The East Cape of Los Cabos has changed a great deal over the past five years. Hotel Vidanta is on the verge of opening. Beachfront properties in Shipwrecks and La Fortuna have been built by the dozens. Buzzard’s Bar and Grill in La Laguna has closed and is being replaced by condominiums on the land beside and behind the former restaurant. But little has changed as much as Zacatitos. When the development was original launched by Laura McGregor over 30 years ago, the lots, even beachfront were relatively inexpensive, and as it was off-the-grid (solar or generators for electricity, water and propane delivered) many of the buyers chose Zacatitos for privacy. Lots of the initial structures were palapas and trailers, or very small homes. Today it is not unusual to see very large properties being constructed, some at costs of up to $10 million US.
Leaving the East Cape paved highway and taking the dirt road about a mile and a quarter down leaves you at the security guards at the entrance to the neighborhood. Right, there is Zac’s Bar and Grill owned by Angel and Paul Rini. The restaurant has been expanded twice in the past five years and offers and extensive menu for lunch and dinner with specials like Pizza Mondays and Taco Tuesdays. This is the commercial crossroads of Zacatitos. Currently the lots across the street and fenced offed and Plaza Zacatitos is under construction. This purportedly with have stores, offices and a boutique hotel when it is completed. Beside it is a real estate office. Beside Zac’s to the west are two commercial spaces with equipment for grading the roads and supporting planting large palm trees and more.
Driving west from Zac’s Bar and Grill, is a brand-new container convenience store, Central Station Zacatitos, with some food and beverage items, mail, and supplies for the residents of the neighborhood. A little farther down this main road is a palapa where on Wednesday nights, Amber Thorpe of East Cape Critters shows first run movies to support caring for the animals (donkeys, cats, dogs) on the East Cape. Beside it is a small coffee shop, Coco Loco. On Wednesdays, there is also an Organic Market in Zacatitos.
There are two main gates in Zacatitos – one straight ahead from Zac’s for Santa Cruz de losZacatitos and the other just below Punta Gorda and the other end of the development for Los Zacatitos. Streets are marked off with concrete pillars that provide the manzana of the area.
Beyond the beginnings of a commercial area, the real changes are in the ongoing construction in Zacatitos. Our house on beach between the two arroyos is being expanded and rebuilt by the new owners (it had been completely renovated in 2017 and had seven bedrooms and a one-bedroom casita. The lots beside our house, a small arroyo was never supposed to be built on and it now holds a large house open on the bottom with a path for water to rush during storms. The small round house at the other end the cul-de-sac has been torn down, and a multistory home is being built. Driving the neighborhood, much of the new construction is contemporary in style and much larger than the average home built in the early days of Zacatitos.
The beauty of Zacatitos is the Sea of Cortez. During the seasons, whales are abundant in the water in front of the beaches. Several areas have great swimmable beaches (except during summer) and there is lots of marine life for snorkeling near the rocks and spear fishing. The photos and descriptions provide a sample of the lifestyle available in this East Cape community.
