Los Cabos: Mexico's peninsular treasure continues to gain recognition. (Living in Mexico).

A haunting desert landscape set with a rugged sierra and emerald green waters unfolds in a spectacular climax at Los Cabos, the ultimate sun retreat at the tip of the Baja Peninsula. It's here that the swirling waters of the Pacific meet the Sea of Cortes at Land's End, a point of austere beauty and powerful imagery.

Los Cabos (the Gapes) is made up of two towns: Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, a thousand miles from the California border. In the 1500s, the Spanish conquistadors claimed it for Spain but created an outpost further north in La Paz, which was rich in pearls. English pirates eventually moved in to plunder the Nao de China ships carrying trade goods between Acapulco and Manila. The coves and inlets around Cabo San Lucas became handy hiding places from which to launch their attacks.

San Jose del Cabo, the larger of the two towns, was founded as a Jesuit settlement in 1730. Bloody battles between the inhabitants and the native Pericu groups were the norm before the mission finally took root. Just as the men of God strove to convert them, the Pericus were equally as eager to drive the Europeans away. A mural over the church of San Jose shows Indians dragging a hapless missionary into a fire.

FROM FORGOTTEN To FAMOUS

For hundreds of years, Los Cabos remained virtually forgotten. Then sports fishermen discovered it in the 1 950s. Even then it was a rustic fishing retreat frequented by wealthy anglers and Hollywood celebrities who arrived in their private planes or yachts. A few exclusive resorts cropped up on the remote coastal cliffs to lodge them. For many years, it was the best-kept secret in the Baja. Then in the 1970s, Mexico's Tourism Development Fund (Fonatur) recognized the area's potential as a world-class resort, and it changed overnight. The two towns were dubbed Los Cabos and developers came in.

Times have changed since the days of the buccaneers and missionaries. Since then, Los Cabos has emerged as one of the most expensive and sought-after vacation destinations in Mexico. It's also one of the fastest growing, with numerous luxury hotels and championship golf courses.

The two towns are separated by a few dozen miles and a string of stunning beaches. The area is chic and laid back. Visitors can hobnob with the rich and famous or hang out with the unpretentious camping crowd at the beach. The place exudes vitality and adventure, and continues to attract big game fishermen. Record breaking catches like 800-pound marlins plus the challenge of battling feisty billfish have ranked it among the top fishing spots in the Americas.

San Jose del Cabo is older and more established than Cabo San Lucas and is a busy cattle-raising and agricultural community of about 25,000 inhabitants. It's the seat of local government, more sedate and closest to the international airport. The main hotel zone is south of town on a beach facing the Sea of Cortes. A simple white stucco mission-style church, handicrafts shops, City Hall and opal stores selling attractive jewelry surround the pretty town square. The San Jose estuary next to the Presidente Inter-Continental hotel has the best bird watching in the area, and the town has a nine-hole golf course.

Cabo San Lucas is considered by many to be the true center of Los Cabos, and this is where you'll find more young California tourists and the rowdiest nightlife. It's crowded with hotels of every stripe and color and every budget, from a mobile-home park to ultra-luxurious properties with in-house spas and beach clubs. The marina and Boulevard Marina hum with activity, where you can have your picture taken with an iguana, shop at the open-air market, or dance until dawn at one of the high-spirited watering holes.

In between Cabos San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo is the "Corridor."

Upscale hotels like the Westin, several Melias, and Las Ventanas del Paraiso have sprung up alongside such old favorites as the Palmilla and Twin Dolfin. This is also the setting for the five championship golf courses de signed by master architects Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Jack Nicklaus.

GOLF

Mexico's golf Mecca, Los Cabos has a sixth course in the works. An 18-hole Tom Weiskopf signature desert course is under construction at Cabo del Sol and will open in the fall of 2002. Spread on 90 acres of desert terrain, the course will be carved through spectacular desert and ocean landscapes and deep, dry arroyos on a prime piece of land along the Corridor. The Weiskopf links will complement the Jack Nicklaus ocean course, which opened earlier at Cabo del Sol. A 24,000 square foot golf clubhouse was inaugurated at the beginning of 2002.

FISHING

From multimillion-dollar marlin tournaments to low-key surf fishing, Los Cabos caters to sportsmen, families and couples looking for fun. The granddaddy of all tournaments is the legendary Bisbee's Black & White Marlin Jackpot, which last year handed out over US$2 million in prizes. The winning team hauled in a 500-pound marlin the second day out.

Over 960 anglers from around the world and most of the United States signed onto 234 boats for the November event. The Los Cabos Billfish Tournament offers more than US$350,000 in cash and prizes and is scheduled for October 15-19 in 2002. There are half a dozen more competitions during the year including the entertaining Surf 'n' Panga Roosterfish Classic.

Felipe Jesus "Chuy" Valdez, the new president of the Los Cabos Hotel Association, deserves some credit for the fishing season's success. Not too many years ago, he was instrumental in persuading the government to prohibit commercial fishing within 50 miles of the shore. The trawlers had been inadvertently killing game fish that got caught in the long lines set to capture tuna.

