CABO SAN LUCAS MEXICO CRUISES

Where the sea, sun and desert join to cast an air of mystery and romance over all who visit. Cabo San Lucas was once a tranquil fishing village and, in times long ago, a hangout for pirates. Although no longer the fishing village of old, and not many of the old pirates are seen around town any more, the magic of Cabo San Lucas remains.

Cabo San Lucas is still small and charming by any standards, with a population of under 30,000. Cabo San Lucas has come of age. Located at the southernmost tip of the magnificent Baja peninsula, Cabo San Lucas has been blessed with what many describe as the perfect climate. Average year-round temperature is 78 degrees, it is a little cooler in the winter and a bit warmer in the summer.

Busy streets with frenzied college kids, high-rolling golfers and sport fishers, but look through the crowds and by the roadside there might be a small Mercado hawking fresh flowers or the best mariscos (seafood) you'll ever taste. Unlike hard-partying Cancun, this little fishing town still has its own Mexican character, despite doubling its population during the tourist season.

Many come to Cabo for the legendary sport fishing of 'Marlin Alley' - the waters around Cabo are replete with the big fish - though whale-watching is edging out the traditional favorite pastime. If that's not your cup of tequila there are the postcard-perfect beaches - including Playa Médano and surfing Mecca Zipper's Beach - or the majestic rocky outcrops at Land's End. With a handy international airport and gaggles of luxury hotels crowding the beaches, this is no longer an out-of-the-way holiday spot. But there's still plenty of the old Baja beauty to discover - if you can dodge the tourist-industry touts.