ISLANDS AND
PROTECTED AREAS OF THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA
Referred to
as the "world?s aquarium" by famous sea explorer
Jacques Cousteau, Mexico?s
islands and protected areas in the Gulf
of Baja California were
declared a World Heritage Site in the summer of 2005. Nestled between the
shores of the northwestern Mexican states of Sinaloa,
Sonora and the Baja California peninsula, the 244 islands,
islets and coastal areas comprising the area, have been called a natural
laboratory for the investigation of speciation. The rugged islands, with their
high cliffs and sandy beaches are also home to 695 vascular plant species, more
than any other marine and insular property on the World Heritage List. In
addition, the aquatic paradise contains 39% of the world?s total number of
species of marine mammals and a third of the world?s marine cetacean species.
Destinations: Los Cabos, La
Paz,
Loreto, Mazatlán, Nuevo Vallarta,
San Blas, Rocky Point, San
Felipe
Learn more about Baja California
