5 January 2023
Baja California is a peninsula jutting out below the American state of California and separating the Pacific from the Sea of Cortez. It has some beautiful diving, especially in Los Cabos, Cabo Pulmo and the Revillagigedo Islands.
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In the south of Baja the sea is warm all year round, with temperatures between 21 and 29 °C and November to March being the coldest. The visibility is best from July to October. If you go during the during algal blooms in Spring and Autumn you have a chance to see whale sharks. Manta rays and schooling hammerheads arrive during late summer and early autumn.
Cabo Pulmo has been a marine reserve since 1995. A study by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography has found it to be the "most robust marine reserve in the world". Cabo Pulmo's fish species richness has blossomed into a biodiversity hot spot with tiger sharks, bull sharks and black tip reef sharks increasing in number.
Ray on Gordo Banks. Photo credit: Tim Nicholson.
Los Cabos • Cabo Pulmo • La Paz • Mulegé • Baja Norte • Guadalupe Island • Revillagigedo Islands (Socorro) • Further Reading
The 5 Best Baja California Dive Sites, according to divers' votes, are:
You can do this dive from one of the dive operator's boats - but you'd be wasting your money: you can do exactly the same dive from the shore. And a marvellous dive it is. If you're the kind of person who makes lists this begs to be included in your top ten dives.
The Dive
A good plan is to swim straight out from the beach, until you reach the cliff. Then turn left along the cliff wall.
Getting There
The Dive
Getting There
The Dive
Getting There
The Dive
The Dive
Getting There
The Dive
Getting There
Cabo Pulmo is a small village, which now has a series of bungalows in which you can stay. The only true coral reef in Baja is here, although arguably the best dive is not on the coral reef but on a rocky reef out to sea. The coral can reef-build here because of the high water temperature in Cabo Pulmo bay, which is not exposed to the cold-water upwellings common elsewhere in the Sea of Cortez.
Scientists have found the marine reserve in the Cabo Pulmo national park to be "the most robust marine reserve in the world"1. People living around Cabo Pulmo, previously depleted by fishing, established the park in 1995 and have strictly enforced its no-take restrictions. Boat captains, dive masters and other locals work to enforce the park’s regulations and share surveillance, sealife protection and ocean cleanliness efforts.
"I have been looking at Cabo Pulmo in Mexico for some time now and I was finally able to do it for the last 4 days. For those that don't know Cabo Pulmo is a Mexican National Marine park approximately 2 hrs north of Cabo de San Luca in Baja California. This place became known for the huge schools of Jacks that can sum to millions of fish in one school. So that was the idea when we went there. To be able to witness a school of fish that would eclipse the sun. And I can say the place delivered. Visibility was not as good as some of he National Geographic photos but still a dive of a lifetime. The photos don't give justice to the amazing experience this is.
"
Arthur Borges, 2017
Photo credit: Arthur Borges.
"Iincredible diversity and abundance in a warm and clear sea"
Jose Estrada, 2017
The Dive
The reef is around 300 m long. Depending on the current, and how slowly you try to traverse it, you can spend around 20-55 minutes. The visibility is generally good. With a gentle current the dive begins with a garden of eels. Big, tight shoals of fish move over the reef - much more compact than you see elsewhere. Large schools of tuna swim overhead. Sea of Cortez really does contain more fish than elsewhere.
A strong current makes for an excellent drift dive. The fish frantically zip about, swimming easily against the current. This time the schools are loose and spread out. You don't just see fish of course, coral, sea fans, starfish, crabs, etc, are all here too.
The Dive
The Dive
The Dive
"Tropical coral reef with biodiversity like no other. Schools of thousands of huge rays, several species of whales, tuna as big as a grown up person.
"
Caro Aragon, 2019
For La Paz diving you need to book with a diving operator. There are not really any shore dives. Puerto Ballandra was mentioned as an option, but didn't appear very enticing.
