If you want a second home far removed from the humdrum, check out Quivira Los Cabos (www.quiviraloscabos.com), the expansive gated community growing at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, next to Quivira Golf Club, one of the most stunning golf courses in Mexico, and just minutes away from the relaxed yet luxurious Pueblo Bonito Pacifica resort (www pueblobonito.com).
“We provide an experience, not a place,” says the property’s chief development officer Jose Luis Mogollon. “We could talk about value for your real estate dollar, but what’s more important is the quality of life here. It’s a fun place to live.” Mogollon says the concept driving Quivira is “The Good Life,” a holistic group of amenities that range from exemplary spa services to world-class restaurants, organic gardens and markets, and art galleries, not to mention over three miles of private beachfront.
Chief among those amenities is the Quivira Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature course that opened in 2014 and gathered a huge pile of rave reviews and awards since. It’s the first of two Nicklaus courses in the master plan. “We tried to create some excitement on the mountain and in the dunes,” Nicklaus said at the opening, “and I believe we’ve created a golf course that plays as spectacular as it looks.” Every hole on the course offers panoramic views of the Pacific.
Quivira also features the only golf hole you’ll probably ever play that will literally make you dizzy. It’s the cliff-hanging par-four fifth hole, reached after a vertiginous cart ride that climbs a mountain-hugging path for three-quarters of a mile, passes over an arched stone bridge, and offers dramatic views from far above the golf course, hotels, and the ocean if you dare take your eyes off the road. The hole itself is a tester, too, 310 yards from the back tee that’s all carry if you go for the green or a more manageable blind tee shot followed by a blind approach if you insist on hitting in the fairway.
The latest additions to the many residential options behind the gates at Quivira Los Cabos are Copala, a community with seven six-floor one- to three-bedroom condo towers and 86 stand-alone homes, and Coronado, 68 single-level hacienda-style homes next to the golf course. Pacific views aren’t optional—they’re standard throughout the community.
The first two condo towers in Copala sold out before construction last year, so the next phases are well underway. Red tile roofs, wrought iron, and extensive us of cantera stone mark the Mexican contemporary styling. Inside, all homes have granite countertops, travertine marble floors, and top-of-the-line appliances. The units are 1,250 to 1,760 sq. ft. with first-floor gardens and penthouse condos with rooftop terraces, splash pools, and firepits.
Homes in Coronado are larger, with floor plans from 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. Although highly customizable, homes typically feature cedar woodwork and handcrafted forged ironwork, and outdoor living areas that include pools with swim-up bars, Jacuzzis, barbecues, firepits, and convenient outdoor bathrooms.
And just in case you’re hesitant about second home life in a foreign country, nearly everyone you’ll encounter speaks English and dollars are as welcome as pesos. There are also now direct flights from New York to Los Cabos International, which makes it about as convenient as most West Coast US destinations.
