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Paraíso Cabo - NEW
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
About the Location: There’s nothing like it; miles of beach so private it’s unlikely you’ll see another person as you stroll through the surf, across dunes and around majestic rock formations. There are no giant hotels, beach vendors, jet ski’s or loud bars…just miles and miles of peaceful serenity literally steps from your hammock. During whale season you’ll spot dozens of migrating whales so close you can hear them breach and tail-slap the Pacific—every day. Sunsets are breathtaking, the sound of waves harmonizing with breezes swaying the palms. Overhead, the night skies are so clear you could read a book by starlight. To the east, the Sierra de la Laguna mountains rise to over 6,000 feet, with arroyos and waterfalls to discover. This is what a beach vacation should be.
The hotel was designed and built as a small, luxurious boutique hotel and private beachfront home. There are five large guest suites, each over 500 square feet, with private baths and sitting rooms. Each room has a wonderful view of the Pacific Ocean, and opens into our private, walled garden and pool. There is also a large, comfortable living room with US DishTV and internet connections, plus a library.
About the Cooking Lessons: You’ll learn from the most talented chefs of Cabo as they prepare dinner each night. Whether you want to learn ‘hands-on’, or kick back with a glass of wine and cheer others on, these are recipes you can easily reproduce in your own home! In either case, you’ll be treated to some of the most amazing meals you’ll ever have. In the main house you’ll find our professionally equipped kitchen and a complete outdoor kitchen under the palapa. Both have an amazing view of the beach and Pacific—we actually see whales while at the stove!
Your culinary vacation is about relaxing, private walks on the beach, siesta’s in hammocks tied to swaying palms, surf fishing from amazing rock formations, a glass of wine in a hot tub under a canopy of a trillion stars…and, of course, food. And while we’re all foodies at heart, not everyone wants to learn how to prepare the perfect ahi tuna. So, the choice is yours: work side-by-side with some of the most talented chefs in Cabo, or fill your wine glass and be our ‘official taster’.
As classes don’t begin until around 5:00, each day we’ll have a planned excursion. Or, you may set off on your own, or spend the day on the beach or around the pool doing absolutely nothing, or head into Cabo for world-class golf, shopping, and marlin fishing. The choice is always yours to make.
- Arrive in Los Cabos (SJD), where you’ll be met by your personal driver and taken to Cocina Pacifica.
- Once you’ve checked into your beautiful suite at Cocina Pacifica, relax with a margarita around the pool or perhaps take a stroll on our beautiful and secluded beach.
- Dinner class begins around 5 pm each afternoon, with a break to have a glass of wine and toast the setting sun. We use the top chefs from local restaurants, each teaching you their personal favorites. Classes are very informal, with the emphasis on you learning wonderful dishes you can easily re-create at home.
- Breakfast served on the patio overlooking the Pacific from 7 am to 8:30 am.
- Planned Excursion: Leave Cocina Pacifica around 11 am for a tour of Todos Santos, gallery visits and have lunch in town. Todos Santos is considered the “Sante Fe of Mexico” with dozens of artist galleries and studios.
- Dinner classes begin at 5 pm.
- Planned Excursion: Leaving Cocina Pacifica around 10:30 we’ll return to Todos Santos for a more historic tour of homes, churches and the community centers and lifestyle. We’ll have lunch in Todos Santos at one of the traditional carnita stands (a local favorite), then head to Punta Lobos. Around 2 pm the local fishermen return to the beach in small open boats called pangas. It’s quite a site to see them ride the waves onto the beach at full speed, but the only way to get fresher fish is to catch it yourself and cook on-board. Here, we’ll buy fresh fish (generally yellowfin tuna, dorado or pargo) for tonight’s dinner.
- Dinner classes begin at 5 pm.
- Planned Excursion: We’ll head to Pescadero where we’ll visit some organic farmers where they’ll explain techniques for growing crops in the desert, then we’ll pick our own veggies for dinner that night. Lunch will be served at Cocina Pacifica, then the afternoon free.
- Dinner classes begin at 5 pm.
- Planned Excursion: Trip to San Vicente to visit with local potters and learn of the traditional way of life of the mountain ranchers in Baja. We’ll meet local potters in a true mountain oasis, and learn how Baja Californians have carved their homes and livings out the mountains for centuries. Our local chef and her family will give us a cooking class, sharing fantastic family recipes handed down through the years.
- Dinner classes begin at 5 pm.
- Today (like most at Cocina Pacifica) is a lazy, do whatever you want kind of day. We’ll have vans available to take you to town, or you can just hang out and relax. For lunch we’ll have a short class on tacos and ceviche for those who are around and still awake.
- Another option would be a day trip to the city of La Paz, an hour north on the Sea of Cortez. It’s a wonderful city, with a beautiful walkway along the main street fronting LaPaz Bay. You can also take a small boat out to Los Islotes and swim with seals and sea lions in their natural habitat—it’s extremely cool when playful seals dart around you while 30’ below the giant sea lions keep a watchful eye on their ‘ladies’. (This is an all-day trip and would leave Cocina Pacifica at 8 am and return by 5 for dinner class.
- Dinner classes begin at 5 pm where tonight we’ll do something special, with a little Cajun attitude—Jim is from New Orleans and loves to share his crawfish and corn chowder and blackened Dorado.
- Today is for whale watching! Around 10 am we’ll head down to Cabo and go out into the Sea of Cortez where, at this time of year, we’re guaranteed to get up-close and personal with migrating California Grey Whales. Sure, we see them from Cocina Pacifica all day long, but from the boat we’re able to get closer—nothing like seeing these majestic animals breech from less than fifty yards away. It is one the most memorable days you’ll ever have.
- Dinner classes and our farewell dinner begins at 5 pm.
- Depart for Airport—back to reality!
