Cabo San Lucas Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

What to expect

The Sea of Cortez is home to the largest variety of marine life in the world. The unique location at the tip of the Baja Peninsula brings together sea life from both the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez. The warm waters, great weather, and preserved habitat make this the worlds largest playground for fish and other sea creatures.

When you visit Cabo San Lucas, do not pass up the opportunity to be face to face with the most spectacular marine life. You can get up close and personal with the giant Pacific manta rays, sea turtles, schools of tropical fish, tuna, playful seals, a white tip shark, or much more. There are dive locations that accommodate everyone from the first time divers to advanced divers looking for some unique sightings like underwater caves and open water dives.

Scuba diving in Cabo San Lucas is a safe and fun adventure for the entire family. Los Cabos scuba diving companies are a great value for an experience that you will remember forever. Create lasting memories with your family under the Sea of Cortez and see why Baja California is such a popular scuba diving destination.

Average Prices

If you are a beginner diver, you will need some sort of certification before you jump in the Sea of Cortez. Every single Los Cabos scuba diving operator will offer a “Discover Scuba Diving Resort” course. The prices for this basic 3 hour course range from $86-$115 and will certify you for the duration of your stay, but you only will be able to dive near shore and up to 40 feet in depth. Unfortunately, this course only gives you a temporary certification that cannot be used for Scuba Diving anywhere else or any other time.

Full open water certification is a bit pricier, but you will be rewarded with a permanent certification that will save you time and money everywhere in the world when you want to go scuba diving. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to scuba dive, Cabo San Lucas is the perfect place to start. All service operators will offer a full PADI Open Water certification couse. Prices range from a $300 entry level 2 day PADI open water course to a 4 day certification for $450.

Once you have PADI certification, Scuba Diving in Cabo San Lucas is a great value considering the low cost and spectacular marine life. With a certification, you can go on a two tank dive for around $75, an expedition out to the famous Cabo Pulmo dive spot for $150-$235, or even a one tank night dive for as low as $50. You can mix and match different packages, multiple day diving, or even advanced certifications to make the most of your trip to Baja. Most companies will offer equipment rental for $20/day (such as a B.C.D., regulator, wet suit, fins, mask and snorkel).

Popular Scuba Diving Sites

East Cape

Cabo Pulmo: Hands down the most famous diving spot in all of Los Cabos and one of the best in the world. Cabo Pulmo is home to the only living coral reef on the west coast of North America. The coral reef area is protected by the Mexican government and over the past 20 years has flourished and become home to a vibrant sea life. Thanks to strict conservation measures, Cabo Pulmo is still available today for scuba divers to enjoy. If you love scuba diving, do not miss your chance to see this beautiful marine sanctuary up close.
Gordo Banks: This spot may not have the beautiful living coral reef like Cabo Pulmo, but it is home to schools of some spectacular species. The location iis only for advanced divers only because the depth is at about 110’ to 130’ and can have strong currents. But if you make it down below, you will have plenty of sea life to watch. From schooling hammerheads, game fish, and jacks to the bull sharks, manta rays, and giant whale shark, you will be diving alongside some amazing creatures.

The Corridor

Chileno Reef: Just off the coast of the tourist corridor of Cabo San Lucas, the Chileno reef is a 40’ to 80’ dive great for beginners and snorkelers. The reef stretches from Chileno beach for one half of a mile out to sea and is filled with tropical life like starfish, flower urchins, eels, and even an occasional sea manta, sea bass, sea turtle, and nurse sharks.
Santa Maria: 20’-60’ depth dive with great reef and corals. The colorful dive is perfect for photos so bring your underwater camera. This is a great beginner to intermediate dive that delivers amazing sights and tons of sea life.
Blowhole: This is another great diving spot in the corridor area that is home to a huge rock covered in gorgonians. The site occasionally has bat rays, eagle rays, grouper fish, and even a few manta and whale sharks have been spotted. The location gets its name from a nearby blowhole onshore.

