you'll see the most.

During whale-watching season, there are several options for viewing them. At the height of the season, many whales venture close enough to shore that you can see them from beaches and overlooks. Many of the hotels and cafes have patios that overlook prime whale-viewing areas.