Villa Santa Cruz

Just up the road from Villa Santa Cruz, at Las Playitas Beach, the dedicated volunteers of Tortugueros Las Playitas, an environmental conservation group who specialize in Endangered Sea Turtle population recovery and habitat protection, are hard at work rescuing sea turtle nests and releasing hatchlings into the ocean.  While they have spent the summer patrolling the beaches, rescuing turtle eggs and monitoring their incubation, the turtle release season is now in full swing!

You can participate in their recovery efforts by assisting in the turtle releases.  When the nests hatch and a release is scheduled, the group notifies the community via email blasts and Facebook posts.  Head to out to Las Playitas beach (click here for the map) just before sunset and help those turtles take their long walk from the shore to the beach.  It is a truly amazing experience.

For more information, visit our Turtle Releases page. To donate to the effort and help save these endangered sea turtles, click here.  This is a great community organization with a global impact!

We are lucky in Todos Santos to have many festivals, parades, and events throughout the year, but, without doubt, the biggest night of them all celebrates the Día de Independencia - Mexican Independence Day.

While the actual Independence Day is September 16, the celebration begins the night before with a grand party in the main plaza.  The Mission is dressed up in a light show, food stands made of palm fronds appear so you can feast on authentic and delicious churros, tamales, and pozole (just to name a few), you can play Mexican Bingo, vote for the queen of Todos Santos, and watch the dance and music troops performing on stage.

The night culminates around 11pm with the infamous El Grito - literally "the yell."  The yell is a call-and-response between the speaker and the audience, mimicking the yell from Hidalgo in 1810, encouraging the people to revolt against the Spanish colonial government.  

In Todos Santos, this year's yell was led by Esthela Ponce, the Presidenta Municipal de La Paz (akin to the Mayor).  She yelled and we spiritedly responded:

"Viva Hidalgo!

Viva!

Viva Morelos!

Viva!

Viva el Pueblo Mágico de Todos Santos!

Viva!

Viva Mexico!

Viva!"

Yes indeed, Viva Mexico!

Villa Santa Cruz was aglow on Saturday, September 10 to celebrate the union of bride and groom, Katie & Oliver.   With a calm breeze in the air and beautiful afternoon light filtering through wispy clouds, the pair exchanged vows on the dunes before 35 of their closest family members and friends.  The bride was truly a sight in a lovely sheath style gown, next to her darling flower girls who blew bubbles throughout the ceremony.

After the ceremony, the newly married couple joined their guests around the pool for cocktails, appetizers and lively Mexican guitar music.  

Katie & Oliver then invited their guests to find their seats at the reception and join them for a champagne and tequila toast (yes, tequila from the Villa Santa Cruz barrel)!

Landi's Restaurant catered the wedding and prepared an exquisite traditional Mexican feast, complete with chicken mole and delicious chili rellenos.

After dinner, all the wedding guests went out to the beach in front of the Villa to watch a beautiful sunset.  When they returned, it was time to cut the cake (a rich chocolate truffle delight prepared by the Hotel California).  

As guests danced the night away (and jumped in the pool for a midnight swim), the full moon was a sight to be seen.  The moonlight washed over the Villa and property, providing the perfect ambiance for love.  

We wish Katie & Oliver a lifetime of happiness!