More details...Diving and Snorkeling the Sea of Cortez
The Dive
Photo credit: Xvic. (CC BY SA 3.0)
El Bajo is a submerged group of 3 pinnacles lying in a North-South line. The top of the north pinnacle lies at 23 m, the middle pinnacle at 17 m and the south at 20 m. The middle one is the largest and bottoms at 29 m. Its south side is a steep cliff. Take a southerly bearing from here and you can swim to the south pinnacle. You can see it if you stay close to the bottom, but the bottom slopes off downwards. Be very careful about the current: it's very easy to drift off. The south pinnacle is home to a clutch of large green moray eels, about 7 in 1 gully.
"Long ride out but beautiful scenery : stark uninhabited
mountains, dolphins, manta rays, turtles and flying fish jumping out of
the water, school of pilot whales to swim with on way back plus whale
shark. At site, medium to strong current and visibility max, 12 meters
but a wealth of life : a giant moray eel literally behind every rock,
saw more than fifty on the 25 minute dive, hammerhead sharks, barracuda
and many other fish.
"
Arlene Weingart, 2007
"Lots of rays and eels, it was beautiful! Great viz!"
Michael Lewis
The Dive
A very good dive. The Salvatierra is sunken ferry lying in the San Lorenzo channel between Espiritu Santo and the Baja California mainland. The ferry collided with a rocky reef and sank with a cargo of trucks, but no passengers. The 300 foot hull is intact and lies at 19 m. The mast sticks up to within 7m of the surface.
The first thing that strikes you is all the yellow polyp black coral, Antipathes galapagenis. This is particularly beautiful. You can swim through the wreck and see some of the large truck wheels. Among the wrecks occupants are octopus and Sergeant Major fish Abudefduf saxatilus.
"Interesting and full of life. Biggest green moray eel we have ever seen!"
Michael Lewis
The Dive
Two small rocky islands upon which lives a sea lion colony. The young sea lions enjoy playing with you when underwater.
" Lots of fish, 30 feet deep dive. Of course the Sea Lion Colony has lots of pups and action. Water at 20 oC": Nick Pereira, Brazil, April 2017
"300+ sea lions, the juveniles were with us the whole dive playing with our fins.": Pedro
"Large sea lion rookery. Filled with sea lion pups in the late summer and early fall. All wanting to play. ": John Banks
"Sea lion colony. Several sea lions large and small dive and swim with you on every dive. Huge school of baby barracuda swarming around us for what seemed like an eternity, several seahorses, puffer fish, manta rays and many smaller fish. ": Arlene Weingart
The Dive
A shallow reef where you can see both sea lions and manta rays.
"La Reina - the best Manta dive I have ever been on.": Manuel Duggal
The Dive
The Fang Ming was a Chinese fishing vessel that was seized by the authorities for trying to smuggle migrant workers into the US. In 1999 the 56 m long vessel was intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef. It now lies at 21 m and is well-colonised with underwater life.
"Incredible artificial reef with lots of life. Was a chinese cargo ship, sunk in 2000, some coral: Nick Pereira, Brazil, April 2017
More details...Diving and Snorkeling the Sea of Cortez
The Dive
A group of small rocky islands with a large sealion colony.
"I Dived, for the first time, with Sealions. They played with the 4 of us for over an hour - I loved every minute of it!": Hannah Chapman, UK, 2006.
The Dive
"The viz was not very good on this dive, but the life was amazing. They said that the viz improves at this location later on in the year.": Hannah Chapman, UK, 2006.
"I would rather dive here than anywhere in the Cortez. The Midriff Islands are full of rarely or never dived sites that are 5 star Cortez. Generally, closer to Bahia de los Angeles is lower quality though there are standouts. Plenty of easier diving that is good. Dived some of best of the W. Pacific and Carribean and though the diversity can't compare the unique species mix and undiscovered feel make it a favorite.":Janique Esrey 2007.
More details...Diving and Snorkeling the Sea of Cortez
The Dive
Sloping seamount just offshore up to 80 plus feet (best under 50). Generally intermediate unless strong current.
" Schooling fish like yellowtail seen regularly. Excellent tropicals during warmer water. Always interesting- large morays, lobster, seahorses, and frogfish. Reported up to size of small dinnerplate. Seen them as big as sandwhich plate but no bigger.":Janique Esrey 2007.
