#don’t even get me started on the safari zone there are so many cool guys available in the post game safari zone

[pebblezone]

saw u posting about pokemon and wanted to ask what your fav shiny is ^-^ or shinies if you cant pick just one. mine are alolan muk and drowzee

I have a hard time not saying marill (solely because it’s my favorite Pokemon) but I did a speed run of that little pick your favorite Pokemon thing!

I really want to shiny hunt more so crossing my fingers I follow through on that once school is out

[m1ckeyb3rry]

FR it’s actually crazy where are the itoshi non enjoyers at…im crying is your latest reblog also in ref to him bc if so you’re so real

REAL the lives are all connected the multiverse just is like that yk (pause yuki protag and he regains his past memories that kinda cooks) LMAOO because he would be so hyped like “oh yeah im that man the super cool ninja ladies love me fish (idk what equivalent would go here) fear me”

SIBLING GOALS PLEASEEEE LMFAOO king of kalos yuki…its giving insane aura

No because im just hella paranoid LMAO fortunately tumblr seems a lot chiller than other platforms but SHSJSB THANK YOUUU even a a tumbler inactive acc I’ll be the number one Mira defender o7 call me Oliver aiku the way I defend LMAOO ok Twitter is actually insane like INSANE insane I fr only use it because some official accounts like to update there and there’s also some really nice art there but other than that absolutely 0 interacting because that’s like reddits younger sibling

LMFAO no actually Nagiy/n just gatekeeping the love sorry only room for one couple!!! /j but so real it adds depth to the whole world if people don’t get that they can leave!! IM CRYING nagi outing Reo like that is so funny

It’s like Isagis the angel and aikus the devil of the little consciousnesses consultants (bro what are they referred as ykwim like when they pop up on your shoulders) LMFAOAOAOAIAH THE BIKE LINE IM CRYINGGFGG stop that bright back so many memories I can’t

Your brain working so hard it’s foreshadowing for you LMAOO before I even read I was already thinking “I bet he’d be annoying af but eventually their daughter warms up to bug boy and they fall in love” HAHA wait why is he lowk giving igaguri vibes though….like not for igaguri to be inserted in as him but just purely on a vibe comparison standpoint….(grandfather nagi he alr acts like one NOW /j)

I was fr laughing so hard imagining that like it’s a classic poorly drawn picture done from like five colors of crayon but because of Barou gyarados and defeated Mr Mikage it’s almost 75% red LMFAO THE TEACHER PLAYING CPS IS CRAZY and she finds out like “wait your the former champions kid??????” OOOOH OMG no wait they have their son and readers like “omg he reminds me sm of my cousin…maybe this is a sign he’s always with me” BYE I started at new kiyora so long I forgot what s1 kiyora looked like LMAOO I see the vision!! It’s even funnier when you think about how Nagi and kiyora beef with each other now LOL

AHAHAA guys so im actually reader like ACTUALLY now /j this’ll be a very immersive read but LMAO on the flip side imagine reader also just trying to catch some random pokemon and for whatever reason she’s separated and just not with her own pokemon (idk maybe she’s setting up their campsite so everyone left to gather supplies or train or whatever so she’s just alone with all their traveling stuff) and some pokemon pops up that she wants so she just eats through Karasu’s entire quick ball stash and eventually catches it on like the last ball and Karasu comes back like “BRO WTF” LMAOA ok but another tally for a Karasu L HAHA first it was hioris ducklett now it’s the quick balls (maybe yayoi made fun of him before in a sibling way like this is why I’m gym leader not you cuz you suck)

AHAHA dumbass x dumbass power of friendship imagine his abomasnow also has a bunch of moves that inflict confusion on itself LMAOO or it’s just general super susceptible to anything that might inflict that status because it’s already confused 24/7 but WAITTTT this should just be a real series atp THE OVAS fr just have an entire expansion of the verse we all cheered if you have the time/motivation PLEASE MAKE THE OVAS wait this is Lowk becoming orv orv also has side stories (i haven’t read them oops) wait im laughing imagine hiori in a full safari zone fit BUT why not combine both ideas…hioris pokemon have a dispute INSIDE the safari zone LMAOO maybe he goes in to settle a dispute in there and while he does that his pokemon have to wait outside to which they start throwing hands (probably swanna starting it like we should go in and look after him and protect him from the pokemon inside or sth and they can’t figure out who they should send in to follow since a full team of 6 is too inconspicuous and then that just spirals into plain old fighting) WAIT I WANT A TABIEITA DUMBASS EPISODE does this warrant another notion folder (idk how notion works so I hope ykwim)

BAROU VERSION IN THW WORKS WOOHOOOO YES NIKO INTRO homeboy Niko coming in clutch, as aiku would say LMAO

HSGDJSS guys why’d she phrase that like peregrine and hollyhock are already dead….guys??? Ok but it’s ok someday I trust it’ll come into existence!! Speaking of did you end up deciding what you’re doing for the event?

Barou would truly appreciate the graphics “thanks for honoring my death maybe you’re not a donkey” LMFAOOEO sorry I’m having too much fun with this au and I’m not even the one writing it

BLLKS2 TRAILER!!! YES I DAW bruh the up close and personal screen of shirtless sae sends me but LOWK THE CHARACTERS LOOK PRETTY GOOD FOR THE MOST PART?? Omg Karasu our man got his justice!!! I agree I love how he looks!! Glow up from some of his initial manga panels LMAO I’ll admit the cgi somehow looks even more cgid (specifically the zoom in on Isagis feet with hiori in the back) and some animation sections feel very screenshot additional time-esque but WHATEVER (they also looked really oiled up in that one top6 shot like why are they sparkling like that) like you said s1 wasn’t unwatchable but some parts of the trailer feel even choppier, specifically with the lip syncing? Like when Nanase talks and when Rin and Shidou are beefing it’s giving like Pac-Man ass mouth but I’ll live with it the Karasu moments are saving me (the last shot of otoya in the trailer where he’s staring into our souls has me rolling though he kinda looks like he’s ON something but it’s ok) WE’LL LIVE

STOP NOT THE YOTD NAME DROP IM CRYING but FR!!! At least we have content and I bet for panels it really matters it’ll look fire! The way they did otoyas aura was kinda cool too!! But THATS WHAT IM SAYING where’s all the money they’re raking in going?? Like what….i kinda wish they’d splurge and go with a bigger studio but maybe they’re contractually bound to eightbit ugh but im sooo excited for s2!!!!! Maybe after this s2 they’ll finally put their eightbitussy into it

Im still kinda losing it over the fact that it’s 14 eps though? I’ve seen some people speculating saying maybe they’re doing another two cour division and it’s just for cour 1 but we’ll see….if it’s just 14 eps of super crunchy quality I won’t be as ecstatic though LOL but I think there’s also a chance they’ll refine it before release? Because actually the end credits scene for epinagi got refined in the Amazon prime release iirc so they gave Karasu and hiori a glow up (that locker room scene) and they look a lot less crunchy so manifesting…

- Karasu anon

YESSS IT WAS ABOUT SAE DHKSDKSJS i’d drop a piano on him in every life 🥲🙂‍↕️ nah because the itoshis occupy the same space as nanami jjk in my mind like i can see where the appeal comes from but they need to be humbled so i must hate

pursuit otoya def has a hat (he probably got it from karasu let’s be real) that just says “women want me magikarp fear me” but then reader’s magikarp loves him and no women want him thereby proving the hat completely wrong 😭

nah because king of kalos yuki…i need him tbh…he’s another one (kinda like reader when she retires) where he had to give up battling for personal issues so nobody’s ever beaten him in an ACTUAL league battle either 🤩 like lowkey bro could’ve been champion too the world will never know!! so he def commands insane respect (makes tabieita slandering him even funnier like do y’all know who you’re talking to rn)

all of my mutuals post relevant twitter screenshots so i get it secondhand HAHA avoiding the bad and receiving the good 😏 agreed it has mega reddit vibes for sure i’m scared of it…PLS you are the aiku of this verse we love to see it

imagine nagiy/n dueling tullireo “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us” FJSKDJJS real talk though i agree when a story is this long it’s impossible not to have background dynamics going on!! it adds to the fun anyways people who don’t get it just will have to miss out ig!! PLSS nagi has 0 chill he does not gaf he’ll out anyone…imagine reader asks reo for recommendations afterwards or smth LMAOOO he’s like how did you know you don’t even have any psychic types and she’s like uhhh my aegislash?? which is technically correct but from then on reo is super paranoid around aegislash because thinks it can read his mind 😭

HAHAHA wait shoulder angel/shoulder devil isagi/aiku goes so hard (consciousness consultants is cracking me up) their dynamic is so funny…wait this means aiku HAS to know barou in the past ☝🏻 maybe since he’s the one who gives reader her keystone after seeing her houndoom with its houndoominite he’s like “i knew this asshole with a houndoom who also had houndoominite what a coincidence” and reader’s like “not really that’s barou we’re related” and aiku’s like???

okay lowkey i was thinking niko but igaguri fits so well i’m crying 😭 pursuit sequel where it’s an igaguri x reader and we’re nagiy/n’s daughter real and true (new it trio reader + igaguri + kurona) /j ofc HAHAH but fr i think it would be so cute imagine her bringing him to meet nagi and reader and reader’s just like “i’m so proud of you for continuing the ‘dating losers’ trend in the family” and nagi’s like “yup 👍” because he’s accepted he’s a loser atp LMAOO omg nagi would def be that grandfather that lets you get away with whatever when he’s babysitting you and gives you like caramel candies or smth KFCJSJKS PLSS him sitting on a porch in an ugly ass sweater (from when reader or reo attempted knitting and used him as a guinea pig) in a rocking chair with tea i’m crying

sometimes a family is a man, his wife, his best friend’s father who his wife destroyed in battle, his wife’s vaguely homicidal hellhound, and his wife’s cousin watching over them disapprovingly from heaven 🥹❤️ i hope you like mr mikage’s mustache and barou’s hair i worked hard on them /j LMAOAAOAOO anyways i was crying making this i hope you appreciate it (also the ribbon on houndoom is because her mega stone is tied on her neck with a ribbon by barou when he gives her to reader but obviously nagiy/n’s child exaggerates things and yassifies houndoom to the max…the teacher pulls up expecting some cute weak little puppy pokémon and is met with THE houndoom who killed the leader of team x himself i bet she pisses her pants)

HAHAHA I LOVEEE GIVING KARASU L’S he truly cannot win…okay wait that’s so pokémon anime coded her using all of karasu’s quick balls to catch her phanpy and karasu comes back and is like um?? so he makes reader repay him but she doesn’t have that much money and she has to go around battling random people for enough cash and that’s how she gets to know phanpy LFJDJSJFH karasu’s gentle parenting at its finest he’s like “i hope you learned an important lesson today 😐” and she’s like “yeah apparently my phanpy knows rollout 😄” karasu just gives up atp 😭

ZANTETSU WITH A PERPETUALLY CONFUSED ABOMASNOW IS SOOO FUNNY TO ME AND SO CANON!! lowkey the side stories would be so fun especially because we could show more characters like zantetsu who don’t appear in the main story…maybe yuki taking his pokémon to aryu to get groomed or smth 🤔 PLSS THE HIORI IDEA I’M CACKLING 😭 imagine the tabieita ova is just otoya trying to teach karasu how to rizz girls up but he keeps getting rejected so karasu’s like bro you suck let me try and he gets a date on the first try FHDJDJSJ omg or we could have one of yayoi and karasu as kids…i had an idea for an otoya one but tumblr deleted half of my response for some reason?? like i had literally responded to your ENTIRE ask and just went to look something up and when i came back tumblr was like lol fuck you redo the entire thing 😰 WAIT possibly the same otoya one or maybe a diff one but just an ova of him being a chris prince stan and trying to follow the chris prince regimen ™️ but his muscles give out and his pokémon are like HELL NO or it’s like him just buying chris prince merch for an entire chapter 😭 or a tullia and loki ova when they go on a date and it’s just tullia being like “huh i wonder what reo’s doing rn…hold on why do i gaf…” (sneaking in the tullireo agenda as always) LMAOAOA NO FR i never read the side stories either but this is literally orv pokémon edition like maybe we WILL reach that 1.5 million word count /hj

AIKU IS VILLAINOUS IN THE BAROU VERSION HE’S SLANDERING EVERYONEEE so far lorenzo, barou, and niko have caught strays his inner monologue is cracking me up though 😭 fr homeboy niko ALWAYS comes through for the gang we love him!! aiku would be nothing without him

NOOO THEY’RE NOT DEAD DEAD i’m just pursuit brain rotted so once i get more of the oaeu and requests out i’m going to work on that for a while!! HAHA dw i’m having sm fun with it too it’s such an entertaining au with so many possibilities!! PLEASEEE barou’s like ok i guess it’s acceptable because it’s aesthetic you get a pass this time 😒

SADLY NOOO NO IDEAS YET actually ykw a pokémon theme would be really fun and in character atm!! i’d have to think of how to go about it but that is def one option (it’s coming up too AHH so i have to get to cooking for real!!)

agreed it’s not as awful as people are making it out to be!! a lot of the trailer was still frames too so it just looks choppier because it’s not an entire scene in motion yk…the budget is apparently higher than s1 so i doubt it’ll be worse than s1 if anything it’ll just be the same!! AND KARASU LOOKED SOOO GOOD THEY DID HIM JUSTICE i can’t wait to see him in action…i will forever mourn the thought of him with jet black hair and pretty violet eyes though 😩 purple/black karasu you will live on in our memories/99% of fanarts + colorings 😭 i feel like the blue falls a bit flat like he’s kind of just giving “isagi’s sexy cousin” atm HAHAHAHA but it’s all good he’s fine either way!! tbh yk me i’m just waiting for s2 for the edits anyways and if editors can make fire stuff out of manga panels they’ll def cook with whatever the anime gives us!!

speaking of edits do you know those tik tok sounds with the usa eagle screech i NEED people to start editing karasu with it because yk bird LMAOAAOOA JUST IMAGINEEE i don’t think he gets a bird aura panel until NEL (this is what i went to look up when tumblr glitched out for you to get a sense of how far i got) but i am investing i need people to get to WORK idk how no one has seen the vision yet!!

hmm i think if it’s only 14 eps they’ll definitely either go crazy or they’ll do two cours 🤔 tbh more content is more content i’m just hype to see my boys back on screen 🤩 the animators always yassify nagi so i’m chilling because there’s a high chance he’ll look good for the most part JFKSK i’m worried they might mess up barou because they seem to be allergic to him slaying but i still have faith!! ACTUALLY YKW i’m waiting for everyone to crawl out of the woodwork remembering how much they like nagi once they’re reminded of how cool he is…like NUH UH go back to the kaiser glazing hole you scrabbled out of leave nagi ALONE i have been here through everyone slandering him he’s MINEEEEEEEE (insert wolf ripping its shirt open meme) /j

anyways if it seems like i missed anything i’m sorry tumblr hates me so i probably thought i responded and didn’t LMAOAOA i think my og response was more fleshed out but alas…😓💔

[thewondersomethingorother]

I’m getting a wild need to put out some Pokemon thoughts and no one is here to tell me to stop so really it’s society’s fault anyway let’s get to business-

-With the last few generations, I’m becoming convinced that certain Pokemon from other Gens aren’t really native to the regions we thought they’re from. Like, Eevee are supposedly SUPER rare in Kanto, and since they’re Gen 1, you assume they’re from there, but in Gens 6 and 8, you can just FIND the little buggers in the tall grass. I have a team of Eevee evolutions based off of Magical Girls because of that (we’ve come a long way from the days where we got the one and had to REALLY think about how we were going to evolve-I’m kidding, it’s Vaporeon. The answer was always Vaporeon). Same goes for Chancy, which you can just find in Gen 8 no problem, no Safari Zone hunting FOR DAYS here. 

