Smart Travel: Los Cabos, Mexico, offers golf, much more

Linda and Dr. Don Overend are principals in The Travel Group, a full-service travel agency.

Resorts in Mexico continue to develop and improve each year and Los Cabos, on the tip of the Baja Peninsula, is no exception. It has become Mexico's fastest-growing destination for business and leisure. Now it is relatively easy to reach on scheduled airlines, has updated its communications network to fiber-optic cable and continues to open new and more luxurious resorts.

Early on, golf was one of the prime reasons to visit Los Cabos, and this has not changed. There are now six championship-quality golf courses and one public facility. Courses have been designed by such famous names as Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Tom Weiskopf. Nongolfing spouses vacationing in Los Cabos needn't worry about how to fill their days while their partners are on the course. There are plentiful opportunities, from resort activities to area attractions. Also near Los Cabos are other destinations with special features.

Todos Santos, a quaint coastal town founded in 1734, is home to an artist colony, shops and galleries, and a historic church. Sierra de la Laguna is a mountain range with a large diversity of animal and plant life and is attractive to hikers, climbers and mountain bikers. From December through March, visitors are also treated to whale watching from the beach or a boat.

Los Cabos also is a world-class sportfishing destination. This sport is what put Los Cabos on the tourism map. More striped marlin are caught within 20 miles of Los Cabos year-round than anywhere else in the world. Wahoo, dorado, tuna and grouper are among the other frequent catches in these waters. There are more than 500 boats available for hire, and fishing permits are available in many local locations.

Other water sports are also available, such as windsurfing, parasailing, snorkeling and kayaking. Equipment is easily available for rent and a large staff of instructors is available for all water sports. El Medano Beach is the prime location for most of these sports, but surfing is best at

San Jose del Cabo or Corridor. Scuba divers will find an amazing array of marine life in the waters surrounding Los Cabos. There is a sea lion rookery at the tip of the Baja, and these gentle animals often swim alongside divers. Equipment and divemasters are always available, as are sanctioned dive courses for all levels of divers.

Relatively new to the area is an explosion of sensational spas. The health club/fitness experience is available now at most major resorts. Some visitors may dedicate their whole trip to the spas or may only use the experience for a day or two. Spas in the area feature both international treatments and those indigenous to the Mexican history of developing curatives for both mind and body.

Whether you choose golf, fishing, water sports or spas (or all four), the pleasant weather and the incredible combination of landscapes and seascapes will make your visit to Los Cabos one to long remember and will eventually draw you back to the city at the tip of the Baja.