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Estero Beach Volleyball Tournament
While some sweat
it out on the courts, others party at the bar.
For 51 weeks a year, Estero Beach, Mexico is a small, lazy town in
the Baja peninsula curled up against the Pacific Ocean sitting quietly
to the South of its noisier neighbor, Ensenada.
Yet on that 52nd weekend, the third weekend in June, the spotlight
shifts entirely to Estero Beach for the annual Mexico International
Volleyball Tournament.
Hundreds of party goers, primarily from Southern Californian beach
towns, converge on this patch of sand for two days and nights of non-stop
socializing. The excuse is a two-day volleyball tournament, but only
about a third of the people actually participate.
Those unfortunate enough to win their first few matches suddenly realize
that if they advance to Sunday's final rounds, they must wake up early
the next day. Since this would likely lead to packing it in at a reasonable
hour on Saturday night, they begin tanking their matches. After all,
it's the party here that's important, not some brief glory with a volleyball
trophy.
There's a volleyball
tournament going on around here somewhere.
Arrival and Accommodations
Estero Beach is located a half hour South of Ensenada in Baja, California.
The nearest International airport is in San Diego; from there, it's
about a two-hour drive across the border to Estero. The drive from Los
Angeles takes about four hours. Driving in Mexico requires Mexican insurance
($30USD), which can be purchased at San Ysidro, the last United States
exit off Interstate. See the insurance link on this page provide information.
It is also advisable to fill up on gas here; some stations also sell
insurance.
Accommodations are available in Ensenada, but it's best to arrive early
on Friday and stake out a camping spot. This is about as basic as it
gets, but it's also a five-minute walk to the bar/beach/party instead
of a 20-minute drive. There are restroom and shower facilities, although
hot water is at a premium. Camping is $10 per night. There is a hotel
on the site, but it fills up months in advance.
It is not necessary to have Mexican pesos; good 'ol US greenbacks are
welcome everywhere. The hotel/bar on site accepts credit cards.
Some people like to arrive a day early for relaxing on the beach, jet
skiing, fishing or other seaside activity.
The Volleyball Tournament
More than 2,000 people actually do play in the tournament in mens and
womens divisions. This is beach volleyball, two person per team. The
qualify ranges from mediocre to excellent. Several top-notch players
actually do come here to win and Sunday, big crowds gather to watch
the semifinals and finals.
The Party Scene
There's a reason The Bartender likes Estero.
There is an organized party each evening at the volleyball site. As
a result, nobody goes into town; it all happens here.
Music is provided by a large deejay and sound system and alcohol is
served on the premises.
The crowd is primarily mid-20s to late 30s and well tanned whose normal
weekends consist pretty much of the same activities in beach towns all
along the Southern California coast: Pacific Beach, Del Mar, Newport
Beach, Huntington Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica.
It's basically and outdoor beach party, though it is actually held
on a concrete area above the sand. As one might expect, it's a casual
affair, with shorts, t-shirts and sandals the preferred attire. This
being Mexico, the level of revelry is raised to a high level, with endless
chants, cheers, whoops and more cheers.
The crowd is largely single, with a fairly even mix of gals to guys.
Sexual encounters are frequent.
Fun in the sun:
friends for the day (and maybe night) warm up at the hotel bar.
For those who can't wait that long to party, the hotel has a bar with
an outdoor patio that gets quite lively late in the afternoon. It's
an interesting contrast from the beach. While players sweat it out on
the sand, a few dozen revelers are hoisting tequila shots with newfound
friends.
At the far end of the beach, a tiny store sells 16-ounce Pacifico beers
for $1. On this weekend, that is one of the world's greatest bargains.
The Weather
Not an issue. It will be warm and sunny. But, this being Northern Baja,
a cool and satisfying breeze will be blowing and nights are mild and
comfortable.
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Stop on the Party Bus: Mexico Home Page
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