NON-FISHING ACTIVITIES

Snorkeling and diving probably rank next in popularity to fishing at the Capes. First-timers should definitely take the tour to El Arco, which marks Land's End. This stunning formation of granite rock has a tunnel through the biggest of the monoliths where small tour boats go. There's usually a stop for a swim with a seal colony and snorkeling around the small, intimate Playa Amor, where many couples get married. The beach opposite it has been dubbed Playa Divorcio by the local wits. Diving expeditions go to reefs, small islands, mysterious underwater sand falls, which were frequented by Jacques Cousteau, and to sunken ships. There are also kayaking, all-terrain vehicle or jeep tours and para-sailing.

In December, it's time for whale watching. Gray whales migrate annually from Alaska to the Baja waters to mate and give birth to their calves. The season runs through February. All hotels have travel desks that can arrange any excursion. In fact, the hotels are the best source of tourist information.

Not to be missed is horseback riding. For a memorable ride into desert canyons or along the beach, head for the Cuadra San Francisco, the premier equestrian school in the area. Founder Francisco Barrena is a master horseman who started out as a rejoneador (horseback bullfighter) in his native Mexico City. He has trained horses for 35 years and has won several jumping and reining awards in the United States and Mexico. The Cuadra has a stable of 44 horses and one mule, and Barrena has bred many of the stallions himself. Besides this, he trains polo horses for export to the United States and gives classes in classic school jumping, reining and dressage.

HOTELS

The place is growing. Los Cabos is expected to increase to 9,000 rooms from 7,000 rooms by the year 2004, Valdez said. Among the newest properties is the all-inclusive Royal Solaris, which opened with 400 rooms, four restaurants, outdoor Jacuzzis, two pools, health club and a nightclub. The initial phase of the 487-suite Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach opened in February with 100 units, restaurant, adult and children's pool, gym and tennis courts, all wrapped in "Old Hacienda" style architecture. A 300-room, full-service Hilton opened in the spring. Esperanza, an Auberge Resort and Residence Club, was inaugurated in February with 56 suites, a signature French restaurant and full-service spa. Las Casitas Marquis will open in November with 142 junior suites and 38 casitas. The contemporary Mexican design hotel will also include a spa with holistic services, convention facilities, landscaped waterfalls, and nearby golf. The Marquis is the sister hotel of the elegant Marquis Reforma in Mexico City.

The height of luxury can be found at the Las Ventanas del Paraiso resort. "Indulgence" might be a better word. Here, the stark white hotel even offers pool butlers, who will ring wind chimes on request to advise individual bathers it's time to wake up from a siesta. The blowing of a conch shell, a throwback to the way pre-Hispanic cultures communicated with one another, alerts guests to the sighting of a gray whale. All 61 suites come equipped with Minolta binoculars for a closer look at the mammals. Las Ventanas has become a hangout for celebrities and, thus, house rules prohibit photos of them while on site.

The spa is considered the best in Los Cabos, if not in all of Mexico. Among the 140 different treatments is the ancient healing art of India called ayurveda, where the perfect balance between body, mind and spirit is the goal using herbal-immersed oils. Other holistic disciplines include shiatsu, reiki, and reflexology plus body wraps using Mexican nopal and tepezcohuite.

"Indulgence" also refers to Fido and Fifi. The hotel has created Canine and Feline Delight menus for guests' pet cats and dogs that run anywhere from US$25 to US$150. Fido can choose dishes including Canine Couscous or Woof Woof Waffles, while Fifi can dine on a Kitty Captain's Plate of scrambled eggs and poached salmon.

ASIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE

Los Cabos expects to extend its reach to other parts of the world come October when the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference takes place in town. Scheduled for October 21-27, the conference should give development a big boost, Valdez said.

Ten thousand participants are expected including 21 prominent economists and U.S. President George W. Bush. 'This will be the biggest event Los Cabos has ever hosted," said Valdez.

Tourism infrastructure such as highways is being upgraded to prepare for the event. An additional road connecting Cabo San Lucas to the airport is being built, for example.

NIGHT LIFE

In San Jose del Cabo, the liveliest disco is the Iguana Bar, which features real rock 'n' roll on weekends during the winter season only. In Cabo San Lucas, there are several notables, including El Squid Row and the Giggling Marlin, where dancing and wacky merrymaking go on until the last customer leaves. The Giggling Marlin is famous for hoisting accommodating customers upside down on a giant fishhook.

Each December, the Fiesta Americana Grand hotel puts on a month-long Martini Festival featuring eight different Martini cocktails made with vodka, gin and exotic concoctions. Tequila bars are also everywhere. In Cabo San Lucas, Pancho's offers you 400 different varieties to sample.

Of course, for some, the best entertainment is to kick back and watch a brilliant red-gold desert sunset fade into the sierra.

FLIGHTS

Aeromexico and Mexicana have flights from Mexico City, Guadalajara and other cities within the country.

USEFUL INFORMATION

A one-hour horseback ride costs US$35 at the Cuadra San Francisco; two hours cost US$65. You can chose either a Western or English saddle. For reservations, phone [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].

Las Ventanas del Paraiso has spa packages starting at three nights for two people for US$2,900. For information, phone [phone] or check the web at www.lasventanas.com.

For Los Cabos information, visit www.visitcabo.com.

Patricia Alisau is a travel editor who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.