-I’m mostly going by the logic of the games since I’ve never played the card game and I haven’t really watched the show since Ash was in Sinnoh but; we need to dial it back on the Legendaries. We’re getting a little overstuffed here and if the next gen games want to only have, like, -2(?!)- then I’m fine with that. It’s less that I’m some crusty older player upset that Legendaries aren’t as spectacular as they used to be or someshit, but more I’m just getting TIRED of all the lore. Can we just have some overlap at some point? A good CHUNK of them are irrelevant anyway. Like, who cares what Hoopa’s deal even is? Or Heatran’s? A handful of them have been pains-in-the-ass event ones that didn’t even really do much and were hyped through the movies (don’t tell me Celebi was worth getting, I don’t believe that. At best it’s cute and that’s it). 

-As far as Bad Guy Teams go? Don’t nobody tell me Cyrus wasn’t the biggest problem out of all of them. Team Rocket? Pokemon abusers and bad guys, sure, but also basically the mob; at best they tried to take a radio tower and a train. Teams Aqua and Magma? Eco-Terrorists and indeed nearly caused actual irreversible damage to Hoenn, but at LEAST thought they had the moral high ground. Plasma? Same thing but were also just PETA. Skull? A bunch of disillusioned b-boys and their boss just looking for places to pose. But Cyrus?! He tried to mess with reality. He led a cult of fanatical bowl-cuts to steal dangerous technology, create massive explosions to suss out powerful Pokemon and use the power of those Pokemon to steal the powers of stronger Pokemon who were in charge of Time and Space. All because he never totally “got” emotions and decided he was going to start his own reality, with blackjack and hookers. While all the other Bad Guy Team Leaders hammed it up with the best of them, Cyrus just stared and judged like a damn cat. He’s high-grade creep and I still enjoy the story in Platinum, just to see him try to intimidate Pokemon Satan, just because he thought he could pull it off. 

-I actually like the gimmick that seems to be a trend now in each region having a different battle gimmick. Kalos had Megas (which are still the best btw, bring back Megas), Alola had Z-Moves (which were...fine) and now Galar has Dynamax, which I find cool on the basis that it turns Pokemon battles into kaiju battles and that’s neat. If Gamefreak can keep this up, I’m going to be genuinely interested in where they’re going to go in future Gens. 

-I’m also a fan of how they just, straight up ran out of Japan. Like, the first 4 regions were just based off of parts of Japan, which was cool because I got to learn what the real world parallels to stuff in the games were, until the developers either ran out of places to base regions off of or just got bored and decided to start making them based off of other places in the world. I know I’m not the first to say this, but that decision really served to open up the whole world of Pokemon, and now we get to speculate what the next region is going to be based off of and the kind of story potential that could have. I remember being so excited for Gen 5 when I found out that it was not only going to be based off America, but specifically the East Coast, and even more specifically, the general NYC/ NJ area (you can’t tell me Undella Town isn’t Cape May). Ever since then, I’ve been seeing fun fan-made regions based off of places like the Midwest, Russia, Mexico, and so many more. 

winding down now...possibly more to follow. 

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Three Hundred Forty-Eight: Lost Again ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Itachi, Hyūga Neji ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Catch ‘Em All ] [ AO3 Link ]

 All he wanted to do was impress her...and now they’re lost.

Admittedly, it isn’t the first time Sasuke’s gotten turned around in the Safari Zone. It’s huge! And though divided into sections with paths, it’s so easy to forget where you’ve come from, let alone where you were going. And given that he’s lived in Fuchsia his entire life, of course he’s been here a number of times.

And nearly every time, he’s gotten lost.

So, in reality...this time, he’s lost again.

But perhaps, a bit of backstory.

Hinata’s long-awaited visit from Cerulean had been going pretty well. Sasuke already helped her catch a Goldeen, and Neji almost beat Fugaku for his gym badge. The Uchiha patriarch had agreed to train him a bit, so their stay had been extended (with permission granted by Hiashi, of course).

The two Hyūga had been settling in quite well. Neji spent all of the previous day training with Fugaku, Itachi even coming in to lend a hand. Which, of course, left both younger siblings (or...cousins, in Hinata’s case) without their elders to keep an eye on them. And today was headed in much the same direction.

When they finally headed downstairs, Mikoto greeted them warmly. “Did you sleep all right, Hinata?”

“Y...yes ma’am!”

“Well, I hope you’re hungry - there’s still plenty of breakfast left!”

“Did Neji and aniki already go to the gym?” Sasuke asked, clearly a bit disappointed as his brother yet again left him behind.

“They did. I believe Neji-kun wanted to get an early start on the training Fugaku is offering him.”

“Oh…”

“Don’t worry, they’ll be back when they have a lunch break! Maybe then your brother can spare some time to spend with you, ne?”

Not replying verbally, Sasuke just gave a solemn nod, which earned a sheepish glance from Hinata.

Considering the pair of them as they started digging into their meal, Mikoto then asked, “...Sasuke, why don’t you take Hinata-chan to the Safari Zone?”

He paused midway to taking a bite. “...huh?”

“It’s unlike anything else in Kanto, after all! Especially someplace like Cerulean. I bet you could show her all sorts of neat things.” His mother gave a wink and a smile. “You might even get to see some rare pokémon! What do you think, Hinata-chan? Does that sound like fun?”

Missing Sasuke’s sour pout, Hinata had brightened with starry eyes. “Oh, y-yes please! W-what kind of pokémon are in there…?”

“All sorts! A friend of Itachi’s volunteers there to help keep the pokémon in the reserve safe from poachers. She even has a pokémon of her own that was poached, but saved. She used to live in Lavender Town with an old man who helped take care of abandoned or injured pokémon. I bet she’d have lots of stories to tell you.”

Even as Hinata gushed over the idea, Sasuke picked at his food. While he liked the park well enough...the girl in question bothered him. Itachi seemed to find too many excuses to spend time with her. And with how jealous Sasuke could get about time spent with his brother, well...it meant he wasn’t exactly fond of her.

“You’ll take her, won’t you Sasuke?”

“...yeah, we can go.”

“Good! I’ll send my Butterfree to the reserve and let them know you’ll be coming. Maybe she can give you a tour!”

Sasuke’s expression pinched further. “No!”

Both girls paused, looking to him in question. “...why not?”

“I...I wanna do it! Hinata’s my friend…” And he didn’t want anyone else interfering!

Looking a bit confused but also on the verge of understanding, Mikoto had gently shrugged. “Well...all right. Do be careful - it’s pretty easy to get lost in there.”

“We’ll be fine…”

Once they were finished eating, the pair had thanked Mikoto again before heading north toward the Safari Zone. Sasuke, no longer quite so grumpy, explained what the park was for. “Mostly it’s to help pokémon that are more endangered. They live there with very few trainers allowed to catch them. You gotta pay a fee to go in, and you only have so much time to look before you have to try again. The money helps with the park, and keeping the pokémon there safe and healthy.”

“Rare pokémon…?”

“Well, not all of them are rare, but some are, like Dratini or Kangaskhan.”

“Do you think we’ll s-see one?”

Sasuke hesitated at that. Technically the odds were pretty low, but...Itachi’s friend had one of the pokémon in question. And it was even a shiny variety, hence it being poached. “...maybe.”

Arriving at the entrance to the reserve, the pair paid their fees, allowed a longer stay than a trainer as they weren’t heading in to try and catch any pokémon. And just as they were heading out the door -

“Hey, Sasuke-kun!”

The boy visibly flinched. Great...it was her.

“Heading into the park?”

“...yeah...m’taking my friend to see it.”

“I see! Is she a young trainer like you?”

“Er...kinda…”

“Sasuke-kun caught me a G-Goldeen yesterday! It’s my first ever pokémon!” Hinata replied, looking excited.

“Wow, congratulations! Be safe out there, okay? If you have any trouble, I’m sure one of the park rangers will find you. And Sasuke-kun can always send his Spearow for help if you need it, all right?”

“O-okay!”

Stubbornly taking Hinata’s hand, Sasuke tugged her through the door. “Bye…”

“Bye!”

That was this morning. It’s now early afternoon, and after a thorough romp through several areas of the park...the pair are about ready to call it quits.

...there’s just one problem.

Sasuke isn’t sure where he is…

“Um...Sasuke-kun…?”

“What?”

“Are...are we lost…?”

His stubborn expression only deepens. “...”

“Should...should we send for he-?”

“We’re fine! We just...have to keep going. This way!”

Stumbling a bit as he tugs her forward, Hinata has little choice but to follow. While she’s enjoyed herself thoroughly - they even saw a family of Kangaskhan! - the prospect of being stuck in here is unnerving. Especially since her stomach keeps gurgling… “S-Sasuke-kun -?”

“I don’t need any help. I know where I’m going!”

“But -?”

“I can do this on my own!”

Expression slackening in surprise, Hinata then digs in her heels, jolting Sasuke to a stop. “I-it’s okay to ask for help!”

“I can -!”

“Sasuke-kun…” She gives him a pleading look. “Y...you helped me the other day...right? To catch Goldeen?”

“But...that was different…”

Able to puzzle out at least part of why he’s upset, she flashes a sheepish smile. “I...I’m really glad you took me here! It’s been a lot of fun. But...we need to get back, right…? A-aren’t you tired? O-or hungry?”

His glance aside is telling enough.

“...let’s just send your Spearow, o-okay? Then we can go back, and have lunch with everybody. Ne…?”

“Oi!”

Both kids stiffen in shock, looking over to find a Rapidash galloping toward them. And on its back is the girl from before, worry clear in her expression. Sasuke can’t help a hint of a scowl - out of everyone, why her?!

Sliding from the pokémon’s back, she jogs the rest of the distance. “Are you guys okay?”

“Y-yes, we’re fine! Just a little, um...l-lost. I think I...I got us all turned around.”

Sasuke’s eyes widen. Why is she -?

“That’s okay! It’s easy to get lost in here - even I still get a little confused sometimes! Mikoto-san was getting concerned, so I said I’d come look for you. How about you two ride on Rapidash, and spare your feet the rest of the walk?”

“Oh, y-yes please!”

The elder helps lift them up atop the equine pokémon, smiling. “Don’t worry, she won’t burn you - she’s very well trained to help people here in the park. Now, let’s get you back home!”

Minutes pass by in silence, and soon enough, the entry building looms up out the trees. Both let back to the ground, the pair make their way through the door...and run straight into Itachi and Neji!

“Oh thank goodness…!” Brows wilted in worry, Itachi latches onto his brother, who tenses in surprise. “I was afraid you’d gotten hurt and were stuck somewhere…!”

“I...I’m okay, aniki.”

“Hinata-chan! Are you all right?”

“Y-yes, I’m fine, Neji-nī. Really.”

“Thank you so much for finding them,” Itachi offers, looking to his friend gratefully.

“Of course! They actually weren’t too far out. I’m just glad they’re both safe and sound. Now, you guys better go get your lunch, ne? That’s a long time to go hiking without a snack!”

Waving farewell, the four of them take their leave, walking back to the Uchiha household. All the while, Hinata gushes to Neji about all they saw.

“M-maybe we can go in another time so you can see! It’s beautiful in there...we didn’t get to see any Dratini, o-or Chansey. But maybe next time!”

“Ah, did she not show your her Dratini?” Itachi asks.

“She...she has one?”

“Yes, though…” Itachi glances to Sasuke, who seems to wilt. “...I suppose it isn’t quite the same as seeing one in its natural habitat. Maybe we’ll all go back before you two head home, and we can have a guided tour. It might increase our odds.”

“O-okay! I-I had a lot of fun with Sasuke-kun today, so...I-I’d like to do it again!”

Itachi just gives a small, knowing smile. “...and I’m sure he enjoyed getting to show you more about our town, Hinata-chan.”

Once returned, they all settle in for the lunch Mikoto’s made, the mother greeting the younger pair in relief. But with them safe and sound, the conversation soon drifts.

Noticing Sasuke still looking a bit put out, Hinata gently nudges him with her shoulder. “T-thank you for taking me today. I think...that was one of the c-coolest things I’ve ever gotten to do: see pokémon like that!”

“...really?”

She nods.

“...even if we got lost?”

“I-it’s fine, Sasuke-kun. You still helped me do something I’d n-never have done otherwise.”

After a pause, he manages a smile. “...you’re welcome.”

                                                        .oOo.

     (This is a sequel to days 18 and 88, and is followed by days 125, 127, and 278!)       More pokéverse! Haven't done this one in a while, and it's always fun to revisit. This one kinda falls in the middle, which...I try not to jump around in the order of the mini series, but I kinda had to xD      Poor Sasuke...he just wanted to look cool. Of course something had to go wrong! But it seems Hinata still had oodles of fun regardless, so...it's still a good day!      I'd say more, but it's VERY late and I'm very tired, lol - thanks for reading!

[soulerflaire]

So I beat the story of Pokemon Shield yesterday, and now I’ve had time to think about everything. Spoilers below the cut. Also super long post.

First I wanna focus on gameplay.

Overall, fantastic Pokemon game. I liked a lot of the new Pokemon, I felt there was a really good variety of Pokemon available throughout, graphics were good, the gym missions were (mostly) clever and (mostly) fun.

I heard people had complaints about the starters, but I like them. I picked Scorbunny and was terrified he’d end up Fire/Fighting, but Cinderace (and all the starters) remained single-type. I think their designs are cool! I love Rillaboom’s drum and Cinderace’s soccer fireball attack. I like Inteleon the least of the three, but I still think his design is neat. It is basically finger guns: the Pokemon, which is funny, but not particularly interesting to me. I’m glad I picked Scorbunny.

I liked the set up of the Gym Challenge, though the pacing was a bit weird. Not sure if that was me or the game, but I felt like there was very little story between each gym. That led to me doing several gyms in rapid succession, then spending 3 hours in the Wild Area doing nothing, then tackling another set of gyms. But the gym challenges were fun! Except the fire one. I hated that. And the battles themselves felt awesome! The crowd cheering (especially in the final part of the music, oh my god that was so good), the huge Pokemon, the dialogue, it all made for a match that felt like it mattered. Even if I one-shot all their Pokemon, the match still felt meaningful. It wasn’t just stomp and move on.

I think the Wild Area was a cool experiment, but either make the whole game like that, or don’t have it. It feels like the Safari Zone; an area disconnected from the rest of the game, with the express purpose of catching Pokemon and nothing else. Except it’s so huge and seems to have every single Pokemon in the game, so long as the weather is right, that I feel like there was no point in catching Pokemon anywhere else. Why bother even touching the tall grass when I’m travelling through the regular world, when I can just catch whatever would be in there in the Wild Area later? And frankly, I never really got punished for that mentality. I can just catch them all in the Wild Area later. The only hurdle is they all turn level 60 after you become champion, which I have very mixed feelings about. I would like to hear their explanation for doing that, tbh.

Max Raid battles feel really cool, but god damn, Nintendo, you have got to get a better connection system. Half the time, I can’t find any raids to join because there are no shout cards popping up and the button to get new cards isn’t there for some reason. Even when I can see the cards, most of the time I fail to join, either because the raid already started or the person cancelled the raid. There’s only a 3-minute window to join, and with the infrequent appearance of cards (with no timestamps) I have no idea if any of the cards I see are even from the past 10 minutes, let alone past 3. And the NPCs are randomly selected and use their moves randomly, so once you get to the 5+ star raids, you cannot use them at all. One of them is a friggin’ Magikarp that uses Hydro Pump for no damage and misses half the time anyway. Why!? That was funny exactly zero times!

