Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle

FALL/ WINTER 2023 DREAMSCAPES 47 concept called the Baja Sur Farm & Beach Dinner Experience, established by the resort and a California-based organization known as Out- standing in the Field (OITF). Waiting for us were dozens of cones in the sand, created by OITF founder and landscape artist Jim Denevan, all adding to the evening's magic. As the sun set, Paradero chef Eduardo Rios curated a sublime multi-course meal of seafood caught just offshore. Denevan later explained that at every OITF dinner experience, at least 20 percent of the reservations are free to local food producers. SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES At this experience-inclusive resort, Paradero Todos Santos offers what it calls "soft adven- tures," which allow a more intimate exposure to the surrounds than a typical sun vacation. You get your pick of learning to farm, garden or you can join a group meditation session or head on a group hike, and even have conversations about the resort's innovative architecture and sustain- able landscaping. One early morning, I'm off for a brisk hike through the cactus forest down to Las Palmas beach with my genial guide David. The shoreline is spectacular and virtually deserted, save for a single fisherman casting out a net. Later on, there's another peaceful escape. It's an hour-long session of sound healing. There are also open-air yoga and fitness classes. Then at the Ojo de Agua Spa and Wellness Center, there is the temazcal, a traditional ritual, a kind of sweat lodge ceremony with ancient Indigenous roots. After the 90-minute steam- bath experience, drenched in perspiration, I consider how the experience causes you to reflect on your life. Alicia, the Mayan shaman who led the ceremony, agrees. She says, "Every time I do it, it's like a rebirth." COMMUNITY CONSCIOUS Co-owner Pablo Carmona says Paradero is meant to be a gateway to introduce visitors to the people and landscapes of the southern Baja region, while also making meaningful contributions to their neighbours. "You can call it the other side of Mexico, where we cherish the culture," he says. Paradero has just set up a foundation, diverting a portion of the property's revenues to support the sur- rounding communities, including an affordable housing project. All of which fit perfectly with the sustainability focus of Paradero Todos Santos. i PHOTOS: PARADERO TODOS SANTOS | ISABELLA CAIRESS FAVARO | YOSHIKOITANI PHOTOGRAPHY DS TRAVEL PLANNER For trip planning, see ParaderoHotels.com

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