Near Cabo San Lucas

Pelican Rock - Sand Falls: One of the most popular diving spots for beginners is only 5 minutes from the Cabo Marina. The spot is out by Land’s End, alongside the rocky walls that are home to an abundance of sea fans, goat fish, puffers, eels, and parrotfish. The diving spot starts at only 20 foot depth, so people who opted to do the basic discover scuba course are allowed to dive here with some great views of life under the sea. For more advanced divers with PADI certification, you can dive down to 90 feet where the famous underwater sand waterfalls are. The sand is literally falling into the deep valley below and is a great site for photographers.
Neptune’s Finger (La Larga): Another great dive spot near Land’s End is Neptune’s Finger, perfect for intermediate to advanced divers. The dive goes from 25-130 feet in depth along a rock wall. You will see plenty of gorgonians and sea fans along with large schools of barracuda, tropicals, and an occasional tuna, shark, or manta ray. At the lower depths, you will also find another sandfall.
Land’s End (La Punta): This is one of the most unique dive spots in the world because you get to dive in the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean during the same dive. The depths range from 20 to 90 feet and there is an abundance of sea life at this spot. You will see turtles, large sea bass, sea lions, gamefish, octopus, tropical fish, and even whale sharks and mantas. The site is generally for advanced divers only because of the strong currents.
North Wall (Las Cuevas): The North Wall is another great dive spot for beginners who have taken the resort course but also offers depths up to 130 feet for more experienced divers.The shallow waters have a reef that is provides amazing sites easily accessible by beginners and snorkelers.

Scuba Diving Providers in Cabo San Lucas

Amigos Del Mar: https://www.amigosdelmar.com/
Andromeda Divers: https://www.scubadivecabo.com
Baja Dive: https://www.scubadivingcabosanlucas.net/
*Cabo Adventures: https://www.cabo-adventures.com/tours/scuba
Cabo Sailing Dive Charters: https://www.cabosailing.com/sail-and-scuba/dive-charters/
Cabo San Lucas Tours: https://www.cabosanlucastours.net/Scuba-Diving.htm
Cabo Scuba Dive: https://caboscubadive.com/
Dive Cabo San Lucas: https://www.divecabosanlucas.com/
Eagle Divers: https://www.eaglediver.com/
Land’s End Divers: https://www.mexonline.com/landsend.htm
*Los Cabos Deep Blue: https://cabodeepblue.com/
Manta Scuba Diving: https://www.caboscuba.com/
Oceanus Los Cabos: https://www.oceanusloscabos.com.mx
Scuba Dive Cabo San Lucas: https://www.scubadivecabosanlucas.com/
*Sunshine Dive & Charter: https://www.divecabo.com/
*Tio Sports: https://www.tiosports.com/

*Top rated and reviewed service providers

F.A.Q.

Can I scuba dive in Cabo without any diving experience? Yes! Almost all of the Los Cabos scuba diving providers are certified and capable of providing everything from a basic education course for beginners to full deep water certification. Cabo San Lucas is a great place for your first scuba diving adventure.
Are sharks dangerous to swim around? The movie Jaws is just that, a movie. In real life, scuba diving around sharks is one of those most exciting experiences. These graceful creatures are some of the most misunderstood fish in the sea. The majority of sharks you will encounter are smaller and will likely remain far away from any scuba divers. It is highly improbably you will ever encounter a great white shark, especially since they do not live in the warm waters of Los Cabos. Your safety is a top concern in Cabo, and sharks are not a threat in the area.
Will I experience the “bends?” When you Scuba in Cabo, you are required to take at least a basic certification or education course. Preventing decompression sickness is as simple as following instructions and only descending or ascending slowly, usually stopping 15 feet before you surface for one last decompression. If you are just a beginner, you will probably not be diving deeper than 60 feet which is when “the bends” is usually an important factor to consider. Most divers have never experienced this and you probably won’t either.
When is the best time to go scuba diving in Cabo? The water starts to really warm up around July and stays warm, with good visibility, through January. During this time you can witness large schools of tuna, large marlin, and even whales who are migrating south.
Do I need my own gear? You do not need to bring any scuba diving gear with you to Cabo San Lucas unless you absolutely want to. There are multiple companies with high quality equipment available for rent, including wetsuits thick enough for the current water temperature.
Is it expensive to go scuba diving? The actual certification process can seem a little expensive, but once you are certified scuba diving is a fairly low cost sport. Renting equipment in the beginning is a great way to save money instead of trying to purchase all of the gear up front. If you compare the prices of scuba diving to another popular sport like fishing in Cabo San Lucas, you will see that you can Scuba dive for a much lower cost.
Is scuba diving dangerous? All adventure sports of some small risks, but scuba diving is one of the safest sports around. With a good certification course from a reputable instructor and new equipment, you should be able to have the time of your life without any risk of death or injury. Several decades ago when scuba diving was still a new sport, the technologically and knowledge was not advanced enough to protect everyone. Nowadays, many safety precautions are taken to insure you and your friends will have a safe experience.

Reviews

Yes, we had a great time. Villa del Arco and Cabo itself are just beautiful! No, we did not buy a timeshare or take any tours. I have to say if we did though, it would have to be like the villa we rented, we are spoiled now :) We definitely want to go back, we are thinking about booking next year too. As far as the resort, stellar. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating, the service was top notch. Never had to wait long for a drink or someone to help, it was great. The resort was clean, the room was clean, all was great. You gave us great service as well, I would definitely book through you again. You answered all of our questions in a timely matter and were very, very helpful, thank you! We felt we saved money, too. All was great! Thanks again! Angela M.

Angela, Colorado Springs

I'm finally getting caught up after vacation and wanted to let you both know that we had a great time in Cabo. I'm so glad I talked to Bob as we originally had reservations through a travel agent for the Villa del Pal Mar. Although we enjoyed a few dinners at the beachside restaurant at Pal Mar we would have regretted staying in the hotel. The rooms from the outside looked worn and the poolside spring break atmosphere would have ruined the trip. Villa del Arco on the other hand was wonderful. I don't know that it's worth the price they want directly (although their signature services definitely help) but Destination Vacations made it a perfect deal. The only thing I wished I would have known ahead of time was that everyone in Cabo, beach venders included, wanted US cash. No need for pesos there, just the opposite in Puerto Vallarta. Restaurants we feel that are not to be missed are Mi Casa, Los Deseos and Hacienda Cocina Y Cantina. Thank you for a wonderful trip. When we decide it's time to go back to Cabo we'll definitely be calling Destination Vacations! Pam L.

Pam L., Seattle

Marcus requested that I reply to your inquiry as my wife and I hosted this family vacation. First of all, the vacation was extraordinary and a memorable event for all 10 of us. It will be one in our top 5 taken as a family. The Villa Del Arco was a first class facility. It was clean and the help very attentive to our needs that included very active children ages 5,4,4, and 18 months. The penthouse suite was beautiful and very functional. The room layout, furniture, hot tub and decor was perfect. We won't forget the ocean views, ocean wave sounds, sun sets and the picturesque views of the pools and property. The additional room was also well appointed. We enjoyed the restaurants and found the quality of the food at both the Del Arco and Las Palmas(?) to be tasty and well prepared. The service was good at both locations. We had a great time and will likely return sometime in the future.

Fred S., Blue Springs, MI

I just wanted to drop you a quick email to let you know we had a wonderful time in Cabo. Villa Del Arco was beautiful and we could not have asked for a better room or room location. I also wanted to thank you for quickly taking care of the small snag for us at check in so quickly. I was starting to sweat it but it turned out seamless. Our kids want to go again next year, so I am be contacting you sometime in the future. What we loved: - Beautiful resort, excellent location, wonderful suite, good price, great amenities - The food was AMAZING, especially the sushi; seriously, some of the best food I've ever had in my whole life - Bob, you were a pleasure to work with

Molly B, Redmond, WA

Hello Bob, Thanks for inquiring about my recent trip to VillaDel Palmar Flamingos. First off, the trip was everything I had hoped for and more. I wish I was still there! In my younger days I've beached it in California, Cape Cod,Florida, Hawaii, Phillipines, Thailand, China ,Greece, Spain, and Portugal, but Mexican people and culture are so much friendlier! Why I've never gone to Mexico before now, I'll never know. This was a rather spur of the moment vacation so I had done next to no research, just picked Palmar resort on line and luckily found your website, which made the trip feasible financially. Turns out I had beginners luck with Mexico! Now I realize you provide background info. and recommendations to clients. Perhaps in the future I can take advantage of your services. This was my first ever luxory beach resort vacation. VillaDelPalmar was perfect for our mom-daughter getaway. It was the most beautiful resort of those there on the beach. I'm trained as a landscape architect, so I appreciated the artistry evident in the layout, design, and materials of the grounds, gardens, and pools. Also the expansive Banderas Bay, the verdant jungle landscape, the tropical heat, and the dramatic weather and thunderstorms provided such a different and exotic experience than we get in our home enrironment. It provided exactly the change we needed. The gym, spa, pools, beach, restaurants, and friendly resort staff all were lovely. My teen daughter, who has not experienced many other cultures or travel, appreciated how safe and family oriented the resort area was. One thing we both liked was that Mexican families were the main resort clientele.......it made the experience feel more authentic and less like we were gringos on holiday. And what a surprise bonus to find out that there were incredible snorkling destinations and wildlife havens as well as more disneyland type dolphin swims, all with tours we could conveniently book right at the hotel. We loved the boat trips to Las Caletas, and the Islas Mariettas. The fun and sassy tour guides made these trips all the more memorable. Between these trips and enjoying the resort amenities, we didn't even get into town! Guess we'll just have to plan another trip for that. About the timeshare end of things, I did take a timeshare tour, mainly to get 20% discount on tours and restaurants, and also out of curiosity. It was my first timeshare tour ever and I am not in a position to buy into something like this, although if I was, I might. We don't take regular vacations. But I can see why one would return here. We were upgraded upon arrival to a one bedroom suite, which was a greatly appreciated surprise......is that a normal part of timeshare strategy? Thanks again for helping make our dream trip come true! Sincerely, Leslie Riley

Leslie Riley, Seattle, WA

It's Kim. Just wanted to tell you everything went smoothly, and this place "is to die for". OMG!! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Kim, Los Angeles

Our first time in Cabo, and your accommodations certainly spoiled us! We really enjoyed the activities here as well as Vill del Palmar which was great for the kids. We thank you! Tom and Jodie

From the moment we arrived the place was like "paradise". The unit was beyond unbelievable...can't say enough how much we enjoyed and loved it. From the fabulous views to the spacious and quiet location, to the people that serviced us. One day at the pool, I forgot to sign for the tab, and our server who we basically had the whole time called me and said " no worries I will come to your room". He went out of his way and was always so appreciative. We were not hounded by the "time share" people at all, which was a pleasant surprise. All in all everyone was so gracious and accommodating. We had a fabulous time, and of course sad to leave. Even the transportation company was right on time both ways. And very polite and good drivers. As you know I was a little apprehensive. I would absolutely return again to VDA. It is truly a 5 star resort. Btw, we did not eat dinner there but had breakfast/lunch everyday. The food was to perfection. Thank you for everything.

Kim G., Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Hey Bob -- Just wanted to let you know that everything worked out great with our trip to Cabo. Accommodations with Villa del Arco went smoothly, shuttle to/from the airport right on time. Thanks for setting it up and making it easy for us.

Carlyn, Bothel, WA

Thank you for your assistance with our last minute reservation to Cabo. We have stayed many times at Villa Del Palmar, and this time was just a great as every other visit. We appreciated the quick response and good price and everything was arranged just as reserved. I had never stayed in a studio here before, and was pleasantly surprised at the size of the room and especially the full size kitchen. Much more comfortable than studios at other resorts that I have been to. My daughter and I had a great time! Thanks again, and I have already recommended you to my sister. Susan

Susan C., Sammamish, WA