WANDERLUST

BY DAPHNE NIKOLOPOULOS

If you sign up for an agave tasting at Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Mexico’s Los Cabos region, be prepared to walk out with more than a buzz. In addition to sips of some very fine mezcal and raicilla, you’ll get a taste of the mythology of the places where the agave spirits are distilled. Take sotol, for example. Out in the desert, the story goes, sotoleros catch a rattlesnake and dunk it in the firewater, fangs and all, until it drowns. That microdose of venom is supposed to be good for the health, to add vigor. We’re told it’s a local legend. Maybe.

Moments like this are typical of the ethos of Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties. As the highest expression of the brand, these resorts (there are five around the world, the other four are in Indonesia, Thailand, Puerto Rico, and Japan) aim to immerse guests in the culture, history, and

COURTESY OF ZADÚN, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE

flavors of a region while providing next-level luxury. Each of the Reserves has a unique narrative that’s tied to the locale and its people.

Zadún sits at the crossroads of desert and sea, between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortéz, so its story revolves around the rugged environment of Baja California Sur. Baja is famous for winter whale-watching, and Zadún’s perch atop a hilly landscape is the ideal place to observe the rituals of these gentle giants. From December to April, humpback and gray whales travel to the warm waters of the Sea of Cortéz—“the aquarium of the world,” according to Jacques Cousteau—to mate, calve, and nurture their young. Sometimes they’re so close to the coast, you can literally see them breaching from the terrace of your villa. For a more intimate encounter, your personal tosoani (a brilliant combination of concierge and butler) can arrange a private 2-hour boat excursion with the resort’s Ambassadors of the Environment, a team of trained naturalists who combine facts and fun to make nature come alive.

While nothing outranks whale-watching on the bucket-list scale, the Ambassadors offer a wide spectrum of programs to keep guests of all ages engaged. On a rainy afternoon, sign up for the chocolate-making experience. It starts benignly enough with a history lesson, where you’ll learn that cacao beans were once more valuable than gold and that Montezuma drank 50 cups of chocolate a day, then progresses to a hands-on part that will make you appreciate that bar of Godiva in a whole new way. After roasting, peeling, and grinding the cacao beans, you’ll simmer them in hot milk with the spices of your choice. No instant gratification here, but good things—in this case, the drink of the Aztec gods—are worth the wait.

On the more active front, the Ambassadors lead morning and afternoon hikes through the landscapes of Puerto Los Cabos. The steep, rocky trails leading to the highest point of the Zadún preserve grant glorious views of the sea and desert ecosystem, and the exercise will justify the churros after dinner. For a deeper dive into the local flora and fauna, a guided 3-hour trip to the San José Estuary combines hiking with serious bird-watching.

Indigenous tradition extends to Spa Alkemia, where therapies are inspired by ancient healing techniques and native ingredients. The Desert Botánica Ritual incorporates poultices with botanicals found in the Baja desert, and the Soothing Massage delivers a hydrating jolt, compliments of a prickly pear and agave infusion. The can’t-miss treatment here is the Savasana Experience involving music and sound. For this, you lie in Savasana posture on a mat

while sounds (some musical, some not) surround you. The idea is that the vibrations reach deep within the body to bring on a complete meditative state and, subsequently, a state of awareness and well-being.

If days at Zadún are tonic for the body, nights are for the soul. As daylight diminishes, the steel “skin” surrounding Candil lights up, beckoning guests to sip an agave cocktail before dining at the fire kitchen of Humo. Mexican and Peruvian specialties are prepared on a woodburning parrilla and served sizzling to the table. Don’t miss the Baja-endemic snook or any of the choice beef cuts accompanied by grilled veggies and a killer chimichurri.

Whether dining at Humo or one of the more casual restaurants, music continues into the night, resonating across the hillside. On the lawn by the pool, families peer through telescopes at the stars, which seem brighter and more abundant here. It’s a really happy energy, and that in itself is an experience. (ritzcarlton.com/zadun) «