I Spent the Night on the Sea of Cortez in a Luxury Catamaran — and Now You Can Too

It was 6:15 p.m., and the sky was just starting to turn from an energetic blue to a gradient of pastels. I had been waiting for this moment all day. I climbed to the top of the catamaran where we were spending the night and got settled in the comfy lounge bed just behind the helm of the ship. I laid back, watching the colors above melt together, with nothing but the Sea of Cortez surrounding us. Birds danced overhead, the cherry on top of this dream-like moment. 

Spending the night at sea was an extension of my stay at Paradero, a high-design resort in Todos Santos, Mexico, located at the southern end of the Baja California peninsula. The property opened in February 2021, but more recently, it launched a private catamaran experience, giving guests the option to spend anywhere from a day to a couple of nights on the water.

When the sun sank below the horizon and the darkness snapped me out of my state of awe, I climbed back down to the main deck, where the crew was preparing dinner. The boat comes fully serviced with a captain, crew, chef, bartender, and senior experience guide, so when I say I didn’t lift a finger, I mean it. 

I sat at the outdoor dining table with the rest of my group (we were four total, but the ship can sleep up to 10). The bartender poured us glasses of red wine as we played Uno and chatted about our day at sea. 

We had cruised along the coast, admiring the contrast between the desert cliffs that line the shore and the electric turquoise water. We stopped to snorkel and saw everything from puffer fish to eels, with schools of technicolor fish passing by as we swam. We took a small inflatable boat to explore untouched beaches and hidden coves. Some of us paddle boarded and kayaked, while others lounged in the sun, taking advantage of the ship’s nearly 500 square feet of living space.

There are plenty of other activities on offer as well, like exploring Isla Espíritu Santo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its copper-colored rock formations, vibrant reefs, and abundant wildlife.

Soon dinner was served, and we feasted on fresh chocolata clams, buttery scallops and sea urchin, rich prime rib, and more. It felt like we were dining at a gourmet restaurant rather than in the middle of the sea, which adds up, considering some of the resort's chefs were in the onboard kitchen.

We had stayed at Paradero for two nights before setting sail. Though the food was certainly a highlight of my time on land as well (the open-kitchen omakase experience is not to be missed), the scenery and architecture are what I still dream about.

The resort markets itself as a landscape project first and a hotel second, so it makes sense that a 100,000-square-foot botanical garden is the centerpiece of the property. Just beyond the agave and yucca plants rise the 35 suites — brutalist-inspired concrete structures intended to camouflage with the surrounding desert, mountains, and farmland. The hotel isn’t directly on the beach, but rather a short hike or drive away, which I found to be a welcome departure from the typical resort vacation I’ve experienced countless times.

Paradero is also an experience-based hotel, meaning many activities, like gardening workshops, morning hikes and bike rides, and yoga and strength classes, are included in the rate of the stay.

The bohemian town of Todos Santos has much to offer, too. It may be small, but it’s home to everything from fine-dining restaurants to taco joints to art galleries. The hotel has a fleet of cars at the ready to drive guests the 15 minutes into town, or you can arrange a private taco tour (like we did), which will take you to local spots in Todos Santos as well as to other areas, like the sleepy surf town of Pescadero.

On the last night of my trip, as the boat gently rocked me to sleep, I was simultaneously exhausted and energized — exhausted from the hiking and exploring, but energized by the nourishing food and time spent admiring the captivating nature all around. I drifted off, thinking this is how I’d like to feel leaving every vacation.