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

We really enjoyed our visit and the resort was very clean and the proximity to the marina and downtown was spectacular.

Sherry W., Alphretta, Georgia

Bob, This is Sandy S. and we had a reservation at Villa La Estancia from July 16 & 20. I just want you to know how much I appreciate all the help and advice you gave me because our reservation and vacation was just fabulous. Our children, grandchildren, and best friends joined us on the trip because we were celebrating my husbands 60th birthday. We all were impressed with the facilities, location, and employees of the Villa La Estancia. Your room selection for us was perfect. We enjoyed the shade in the morning as we set on the balcony for hours and enjoyed the sunrise and view of the Sea of Cortez and Lands End. As we traveled around during our stay we all decided that our Villa was the best and we were so happy to be there. Check-out with our own separate room charges made the process so simple and fast. It really could not have been any more perfect! If we ever advise anyone traveling to Cabo, or vacation there again ourselves, I will definitely recommend you and Destination Cabo. Again, thanks for your help in making our vacation a fabulous one! Sandy

Thank you for the great price on our all inclusive stay at Villa Del Arco. We did do a tour and purchased too. We did use your travel guide for advice but didn't eat outside of the resort this time.

Mary W., Surprise, AZ

We had not had a family holiday in almost 5 years. I was looking for a place that had it all, easy to get to, 5-star accommodations, ocean views, easy access to a safe beach, family friendly and a vacation that wouldn't break the bank. When I found Bob Easton's site I felt I had hit the jack pot! Bob was absolutely wonderful, very kind, full of information and so easy to work with. The Villa del Palmar was everything Bob told us it was and more. I loved the accommodations, the kids loved the beautiful pools and the beach. We went snorkeling, on boat trips and a magical horseback ride along the beach at sunset. I visited the spa and had an amazing massage. The people are all so friendly. It was like being in Paradise. We had a fun, relaxing trip that we will remember for a long time. You have got to go and experience it for yourself. Tell Bob, Rosie sent you! Service:10 - best Value:10 - best Attractiveness:10 - best Overall Rating:10 - best

Rosie Klein, Dana Point California

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

Thanks so much for the wonderful vacation. No complaints at all, everything was absolutely fabulous. The room was great and staff was so friendly. Overall everything was amazing and we could not have asked for a better trip!

Melissa Rosen

Booking through Destination Vacations made everything so easy. Our transportation from the airport was waiting for us when we arrived and the resort was beautiful! Everyone there was so nice and accommodating. We would definitely book through Destination Vacations again! Thanks again for your help.

Joan Cearley, Olympia, WA

We had a great time, the condo was amazing and spacious which was great for both children and adults. We also like the fact that is was on the lower floor, always a big plus when a 2 year old is around. We enjoyed the fact that a back door was available to walk to the pool and SPA. The service from La Estancia personnel was very good. They are very attentive and always make sure things happen in a timely manner. We had an issue with the internal internet, but the hotel sent one of their technician and he was able to reset the modem. The other issue we had was the washing machine which needs to be either fix or replaced. Fortunately the hotel includes a room full of washing machines so this was not a big deal. We would definitely like to go back to your place and recommended to future guest.

Joel , San Diego

Thank you for everything! We had the greatest time in Cabo and will recommend you to all of our friends. Please send me all the specials you might have throughout the year. I wish we can go back soon. Regards, Lena

Lena V, LA

The Villa del Palmar was lovely, and we had a wonderful room overlooking the ocean. Thank you again for your graciousness and attention to detail. We will contact you the next time we take a vacation.

Melanie Marshall, Sunnyvale California