The music, however, I have zero complaints about. Fantastic soundtrack! I love the gym battle music, and the Team Yell fight music, and the Wild Area bagpipes, and the legendaries fight music, and just pretty much all of it. If they release the soundtrack, I’m buying it immediately.

Graphics were good. I wasn’t blown away by them, but it’s a pretty game.

One thing I noticed is how rushed things started to feel towards the end. Initially, the world feels enormous. Routes are long and winding, and it really feels like exploring things. But the further into the game you go, the shorter the routes get. And there’s no Victory Road at all. Just an extremely short route called White Hill, with, like, 6 trainers and a couple grass patches. You take a train to the White Hill Station, and if you look at the map, you see you ended up skipping an entire mountain and a stretch of land twice the length of the actual route. Kinda feels like they planned to do something with all that space, but cut it later on. The forest that they did the 24-hour stream of, Glimwood Tangle? It’s tiny. Like a third the size of Viridan Forest. It’s gorgeous, sure, but I spent more time exploring the first town than I did in that place. The final town certainly looks enormous, but then it turns out you can’t access half of it, and a huge chunk in the middle of the part you can access is taken up by the rail station. Which has nothing important inside it. Just a generic mart and some NPCs to talk to. There was honestly a lot of stuff the seemed like it was gonna be something later, and ended up being nothing. If it’s all content that got cut to release the game sooner, that’s extremely disappointing. Frankly, I wonder if they bit off more than they could chew, turning Pokemon into a console game. They clearly were trying to make it worth being on console, but ended up running out of time.

Now for the story. This is probably the first Pokemon game I feel this way about, but honestly: I loved the characters, but found the story to be pretty lackluster.

Hop has a wonderful character arc, where he’s boastful and energetic, but slowly loses confidence as he keeps losing Pokemon battles, and falls into a depression after a particularly hard defeat. He seems to pull out of it after encouragement from friends, but then he spirals into it again when you beat him in the finals. He spends most of the endgame putting himself down and saying he can’t do anything to help, but as you travel together stopping the Dynamaxed Pokemon, he perks up again (thanks in part of Piers being a really good Dad despite having no kids), and all this culminates in him saying he’s realized being champion isn’t really for him; instead, he’s gonna become a Pokemon professor and travel around helping people and Pokemon wherever he can. It’s really sweet, and I like that we see a rival who actually does get upset that they keep losing to you all the time, without turning them into a villain. Hop is never not your friend during all this; he’s just sad and needs so many hugs.

Marnie was a lot more fun of a character than I was expecting. From the official art, I thought she was gonna be the super reserved, stoic character who gets angrier and angrier as she loses to you over and over. But she’s actually outgoing and fun, and loves battling the player even if she loses. And her brother Piers is just as good at subverting expectations. He’s all dressed up as a super punk rocker who’ll be a terrible influence on everyone, but he’s definitely the Tired Adult of the group when you’re travelling around trying to fix things, and he’s a good Dad friend. Team Yell is much less creepy now that I have context. Piers is a gym leader, and Team Yell is the gym staff that he asked to go help cheer Marnie on during her gym challenge. They’re overzealous, but they’re just trying to help her. Some of them even start cheering for you instead, once Piers acknowledges your skill.

Bede can go fuck himself. I know they tried to give him some kind of backstory or whatever, and some vague punishment/redemption with Opal making him the new Fairy Gym leader, but dude’s a dick, through and through.

I could go on and on about the characters, but this post is already getting too long, so I’ll talk about the story itself now. Through most of the game, you get hints that something bad is happening or going to happen, or something is going wrong, but every time one of those hints pops up, the adult say “Let us handle this, you focus on your gym challenge.” And that kind of bothered me at the time, because it’s like if you get the guard station outside Saffron City and start to argue with the guard, then Lance shows up and says “Hey, why not skip down to Vermillion City? I’ll take care of this.” And that’s the end of it. Next time you try to pass through, it’s open and there’s nothing wrong. You know something is going on, but no one will let you near it, so you just keep going on your gym challenge.

Later you find Leon (the champion) in an argument with Chairman Rose (owner of every corporation in the region) about an energy crisis. Rose says we need to start dealing with it now, Leon says it won’t happen for a thousand years, why do we need to bother right now. Then of course the Chairman triggers the Darkest Day right before your championship match with Leon, ranting about the energy crisis and whatnot, then you have to go stop the super powerful legendary Pokemon he released for Real Reasons That Definitely Make Logical Sense And Don’t Need Explained No Sir. At first, I thought this with a super shitty take on the energy crisis, that we’ll run out of fossil fuels and not have renewable energy ready. But if that’s the case, it’s extremely clumsy, because 1) no owner of a corporation gives two shits about anything a thousand years from now and 2) they had the guy warning everyone about the future crisis also be the guy who almost destroys the whole country. I chalked it up to being rushed and tried not to think about it too hard.

But now I’m thinking differently. There’s something Leon says, after the whole Darkest Day thing is averted: he’s gonna start thinking about the future now, and start working on ways to make the future better (or something to that effect). I think maybe the “moral” of the story is that we shouldn’t just let problems be until they come to a head, and we shouldn’t rely on others to take care of the problems. We relied on the adults to handle things in a reasonable manner, and it nearly led to the apocalypse. So maybe that’s the point? Don’t rely on others to take care of things; if you see a problem, try and fix it. And likely specifically talking about climate change and the destruction of the environment. Galarian Corsola is a bleached, dead coral for a reason.

If that’s the case, then A+ for message, D- for execution. But it’s Pokemon, I know they can’t get too serious about things. But it mostly led to a story I didn’t really enjoy, full of characters that I loved. While I would prefer to finally have the remake of Gen 4, I wouldn’t be sad to see a Sword and Shield 2.

[ghostmartyr]

Pokémon FireRed Nuzlocke [Part 6]

Last time, bad things happened.

This time, the goal is fewer bad things.

With great optimism, the no-grinding Nuzlocke heads to Cycling Road.

Great. Optimism.

The plan was for Po to handle all of these, but Allenby’s falling behind a little, and I would prefer a little buffer there... On the other hand, Po can’t be poisoned. I judge it as we go, with Po doing the majority of the heavy lifting.

According to the tough guys in this game, I’m a mouse.

Cue Ball Luke has a level 29 Mankey. Hey Allenby, look, it’s those things Po shouldn’t fight! Welcome back to getting some slivers of exp! Take the Machop too while you’re at it!

He called me a rat after I beat him. Heh.

Biker Lao has more what we were expecting, with a level 29 Grimer. And Koffing.

Cue Ball Koji demands my bike. Someone didn’t read the rules of Cycling Road. Or have the gatekeeper loudly object to them trying to walk on this here road. He’s got a level 28 Machop. Go, Allenby. Feed on it and the following Mankey. And then the next Machop.

You only have one pokemon. Are you going to be a problem?

One level 33 Weezing.

Gone now.

Wait, what?

Biker Ruben, find yourself some kinder friends. You deserve them. Even with your level 28 Weezing. Koffing next. Then another Weezing, because Ruben is a chill dude who trains his pokemon.

You can tell if someone in these rows is a Biker or Cue Ball based on how mean they are in their lines. ...Cue Ball Camron wants to battle. Level 29 Mankey for Allenby. + Machop.

And that’s us beating up a biker gang. At the tender age of ten. The only age anyone in a Pokemon game does anything.

Unless you’re Alolan and you want to be eleven for some strange reason I don’t understand.

Made it to the Route 17 part of Cycling Road. Where there is grass. Let us approach.

Many spawns that were things I couldn’t catch later!

Yay, caught it. Uhhh. Lu.

Back to fighting. Cue Ball Raul. One Mankey for Allenby. Then a Primeape for a mirror match.

Cue Ball Isaiah next. To spare Allenby some pain, Po takes the level 29 Machop. Allenby gets the Machamp.

Or Allenby can use up all PP for Cross Chop and scare me into pushing Heero into the ring.

Biker Virgil. Presumably without the electric powers. But with a level 28 Weezing. Koffing. Weezing.

Good for you.

Biker Billy.

With your level 33 Muk.

The problem with Cycling Road is I’m never sure if I’ve actually hit all the trainers. And that’s normally, when it doesn’t really matter except for my happiness levels.

Biker Jaxon has a level 29 Weezing. And a level 29 Muk.

Rode all the way back to Fuchsia and have to go back up. I am a ripped ten-year-old.

Biker William has five pokemon. First up is a level 25 Koffing. Maybe I should share these with Allenby a little. You want to fight a Weezing, Allenby? Of course you do. Stay in for the Koffing, even. Let it destroy your accuracy. Let it force Po to take the Weezing alone.

Hi Corey.

I think I will let Heero fight your level 29 Primeape. Allenby can take the Machoke.

Cue Ball Zeek is up next. With a level 33 Machoke that Po should not fight, so hero time for Heero again.

Biker Nikolas uses a level 29 Voltorb. To remind us he matters I guess. Zaft can kill the next one.

Cue Ball Jamal has the staple Mankey at level 26. Allenby, go handle the next one. And try not to make me cry against the Machamp. Hey, you did a good job! Nice! Your prize is staying in for the Machop.

I think that might be everyone. Dang. That leaves me precious few options. Wait, no, there’s the Route 18 bird boys for Po to nom.

Bird Keeper Wilton with a level 29 Spearow. Followed by Fearow.

You’re only allowed to have that attitude if you have a bike. Jacob. With your level 26 Spearow. All two of them before a Fearow. Then a final Spearow.

Bird Keeper Ramiro has a single level 34 Dodrio. Like a boss.

Okay, now what.

I could beat up Rockets in Saffron. Or fight Koga. Or go to the Safari Zone. Or maybe take a small break.

Break having been taken, I have to ask, because I have no inclination to look it up: what the fuck even is the intended order for these things? I’m pretty sure Erika is the fourth Gym, and the Rocket plot in Saffron has to happen after the Rocket plot in Celadon, but past that, what is it that you are meant to do first?

I think it’s Koga and then the Saffron stuff, but it might not have to be.

Anyway, beating up Rockets.

Because Koga scares me.

And Safari Zone feels like work.

Dun dun dun.

We fine our first prey up on the second floor.

Grunt #1 has a level 25 Golbat. Zaft! Then a level 25 Zubat. Now Zaft wants to learn Rollout. Which I like except for the part where Zaft should not learn it. Anything that takes time is a no with Zaft.

Another Zubat. Followed by a Raticate. And finishing with another Zubat. All tributes to the mighty Zaft.

Po’s been in front for a while, so I think I’ll let Heero take the front for most of Silph Co.

Rude.

Second Grunt starts with a level 29 Cubone. Gee. I wonder what I miss most right now. Then Zaft can take the Zubat.

Scientist Jerry has a level 28 Magnemite. The Voltorb is Zaft’s for the taking. The Magneton... I think Heero can take it, though I have made things more difficult on her by deciding I want Zaft to have exp.

Thunder Wave. Yuck. But Heero gets the job done, and we’re already way used to walking back to the Pokemon Center at every opportunity.

So, stairs or teleport pads?

Teleport pads. Because I’m cool.

Scientist Parker says hello. Only with violence and a level 29 Grimer. Plus an Electrode for Zaft.

Aaaaaaand back to the Pokemon Center.

The bed does nothing. How dare you, bed. For all that I love the design of beds in this gen... why.

Grunt #3, aka one of the four Rocket Brothers. We don’t care. Level 28 Weezing up front, so Po is going to go ahead and come back out.

The Weezing uses Selfdestruct.

It takes out half of Po’s HP.

>:(

Koffing next. Then a Golbat for Zaft.

Rocket Bro One down.

Hi #4. He starts out with a level 26 Raticate. Arbok is next. Followed by Koffing. Lastly, we’ve got a Golbat for Zaft. The Grunts in this tower really care about Zaft’s development.

Apparently the teleporter pads aren’t going to take me anywhere with convenient speed the stairs can’t manage just as well. So I’m just gonna randomly wander the building up and down stairs until I beat everyone. Rendering the number system I sort of have completely useless.

Scientist Ed! Leading with a level 28 Voltorb! Then a Magneton. Then Koffing. Victory.

Coolio. Grunt #...5. With a level 28 Golbat up front. In the spirit of Zaft being three levels below Allenby, Zaft, you switch in and take this. Heero can go back in and handle the Drowzee. Po can have the Hypno. On we go.

To Scientist Travis! He’s got a level 29 Magnemite. Allenby, in the spirit of inclusion, you can fight his Koffing.

Grunt #6′s one and only is a level 33 Machoke. Heero saves the day.

Hey, finally reached the room with the Carbos.

And thanks to our valid behavior, it will have no effect if we give it to Zaft. Score. I guess.

Up at the top floor, we fight Grunt #7.

He has a level 25 Rattata.

Then another.

Zaaaaaaaaft.

Then a Zubat. Ekans can be Allenby’s. So can the Rattata. And adios.

They don’t even let you guys have your own lines.

Such a tragic life you lead, #8.

With a level 29 Cubone.

Ugh.

Allenby handles it and the next one.

Scientist Joshua up next. He’s got a level 29 Electrode. Muk comes out and Po responds in kind.

Why does everyone antagonistic in this game think I’m a mouse?

He opens with a level 26 Raticate. Then there’s a Zubat for Zaft. And a Golbat, how convenient. Last up is Rattata.

The last one, #10. Yay.

Level 29 Machop and Machoke.

Geez, where’s the bed that heals in this place? I need one.

Grunt #11 has a level 28 Zubat. Then another. Then a Golbat.

Why is this building so big.

Scientist Taylor has almost a full team. Starting with a level 25 Voltorb. Magneton next. Koffing. More Koffing.

I hate you I hate you I hate you

:-o

;-;

Heero, you... you take on the final Magnemite. Then we’re leaving.

What floor is this? Sixth. Okay. Great. Down to the bottom and the Pokemon Center, then I think I’ll just slowly go up the stairs until key items are earned and whatnot.

This place is too big.

Okay, all healed up and on the third floor, fighting back #12. Level 28 Raticate up first. Po in for the Hypno. Another Raticate for Allenby. Who’s earned some free exp.

Floor four! #13! Level 28 Ekans! Zubat! Cubone! Done!

#14 with a level 29 Machop. Po gets the Drowzee.

Floor five and #15. All he has is a level 33 Hypno.

#16 has a level 33 Arbok which will soon be Po food.

Scientist Beau. Level 26 Magneton. Magnemite. Koffing. Weezing.

Hey wait what’s your motive here? Juggler... Dalton?

I actually always really liked the Juggler class. They’re so cool. Oh, right. Kadabra and Mr. Mime. Now Dalton. Why did you attack your brave and valiant rescuer.

...Generic evil siding with Team Rocket. Fine.

Now I think I need to teleport around and look for the Card Key.

I know I shouldn’t complain about these things, given how valuable all the experience is, but I have never enjoyed Silph Co. Too many floors of the same design and same types of fights. I always got lost as a kid, and nowadays even though I’ve given up caring about where exactly I am, it’s still sort of a lot.

Back to the sixth floor, and I’ll just stomp on whatever pad looks good.

Teleport takes us to the second floor and an unfought Scientist. His name is Connor. He has a level 26 Grimer. Only past tense. Weezing up next. Koffing. When you side with Rockets your pokemon options deteriorate. Weezing.

And there’s nowhere else to go but back through the same teleport.

Have I mentioned that I hate this area.

Because let me tell you

the one redeeming factor it has is how many items are hidden in random trees.

Could you please just tell me who I have to mug for the damn Card Key.

Scientist Rodney. With the level 33 Electrode.

Good news, I found the Focus Punch TM.

Better news.

Time to open ALL the doors.

This part I can enjoy.

See how much better life is now.

Grunt #...17? Level 28 Drowzee. Grimer. Machop.

Okay, what floor is this? Ninth. Got it. Now to start from the bottom and just open every single door I find as I trot up the stairs. My happy place.

Oh, and beating up more people. Like Scientist Jose. With a level 29 Electrode. Weezing.

I hate this building.

Grunt #18! Has a level 29 Sandshrew! Then Sandslash!

What happens if you don’t unlock all the doors? Do the NPCs stay trapped in there even after the building’s freed? I doubt it, but for a few scant seconds the thought was funny.

I am back up to floor eight. Getting closer.

Oh heck.

He has his Pidgeot up front, right?

So Zaft should be first?

I don’t anticipate a fun time, here.

A sense of impending doom.

HA! His Pidgeot is first!

...Less ha. It’s level 37.

Zaft perseveres. But Allenby can have the Growlithe that’s out next. The level 38 Growlithe. I don’t think I like this. Allenby lives in the green, but with a bite out of it. Exeggcute is next, so comfort and Heero follow. It’s level 35. And given the state of my team, the Blastoise that’s coming up might be an issue. Do I trust Zaft and STAB enough to spend a turn or two healing?

...Yeah, let’s just be extra sure on that. And of course, now Heero is paralyzed. Sigh.

Blastoise coming out, and Zaft is going to try to at least help for a turn and not die.

Level 40 Blastoise vs level 37 Zaft.

Zaft wins!

...Bloodily!

Po, handle the Alakazam please. It’s level 35. I believe in you.

...

HOLD ON I THOUGHT I DIDN’T GET THIS IN THIS VERSION.

HOLY HECK DO I GET A LAPRAS.

DO I WANT A LAPRAS?

WHAT LEVEL IS IT?

But as for a name... Hm.

Sprinkle.

And now off to the Pokemon Center. Note to future self, to get back where I was you went through a teleport pad on the third floor.

Sprinkle is level 25. She will take Alton’s place in the party, but. Grrrr.

What do I think, is it worth splitting the exp between five to have a Water/Ice pokemon available, or do I want to try boosting the ever-loving heck out of only four? Does it really make a difference at this point? I think this Rival fight was premature, so the levels might be a bit skewed in his favor, and like, I think I can make it work to train a Lapras at minimum cost because I love Lapras...

I’ll finish off Silph Co. and think. Not having a Water option hasn’t been the greatest thing in the world. It would be especially nice against Giovanni and Blaine. But Sprinkle’s only level 25...

Actually, you know what? First I think I’m going to hang out in the Fighting Dojo and give Allenby something to do. She’s the only one I really want taking on that section, so it doesn’t affect any of my decisions. Plus, more exp before the end of Silph.

I’m rooting for this to go well.

Have it go well, Allenby.

Black Belt Hitoshi is first. He has a level 31 Machop. Maybe Po will be able to take a bite out of some stuff here after all. Then again, Po has Koga’s whole Gym. Mankey next. Primeape last for a mirror match.

Black Belt Hideki. Level 32 Machop. Machoke. Revenge packs a punch, but we’re good.

Black Belt Aaron. Mixing up the naming scheme. Has a level 36 Primeape. Er.

Heero’s coming in for this. Just in case. Primeape can do a helluva lot of damage, and Allenby has no resistance except for a few more levels on it.

Black Belt Mike. Okay, so the back two are the partnered odd ones out. Level 31 Mankey. Another Mankey. Primeape.

One fight left before I get to turn down a Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee because I have my option for this city.

Level 37 Hitmonlee first.

Yeah, hey, Heero...

Hitmonchan next, and here’s where the concerns come. Hitmonchan probably has Thunder Punch. I do not want that around Heero. I don’t want anything near Allenby, either, but I think Allenby at least doesn’t have the danger posed by super effective attacks, so Allenby...

Yeah, Thunderpunch. And it paralyzes. Of course. But Allenby gets through it, and then we’re done. Nice.

...Back to Silph.

Allenby, you can stay up front. ...Or can you.

The Sprinkle problem vexes me. I like how maximizing the level of these primary four has worked out, for the most part. I would like having more of a spread, Type wise, but. This really has worked, without any major problems. I think if I want to add something in, it has to be now. But Zaft is already underleveled. Sprinkle would be in the same boat, really only adding the extra benefit of Typing.

I can’t get the Exp. Share. Switch training is the only way.

..

I want a Lapras.

Fuck, this is why this run is just a first attempt.

Okay! Sprinkle going up in front for the remainder of Silph Co.

Grunt #19. Level 32 Cubone. This would be a good match if Sprinkle had Surf. But no one has Surf yet, so in Allenby goes. Drowzee in, and in goes Sprinkle temporarily. I already hate this. And doubt its effectiveness. Marowak.

Last Rocket down.

Sorta.

Level 37 Nidorino out first, and I think Po is the best suited for this.

Level 41 Nidoqueen. Lots of Double Kicks, lots of Snoring, lots of stress, but it works out.

Level 35 Kangaskhan. Allenby time.

Level 37 Rhyhorn. Still Allenby time.

Phew. And that’s that. Also, throughout all of that switch training, Sprinkle gained a grand total of.........

One level. She’s 26 now.

The only reason to do good deeds in this game.

Baaaack to Koga.

The pre-Kogas.

Juggler Kayden has a level 38 Hypno and I am uncomfortable. But Po paralyzes it and brings it to red with on Body Slam so we’re still in business. As well as very, very happy we did Silph Co. first. Seriously, what’s the intended order on these?

Juggler Kirk is next. Bringing us back to safety with a level 31 Drowzee. With great stubbornness, Sprinkle takes it out. Same with the next. The Kadabra can be shared with Zaft because EVs. Drowzee next, and we’re back to Sprinkle. Who made it to 27 all by herself.

Juggler Nate. His opening Drowzee is level 34. Not for Sprinkle. Kadabra. Gah. Heero, I think you’re probably the safest switch partner for this. As much as I love Zaft, Zaft is. Zaft.

Cool story, kid.

Oh, sorry, Tamer Edgar.

He has a level 33 Arbok. And Sandslash. And Arbok. Po and Sprinkle tag-team the lot.

Tamer Phil. You have a level 34 Sandslash. Only Po ate it after Sprinkle confused it. Dream team. Arbok next. Bye Arbok.

Geez, I should really consider putting more effort into jazzing up the battles. The problem is that normally I wouldn’t bother recording them, but with these being the only fights I get, and operating under the theory that I’m going to fail this round, having a thorough record is helpful. And it’ll only be typed out once.

But wow. It’s boring to type, so I can only imagine what it’s like to read.

Juggler Shawn! What have you got for me? A level 34 Drowzee. Then Hypno. That has the sheer gall to confuse Po. And makes her flinch twice in a row. But as all things end, so does this fight.

All that’s left is Koga.

And my prize for all that effort?

Sprinkle is level 29.

I hate switch training with every fiber of my being.

I also have six Rare Candy.

...

No, we’re not doing that. We will behave, and obey the spirit of the nonsense that is this entire run.

Okay.

Sprinkle’s out front at the moment, but I’m guessing sooner or later Po is just going to be the only thing fighting any of his pokemon. Poison is annoying, and Po’s Immunity is a precious gift I shouldn’t squander.

The level 37 Koffing he opens with is also encouraging me to keep putting Sprinkle in harm’s way, though. No. Po, get in here.

Wow. Koga wastes a Hyper Potion on the Koffing. Yay and all, but really?

The level 39 Muk is up next. This thing is not something I should be switching Sprinkle in on, honestly, because it has a host of delay moves that are no fun to deal with whatsoever. ...I sent Sprinkle in anyway. She’s still level 29. And has Perish Song.

lol at Sprinkle’s Confuse Ray missing every single time. Minimize. Minimize is such a horror to work around. Sadly (?), Koga removes Muk before Sprinkle’s song can kill it. Bringing in another level 37 Koffing just as I switched in Po. Since Sprinkles is guaranteed to get exp from Muk if all goes well, I’m not going to bother switching her in on the other stuff.

Another Hyper Potion gone. Yay. Po also hits level 44. Double yay.

The Muk is back and so is Sprinkle. Round two. The most drama in this is finding out how many times Sprinkle’s Confuse Ray misses this time. One. Then I forgot what Mist does so I used that, and now it’s time to bring Po back out.

Just in time for the level 43 Weezing. Yeah, not something I feel a need to switch around on.

...

Yeah, so it uses Smokescreen, but Po is protected by Sprinkle’s Mist. This battle is going so absurdly well through proper utilization of a moveset I would waste zero time on in a normal playthrough.

Huh, Koga uses a Full Heal when Po paralyzes Weezing. I didn’t know he had those. Anyway, bye Weezing.

Round three, Sgt. Sprinkle.

!!!!

Confuse Ray finally hit! It’s a miracle!

Po, switch in and watch Muk die, please.

You did good, Sprinkle. You did real good.

See? Even Koga thinks so.

And now I have the TM for Toxic. Bueno.

That’s badge five, and a good time for a break before we decide which mistake of a venture we try out next.

Until next time, please never underestimate how deeply I hate Koga’s Muk.

[thegrumpypenguin]

  Handsome giant checking out his reflection

  Me and my buddy

I haven’t featured too many reptiles on my calendar over the years, but ever since these guys returned to the Toronto Zoo in 2018, they have captured my heart. The three Aldabra tortoises – Queenie, Malila, and Rasputin – were first featured at our Zoo in 1975, moving on to the Forth Worth Zoo in 1999. Obviously, I must have seen them a few times in the first quarter-century they were here, but I don’t really recall. For one thing, I didn’t tend to spend a lot of time in the pavilions when I visited the Zoo before I met Sarah. I would often visit in small groups of friends and hit the “big-ticket” animals; I’ve only really been the “Zen traveller” I am now for the past decade or so. If I had understood the impact just visiting an animal and being present in the moment would have on my life when I was a younger man, there is very little doubt my path would have been entirely different. But I didn’t, it wasn’t, and I am where I am now, which is fine with me because at least I got here eventually.

Well, this is starting out so melancholy. I apologize. It’s clearly the pandemic talking.

  Rasputin and Keeper

Speaking of that, I’m afraid I don’t have nearly as much information to give you about the history of these giants at the Toronto Zoo as I would have liked. Ordinarily, when preparing for a post like this, I would visit the animals and their Keepers and see what I could draw out of them to pass along to all of you. Not being able to do that right at the moment, I have had to rely on some online digging, which has proven to be not quite as rewarding. I did manage to find a post on the Zoo’s Facebook page from April of 2018: a “Throwback Thursday” piece on when the Aldabras were first at the Zoo. If you click on the photo above (I don’t know when that was taken, but I swear I know the Keeper in it… with a lot less hair now) it will take you to that post. My “Name Book” lists their DOBs as “unknown,” so I cannot tell you with certainty how old they are, other than they are obviously at least 45. I believe the estimate is early-to-mid-50s for all of them, which means they likely are only about 1/3 of the way through their lives!

  Malila (L) and Queenie

So let’s move on to some things I can tell you! Currently there are two living species of giant tortoises: the Aldabra and the Galápagos. (The fact of the matter is it’s a bit more complicated, what with subspecies and such; check the Wiki page for “Giant tortoise” to cover this in more detail.) The Galápagos species is slightly larger than the Aldabra and can be found distributed among the various islands of the Galápagos archipelago in Ecuador. The Aldabras live mainly on the Aldabra atoll, which is found in the Seychelles island group in the Indian Ocean. This coral atoll was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, which significantly improved this species’ chances for survival, and the IUCN has listed them as Vulnerable.

  Malila (L) and Queenie and friend

During the winter, the tortoises share a huge exhibit in the African Rainforest Pavilion with the ring-tailed lemurs and a grey-necked crown crane. It’s a wonderful mixed-species exhibit, something I hope we create more of down the road, and I have been trying for over two years to catch a lemur riding a tortoise, to no avail. I’ve heard it has happened , but not that I have seen. Not giving up hope, though: it sure looked imminent on one or two occasions! The temperature in the exhibit is very carefully monitored as the tortoises, being reptiles, are ectotherms (cold-blooded) and cannot regulate their own body temperatures like the lemurs and crane can. There are a couple of hot zones, several heaters (which the lemurs also like to take advantage of, often in a “lemur ball”), and a shallow pond at the southeast corner that a tortoise will occasionally amble over to and then sit in for hours.

  Rasputin, Queenie, and Malila

Outside, they have a spectacular exhibit just south of the main entrance to the pavilion. There is a sun shelter (the cave you see in this photo), a pond, some interesting nooks and crannies to explore, and lots and lots of very tasty grass! This is an awesome place to view these amazing creatures, as the railing around the exhibit is very comfortable to lean on and quite close to the tortoises. As for the reptiles themselves, they can be quite precocious and will very often interact with their visitors – especially when called by name. As with virtually every animal I encounter at our Zoo and others, they are considerably smarter than we would think to give them credit for. They also – Rasputin in particular – can emit a sound that reminds me very much of an elderly person who has discovered something disappointing in their food. Now, I cannot for the life of me find a video to let you hear that sound, even though I am completely certain that one exists and I have seen it. I’ve checked every source I can think of but have come up empty. So if you run into me in the future, please ask me to do my impression. It’s actually not bad! Or, if you come across a video where any of the Aldabras is making the sound, please let me know. In the meantime, I do hope you enjoy this alternative video!

    Sarah and I with Malila

The Aldabra tortoises were one of the featured animals of the Zoo’s very-well-received Wild Encounters which premiered last summer. Sarah and I waited until it was warm enough for the tortoises to be out in their summer home before we booked our visit and it was an amazing experience. In the first photo on this page below Rasputin’s calendar shot, I am in the outdoor cave with him, rubbing his shell. In the shot at left, Sarah and I are taking turns interacting with Malila in the same way and, as you can see by her stance, she is loving it. Turtles and tortoises have surprisingly sensitive shells; well, I say “surprisingly” because many people probably think of those shells as if they are surrounding armour, but they are fused directly to the animals and grow with them from hatching, so they have as complex a network of nerves as really any land animal’s back. So when we “skritched” Malila on her shell near her tail, she immediately raised herself off the ground, swayed a little bit, and made very contented noises. We were able to do this for quite a while before she finally tired of it and toddler off in the general direction of the nearby pond. When the Zoo is once again at a point where they are offering the Wild Encounters, I highly recommend this one. They are all terrific, but there is something a little extra-special for me in interacting directly with the amazing creatures at the Zoo.

  Sarah and Rasputin: Then and Now

Sarah, for her part, remembers the tortoises very well from their first years in Toronto. At left is a photo of her visiting them at the age of 12 (Rasputin is in the foreground behind the glass), coupled with a shot of her patting Rasputin last summer on the Wild Encounter, which I would guess is not something she imagined happening in the first picture! He, Queenie, and Malila would all be similar sizes and weights today as they were back then, with Rasputin weighing in at over 186 kg, Queenie at 75.8 kg, and Malila at 69.3 kg. Actually, I imagine they are a bit bigger now than in that first shot, as they would only have been in their early 20s then and they don’t reach sexual maturity until about 30 years old.

Well, long-time followers will realize we’ve reached the part in my blog post where I ordinarily will post a collage of other photos and say goodbye, but I’m going to add a couple of extra treats this time. I have uncovered a few more videos of these guys – some are mine, some are from the Zoo, and one is from another source – and I will embed them all here now for you to view, or not, as you see fit. The very last one will show how the Keepers (in this case, Jenn) target train the tortoises; after that I will tell you something cool about the transport of them last summer.

    Jenn, Malila, Rasputin

Last summer, when I saw the Aldabras outside for their first time that year, I also happened to encounter their Keeper, Jenn. She was practically beaming with pride as she filled me in on how the transfer went between the indoor and outdoor exhibits for the three of them. Apparently, they had some success with Queenie and Rasputin… to be honest, I don’t remember the specific details much more than that because it was the next part that was the real story: Jenn was able to lead Malila with the target ball all the way from the indoor exhibit, outside along the walking path, and into the outdoor exhibit! Those of you who are familiar with the layout of the African Rainforest Pavilion will realize what a distance that is; for the rest of you, all I can say is that is an incredible feat for only the second year they worked together. I was very much looking forward to trying to watch that parade this summer, but I don’t know if they’ll already be moved by the time we are allowed to walk around the Zoo again as visitors. On the grand scale of disappointments during the pandemic – even just from a Zoo perspective – it doesn’t rank particularly high, but it does add to the load. If I do get to see it, you better believe there’ll be video which I will prominently display on YouTube and my Grumpy Penguin page on Facebook.

  Nictitating membrane in full view!

Speaking of my Grumpy Penguin Facebook page: I realize that there might be quite a few people reading this post who have never visited my website before, and are here because they found my FB page when I posted photos of a Scenic Safari trip at the Zoo on a Toronto Zoo “fan page” on Facebook. If this includes you, thank you for coming! I have been making these posts once or twice a month for the past few years (always on or very close to the first of the month) as kind of a “value added” feature for a calendar I have sold. I invite you to go back through my older posts on here and, if you like any of the subjects, please take a look at them. Some of them have a little more in-depth information; as I mentioned earlier, it’s been a bit tougher to create the material I really want with much of my access to the Zoo cut off for the time being. And, frankly, some of the animals I’ve featured I just happen to have had more experience with over the years and will have more stories to tell. In any event, no matter whether you are a first-timer or an early adopter, thanks for reading along with me today! Please “tune in again” next month for an extremely cute little guy who really only began to make his appearance around the same time last summer. See you there, and please: stay safe and healthy.

    Oh, all right, Sarah! Here you go. Geez…. 😉

2020 “HANGING OUT WITH ANIMALS” Calendar – June Story I haven't featured too many reptiles on my calendar over the years, but ever since these guys returned to the Toronto Zoo in 2018, they have captured my heart.

[fanbriction]

Day 4

Morning diary! Wow, I’m pretty tuckered out today! It’s a bit later than when I normally start writing, but I’ve had such a busy morning you wouldn’t believe! Mr Trainer Man seems obsessed with #FATBAT and I don’t want Mr Trainer Man to undergo the same level of pain as… Well, I don’t want Mr Trainer Man to undergo any pain! Anyway, we’re off to find Mr Trainer Man to tell him the weird red haired guy with the angry face went into the burned down building!

Actually, this may have all been a huge mistake… Mr Trainer Man has gone straight to the burned down building! Mr Trainer Man, wait, it may not be safe! Oh no, he’s starting a fight…

#FATBAT is faster than the rest of us, so she takes on the Murkrow that Chat sends out. I waddle up behind and pull on Mr Trainer Man’s shirt, pointing at Chat. They have 5 pokes. So do we. We all match up. #FATBAT is already fighting the Murkrow, so we leave her to it. Sandy faces up to the Elekid, being immune to electric type moves. McQueen flies over to the Haunter as he isn’t scared of ghosts. Aang runs over to the Croconaw with his fists crackling with electricity. Leaving me with the Kadabra. Wait, why am I in against a Kadabra? Oh whatever, guess I’ll just go with it. Wendy rock gives me strength as I summon rocks from the floor below, but then Kadabra disables that move, using his psychic powers to stop me from summoning more rocks! How rude is that?! I spit in his face which causes him to run crying back to Chat. I turn around and see everyone else has managed to take down their opponents, all unscathed. Chat runs out, trying to hide the weeping Kadabra, embarrassed. Mr Trainer Man thinks about going downstairs to wake up the sleeping beasts, but a Ledian flies up to us and tells us that they are supposed to stay sleeping. #FATBAT swats him away in her excitement, and he hits the wall with a resounding crunch.

                                                                       ~

Whew, I’ve not ran like that in ages! Did anybody see if that noise woke up the beasts? No one? Oh well. Maybe that crunch was just louder in my ear…

We ran about a bit to lose any potential pursuers before we end up in the gym. I had wanted to pass by the dance studio, but Mr Trainer Man gets tunnel vision sometimes! Oh well.

McQueen is still bubbling after his fight with Chat’s Haunter, and wants to carry on ghostbusting. I’m more than happy to trust him; McQueen has been a good friend ever since Losegull went off for his competition… I hope he hasn’t forgotten about me… Oh, sorry, got lost in thoughts for a moment there. As I was saying, McQueen has been a good friend, and a strong companion, and I’m still very tired from all that running.

McQueen made short work of those trainers, and now we have the gym leader, a guy called Morty. His grey hair makes him look super old, is he part ghost? Mr Trainer Man seems a little tense; is this going to be another tough fight?

McQueen heads out against the Duskull. He pulls back a bit to get some extra power behind the wing attack, and Morty swaps his Duskull for a Misdreavus to take the hit! Morty tried to heal the Misdreavus up, but with a well placed wing attack the Misdreavus goes down.

Aand and I start up a chant, which Sandy stomps along to. #FATBAT flaps about a bit trying to get the timing down, all of us feeling on an adrenaline rush still from the running earlier. Morty sends out a Gengar. McQueen pulls back his wing, slaps the Gengar around the face-

A crackle of lightning.

A thunderbolt from the sky.

McQueen drops to the floor, the faint smell of cooked bird in the air. #FATBAT screeches forward and clamps her mouth over the Gengar’s arm, forcing it to retreat.

#FATBAT’s rage continues, gnawing away at Morty’s Shuppet and Haunter. I hold the Wendy rock tightly, and feel it get warm in my hand, almost as if McQueens spirit is moving to inhabit it. I look up to see Aang move in for the kill as he notices the Haunter has put #FATBAT to sleep. As the Haunter goes down I feel the Wendy rock cool. Aang is struggling against Morty’s Sableye, so I move forward. The Sableye is damaged, so a water pulse is all it takes. Morty sends in his final Pokemon, a Duskull, who is clearly no match for me. His Shadow Ball bounces off me and I unleash a barrage of water pulses to take him down.

Badge get for Mr Trainer Man.

                                                                       ~

It does hurt. I won’t pretend it doesn’t. But that warmth… It can’t be a coincidence… Was it just the fact that we were in a place full of ghosts, or does this rock have the ability to harbour spirits? I never doubted that Wendy is in here… but could McQueen be as well?

Another grey haired man awaits us as we pass through the building to go to the next town. Oh, the next one’s a city? Cool! I don’t have the energy to be angry at the resemblance to the gym leader. He hands Mr Trainer Man… an iron plate? Really? What good is that supposed to do us? Ugh whatever.

Yo, Mr Dinosaur, why do you have a flower on your back? No, no I don’t think it looks silly, I think it looks pretty cool. You do you. You want to wear flowers, that’s cool. I just don’t understand why you’re called Tomato? What do you mean ‘why are you called Brick’ that’s just rude! No, no, okay, point taken. Actually, a good friend of mine had a flower on his head. Yeah, his name was Brian. You should know, Tomato, Pokemon travelling with Mr Trainer Man… Well, I’ve seen a lot of my friends get hurt. Beyond repair, you know? But, you seem like a hardy guy, and… Well, Brian was always a good influence. Fancy tagging along? You do? That’s fantastic! Come on, let’s get you trained up…

                                                                       ~

Be a mon, you must be swift as a coursing Floatzel… with all the force of a great Thundurus… with all the strength of a raging Feraligatr… mysterious as the origin of Mew! Yeah, I bring all the cool tunes to training! Ah, Tomato’s fitting in really well! We had a quick match of tug-of-war; me and Tomato vs Aang and Sandy. #FATBAT was our independent judge, and although neither behemoth managed to pull the other one along, we did get Sandy to buckle a bit at the knees, so we were considered the victors, yay!

Oh… hi sir… safari zone? Sounds barbaric; you mean you’ve literally just captured a load of Pokemon and put them in an enclosure? What a freak…

#FATBAT comes flying over as I’m berating Old Man Baboa to say there’s a guy taking photos over by the moomoo farm! We all look at Mr Trainer Man with the wide eyed wonder of a child and he lets us have our group picture taken. Woo! See, sometimes things work out well!

Olivine city is nearby. I can smell the sea air and immediately feel at home. I run on ahead and crash into Chat as he comes out of the gym. Apparently there’s a sick Pokemon at the top of the lighthouse? And they give off light? Like Wendy? Mr Trainer Man, we have to go and see if we can help!

FLAG SET

Wait, what was that? Oh… a little rock dinosaur, where did you come from? What’s going on? You’re called Plankton and you’re on the team? Some strange things are happening here… Why did that lady say FLAG SET? And where did she go? What’s going on? Maybe I’m just overtired…

                                                                       ~ I’ve had a quick nap, and that helped a little. I couldn’t fall asleep, partially from wondering what flag had been set, or where or why, and I couldn’t get the thought of the sick Pokemon out of my head. Mr Trainer Man seems really excited to see a yellow haired guy, so I tell him to catch us up. We rush up the lighthouse as fast as Sandy and Tomato will go, with #FATBAT rushing ahead and beating up as many trainers as she can to allow us to make as much progress as possible.

Wait… we have to jump down? But the sick Pokemon is at the top of the lighthouse? Maybe we just missed the stairs? And… and… how do we know that jumping down won’t just get us stranded and stuck? Or break our legs? Oh, Mr Trainer Man, you caught up with us… We’re a little confused… wait, what are you doing?! Oh why does everyone want to jump down? Oh dear, oh dear… No. I have to be strong. For Wendy, for McQueen, and for the Pokemon at the top of the lighthouse that can still be saved. Aaaaaaaaaaah!

Wait… I’m okay? I’m okay! We made it, we all made it! Quick, up the last few floors… Oh… um… you really aren’t you Amphy… A secretpotion? Across the ocean? I mean… I can swim, but how will everyone else get there? Mr Trainer Man, do you have Surf? Where can we get Surf?

We climb into the lift and think about where we could learn Surf; I can’t carry people if we don’t have the HM. At the bottom floor of the lighthouse, we overhear on the radio that there is a member of Team Rocket in the dance theatre in Ecruteak! I had forgotten I had even wanted to go there earlier today! We all run over there; I may not have a fondness for the kimono ladies, but no-one should suffer at the hands of the rocket men! #FATBAT and Sandy team up on the member of Team Rocket, while Aang comforts the Kimono lady. Tomato had to wait outside as he couldn’t fit in the building with Sandy (he offered to stay behind as Sandy would be stronger against Team Rocket’s poison types). I make sure all the onlookers are okay and unaffected, and a kind elderly gentlemen thanks us all profusely, giving us the Surf HM! What perfect timing! I retreat back into my pokeball, exhausted, as Mr Trainer Man treks back once more to Olivine City. We have agreed to wait a night so we can be well rested for our sea adventures; although we are all very worried about Amphy it would do no good if we didn’t make it back due to being too tired!

The sea air wafts into my pokeball as I drift off to sleep. Goodnight diary. See you tomorrow. Today has been a very long day.

[brickfiction-blog]

Day 4

Morning diary! Wow, I’m pretty tuckered out today! It’s a bit later than when I normally start writing, but I’ve had such a busy morning you wouldn’t believe! Mr Trainer Man seems obsessed with #FATBAT and I don’t want Mr Trainer Man to undergo the same level of pain as… Well, I don’t want Mr Trainer Man to undergo any pain! Anyway, we’re off to find Mr Trainer Man to tell him the weird red haired guy with the angry face went into the burned down building!

Actually, this may have all been a huge mistake… Mr Trainer Man has gone straight to the burned down building! Mr Trainer Man, wait, it may not be safe! Oh no, he’s starting a fight…

#FATBAT is faster than the rest of us, so she takes on the Murkrow that Chat sends out. I waddle up behind and pull on Mr Trainer Man’s shirt, pointing at Chat. They have 5 pokes. So do we. We all match up. #FATBAT is already fighting the Murkrow, so we leave her to it. Sandy faces up to the Elekid, being immune to electric type moves. McQueen flies over to the Haunter as he isn’t scared of ghosts. Aang runs over to the Croconaw with his fists crackling with electricity. Leaving me with the Kadabra. Wait, why am I in against a Kadabra? Oh whatever, guess I’ll just go with it. Wendy rock gives me strength as I summon rocks from the floor below, but then Kadabra disables that move, using his psychic powers to stop me from summoning more rocks! How rude is that?! I spit in his face which causes him to run crying back to Chat. I turn around and see everyone else has managed to take down their opponents, all unscathed. Chat runs out, trying to hide the weeping Kadabra, embarrassed. Mr Trainer Man thinks about going downstairs to wake up the sleeping beasts, but a Ledian flies up to us and tells us that they are supposed to stay sleeping. #FATBAT swats him away in her excitement, and he hits the wall with a resounding crunch.

                                                                       ~

Whew, I’ve not ran like that in ages! Did anybody see if that noise woke up the beasts? No one? Oh well. Maybe that crunch was just louder in my ear…

We ran about a bit to lose any potential pursuers before we end up in the gym. I had wanted to pass by the dance studio, but Mr Trainer Man gets tunnel vision sometimes! Oh well.

McQueen is still bubbling after his fight with Chat’s Haunter, and wants to carry on ghostbusting. I’m more than happy to trust him; McQueen has been a good friend ever since Losegull went off for his competition… I hope he hasn’t forgotten about me… Oh, sorry, got lost in thoughts for a moment there. As I was saying, McQueen has been a good friend, and a strong companion, and I’m still very tired from all that running.

McQueen made short work of those trainers, and now we have the gym leader, a guy called Morty. His grey hair makes him look super old, is he part ghost? Mr Trainer Man seems a little tense; is this going to be another tough fight?

McQueen heads out against the Duskull. He pulls back a bit to get some extra power behind the wing attack, and Morty swaps his Duskull for a Misdreavus to take the hit! Morty tried to heal the Misdreavus up, but with a well placed wing attack the Misdreavus goes down.

Aand and I start up a chant, which Sandy stomps along to. #FATBAT flaps about a bit trying to get the timing down, all of us feeling on an adrenaline rush still from the running earlier. Morty sends out a Gengar. McQueen pulls back his wing, slaps the Gengar around the face-

A crackle of lightning.

A thunderbolt from the sky.

McQueen drops to the floor, the faint smell of cooked bird in the air. #FATBAT screeches forward and clamps her mouth over the Gengar’s arm, forcing it to retreat.

#FATBAT’s rage continues, gnawing away at Morty’s Shuppet and Haunter. I hold the Wendy rock tightly, and feel it get warm in my hand, almost as if McQueens spirit is moving to inhabit it. I look up to see Aang move in for the kill as he notices the Haunter has put #FATBAT to sleep. As the Haunter goes down I feel the Wendy rock cool. Aang is struggling against Morty’s Sableye, so I move forward. The Sableye is damaged, so a water pulse is all it takes. Morty sends in his final Pokemon, a Duskull, who is clearly no match for me. His Shadow Ball bounces off me and I unleash a barrage of water pulses to take him down.