The Dive
Extensive dropoffs, interspersed with NUMEROUS caves, arches, swimthroughs-all plastered with lots of intervetebrate life. Remote and expert site not advisable during height of tide cycle or when winds unstable.
" Most spectacular dive I have done in Cortez - Loreto, La Paz, C Pulmo " :Janique Esrey 2007.
The Dive
Deep pinncales 30 to 130plus.
" Great life. Just offshore but 30 minutes down coast. Boat fast and seaworthy but basic, a superpanga.":Janique Esrey 2007.
| Bahia de Los Angeles |
The Dive
"Snorkeled with 15 whales sharks in August 2010 and 12 in September 2010." :Bob Defeo 2010.
The Dive
"Mobila Rays, Sea Lions, Turtles, Sperm whales, dolphins, octopus, nudibranchs, damsel fish, groupers, electric rays, guitar fish, hogfish, black coral, gorgonians, cushion starfish, parrot fish, trevally, grunts, yellow tails...Hard fast current 84 degrees Farenheit surface 72 at bottom." :Bob Defeo 2010.
The Dive
"Frogfish, sea lions, turtles, butterfly angel fish, lobsters, creole fish sargent majors, pilot fish, hard fast currents. *2 surface and 68 bottom temps." :Bob Defeo 2010.
Guadalupe Island, or Isla Guadalupe, is a volcanic island located 241 kilometers off the west coast of Baja California. It is famous for extremely clear water and being visited by around 300 great white sharks in summer to winter. The young males arrive in late July, followed a few weeks later by the older males and females. You can only dive Guadalupe by liveaboard. The Mexican governement are currently trying to close Guadalupe to divers, to the detriment of the sharks - read about it here.
Shark off Guadalupe island
Photo credit: Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock
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The Diving
"100ft viz, huge great white sharks: a life changing experience getting to see a great white in person. "
Chris Alstrand, 2011
The Revillagigedo Islands are an important feeding, breeding and transit area for 16 species of whales and dolphins. Also seen in these waters are 28 species of sharks and rays, including the giant manta ray.2
Socorro Shark. Photo credit: Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock
This archipelago is approximately 300 miles (500 km) south-southwest off the tip of the Baja peninsula. It comprises Socorro, San Benedicto, Clarion and the small Roca Partida islands. The islands are volcanic in origin. Annual rainfall is scarce and takes places mainly during August to October. The average water temperature ranges from 22oC in winter up to 29oC in summer.
The best time to dive Socorro and the other Revillagigedo islands is between November and May. You can see manta rays here throughout this time, but there are most frequent in May.
Find a Liveaboard to Socorro and the Revillagigedo Islands
In 2016, UNESCO designated the Revillagigedo archipelago as a World Heritage Site. Like The Galapagos, the islands are at the meeting of cool and warm currents. This creates upwellings of nutrient-rich water which supports the excess of marine life.
This year the Mexican government started a public consultation which it is hoped will lead to marine park protection of the area.
"Fantastic diving with Giant Pacific Mantas, dolphins, shoals of jacks, white tips, moray els, octopus packed in a small area."
Johan Nurminen, 2016
"Giant pacific mantas, not reef mantas like everywhere else. Friendly wild dolphins. sharks galore."
Chris Alstrand, 2011
"Unbelievable encounters with Giant Mantas at a cleaning station. The mantas "dance" for patient divers."
Michael Guerra.
"A dive point in revillagigedo where you see dolphins, huge schools of hammerheads, tuna, wahoo, playful giant manta rays, whale sharks, even humpbacks. Unbelievable dive!"
Karen Adame Fernández, 13 August 2019
"Fantastic big fish action; sharks, sharks, sharks "
Manfred Fraatz, 9 September 2014
"Amazing sharks and large pelagics congregate at this spot."
Michael Guerra
"Oceanic dives on pinacles or rock tips that drop to 150ft. Many pelagics, sharks - tigers, hammerheads, silky etc, mantas, clear water, very remote island.
"
Marietas
Coral Reef Fishes, Indo-Pacific and Caribbean
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