By: Hing Wong, FAICP, and Alex Hinds, Co-Directors, APA California — Northern International Program
This will be our seventh international planning tour. Our past tours included Cuba (2003), China (2007), India (2009), Brazil (2012), Eastern Europe (2014), and Southeast Asia (2017).
This tour will combine the activities that we are doing as part of the international practices related to city planning in Loreto and the Villages of Loreto Bay (aka Nopoló).
The length of this tour will be only one weeklong (previous tours have been 2-3 weeks except for Cuba which was also one week). By being fewer days and closer in distance to the Northern Section, the travel costs will be lower, and we hope to get young and emerging planners to join along with more experienced professionals.
Quick Facts on Loreto:
- Historians believe that Loreto is the oldest human settlement in Baja California and estimate that people began living there 12,000 years ago.
- Loreto was founded in 1697 and a couple years later, the city served as the first capital of the Province of the Californias.
- Loreto celebrated its 325th anniversary several years ago.
- Commercial and sport fishing have been the mainstay of Loreto’s economy while ecotourism activities such as whale watching is especially popular.
- The walkable, pedestrian-oriented resort community of the Villages of Loreto Bay is now also an important factor in the regional construction and vacation-oriented tourist sectors.
- The Loreto area is home to a network of ecologically-concerned not-for-profit organizations assisting in conservation and environmental education.
- Loreto is an officially designated “Pueblo Mágico” (magical town) as defined by Mexico.
Quick Facts on La Paz:
- La Paz is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.
- The city population is 250,000 making it the most populous city in the state.
- Outdoor activity is by far the most important source of tourism income in La Paz.
- There are 900 islands and inlets in the Gulf of California with 244 under UNESCO protection as World Heritage Bio-Reserves.
- This international planning tour in Loreto and La Paz will include opportunities to meet with professional colleagues, municipal and NGO representatives, and educators from the area. There will be an opportunity to visit nearby islands and hopefully see dolphins, blue whales, and other aquatic life in the Gulf of California (aka the Sea of Cortez) which Jacques Cousteau referred to as the “aquarium of the world”.
Tour Details:
- Tour dates: Saturday, April 12 to Saturday, April 19.
- We will spend four nights in Loreto and the Villages of Loreto Bay, plus three nights in La Paz.
- After the tour is over, some may want to spend extra days in Cabo San Lucas and/or San José del Cabo before flying home.
- We are currently working with several travel agencies to get the best prices and arraignments. Once we select one, we will have the costs associated with it. Lodging will be available for couples (one large bed), roommates (two smaller beds), or single supplement (added cost).
- There is a non-stop flight by Alaska Airlines on Saturday, April 12 leaving SFO at 2:38pm and arriving Loreto International Airport (LTO) at 5:17pm.
- There will be various options to fly back to California from San José del Cabo International Airport (SJD) on Saturday, April 19 or later if you decide to spend some extra days in Cabo San Lucas and/or San José del Cabo. Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have non-stop flights back to the Bay Area from SJD.
Next Steps:
- One dozen APA California — Northern members have indicated their interest in this tour.
- For those who have not responded yet, but are interested in attending this tour should contact Hing Wong (hing@hingwong.info) and Alex Hinds (alexhinds47@gmail.com) no later than February 24 to indicate your interest.
- Being interested does not commit you to going, but it gives us an idea of whether we need to promote it more to APA members outside of the Northern Section.
- Northern members can bring one guest (spouse, significant other, family member, friend, etc.). We will also have the opportunity to do roommate matching if you desire to be paired up.
- The cost for this tour will be announced in late February. Deposit for this tour will commence at that time. Final payments will be due in mid-March, one month before the tour.
- More details are forthcoming, but we are happy to answer any questions.