Badge get for Mr Trainer Man.

                                                                       ~

It does hurt. I won’t pretend it doesn’t. But that warmth… It can’t be a coincidence… Was it just the fact that we were in a place full of ghosts, or does this rock have the ability to harbour spirits? I never doubted that Wendy is in here… but could McQueen be as well?

Another grey haired man awaits us as we pass through the building to go to the next town. Oh, the next one’s a city? Cool! I don’t have the energy to be angry at the resemblance to the gym leader. He hands Mr Trainer Man… an iron plate? Really? What good is that supposed to do us? Ugh whatever.

Yo, Mr Dinosaur, why do you have a flower on your back? No, no I don’t think it looks silly, I think it looks pretty cool. You do you. You want to wear flowers, that’s cool. I just don’t understand why you’re called Tomato? What do you mean ‘why are you called Brick’ that’s just rude! No, no, okay, point taken. Actually, a good friend of mine had a flower on his head. Yeah, his name was Brian. You should know, Tomato, Pokemon travelling with Mr Trainer Man… Well, I’ve seen a lot of my friends get hurt. Beyond repair, you know? But, you seem like a hardy guy, and… Well, Brian was always a good influence. Fancy tagging along? You do? That’s fantastic! Come on, let’s get you trained up…

                                                                       ~

Be a mon, you must be swift as a coursing Floatzel… with all the force of a great Thundurus… with all the strength of a raging Feraligatr… mysterious as the origin of Mew! Yeah, I bring all the cool tunes to training! Ah, Tomato’s fitting in really well! We had a quick match of tug-of-war; me and Tomato vs Aang and Sandy. #FATBAT was our independent judge, and although neither behemoth managed to pull the other one along, we did get Sandy to buckle a bit at the knees, so we were considered the victors, yay!

Oh… hi sir… safari zone? Sounds barbaric; you mean you’ve literally just captured a load of Pokemon and put them in an enclosure? What a freak…

#FATBAT comes flying over as I’m berating Old Man Baboa to say there’s a guy taking photos over by the moomoo farm! We all look at Mr Trainer Man with the wide eyed wonder of a child and he lets us have our group picture taken. Woo! See, sometimes things work out well!

Olivine city is nearby. I can smell the sea air and immediately feel at home. I run on ahead and crash into Chat as he comes out of the gym. Apparently there’s a sick Pokemon at the top of the lighthouse? And they give off light? Like Wendy? Mr Trainer Man, we have to go and see if we can help!

FLAG SET

Wait, what was that? Oh… a little rock dinosaur, where did you come from? What’s going on? You’re called Plankton and you’re on the team? Some strange things are happening here… Why did that lady say FLAG SET? And where did she go? What’s going on? Maybe I’m just overtired…

                                                                       ~ I’ve had a quick nap, and that helped a little. I couldn’t fall asleep, partially from wondering what flag had been set, or where or why, and I couldn’t get the thought of the sick Pokemon out of my head. Mr Trainer Man seems really excited to see a yellow haired guy, so I tell him to catch us up. We rush up the lighthouse as fast as Sandy and Tomato will go, with #FATBAT rushing ahead and beating up as many trainers as she can to allow us to make as much progress as possible.

Wait… we have to jump down? But the sick Pokemon is at the top of the lighthouse? Maybe we just missed the stairs? And… and… how do we know that jumping down won’t just get us stranded and stuck? Or break our legs? Oh, Mr Trainer Man, you caught up with us… We’re a little confused… wait, what are you doing?! Oh why does everyone want to jump down? Oh dear, oh dear… No. I have to be strong. For Wendy, for McQueen, and for the Pokemon at the top of the lighthouse that can still be saved. Aaaaaaaaaaah!

Wait… I’m okay? I’m okay! We made it, we all made it! Quick, up the last few floors… Oh… um… you really aren’t you Amphy… A secretpotion? Across the ocean? I mean… I can swim, but how will everyone else get there? Mr Trainer Man, do you have Surf? Where can we get Surf?

We climb into the lift and think about where we could learn Surf; I can’t carry people if we don’t have the HM. At the bottom floor of the lighthouse, we overhear on the radio that there is a member of Team Rocket in the dance theatre in Ecruteak! I had forgotten I had even wanted to go there earlier today! We all run over there; I may not have a fondness for the kimono ladies, but no-one should suffer at the hands of the rocket men! #FATBAT and Sandy team up on the member of Team Rocket, while Aang comforts the Kimono lady. Tomato had to wait outside as he couldn’t fit in the building with Sandy (he offered to stay behind as Sandy would be stronger against Team Rocket’s poison types). I make sure all the onlookers are okay and unaffected, and a kind elderly gentlemen thanks us all profusely, giving us the Surf HM! What perfect timing! I retreat back into my pokeball, exhausted, as Mr Trainer Man treks back once more to Olivine City. We have agreed to wait a night so we can be well rested for our sea adventures; although we are all very worried about Amphy it would do no good if we didn’t make it back due to being too tired!

The sea air wafts into my pokeball as I drift off to sleep. Goodnight diary. See you tomorrow. Today has been a very long day.

[charllieeldridge]

21 Things To Do in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo are two cities that make up the area of Los Cabos. Although they might share a coastline, they are very different places. For such a small city, there are numerous fun things to do in Cabo San Lucas to keep you busy.

Found at the tip of Baja California, Cabo San Lucas is where the desert meets the ocean. It’s a place that no matter where you are, you’re only a block away from the water.

This is where you can experience numerous outdoor activities, shop ’til you drop, and drink, dance and party all night long!

I visited Cabo San Lucas as one of the first stops on my honeymoon. It was somewhere I added into our plans at the last minute, but this sleepy little town sure blew my mind. We didn’t want to leave, this is one of the best places to visit in Mexico.

If you’re heading to Cabo for the first time, here are the top 21 things to do in Cabo San Lucas that you won’t want to miss during your holiday. (Don’t forget to check out the traveller’s resources at the end of this post!)

Note: This article has been updated to reflect the best attractions and things to do in Cabo San Lucas in 2020, including updated costs, excursions and activities. Enjoy your trip to Cabo!

1. Take a Whale Watching Cruise (one of the most exciting things to do in Cabo San Lucas!)

The Sea of Cortez is one of the best places in this part of the world to get up close and personal with a mighty humpback whale, and you can jump on a whale watching tour straight out of Cabo San Lucas.

The best time to go to Mexico for whale watching is as early as November, but generally runs from December to April each year.

The waters the surround Cabo are known to be a hotspot for breeding and are also a migratory stop for humpback whales, so your chances of spotting one of these majestic animals are very high.

We were lucky enough to spot a pod of 4 whales playing with each other and jumping in and out of the water several times. Seeing these whales in the wild is one of the most incredible things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

Book yourself a spot on one of Cabo Adventure’s Whale Watching Cabo Safaris. Starting from $89 USD for an adult (see below), these guys know how to find the whales from the sounds and vibrations of the ocean.

Not for the faint of heart, the boats are tiny to ensure minimal disruption to the whales, so you will get wet! The day also includes round trip transportation from your hotel, light snacks and bottled water throughout the day. This is a Cabo San Lucas excursion you won’t want to miss.

2. Take a Swim On Lover’s Beach (Playa del Amor)

Lover’s Beach and Divorce Beach are connected on their own little island along Land’s End.

Lover’s Beach looks into the bay, and is a beautifully calm piece of water — perfect for swimming and trying out water sports.

On the other side of the island, Divorce Beach has hectic turbulent waves and you are advised against swimming on this side due to the unsafe conditions.

Two beaches that couldn’t be more aptly named.

Lover’s Beach is the perfect place to take a dip and enjoy the warm water of the Sea of Cortez. It’s a good idea to get there early, as the beach can get incredibly busy and crowded during the middle of the day.

Many fishermen and boat operators will offer you a return ride across to Lover’s Beach for a small fee (around $10 return). Make sure to negotiate a time for them to come and pick you up.

If you’re looking for another place to cool off, check out Santa Maria Beach, which is an easy Cabo San Lucas excursion. Just 20 minutes up the east coast by bus or rental car and you’ll arrive at the beach. 

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in Puerto Vallarta – A List of The Top 20 and for more beaches in Mexico, don’t miss our list of the Top 10 Puerto Vallarta Beaches

3. Grab a Cocktail & Watch The Sunset

There’s nothing better than enjoying a sunset with a cocktail in hand and your bare feet in the sand. I especially love beachfront bars, where the floor is made of sand and there’s no dress code.

There are many different bars and restaurants in Cabo San Lucas that line the beach and offer you a beautiful view of the sunset. To get away from the crowds, choose one of the smaller restaurants for friendly staff and super fast service.

Mangos On The Beach is one of the most popular places to eat on the beach, well-known for its craziness and party atmosphere. We decided instead to skip the party and grab a blue cocktail at Omega Sports Bar next door where everyone sits outside.

This place has a sandy floor and cheerful staff who were kind enough to offer us colourful blankets to keep warm when the sunset and the air got a little cooler.

Our dinner for two, including cocktails, cost us just 500 pesos at Omega (less than $25USD). Watching sunset with a cocktail is definitely one of the best things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

4. Jet Skiing, Parasailing & Kayaking at Medano Beach

Medano Beach is the main beach in Cabo San Lucas. It’s within easy walking distance of the centre of town or the marina, and it also offers just about every water sport you could imagine.

Always wanted to try jet skiing? Want to fly high above the land on a parasail? Feel like taking a leisurely kayak to the archway? These adventurous things to do in Cabo can all be done at Medano Beach.

The beach is also home to many beachfront bars and restaurants, where you can kick back and relax with a drink after a long day of adrenaline-pumping activities.

Prices for watersports differ along the beach, so it’s always a good idea to see if you’re able to haggle the prices down a little bit! Kayak and paddleboard rental start from between $25-$30USD for the hour, while jet ski hire and parasailing start from around $70USD.

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in Playa del Carmen – A List of The Top 21

5. Eat Your Weight in Tacos & Guacamole

Eating tacos is definitely on this list of best things to do in Cabo San Lucas…but it’s also one of the top things to do in Mexico as a whole!

You won’t find tacos or guacamole more fresh or delicious than those in Mexico, and I’ll be honest — Cabo San Lucas is where my love of Mexican food really took off. There are numerous taco fillings, but since Cabo is on the sea, it’s best to choose the fresh seafood tacos. They are tasty!

Just about every place in Cabo San Lucas serves tacos and guacamole, so you’re never far away from your next snack. Pair your tacos with tequila, and you’ll feel like a local.

We found the best guacamole at Omega Sports Bar on the beach, I definitely think that is where my guacamole addiction began. If you’re around the main town, head straight for Las Guacamayas for some delicious tacos (pictured below). Tacos in Cabo are often around the $1.50-$2USD price mark, so cheap and so delicious.

☞ SEE ALSO: If you’re planning a trip to the other side of Mexico, you won’t want to miss our complete guide to Playa del Carmen, our information on how to get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, and our complete guide on where to eat and where to stay in Playa del Carmen.

6. Dance The Night Away at El Squid Roe

Get out of your comfort zone and grab dinner and a drink at El Squid Roe. It’s a crazy combination of a restaurant, bar and live entertainment venue.

With cocktails in glasses that reach a metre off the table, throwback music and a sparkly disco ball, this eclectic bar keeps everyone smiling and dancing all night long (even if you’re just dancing in your seat).

El Squid Roe can be found on Lázaro Cárdenas in the centre of Cabo San Lucas. They’re open every night, serving dinner from about 6pm, with regular live entertainment and themed nights.

Meal prices are probably a little bit more than you would expect in Mexico – around $9 – $20USD for a main meal, depending on your order, and around $4USD for a cocktail – but the portions are very large and the atmosphere can’t be beat.

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in San Pancho – A List of The Top 15

7. Take a Cruise Around Land’s End

Visiting Land’s End is one of the most popular things to do in Cabo San Lucas. Land’s End (El Arco de Cabo San Lucas) is a famous landmark in Cabo.

These natural formations are located at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean becomes the Gulf of California. This is one of the top attractions in Cabo San Lucas, and for good reason.

Take a leisurely cruise around Lands End to check out some of the incredible rock forms, including El Arco and Scooby Do Rock.

You will find many companies in the marina selling their tours. They are all around the same price, but some of them will be open to some negotiations.

One thing to be aware of though – while you might be chatting and negotiating with someone on the docks who speaks English, they will put you onto a cruise with a helper that does not.

If you’re looking for more of a guided tour and want someone who speaks English make sure you’re clear about this in your negotiations.

We paid around $25USD for our tour which cruised us around the bay for about an hour and a half. Each boat operator offers something a little bit different though, so it’s a good idea to compare prices and tour options. For a longer day tour around Los Cabos, click here, or see below.

8. Watch Fishermen In The Marina

One of the most interesting ways to spend the evening is by watching the fishermen come back to the marina after a long day of fishing in the ocean.

It actually kind of made me feel like I was a local, and if you’re looking for relaxing things to do in Cabo San Lucas, watching the fishermen is a good start.

At the end of each day, just before the sun sets, the fishermen return to the marina from their day on the water. They then clean and gut their fish on one of the metal benches around the docks. It’s not the easiest task due to the thieving pelicans from above, and the sneaky seals next to them!

9. Take a Day Trip to San Jose del Cabo (a quintessential Cabo San Lucas excursion)

The quiet sister to Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo offers a more laid back, authentic vibe to its wild neighbour. This cute little town is about half an hour from Cabo San Lucas, halfway back towards the airport.

As well as its own stunning white sand beaches, San Jose del Cabo offers more of a quiet shopping strip, a beautiful church, delicious restaurant and dining options, and an excellent historic centre. Take a day trip to experience a little more of the Baja Peninsula and the local way of life.

To embark on this day trip you have a couple of options:

Rent a car from the town centre (or online with Expedia) for a day (approx. $25USD for a one day car rental) and then drive down the Transpeninsular Highway (Hwy 1) which connects Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Consider renting a car as one of the things to do in Cabo San Lucas, the freedom to explore at your own pace is incredible.

Catch the Subur Cabos bus service that runs between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo along the Tourist Corridor. The bus runs every 20 minutes all day, starting at 5:20am in Cabo San Lucas until about 9:30pm, and costs around $2.50 – $3 a ticket.

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in La Paz, Mexico – A List of The Top 21

10. Take a Sunset Sailing Cruise

For an even more incredible sunset experience, take a luxury 50-foot sailboat from the marina. These cruises take you out to the sea, where you can enjoy sparkling wine, specialty cocktails, ice-cold beer and canapés while you watch the sun sink into the horizon.

These cruises last for around two and a half hours, and also offer you a beautiful sunset view of Land’s End – The Los Cabos Arch and Lover’s Beach.

Tours start from around $89 USD depending on the company and can be booked either in advance or down by the marina in Cabo San Lucas. This is one of the most luxurious things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

Click here to learn about the highly-rated sunset sail in Cabo San Lucas, complete with dinner and an open bar!

11. Swim With Whale Sharks (one of the most memorable things to do in Cabo San Lucas)

There are few things as incredible as swimming with whale sharks! Although these sharks are humongous (18-33 feet or 5.5-10m), these gentle giants are herbivores and will calmly swim around you, before continuing on their journey.

In Cabo San Lucas, whale shark season is between September and April as they make their way through the Sea of Cortez.

