La Bufadora

La Bufadora is a marine blowhole on the Punta Banda peninsula, in the municipality of Ensenada, Baja California, on the Pacific side south of Bahía de Todos Santos. It lies roughly 30 km south of the city of Ensenada, at the end of a winding road that leaves Highway 1 and crosses the peninsula to the coast. It is one of the most visited natural stops in the state, and it is easy to spot when you arrive: a plume of spray rising from the cliff above a cluster of rocks.

The effect comes from a sea cave rather than a spring. Swells push water and air into the cave, the air is compressed, and when the water recedes the trapped air blasts out through a narrow opening, sending the seawater into the air in a column that Wikipedia says can reach about 30 meters above sea level. The timing follows the swell, so there is a pause between spouts, usually a minute or two, and bigger bursts come with higher tide and a larger swell. A local legend says a whale trapped at the point blew water to call its pod and was turned to stone.

The approach is part of the experience. From the parking lot, a street of stalls roughly 150 meters long leads down to the viewing platform, lined with shops selling pottery, blankets, jewelry and trinkets, and food stands with churros, fish tacos and seafood cocktails; in 2017 some 150 businesses were reported operating there. Vendors will call out to you, and bargaining is normal. The stone platforms above the blowhole have rails, and part of the path is passable for strollers, though steep in places. On sunny days you can look for sea birds and sea lions on the rocks off the point, and in winter whales pass offshore.

Go near high tide for the strongest spray, and on a weekday morning if you want fewer people; weekends and holidays are crowded. Plan for a visit of an hour or less, and bring cash for parking, the restrooms and the stalls. It is often paired with a day in Ensenada and the Valle de Guadalupe, or with a stop at the Punta Banda beaches.