10 Ways to Beat the Heat in La Paz this Summer

By Donneley McCann

With summer just around the corner here in La Paz and the excruciating heat that comes with it, one might be a little bit hesitant to spend the entire summer in the Puerto de Ilusion.

However, as a lover of the area and a full-time resident, La Paz is a wonderful place to enjoy in the summer months and I have made up a list of fun things to do and tips to try to make summer in La Paz a treat.

1. Find a friend with a boat. And keep them.  La Paz is blessed with “the world’s aquarium” in its front yard. And nothing is more refreshing and rejuvenating than a day out on the water.
2. Stick your sheets and pillow cases in plastic bags and put in fridge or freezer to use when ready for bed.
3. Get out of the sun and spend an afternoon at the Whale Museum. The new exhibit includes information about whales, dolphins, turtles, and sharks. You will be shown information about what species are found in Baja as well as around the world. Guides and videos are available to enrich the experience. Adults, 160 pesos and children and seniors, 120 pesos. For residents of La Paz, (take your temporary or permanent resident visa with you) adults $80 pesos and children, 60 pesos. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. On the corner of 16 de septiembre and Abasolo, downtown La Paz. You can’t miss it!
4. Try taking a nap in a hammock or cot where air circulates all around. Or head down to the malecon and enjoy one of the many palapas that provide shade while you can take in the breeze off the water.
5. Evenings along the Malecon with ice-cream while listening to a free concert and enjoying families is for many the best this city has to offer. Take advantage of it.
6. Hang a wet sheet in front of an open window at night. Relax.
7. Use air conditioning provided by others. Go to the movies, grocery shopping, museum…including the Anthropology Museum. Learn a little about La Paz and the people from prehistoric times to the present. Very nicely done replicas of a typical early home, examples of ranch life, cave paintings and fossils and artifacts of the Baja’s earliest settlers. Adults $3.00. Open Daily 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 5 de Mayo and Altamirano. 612 122 0162.
8. Wear light coloured, lightweight breathable cotton fabrics – loose and easy so as not to trap in body heat.
9. Having trouble sleeping? Fill hot water bottle with ice water to take to bed.
10. Go to Tecolote Beach. Or Tesoro Beach if you have young kids with you. Being spoiled with service, refreshments and a frequent dip in the water is sometimes the best way to beat the heat.