to EL PAPALOTE

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Directions to EL PAPALOTE

San Quintin valley  

 WHERE IN THE WORLD IS PAPALOTE (Papa-low-tay)?

Papalote is located 225 south of the San Diego, CA/Tijuana border.  Between Tijuana and Ensenada you will drive on a nice toll freeway.  There are three toll booths along the way, each charging around $3 dollars. 

After leaving Ensenada the road becomes a narrow two lane highway that is improving slowly over the years.  There is heavy traffic at times and many semi trucks that travel at excessive speeds.  Pulling a trailer behind the van is tricky because there are times the trailer is the exact width of the road.  We have seen a number of American teams who have overturned their truck and trailer because of misjudging the width of the road.

We encourage you to read the portion of our Trip Planning Packet on "Driving in Mexico".  This could prevent your team from an accident. 

Be aware that there are “topes” or speed bumps all along the way. Towns put them in to slow down the traffic.

• Go through the Border south of San Isidro off I-5 or 805

• Take all signs to Ensenada and Rosarito. Keep to the right as soon as you go up the ramp from the border. There is a newer overpass (kind of scary) at the top of the ramp to the right. Take it.

• Follow the signs to that say Cuota. That is the toll road. Tolls are about $2.50. You can pay in dollars. Bring all cash for your trip into Mexico. Credit cards can only be used in Ensenada. NOT further south. No credit cards for gas either.

• The first cuota is just out of Ensenada. The second one is at Rosarito. The third one is just before Ensenada. It is about an hour drive to Ensenada from Tijuana.

• Once you get into the Ensenada area, stay to the right when there are any road splits. You will stay on Hwy 1. There are now signs for you to follow in most cases. This is new and a good thing!

• Go through downtown Ensenada along the waterfront for a half-mile or so. There is a PEMEX on the left and a military school on the right. Take a left.

• Go about a half a mile and you will see a green sign to San Quintin. Take a right.

• Now you are on Hwy 1 again. You will not take any other cut-offs. You will drive through Ensenada south. You will pass a new Costco, and a new Home Depot! And lots of new housing and grocery outlets etc.

• After leaving Ensenada you will start up into some mountains that are pretty curvy. Drivers can be pretty dangerous at times…use caution. The roads are narrow. It takes a good hour to get to the next town where we usually stop to go to the bathroom and get a drink…San Vicente. You will know it is San Vicente because they have one stop light. Most PEMEX’s have good bathrooms and snack shops.

• You will go through another mountain range with sharp curves and the next largest town you come to will be Camalu. Camalu also has one stop light. That will take another 45 minutes or so.

• It is a good hour drive from Camalu to Papalote because the traffic becomes much heavier. The distance is not the problem.

• You will go through Col. Vicente Guerrero and continue south. Col. Guerrero also has one stop light. The next town you come to will be San Quintin. San Quintin has three stop lights. Continue south.

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