We encountered several toll booths as we traveled north towards the US border. Not all stops were government-owned toll booths. Some toll stops were for indigenous tribe members. The tribe members would hold a robe across the highway as you pass through their villages, usually at a tope (speed bump), so you have to slow down anyway. During our 272km travel for the day, we passed through 5 different government-owned toll booths, costing 514 pesos ($30USD), and three tribal toll crossings. We had collected several dollars’ worth of coins during our time in Baja. Keeping these coins in a plastic bag became very handy; we used these coins to pay the tribe tolls. At two of the three tribe toll stops, the tribe members would lift a basket to the driver’s window for money; you give them what you can. The third tribal group handed us a card that explained why they were collecting money, and how much they wanted written in Spanish. We had already given away most of our coins at the last two tribe tolls, so we handed them the rest of the change in the plastic bag. A gentleman pointed to the dollar amount printed on the card. They wanted 500 pesos (approx. USD $28). We explained to him that was all the money we had. They said thank you and let us through. Later we discovered that some government-owned toll booths are located on tribal land, but the money is not shared with them.
All the tribal people we encountered were polite and grateful for the donations. At no time did we feel fearful for our safety.
San Carlos is a beachfront subdivision within the port of Guaymas but is considered its own town in the northern state of Sonora, Mexico. Many American and Canadians live in San Carlos during the winter time. The summer months are sweltering with high humidity. San Carlos offers a multitude of diving opportunities for all skill levels. It’s very common to have underwater visibility of over 100ft. Sometimes visibility exceeds 200ft.
Guaymas is the birthplace of three formal Republic of Mexico presidents: Abelardo Rodriguez, Plutarco Elias Calles and Adolfo de la Huerta.
San Carlos has been used for many films including:
- Catch 22, starring Alan Arkin, Orson Welles, Martin Sheen, Bob Newhart and Antony Perkins.
- The Mask of Zorro, starring Antonio Banderas, Anthoney Perkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones
- Lucky Lady, starring Liza Minnelli
- Camaroneros – Mexican production starting Erick del Castillo
- Spanish language soap opera Por Tu Amor
San Carlos has many RV parks, resorts, stores, and restaurants. We stayed at the Totonaka RV Park. It’s a beautiful park with many amenities, including a full hook-up, a swimming pool, hot showers, and a laundry room.
We loved going down to the Marina to look at the fishing boats, and watch the pelicans. This marina is home to one of our favorite restaurants called, Hammer Heads. One afternoon we were entertained by a couple of local tribal dancers.
Just around the corner from Totonaka RV park are several restaurants with beautiful views of the Sea of Cortez.
We met several new friends during our stay. One afternoon we followed some friends to a Heroica Guaymas beach. The Restaurant we ate at is called the Soggy Peso. We had a great time with the live music, margarita, and excellent company! Thank you, guys. It was a very fun afternoon!
We had a great time in San Carlos. The weather was beautiful, we ate good food and met new friends. All good things must end; time to hit the road again! The next stop is the US border.