Guaymas: Where the desert and the sea meet

Over a decade ago, it was Bo Derek and her corn rows in the movie ``10'' that put Mexico's Las Hadas resort on the international map. And when Antonio Banderas slashes his ``Z'' for Zorro across movie screens nationwide this summer, Guaymas/San Carlos in the Sonora state of northwest Mexico will burst upon the screen in all its wild natural beauty.

Until then, this authentically Mexican part of the world will remain the well-kept secret it has been for Americanswince the '60s. That's when development first drew Southwesterners to build their second homes on the hills above its natural harbors and dock their sail and sports-fishing boats in its capacious marinas, the bases for some of the finest Dorado and barracuda fishing in that country.

INFO: 1-800-44-MEXICO www.mexico-travel.com Air Service: Aeromexico from Tucson, Arizona, nonstop to Guaymas. America West flies from most major cities into Phoenix, Arizona, for a quick nonstop connection to Guaymas/San Carlos Airport. Hacienda Tours Travel Agency can handle arrangements, P.O. Box 110, San Carlos, Guaymas Sonora, Mexico CP 85506. Tel: (622) 60297 or 61103 or fax (622) 60313. Bravo Diving and Fishing charters in the San Carlos Marina. For reservations from United States, call (602) 955-4120.

Sonora state, a mere two-hour drive from Tucson, Arizona, is where the desert and the sea meet in a convergence of ecosystems. Russet-hued desert buttes and saguaro-studded mountains entice visitors with ecologically fascinating hikes, and the Gulf of California offers one of the richest ocean habitats in the world, harboring over 800 species of fish and 3,000 species of marine animals including whales, sharks, dolphins, manta rays and octopus.

Sonora state is the ideal gateway for driving into Mexico. The Arizona-Sonora project, a joint effort between the United States and Mexican governments, facilitates drivers visiting Mexico with a simplified system that minimizes red tape for those visiting Sonora state only at the entry point of Nogales, about 250 miles north of Guaymas/San Carlos. The connecting highway is a safe and easy, well-engineered route.

The colonial city of Guaymas was founded in 1701 with the Mission of San Jose de la Laguna, and it has been a seagoing port since. Strolling through Guaymas, you will see the church of San Fernando with its stately neoclassic architecture, Moorish-style municipal buildings and a traditional marketplace offering fresh fish and seafood, exotic fruits like (ITAL) pitahayas (uqTAL) (cactus fruit) and crafts made from seashells. In the harbor, rusty old shrimp and tuna boats rock in the tide.

Twenty minutes away, the development of San Carlos is where you will find the resort development. The San Carlos Plaza, where Antonio Banderas took up residence during the filming of ``The Mask of Zorro,'' and Club Med are located at opposite ends of a crescent beach anchored at one end by Marina Real. The San Carlos Plaza is a multistory full-service modern facility with a lovely private beach. Next door, a small informal stable provides horses for riding on the beach for as little as $7 per hour.

San Carlos is an excellent destination for the active traveler as well as the sunbather. Activities include kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, boat and shore fishing, and cave exploring at nearby San Pedro Nolasco Island, a sanctuary for sea lions and pelicans. The Canyon de Nacapule is laced with miles of trails and scenic ridges to lure hikers. Scuba divers can explore two sunken vessels in the bay, which form artificial reefs attractive to a wide variety of tropical fish, moray eels, large edible clams and lobsters plus an especially lovely array of starfish and sea anemones.

For those who seek their adventure in an ecologically sound space, the Villa Ecoturistica at Canyon Las Barajitas, 12 miles north of San Carlos, is an area of 2,000 acres of desert and canyon and 2,200 yards of pristine shoreline where three different ecosystems converge. Inside the canyon, a semi-desert habitat and a subtropical one co-exist. Many Sonoran desert species of flora and fauna are here, including raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, coyotes, gray fox, white-tail deer, boars, mountain lions, snakes, lizards and over six dozen bird species.

Saguaros, the rare cactus only seen here and in Arizona, raise their graceful arms in this wild and untouched canyon at the edge of the Sea of Cortez. Canyon Las Barajitas is considered a sacred place by the Seri Indians and access is only by sea. Villa Ecoturistica conveys visitors by boat from the marina at their offices in San Carlos to their encampment. Sonoran meals are served in the clubhouse dining room and overnight guests stay in pristine, comfortable cottages on a bluff over the sea. Power is by solar energy and hot water showers are ``bush-bag'' style. Hiking guides, knowledgeable about the medicinal properties and Seri uses for various plants, are available, and there is also a small observatory for astronomical observations.

Several deer species are found in the state of Sonora and the ``Masso Pakuo,'' the Yaqui Indian ritual dedicated to their sacred animal, can be seen by intrepid visitors. And Sonora offers superb steak and game as well as an abundance of fresh seafood. El Oeste, owned by the Saragusa family, is the top steak house, featuring excellent aged beef and a fine wine list, including selections from the vineyards of the world-famed Spanish Domecqs who grow some of their grapes right here in Sonora. The entrees start at $20 and go to about $35 for the most expensive item on the menu -- a combination grill for two including aged sirloin. The restaurant is decorated with trophy mounts from the Saragusa family's hunts in Sonora and throughout the world.

Sonora is a year-round vacation destination. Summer is the rainy season, during the months of July and August, the favorite season with Mexican visitors. The dryer spring and fall months attract North American and Canadian tourists. And the water may be chilly for swimming -- similar to Los Angeles -- in the winter months.

The choicest spot to end the day any time of year is Mirador Escenico, where the beach scenes for ``The Mask of Zorro'' take place. It's just a five-minute drive from the San Carlos Plaza Hotel where Banderas stayed. Now's the time to enjoy Sonora before the world beats a path to its door.

(Susan Price is a free-lance writer in Aspen, Colorado.)
(c) 1998, Susan Price. Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate.