Mexico Scuba Travel
Mexico is named as a world-class dive destination. And that is more than justified as Mexico embraces very diverse marine ecosystems.
The Peninsula of Yucatán on the east is known for cenotes, drift dives and world famous caribbean underwater museums. On the west coast Mexican liveaboard cover three pristine scuba dive spots: Sea de Cortéz, Socorro Island and Guadalupe.
Mexico destinations
NAUTILUS GALLANT LADY
The Mexican Liveaboard Nautilus Gallant tours to the Sea de Cortez.
It is pretty and offers 12 divers an individual dive experience. The hot tub and the relaxation area on deck create a joyful Mexico liveaboa
- Length 35m
- Max. 12 guests
- Sky lounge hot tub
- Rebreather
SOCORRO AGGRESSOR
Socorro Aggressor is built for stability in rough conditions and scuba diving. It offers outstanding service and cuisine.
During August to October the liveaboard tours Guadalupe for cave diving with great white sharks. November to April it operates from Cabo San Lucas touring the Sea de Cortéz.
- Length 41m
- Max. 26 guests
- Socorro / Guadalope
- Crew of 11
IBEROSTAR COZUMEL
The luxury beachfront resort is located in the National Marine Park. An onsite dive center offers marine and cenotes scuba diving. The national marine park is one of the best shark spots in Mexico.
All guestrooms include hammocks and private patios or balconies. You can enjoy kayaking, tennis or sailing. And the resort has a luxurious spa and a cultural in-house theatre.
- PADI 5 star dive center onside
- Private villas with pool
- Amazing cenotes diving
- Close to ancient Maya ruins
PADI Travel Mexico
$89.99
from: Volador Technology Co.,Ltd
Travel planning
Best time to travel
Season in the Sea de Cortez is August to November. This is best for whale sharks and hammerheads.
Socorro island is remote and liveaboards are limited by weather. November to May the sea is calm.
Guadalupe is August to October with calm sea, ideal for Great White Sharks.
Cancun is diving around the year with the best option to encounter whale sharks between November and May.
© Laura Zepner, Pierre Karrasch, Felix Wiemann & Lars Bernard (2020) ClimateCharts.net – an interactive climate analysis web platform, International Journal of Digital Earth, DOI: 10.1080/17538947.2020.1829112
How to get there?
Dive cruises to the Sea de Cortez and Socorro depart from the southern peak of Baja California, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.
Los Cabos international airport (IATA: SJD) connects to US and Mexican airports. To the harbour is just 15 min and to Cabo San Lucas 45 min by car.
Embarkment to Guadalupe liveabord is Ensenada Port, 1.5h drive south of Tijuana (IATA: TIJ) Airport. Tijuana is a local airport connecting the Mexico City in 3:30h.
Mexico scuba insights
Sea de Cortéz the “world’s aquarium“ as it was called by Jacques Cousteau is a protected UNESCO World heritage site. It is one of the premier diving sites globally. Among lots of other marine life its the home of sea lions and various whale species.
Socorro island is the “Galapagos of Mexico” a remote naval station in the Revillagigedo archipelago, 460km south west of Cabo San Luca, Baja California. It is a protected biosphere reserve and due to its abundance of sharks, rays and turtle species it is called the.
Guadalope is Great White Sharks at its best! The island of is located 350km west of northern Baja California. It is a remote volcanic island.
The Cancún Underwater Museum built in 2010 is sculpture park designed by Jason deCaires Taylor. 500 sculptures rest in just 5m, overgrow in the last 12 years with corals, seafans and various fish species around.
Dive conditions
Socorro scuba diving is rather advanced with currents and dive sites below 25m. The temperature is between 28 °C in November (3mm wetsuit) and 21°C in March (5mm wetsuit).
Sea de Cortez has great visibility up to 25m. during the August to November and the water reaches 28°C (3mm wetsuit).
Guadalupe during the shark season is calm. The water is low at 20°C (5-7mm wetsuit).
Cancun has water temperatures around 25°C to 28°C (3mm wetsuit) and devie sites for all qualification levels.
Mexico Marine life
The islands of Socorro is an astonishing rich pelagic paradise. Most impressive are Pacific Giant Manta Ray with a wingspan of over 8m! Socorro’s rich winter months bring another main spectacles: Whale sharks and thousands of humpbacks come here to breed and calve.
Sea de Cortez, Gulf of California, has vast kelp forests with playful sea lions. It transitorily hosts migratory species like Humpback and Blue Whale and Oceanic Orca Dolphin.
Guadalupe is one of the rare global spots to dive with great white sharks, the giant ocean predator, in crystal clear water.
The Cancun coral reefs are a reach marine habit with three species of turtles. barracudas and the amazing giant brain corals.
