Getting the flavor of ... Mexico’s arty surf haven, and more

Mexico’s arty surf haven

Todos Santos, Mexico, isn’t much more than a “wisp of a town near the south end of the Baja Peninsula,” said Danielle Pergament in The New York Times. The locals would like to keep it that way. In the 19th century, Todos Santos was the sugar capital of Baja. A century later, the “sleepy little village” attracted the attention of American painter and sculptor Charles C. Stewart, who helped turn it into an artists’ colony. Today, Todos Santos is what Cabo San Lucas was 20 years ago, before it became a “beach full of monster resorts and souvenir shops.” Just 50 miles north of Cabo, this stretch of “unspoiled Mexico” is like a “miniature, seaside Santa Fe.” Spend the day riding the waves at Playa Ceritos. Then, when the sun goes down, dive into a plate of the “best fish tacos this side of anywhere” at Taqueria El Parguito. Contact: Todossantos.cc

The ‘rugged’ Caribbean

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Any island “too wild to host a cruise ship is an island worth visiting” in my book, said Josh Noel in the Chicago Tribune. The “rugged and unforgiving” Caribbean island of Saba, about 150 miles east of Puerto Rico, has a “landscape demanding respect.” Its three towns were built on the tip of a dormant volcano, and visitors won’t find beaches here—only rocky cliffs “plunging into the sea.” Even the island’s airport runway—a 1,300-foot strip that ends with a 90-degree plunge—needs to be “navigated with care.” But for those up for the adventure, Saba offers “world-class” diving and hiking. Trekkers can climb 1,064 steps, up to the 3,000-foot summit of Mount Scenery, the island’s highest point. “Bathed in clouds,” the peak offers views of the “sun-dappled ocean”—itself a diver’s paradise alive with reef sharks, rays, and turtles. Contact: Sabatourism.com