Los Algodones, México:
A Story Worth Telling

by Gabriel Jiménez

How did you get to, a quiet and colorful Mexican town of just 5,474 inhabitants (according to the 2010 census); to become the main point of medical tourism on the Mexican border with the United States? To explain this, we would have to look at the history and characteristics of Los Algodones, Baja California, which make it a privileged place for both those who live there and those who visit them.

Algodones: Los Algodones or "Molar City", also identified in the INEGI geostatistical products as: Vicente Guerrero (Algodones), is a town and also the head of the district of the demarcation of the same name, belonging to the municipality of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico; It borders the American city of Andrade in the state of California. It is the northernmost town in Baja California, Mexico and in all of Latin America. It is an important gatehouse, since due to its location it becomes a port of entry to visit important neighboring cities such as Mexicali, Tecate, Ensenada, Tijuana, all in Baja California and San Luis Río Colorado, in the neighboring state of Sonora.

Los Algodones is geographically located at 32º42'55 "N and 114º43'44" W; with an altitude of 33 meters above sea level. It is located in the extreme northeast of the state of Baja California, as we have said: it borders Andrade, California, which is very close to the city of Yuma, Arizona, and is the northernmost community in all of Mexico and Latin America. That makes it very convenient and attractive to the people of both countries. In 1995, a Symposium was held to determine the founding date of the town. After 3 days of intense research, it was concluded, in a document provided by the city's Chronicler, María Isabel Verdugo, as the virtual foundation of Los Algodones: July 27, 1894.

The climate is hot from March to September of each year, acquiring freshness from that month until February.

Los Algodones is popularly known as "The molar city", due to the fact that it has more than 300 dental offices. The community of Vicente Guerrero (Los Algodones) is the dental capital of the world, because among its 5,000 inhabitants there are about 500 dentists and more than 300 dental clinics. This town is visited daily by Canadian and American tourists looking for a better price on dental, optical and pharmacological services. For example, for $280 they can access endodontic treatment that in the United States can cost more than $1,000. The main tourists are the "snowbirds", an expression that refers to patients from the north of the United States and Canada, who travel south to escape the cold and to attend to their dental or optical problems or simply to buy local crafts.

The Los Algodones community is a friendly community. And it is a safe town both for those who live there and for visitors. No unpleasant event for visitors has ever been known. Los Algodones has that virtue of the small towns where everyone knows each other and therefore cordiality and goodwill are present day by day. The locals are especially kind to visitors from the North, knowing that they are their main source of income and this way of being so nice to others is also in them. Los Algodones, in addition to its proximity to the Colorado River, is embellished by huge cotton fields, which are best appreciated in the month of September. This destination is also visited, in addition to the quality of its medical services, due to its characteristic dunes, where international sand board competitions and tournaments are held every year. In fact, it is one of the only points in the Mexican Republic where this sport is practiced.

The food at Los Algodones is delicious. It is Mexican food at its best. There is also Californian food. In Mexican food you can find some of the most characteristic Mexican dishes such as mole, quesadillas, enchiladas, pozole, burritos, birria, poblano tacos, pipián, alambres, al pastor and asada tacos, tripa and other specialties.

Be sure to visit Los Algodones, both for international and local tourism, it is an opportunity that one should never miss.

When you visit Los Algodones, you will realize very soon that there is no need for public transportation, you can do it on all the places where you want to go, be it to a restaurant, a celebration or to your dental appointment. In the same way, as Los Algodones is the closest gateway to the United States, and is adjacent to four states: Arizona, California, Baja California and Sonora, you will discover how easy it is to reach the maximum points of interest in the region at such just a few minutes of road trip.

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