Swimming with whale sharks is an experience you’ll never forget. It does come at a price though — day trips to La Paz to snorkel with whale sharks start from about $190USD but it’s worth every penny if you ask me. Click here to learn more about ethical whale shark experiences, and click here to book a whale shark tour.

12. Head Out On a Fishing Charter

Cabo San Lucas is one of the most famous places for fishing charters, and if you’re into fishing, this is one of the things to do in Cabo that you won’t want to miss. You can catch many big game fish – marlin, sailfish, tuna, swordfish – just a short way out of the marina.

You’ll need to beat the sun and be up as early as the local fishermen, but they know all the best spots and have no trouble locating the deep-sea fish you’re looking for.

In the marina, each of the boats displays different flags with colours and fish pictures, and from these images, you can figure out what fish each particular boat fishes for.

If you’re hoping to catch a specific species make sure you chat to the fisherman about which types of fish he searches for each day.

To book yourself on a fishing boat in Cabo San Lucas, click here to learn about Book Now Adventures — a highly rated company in Cabo. Deep-sea fishing is one of the top things to do in the area and you’ll want to make sure there’s space for you.

13. Take an Outback Camel Safari (& Get a Free Tequila Tasting)

For a completely different experience, away from the ocean and sea adventures, explore the Baja Desert from the back of a camel!

It’s a side of Cabo San Lucas that not many people think to experience, but an epic voyage nonetheless. Expert guides on your safari will show you the best of the unique Baja Californian culture and the beautiful natural wonders of the Baja desert.

To make it even more of an experience to remember, when you book with Cabo Adventures your day also includes a tequila tasting lesson and a tortilla making lesson — what more could you ask for?! Tours start from $109USD per person and include tequila and beer. Click here to book this Cabo Adventures tour.

14. Take a Shopping Trip to Luxury Avenue

Although Cabo is a sleepy desert town, there’s an epic luxury shopping centre, presumably for their regular celebrity visitors.

The main mall is Puerto Paraiso Mall, where you can find souvenirs, trinkets, gifts, beach fashion, and accessories. This mall leads right into Luxury Avenue, where you can find high-end designer brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and YSL.

We’re not big shoppers when we’re travelling, but Cabo San Lucas definitely had the best shopping of anywhere we visited in Mexico and is one of the best things to do in Cabo if you’re into that sort of thing. If you find yourself in the Yucatan, shopping is one of the top things to do in Cancun as well.

15. Go Scuba Diving or Snorkelling at Cabo Pulmo

If you prefer to live life a little more under the sea than on land, head to Cabo Pulmo for the ultimate scuba diving or snorkelling experience.

Nicknamed the Aquarium of the World, Cabo Pulmo is home to over 300 different species of fish, and is an incredible place to try your hand at playing mermaid for a day and exploring the beautiful sea life.

Getting under the water is one of the best things to do in Cabo San Lucas for sure.

For a personalized, 3-hour snorkelling trip (4 people maximum), check out this snorkelling trip with a local scuba and snorkel guide.

At just $34 per person including equipment, guide, transportation, and a drink, it’s a great deal. Click here to learn more about this experience.

☞ SEE ALSO: Manzanillo Colima – The Ultimate Travel Guide

16. See The Ocean While Helmet Diving

This new trend is sweeping the world, and if you haven’t tried it yet you definitely need to add it to your to-do list.

For those of you who aren’t scuba certified, you can still experience the underwater world by walking on the ocean floor. It’s called sea trekking or helmet diving and is a great experience for non-divers. Click here to learn more.

17. Watch the Seals Jump Around The Marina

There are seals all over Marina Cabo San Lucas. They spend the whole day swimming amongst the parked boats and playing with the birds that are sitting on the water.

The best time to see them at their liveliest is at the end of the day when the sun is setting and the fishing boats are returning to the marina. They follow close behind the boats, hoping to grab some easy dinner.

18. Experience The Night Life

Apart from El Squid Roe, we didn’t have heaps of time to explore the nightlife of Cabo and to be honest, we were on our honeymoon so we weren’t that interested in partying.

However, no matter who you chat with they all say the same thing — you can find the best nightlife at Cabo Wabo Cantina, El Squid Roe, Nowhere Bar and the Giggling Marlin.

If you find yourself travelling Puerto Vallarta, don’t miss the awesome nightlife there. Check out our post on Puerto Vallarta nightlife and get ready to party!

☞ SEE ALSO: Backpacking Mexico – 8 Reasons To Travel Here Now

19. Learn to Stand Up Paddle Board

Find your strength and learn how to stand up paddleboard on a one-hour paddleboard rental. It’s the ideal activity for a beach holiday, and one you can easily learn with little training — although you do need some upper body strength to get going!

If you’re looking to get some exercise, this is one of the best things to do in Cabo.

If you’re new to SUP and would like to join a tour with a knowledgable guide to tell you about the area (and keep you safe!), check out this experience.

For just $50, the trip includes a guide, equipment, snorkelling, fruits and juice. Groups are small at a maximum of 6 people, and the duration is around 1.5 – 2 hours. Click here for details.

☞ SEE ALSO: Puerto Vallarta Tours – 10 Best Excursions, Activities and Adventures

20. Join a Tasty Food and Walking Tour

For foodies, you won’t want to miss one of the yummy food tours on offer in Cabo San Lucas!

Taco lovers rejoice! There’s a food tour dedicated strictly to this popular Mexican food. These Mexican chefs know tacos and the best spots to sample them in Cabo — from shrimp and marlin to pork and beef, there’s a type of taco for everyone!

The popular tour is $44 per person and is around 2.5 hours. It includes drinks, a knowledgable and enthusiastic guide and tasty tacos from some offtrack spots. Click here for details.

Another fantastic food tour option is run by the same chefs who operate the taco tour. But, with this foodie adventure, you’ll sample different Mexican cuisine.

With a focus on typical street food, you’ll sample various seafood dishes, tamales, esquites, and more (some dishes are a surprise!). The tour is $51 per person including food, drinks and knowledgeable guide. It’s around 2.5 hours long. Click here for details.

If you’re wondering what to do in Cabo San Lucas as a foodie, joining one of the above tours is a good start.

21. Join a Booze and Food Tour (Tequila!)

You’ve probably been drinking tequila during your trip to Cabo, but why not learn more about tequila, mezcal, damiana liquor, Sotol, Raicilla, and other typical Mexican alcohol?

Join a fun tour that includes pairings of food with booze. You’ll try 10 different types of alcohol, all of which will be paired with unique food (dark chocolate, meat, agave, candy, shrimp, etc.).

The 1.5-hour tour is just $26 per person including all drinks, food, and a local guide. Click here for details.

After that, stock up on some tequila to take back home with you — which you can find absolutely everywhere in Cabo San Lucas. Enjoy the drinks while you’re in Cabo, and take a bottle of tequila home with you.

Now You Know What to Do in Cabo San Lucas

I loved Cabo San Lucas because it was a world away from everywhere else I’ve visited in Mexico. Where else does the desert lead you right to an ocean with such an abundance of wildlife?

If you’re planning to travel Cabo, you won’t be disappointed. And the best part is — so many things to do in Cabo San Lucas are FREE! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Note: Some images in this article are courtesy of Shutterstock, a website for sourcing royalty-free images. Click here to learn more.

Cabo San Lucas: Resources & Recommendations

Travel Insurance

WE RECOMMEND WORLD NOMADS

There are a lot of adventure activities in this city! Make sure you're protected with a good travel insurance policy. We use and recommend WorldNomads for travel insurance. 

CLICK HERE FOR A QUOTE

Rent a Car

WE RECOMMEND EXPEDIA.COM

This is a great place to rent a car! We always book with Expedia because they allow you to cancel for free on most bookings and you're never charged until you actually pick up your ride.

find a deal on expedia

Book Tours Online

WE Recommend get-your-guide

There are some really cool tours available here. We always like to check on Get-Your-Guide because they have so many tours and you can choose the best ones based on the best reviews.

SEE available tours

Book a Cheap Room

Check out booking.com deals

For the best deals on short-term hotels, guest houses and hostels, we always use Booking.com. Watch out for last-minute deals!

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Eco-Travel Products

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Do your part for the environment while you're travelling! Check out cool eco-friendly travel products on Amazon like LifeStraw.

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$55 Off Airbnb

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Goats On The Road readers get a special $55 discount off their first booking with Airbnb. Click the button below to find out more.

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Top Hotels, Hostels & B&B’s in Cabo San Lucas

Budget

Ocean Tigers Dive House – rated “Superb” 9.3/10. If you’re looking for a hostel vibe in Cabo, this is a great bet. This accommodation offers dorm beds with 6 beds to a room. There’s a few cool chill-out areas with hammocks and couches, plus a shared communal kitchen. There’s a pool and a BBQ available for guest’s use and breakfast is included. Dorm beds go for around $22/night in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this hostel.

Seven Crown Express & Suites – rated “Very Good” 8.5/10. This property is in an excellent location – a 5 minute walk to the center of Cabo and 1 km from Playa del Amor beach. The rooms here are clean and stylish, plus there’s an outdoor pool and an indoor fitness center. Guests can enjoy free continental breakfast as well. Double rooms go for around $45 in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this hotel.

Midrange

San Angel Suites – rated “Superb” 9.2/10. The suites here offer incredible value! Each unit is equipped with its own kitchen, which can save you some money on food during your trip to Cabo. Rooms are beautifully designed and beds are comfortable – they’re euro top mattresses. There’s a common area with loungers and a rooftop hot tub. Double occupancy in a studio suite starts at $70 in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this suite.

Cabo Vista Hotel – rated “Superb” 9.3/10. These tastefully decorated suites are another great option in Cabo San Lucas. Suites offer guests a kitchen with fridge and electric hob, air-conditioning and more. Breakfast is included in the room rate. The suites are located in a quieter area, a 20 minute walk to the beach and 5 minute drive to downtown Cabo. The architecture of the building is lovely, and the vines climbing up the building are a nice touch. Suites start at around $70 in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this accommodation.

Top End

Villa La Estancia Beach Resort and Spa – rated “Superb” 9.2/10. If you’re after a little luxury during your trip to Cabo San Lucas, then you’ll want to stay here. The suites are exquisite and the grounds are well manicured. In just a 3 minute walk, you’re at a gorgeous beach, while a 10 minute drive will bring you to the center of Cabo. There are numerous styles of rooms here, with some villas having full kitchens. There’s an onsite restaurant, grocery store and a pool for guest’s use. They offer all-inclusive plans, as well as room only. All-inclusive plans start at $300, while just the room is around $200/night. Click here to learn more and book this accommodation.

Breathless Cabo San Lucas All-Inclusive (Adults Only) – rated “Superb” 9.1/10. The location of this place can’t be beat! Set in front of El Medano beach, this adults only resort has a stunning infinity pool and modern, luxury suites. Here you’re just steps from downtown Cabo, including the nightlife and numerous restaurants. One person all-inclusive is around $200/night, while 2 people costs $400. Click here to learn more and book this resort.

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[charllieeldridge]

21 Things To Do in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo are two cities that make up the area of Los Cabos. Although they might share a coastline, they are very different places. For such a small city, there are numerous fun things to do in Cabo San Lucas to keep you busy.

Found at the tip of Baja California, Cabo San Lucas is where the desert meets the ocean. It’s a place that no matter where you are, you’re only a block away from the water. This where you can experience numerous outdoor activities, shop ’til you drop, and drink, dance and party all night long!

I visited Cabo San Lucas in February, as one of the first stops on my honeymoon. It was somewhere I added into our plans at the last minute, but this sleepy little town sure blew my mind. We didn’t want to leave, this is one of the best places to visit in Mexico.

If you’re heading to Cabo for the first time, here are the top 21 things to do in Cabo San Lucas that you won’t want to miss during your holiday. (Don’t forget to check out the traveller’s resources at the end of this post!)

Note: This article has been updated to reflect the best things to do in Cabo San Lucas in 2020, including updated costs, excursions and activities. Enjoy your trip to Cabo!

1. Take a Whale Watching Cruise (one of the most exciting things to do in Cabo San Lucas!)

The Sea of Cortez is one of the best places in this part of the world to get up close and personal with a mighty humpback whale, and you can jump on a whale watching tour straight out of Cabo San Lucas. Whale watching season can start as early as November, but generally runs from December to April each year.

The waters the surround Cabo are known to be a hotspot for breeding and are also a migratory stop for humpback whales, so your chances of spotting one of these majestic animals is very high.

We were lucky enough to spot a pod of 4 whales playing with each other and jumping in and out of the water several times. Seeing these whales in the wild is one of the most incredible things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

Book yourself a spot on one of Cabo Adventure’s Whale Watching Cabo Safaris. Starting from $89 USD for an adult (see below), these guys know how to find the whales from the sounds and vibrations of the ocean. Not for the faint of heart, the boats are tiny to ensure minimal disruption to the whales, so you will get wet! The day also includes round trip transportation from your hotel, light snacks and bottled water throughout the day. This is a Cabo San Lucas excursion you won’t want to miss.

2. Take a Swim On Lover’s Beach (Playa del Amor)

Lover’s Beach and Divorce Beach are connected on their own little island along Land’s End.

Lover’s Beach looks into the bay, and is a beautifully calm piece of water — perfect for swimming and trying out water sports. On the other side of the island, Divorce Beach has hectic turbulent waves and you are advised against swimming on this side due to the unsafe conditions.

Two beaches that couldn’t be more aptly named.

Lover’s Beach is the perfect place to take a dip and enjoy the warm water of the Sea of Cortez. It’s a good idea to get there early, as the beach can get incredibly busy and crowded during the middle of the day. Many fishermen and boat operators will offer you a return ride across to Lover’s Beach for a small fee (around $10 return). Make sure to negotiate a time for them to come and pick you up.

If you’re looking for another place to cool off, check out Santa Maria Beach, which is an easy Cabo San Lucas excursion. Just 20 minutes up the east coast by bus or rental car and you’ll arrive at the beach. 

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in Puerto Vallarta – A List of The Top 20 and for more beaches in Mexico, don’t miss our list of the Top 10 Puerto Vallarta Beaches

3. Grab a Cocktail & Watch The Sunset

There’s nothing better than enjoying a sunset with a cocktail in hand and your bare feet in the sand. I especially love beachfront bars, where the floor is made of sand and there’s no dress code.

There are many different bars and restaurants in Cabo San Lucas that line the beach and offer you a beautiful view of the sunset. To get away from the crowds, choose one of the smaller restaurants for friendly staff and super fast service.

Mangos On The Beach is one of the most popular places to eat on the beach, well-known for its craziness and party atmosphere. We decided instead to skip the party and grab a blue cocktail at Omega Sports Bar next door where everyone sits outside. This place has a sandy floor and cheerful staff who were kind enough to offer us colourful blankets to keep warm when the sunset and the air got a little cooler.

Our dinner for two, including cocktails, cost us just 500 pesos at Omega (less than $25USD). Watching sunset with a cocktail is definitely one of the best things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

4. Jet Skiing, Parasailing & Kayaking at Medano Beach

Medano Beach is the main beach in Cabo San Lucas. It’s within easy walking distance of the centre of town or the marina, and it also offers just about every water sport you could imagine.

Always wanted to try jet skiing? Want to fly high above the land on a parasail? Feel like taking a leisurely kayak to the archway? These adventurous things to do in Cabo San Lucas can all be done at Medano Beach. The beach is also home to many beachfront bars and restaurants, where you can kick back and relax with a drink after a long day of adrenaline-pumping activities.

