Hotelier du jour, Texan and design visionary, Liz Lambert recently opened her first international property – Hotel San Cristobal – reimagining beachside luxury on the outskirts of sleepy Todos Santos. Built around a central restaurant, lounge bar and swimming pool that spill onto the secluded beach, the low-rise boutique stay has an understated, barefoot-luxe aesthetic, nestled into the landscape where the desert kisses the surf at Punta Lobos. This is the essential stay for the design-savvy traveller.

You know you’re onto a good thing if Anthony Bourdain queued for it. La Guerrerense is a food truck in Ensenada that dates back to 1960, first opened by Alberto Oviedo and his wife, Celia Carranza. La Guerrerense is now run by their daughter-in-law, Sabina Bandera who is world-famous for her warm smile. Her lip-smacking seafood tostadas are made to order and come loaded with a selection of house-made salsas that you can takeaway in jars. Toppings include a signature sea urchin, clam, and white fish ceviche with mango, and prawn and avocado.

It’s only an hour’s drive away from busy Cabo San Lucas, but with its handsome colonial architecture, artist community and laidback 70s vibe, the charming bohemian town of Todos Santos is a world apart. The town also boasts Mexico’s best margarita. Sip for yourself at Tequila Sunrise Bar and Grill, where the winning recipe is made with a thirst-slaking combination of tequila, lashings of Key Lime juice and the local herbal Damiana liqueur. Salud!

Baja’s farm-to-table movement is being pioneered by a handful of dining destinations that offer a true taste of the vast region. Homegrown celebrity chef, Javier Plascencia’s Jazamango in Todos Santos is an open-air eatery surrounded by kitchen gardens, and kilometres of mountain bike and hiking tracks. Everything is grown in-house or sourced from local farmers – from the juvel (yellowtail) crudo with avocado, pineapple vinegar and serrano chilli, to the wood-roasted chicken with almond mole and spring vegetables. There is a similar ‘grow it, plate it, eat it’ ethos at breezy Hierbabuena in El Pescadero where you can take a little piece of the organic garden home if you get to the on-site market early enough. Flora Farms in San Jose del Cabo is a sprawling property that is home to a farm, bakery, salumeria, bar, cafe, and restaurant. Plus there are clothing and home ware boutiques, a spa hotel and various pop-ups offering everything from cooking classes to pizza and jazz afternoons among the beds of kale.

Cabo San Lucas’ humpback whale watching season runs from February to April, and there are different ways you can catch these majestic sea mammals in action. Cabo Expeditions runs private whale watching tours, taking you into the Sea of Cortez on their Zodiac boat so you can get up-close for some epic photographs. Prefer to stay on dry land? Check into The Cape, an uber-luxe hotel with a smart modern design that is oriented along the shore, so you can catch the whales breaching from your room, from the infinity pool or from renowned chef, Enrique Olvera’s on-site restaurant, Manta, with a cocktail in hand.

La Lupita Taco & Mezcal in the centre of San José del Cabo is a casual spot with a lively vibe. And it’s regularly packed with a crowd hungry for stellar tacos and live music. Chef Pia Quintana, who helped launch London’s Wahaca Mexican street food restaurants, sends out hearty Mexican soups, and tacos made from hand-pressed tortillas filled with fish, meat and veg. It is traditional food with a contemporary twist and undoubtedly serves the best tacos in Cabo.

Originally built in the 1950s as a luxury hideaway for a former Mexican president, the One&Only Palmilla maintains its secluded appeal, but has been transformed into an elegant resort open to couples and families (there is a separate swimming pool for kids). The Spanish Colonial-era buildings with their terracotta tiles, white render and cool stone floors are dotted among manicured gardens and palm-lined walkways that curve throughout the sprawling beachfront property. Villas are decadently oversized with complimentary tequila bars and outdoor hot tubs to catch the sunset over the Sea of Cortez.

Seafood is a Baja speciality, whether in the form of aguachile (Mexican ceviche with raw seafood marinated in an explosive combination of lime juice, chilli and coriander), an iconic Baja fish taco (taco pescadero), or a prawn taco (taco camaron). In Todos Santos, follow the locals to El Compa Chava, Restaurant Bar Bahia, Taqueria el Parguito (look for the blue surfboard stamped ‘Tacos’), or Barracuda Cantina (in nearby El Pescadero) for spanking fresh seafood in a casual beachside setting.