La Bufadora

La Bufadora is one of the largest marine geysers on the Pacific coast, and it works on simple physics: a sea cave under the cliffs of the Punta Banda headland traps air as waves surge in, and the compressed air fires the water back out through a vertical throat, sending spray up the rock face - on a big swell, said to reach over thirty metres, drenching the viewing platform and everyone slow to duck. The rhythm is irregular, every minute or so, which keeps the crowd on the railings in a state of tense anticipation between blasts. Getting there is half the visit: the road out along Punta Banda opens views over Bahia Todos Santos and the Ensenada coastline, and the final approach is a gauntlet of stalls selling churros, mango with chile, silver, blankets, tequila samples and the famous local pismo clams grilled in their shells. It is unashamedly a tourist stop, thoroughly enjoyable on those terms, and a standard shore excursion for the cruise ships that call at Ensenada.

What you actually see

• The blowhole - spray firing up the cliff face.
• The headland views - Punta Banda over Todos Santos bay.
• The stall gauntlet - the market walk down to the platform.
• The clam grills - pismo clams cooked on the way.

When to go

Winter for the biggest swells and spouts; any day with a good northwest swell. Mornings before the cruise excursions arrive are calmest.

Honest expectations

The blowhole underperforms on flat days - check swell if it matters to you. The stall corridor is intense and vendors are persistent. Spray reaches the platform; cameras get wet.

Nearby

Ensenada's malecon and fish market lie 45 minutes east; the Valle de Guadalupe wine country is an hour north.