Prices for watersports differ along the beach, so it’s always a good idea to see if you’re able to haggle the prices down a little bit! Kayak and paddleboard rental start from between $25-$30USD for the hour, while jet ski hire and parasailing start from around $70USD.

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in Playa del Carmen – A List of The Top 21

5. Eat Your Weight in Tacos & Guacamole

Eating tacos is definitely on this list of best things to do in Cabo San Lucas…but it’s also one of the top things to do in Mexico as a whole! You won’t find tacos or guacamole more fresh or delicious than those in Mexico, and I’ll be honest — Cabo San Lucas is where my love of Mexican food really took off. There are numerous taco fillings, but since Cabo is on the sea, it’s best to choose the fresh seafood tacos. They are tasty!

Just about every place in Cabo San Lucas serves tacos and guacamole, so you’re never far away from your next snack. Pair your tacos with tequila, and you’ll feel like a local.

We found the best guacamole at Omega Sports Bar on the beach, I definitely think that is where my guacamole addiction began. If you’re around the main town, head straight for Las Guacamayas for some delicious tacos (pictured below). Tacos in Cabo are often around the $1.50-$2USD price mark, so cheap and so delicious.

☞ SEE ALSO: If you’re planning a trip to the other side of Mexico, you won’t want to miss our complete guide to Playa del Carmen, our information on how to get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, and our complete guide on where to eat and where to stay in Playa del Carmen.

6. Dance The Night Away at El Squid Roe

Get out of your comfort zone and grab dinner and a drink at El Squid Roe. It’s a crazy combination of a restaurant, bar and live entertainment venue. With cocktails in glasses that reach a metre off the table, throwback music and a sparkly disco ball, this eclectic bar keeps everyone smiling and dancing all night long (even if you’re just dancing in your seat).

El Squid Roe can be found on Lázaro Cárdenas in the centre of Cabo San Lucas. They’re open every night, serving dinner from about 6pm, with regular live entertainment and themed nights. Meal prices are probably a little bit more than you would expect in Mexico – around $9 – $20USD for a main meal, depending on your order, and around $4USD for a cocktail – but the portions are very large and the atmosphere can’t be beat.

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in San Pancho – A List of The Top 15

7. Take a Cruise Around Land’s End

Visiting Land’s End is one of the most popular things to do in Cabo San Lucas. Land’s End (El Arco de Cabo San Lucas) is a famous landmark in Cabo. These natural formations are located at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean becomes the Gulf of California. This is one of the top things to do in Cabo San Lucas, and for good reason.

Take a leisurely cruise around Lands End to check out some of the incredible rock forms, including El Arco and Scooby Do Rock.

You will find many companies in the marina selling their tours. They are all around the same price, but some of them will be open to some negotiations. One thing to be aware of though – while you might be chatting and negotiating with someone on the docks who speaks English, they will put you onto a cruise with a helper that does not.

If you’re looking for more of a guided tour and want someone who speaks English make sure you’re clear about this in your negotiations. We paid around $25USD for our tour which cruised us around the bay for about an hour and a half. Each boat operator offers something a little bit different though, so it’s a good idea to compare prices and tour options. For a longer day tour around Los Cabos, click here, or see below.

8. Watch Fisherman In The Marina

One of the most interesting ways to spend the evening is by watching the fisherman come back to the marina after a long day of fishing in the ocean. It actually kind of made me feel like I was a local, and if you’re looking for relaxing things to do in Cabo San Lucas, watching the fisherman is a good start.

At the end of each day, just before the sun sets, the fisherman return to the marina from their day on the water. They then clean and gut their fish on one of the metal benches around the docks. It’s not the easiest task due to the thieving pelicans from above, and the sneaky seals next to them!

9. Take a Day Trip to San Jose del Cabo (a quintessential Cabo San Lucas excursion)

The quiet sister to Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo offers a more laid back, authentic vibe to its wild neighbour. This cute little town is about half an hour from Cabo San Lucas, halfway back towards the airport.

As well as its own stunning white sand beaches, San Jose del Cabo offers more of a quiet shopping strip, a beautiful church, delicious restaurant and dining options, and an excellent historic centre. Take a day trip to experience a little more of the Baja Peninsula and the local way of life.

To embark on this day trip you have a couple of options:

Rent a car from the town centre (or online with Expedia) for a day (approx. $25USD for a one day car rental) and then drive down the Transpeninsular Highway (Hwy 1) which connects Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Consider renting a car as one of the things to do in Cabo San Lucas, the freedom to explore at your own pace is incredible.

Catch the Subercabos bus service, that runs between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo along the Tourist Corridor. The bus runs every 20 minutes all day, starting at 5:20am in Cabo San Lucas until about 9:30pm, and costs around $3 a ticket.

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in La Paz, Mexico – A List of The Top 21

10. Take a Sunset Sailing Cruise

For an even more incredible sunset experience, take a luxury 50-foot sailboat from the marina. These cruises take you out to the sea, where you can enjoy sparkling wine, specialty cocktails, ice-cold beer and canapés while you watch the sun sink into the horizon.

These cruises last for around two and a half hours, and also offer you a beautiful sunset view of Land’s End – The Los Cabos Arch and Lover’s Beach. Tours start from around $89 USD depending on the company, and can be booked either in advance, or down by the marina in Cabo San Lucas. This is one of the most luxurious things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

Click here to learn about the highly rated sunset sail in Cabo San Lucas, complete with dinner and an open bar!

11. Swim With Whale Sharks (one of the most memorable things to do in Cabo San Lucas)

There are few things as incredible as swimming with whale sharks! Although these sharks are humongous (18-33 feet or 5.5-10m), these gentle giants are herbivores and will calmly swim around you, before continuing on their journey.

In Cabo San Lucas, whale shark season is between September and April as they make their way through the Sea of Cortez. Swimming with whale sharks is an experience you’ll never forget. It does come at a price though – day trips to La Paz to snorkel with whale sharks start from about $190USD but it’s worth every penny if you ask me. Click here to learn more about ethical whale shark experiences, and click here to book a whale shark tour.

12. Head Out On a Fishing Charter

Cabo San Lucas is one of the most famous places for fishing charters, and if you’re into fishing, this is one of the things to do in Cabo that you won’t want to miss. You can catch many big game fish – marlin, sailfish, tuna, swordfish – just a short way out of the marina.

You’ll need to beat the sun and be up as early as the local fisherman, but they know all the best spots and have no trouble locating the deep-sea fish you’re looking for.

In the marina, each of the boats display different flags with colours and fish pictures, and from these images you can figure out what fish each particular boat fishes for. If you’re hoping to catch a specific species make sure you chat to the fisherman about what types of fish they search for each day.

To book yourself on a fishing boat in Cabo San Lucas, click here to learn about Book Now Adventures — a highly rated company in Cabo. Deep sea fishing is one of the top things to do in the area and you’ll want to make sure there’s space for you.

13. Take an Outback Camel Safari (& Get a Free Tequila Tasting)

For a completely different experience, away from the ocean and sea adventures, explore the Baja Desert from the back of a camel! It’s a side of Cabo San Lucas that not many people think to experience, but an epic voyage nonetheless. Expert guides on your safari will show you the best of the unique Baja Californian culture and the beautiful natural wonders of the Baja desert.

To make it even more of an experience to remember, when you book with Cabo Adventures your day also includes a tequila tasting lesson and a tortilla making lesson – what more could you ask for?! Tours start from $109USD per person and include tequila and beer. Click here to book this Cabo Adventures tour.

14. Take a Shopping Trip to Luxury Avenue

Although Cabo is a sleepy desert town, there’s an epic luxury shopping centre, presumably for their regular celebrity visitors. The main mall is Puerto Paraiso Mall, where you can find souvenirs, trinkets, gifts, beach fashion, and accessories. This mall leads right into Luxury Avenue, where you can find high-end designer brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and YSL.

We’re not big shoppers when we’re travelling, but Cabo San Lucas definitely had the best shopping of anywhere we visited in Mexico and is one of the best things to do in Cabo if you’re into that sort of thing. If you find yourself in the Yucatan, shopping is one of the top things to do in Cancun as well.

15. Go Scuba Diving or Snorkelling at Cabo Pulmo

If you prefer to live life a little more under the sea than on land, head to Cabo Pulmo for the ultimate scuba diving or snorkelling experience. Nicknamed the Aquarium of the World, Cabo Pulmo is home to over 300 different species of fish, and is an incredible place to try your hand at playing mermaid for a day and exploring the beautiful sea life. Getting under the water is one of the best things to do in Cabo San Lucas for sure.

Cabo Adventures offers a large variety of snorkelling and scuba diving tours to Cabo Pulmo, and after our amazing whale watching experience with them, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them for other tours. Their Cabo Pulmo Snorkelling Expedition starts from $199USD, while their Cabo Pulmo Diving Tour starts from $229USD.

They also offer several other snorkelling and scuba diving adventures at different places around Cabo, starting from $89USD and hitting all different price points. You can check out all of their tours and adventures here.

☞ SEE ALSO: Manzanillo Colima – The Ultimate Travel Guide

16. See The Ocean While Helmet Diving

This new trend is sweeping the world, and if you haven’t tried it yet you definitely need to add it to your to-do list. For those of you who aren’t scuba certified, you can still experience the underwater world by walking on the ocean floor. It’s called helmet diving and is a great experience for non-divers.

17. Watch the Seals Jump Around The Marina

There are seals all over Marina Cabo San Lucas. They spend the whole day swimming amongst the parked boats and playing with the birds that are sitting on the water. The best time to see them at their liveliest is at the end of the day when the sun is setting and the fishing boats are returning to the marina. They follow close behind the boats, hoping to grab some easy dinner.

18. Experience The Night Life

Apart from El Squid Roe, we didn’t have heaps of time to explore the nightlife of Cabo and to be honest, we were on our honeymoon so we weren’t that interested in partying. However, no matter who you chat to they all say the same thing – you can find the best nightlife at Cabo Wabo Cantina, El Squid Roe, Nowhere Bar and the Giggling Marlin.

If you find yourself travelling Puerto Vallarta, don’t miss the awesome nightlife there. Check out our post on Puerto Vallarta nightlife and get ready to party!

☞ SEE ALSO: Backpacking Mexico – 8 Reasons To Travel Here Now

19. Learn to Stand Up Paddle Board

Find your strength and learn how to stand up paddleboard on a one hour paddleboard rental. It’s the ideal activity for a beach holiday, and one you can easily learn with little training — although you do need some upper body strength to get going!

If you’re looking to get some exercise, this is one of the best things to do in Cabo San Lucas. You can rent a paddleboard from around $25 USD for one hour along the beach.

☞ SEE ALSO: Puerto Vallarta Tours – 10 Best Excursions, Activities and Adventures

20. Take Your Own Walking Tour Around Cabo San Lucas

You probably won’t find an organized walking tour around Cabo, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take yourself on one! Everything in Cabo is within an easy walking distance of each other. From the beachfront to the marina, the main shopping mall and the side streets, you’re never far away from a new part of town.

Looking for chilled-out things to do in Cabo San Lucas? Take yourself on a walking tour through the main streets and see where you end up. Make sure you take a lot of breaks to try the local food, shop in the markets and Mexican boutiques, and grab a drink out of the sun. It’s always a good idea to avoid the extreme heat of the middle of the day, so I would recommend taking a walk in the morning or late afternoon when the sun has set a little.

21. Stock Up On Tequila

You’re in Mexico – how could you not?! You will find tequila absolutely everywhere in Cabo San Lucas. It’s cheap, it’s good, and most of the time you can get a free tequila tasting. Enjoy the drinks while you’re in Cabo, and take a bottle of tequila home with you.

Now You Know What to Do in Cabo San Lucas

We loved Cabo San Lucas because it was a world away from everywhere else we visited in Mexico. Where else does the desert lead you right to an ocean with such an abundance of wildlife? If you’re planning to travel Cabo, you won’t be disappointed. And the best part is — so many of things to do in Cabo San Lucas are FREE! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Cabo San Lucas: Resources & Recommendations

Travel Insurance

WE RECOMMEND WORLD NOMADS

There are a lot of adventure activities in this city! Make sure you're protected with a good travel insurance policy. We use and recommend WorldNomads for travel insurance. 

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Rent a Car

WE RECOMMEND EXPEDIA.COM

This is a great place to rent a car! We always book with Expedia because they allow you to cancel for free on most bookings and you're never charged until you actually pick up your ride.

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Book Tours Online

WE Recommend get-your-guide

There are some really cool tours available here. We always like to check on Get-Your-Guide because they have so many tours and you can choose the best ones based on the best reviews.

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Book a Cheap Room

Check out booking.com deals

For the best deals on short-term hotels, guest houses and hostels, we always use Booking.com. Watch out for last-minute deals!

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Eco-Travel Products

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Do your part for the environment while you're travelling! Check out cool eco-friendly travel products on Amazon like LifeStraw.

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$25 Off Airbnb

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Goats On The Road readers get a special $35 discount off their first booking with Airbnb. Click the button below to find out more.

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Top Hotels, Hostels & B&B’s in Cabo San Lucas

Budget

Ocean Tigers Dive House – rated “Superb” 9.3/10. If you’re looking for a hostel vibe in Cabo, this is a great bet. This accommodation offers dorm beds with 6 beds to a room. There’s a few cool chill-out areas with hammocks and couches, plus a shared communal kitchen. There’s a pool and a BBQ available for guest’s use and breakfast is included. Dorm beds go for around $22/night in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this hostel.

Seven Crown Express & Suites – rated “Very Good” 8.5/10. This property is in an excellent location – a 5 minute walk to the center of Cabo and 1 km from Playa del Amor beach. The rooms here are clean and stylish, plus there’s an outdoor pool and an indoor fitness center. Guests can enjoy free continental breakfast as well. Double rooms go for around $45 in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this hotel.

Midrange

San Angel Suites – rated “Superb” 9.2/10. The suites here offer incredible value! Each unit is equipped with its own kitchen, which can save you some money on food during your trip to Cabo. Rooms are beautifully designed and beds are comfortable – they’re euro top mattresses. There’s a common area with loungers and a rooftop hot tub. Double occupancy in a studio suite starts at $70 in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this suite.

Cabo Vista Hotel – rated “Superb” 9.3/10. These tastefully decorated suites are another great option in Cabo San Lucas. Suites offer guests a kitchen with fridge and electric hob, air-conditioning and more. Breakfast is included in the room rate. The suites are located in a quieter area, a 20 minute walk to the beach and 5 minute drive to downtown Cabo. The architecture of the building is lovely, and the vines climbing up the building are a nice touch. Suites start at around $70 in the high season. Click here to learn more and book this accommodation.

Top End

Villa La Estancia Beach Resort and Spa – rated “Superb” 9.2/10. If you’re after a little luxury during your trip to Cabo San Lucas, then you’ll want to stay here. The suites are exquisite and the grounds are well manicured. In just a 3 minute walk, you’re at a gorgeous beach, while a 10 minute drive will bring you to the center of Cabo. There are numerous styles of rooms here, with some villas having full kitchens. There’s an onsite restaurant, grocery store and a pool for guest’s use. They offer all-inclusive plans, as well as room only. All-inclusive plans start at $300, while just the room is around $200/night. Click here to learn more and book this accommodation.

Breathless Cabo San Lucas All-Inclusive (Adults Only) – rated “Superb” 9.1/10. The location of this place can’t be beat! Set in front of El Medano beach, this adults only resort has a stunning infinity pool and modern, luxury suites. Here you’re just steps from downtown Cabo, including the nightlife and numerous restaurants. One person all-inclusive is around $200/night, while 2 people costs $400. Click here to learn more and book this resort.

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