Dove of Peace sculpture along La Paz Malecón—C.Helbig
I didn’t expect to be writing a post about art in La Paz, but I was so impressed with what I saw along the city’s Malecón (waterfront promenade) that I had to share. If you’ve read my earlier posts on our family trip to Baja California Sur, you’ll know that La Paz is an awesome base for kayaking, snorkeling, and exploring beautiful beaches on the Gulf of California (also known as Sea of Cortez). The art along the 5 km Malecón is a reflection of the city’s importance as an eco-tourism destination, and residents’ deep appreciation for their home by the sea. Lets stroll along the Malecón and take a look at some of the wonderful marine-inspired artwork.
The Mermaid and the Dolphin sculpture along the La Paz Malecón—C.Helbig
Every hundred meters or so, along the Malecón, there are small plazas that curve out into the bay and showcase a series of sculptures. I like all of them, but the Mermaid and the Dolphin (above) by artist Octavio González is my favourite. It’s fun and whimsical, and looks great silhouetted against the beautiful La Paz sunsets (my featured photo).
Jacques Cousteau sculpture along La Paz Malecón—C.Helbig
One of my heros, Jacques Cousteau, called the Sea of Cortez “the world’s aquarium”. It is fitting that this great man sits along the Malecón, looking out at the dolphins and whales in La Paz Bay.
Giant clam and pearl sculpture on the La Paz Malecón—C.Helbig
The giant clam sculpture speaks to La Paz’s history as a thriving pearl industry center until the 1930s. Palm trees and nearby buildings are reflected on the gleaming pearl, and it looks spectacular.
The La Paz Dove of Peace sculpture along the Malecón—C.Helbig
I find the La Paz Dove of Peace sculpture very striking. Apparently, some locals refer to it as “Paloma Gorda” or fat pigeon.
There’s a whole series of sculptures dedicated to the large marine animals that make their home in the Gulf of California—from hammerhead sharks to orcas to humpback whales to flying mantas (sadly my photo of the latter is too poor to post).
Some of the Malecón artwork take their inspiration from literature (The Old Man and the Sea sculpture) and religion (Jesus and the Seashell sculpture).
The Malecón is definitely La Paz’s crowning jewel, but the city of almost a quarter million has plenty more to keep visitors interested. Scroll through the photos below for a glimpse of La Paz.
IF YOU GO:
Casa Juarez B&B in La Paz—C.Helbig
- La Paz is serviced by an international airport, though we found it cheaper to fly into San José del Cabo (Cabo San Lucas). There is an airport shuttle (EcoBaja Tours) that makes several daily trips to La Paz (about 2.5 hours), and regular bus service (Águilla) from the San José del Cabo bus terminal.
- There are loads of hotels and B&B’s in La Paz. We thoroughly enjoyed Casa Juarez. It’s a new place run by a nice Italian couple. It’s small, quiet, comfortable, and naturally elegant. Plus, they serve a great breakfast and rates are reasonable.
- There are also plenty of restaurants and casual street food. My favourite was Tio Bencho, a small, pretty place with a limited menu that includes some great traditional items.
- We used La Paz as the starting point for a 5-day kayaking trip to Isla Espirítu Santo with ROW Kayaking Adventures…awesome, and post still to come.
- Check out my posts on favourite activities in and around La Paz and Loreto, and Playa Balandra, my new favourite beach.
Writes of Passage 
My favorite was the first with the mermaid and the dolphin. Gave me chills. Cannot wait to visit La Paz
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I love that La Paz is still very much a “real” Mexican city and it’s so much fun walking along the malećon with all the locals. As it doesn’t have a beach to speak of, I imagine it will never get the tourist hoards of Cabo. But it is the gateway to gorgeous beaches, islands, marine life….
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Great rec for the bb in La Paz. I am going to cabo and already made accomodations but playing with the idea of staying in La Paz for a night because I want to see Bolandra Beach so bad!
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I absolutely loved Balandra Beach (did you see my post on it?). I hope you get the chance to stop in La Paz and I can highly recommend Casa Juarez—small, super peaceful, great little pool, helpful owners. Say hi to them from me if you end up staying. Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy travels!
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Those are amazing sculptures. I like Jacques best. Certainly seems like a neat place to visit.
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It’s a great likeness of Jacques and a perfect spot for him. La Paz is certainly not your typical touristy Mexican resort city (perhaps the lack of good beach right at the doorstep has saved it).
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I also enjoy “sculpture parks” ~ combining art with being outdoors. I love that some of these highlight the species of marine life which live in the area. Seems like a lovely place to take a leisurely stroll.
Peta
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It was great for strolling, though I remember being darn hot taking some of those photos…much more pleasant in the evening. I love the marine themed art, especially having seen whale sharks, dolphins and a humpback whale in the bay right in front of downtown La Paz.
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It looks very beautiful!
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All of these sculptures are really great, but I agree with you that the mermaid sculpture is very special. You shot some great photos! I look forward to reading about your kayaking trip as well.
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Thanks! I love marine life, so wandering along the La Paz waterfront and seeing this art was extra special. Hopefully I’ll have the kayaking piece posted next week.
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