Start your day with breakfast at a favorite local's joint, Mango Mama's Cafe. Its hot pink zebra stripes make it easy to find. Enjoy a fresh smoothie with honey, ginger, yogurt and enough colorful fruits to festoon Carmen Miranda's hat in style.

Once a 30-ton gray whale has held you in its gaze while allowing you to rest your hand on its head, your perspective of life will never be the same.

There is no place on earth where you are more likely to have this experience than on the San Ignacio Lagoon, located on the central Pacific coast of Baja. Every winter, thousands of gray whales migrate to Baja to mate, calve and nurse. The whales relax and grow playful in the safety of the warm, salty lagoon. About 10% of the winter population has a penchant for approaching boats and interacting with the tourists.