San Ignacio, Mexico

In the midst of the Desierto Vizcaíno, SAN IGNACIO's appeal is immediate even from a distance. Gone are the dust and concrete that define the peninsula, replaced by green hues and a cool breeze; it's an oasis any desert traveller would hope for. In town, the central Plaza Ecotourismo plays hosts to concerts, festivals and children's soccer games, and is dominated by San Ignacio de Kadakaamán, a mission constructed of lava-block walls – carved out of the output from Volcan las Tres Virgenes to the east – over one metre thick.