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

Thank you so much for the use of your condo and all the helpful hints in planning our trip. We had a great week. Hope to come back and visit again The girls had a great time experiencing the night life in Cabo as did we. Thanks Again, John and Jane

Thanks for everything. I've been to Cabo many times but this was one of our best vacations. Villa Del Arco was great - gorgeous accommodations, friendly staff, and great food. Transportation was easy. I also appreciated you working with me on very late notice to set up our ride. I will be in touch regarding future vacations.

M. Riley, Seattle, WA

The resort was great. I did read about unfriendly staff when checking in, and was prepared for that to happen. It never did happen. Everyone at del arco was helpful, friendly, and pleasant. Thank you for a wonderful vacation.

Greg Gursey

Hi Bob. Just returned from Cabo and our stay at the Villa Del Arco and wanted to send along a thanks for all your help and info. The Del Arco was a "great" place to stay, your adding the daily breakfast to our package was much appreciated, they treated us very well, and we had a great time all the way around. Ended up on the town side of the building with a nice view of the marina area. We'll keep you in mind when we get ready to go back and I've already recommended you to a couple others I know considering trips to Cabo! Thanks for taking good care of us! Sincerely, the Spencers!

Spencer, Seattle, WA

Thanks for taking the time to come to La Gringa marina to meet us before our sunset cruise! We had a wonderful time in Cabo with our family. The penthouse suite at Villa Del Arco was beautiful. We had our New Years Eve dinner there, steaks on the grill and could see the fireworks from our room. It was great to have a hot tub right there. We ate most of our lunches at the Buccaneer and went into town for dinner. Your recommendations were helpful. The kids enjoyed the kayaks and jet skis. We appreciate all your help in arranging transfers and the sunset cruise. It was a very enjoyable trip for our family. Hope to see you again sometime.

Nancy S., Penn.

I think you saved our trip! It was our 5 year anniversary and we really wanted to make it special. We had already reserved accomadations years ago at another Cabo resort and were finally cashing it in. To say the least they were below our expectations. To be honest our first few days there we didn't understand why anyone would go to Cabo. It was just our location I think and that we weren't in the type of accomdation we had expected. Low and behold fate intervened and we toured the Villas Palmar and Villa del Arco and we were impressed. That is what we had expected and once we saw it we couldn't settle. We called you Bob and you made it happen. I cannot believe how excited we were. Even with our other room already paid for we were willing to relocate to have a real vacation. Maid service, a wonderful comfortable bed, windows that kept out noise, and a beautiful view of the ocean. Thank you for saving our anniversary and our vacation. The Villas-This is a spectacular resort complex. Yes, Palmar is the oldest and has a bit of a dated feel, but it is still a beautiful resort and location. We loved the Bella California Italian restaurant, Yimmy and Victor really took care of our last night celebration. They even knew it was our anniversary and they brought out a special plate with delicious Tiramisu and written in Chocolate Happy Anniversary. It was very sweet and romantic. They even dimmed the lights when we asked. We felt very well taken care of. Our room was in the newer hotel Del Arco and it was fabulous. We had a wonderful deck, where we had our breakfasts, thanks to room service. Fresh fruit and the green juice and the sound of the waves. The room was well decorated and spacious. We enjoyed the inroom washer and dryer and will definately make use of that when we come back. We can pack lighter and have more room for souvenirs. I loved the pools, the cash free aspect of the hotel, the pirate ship and of course the easy ocean access. The view of the rocks of Lands' End and Lovers Beach was worth. We only made it for one sunrise, but we vow to make it a priority next visit. Beautiful all the way around, 5 star service, and relaxing. You really outdid yourself and we would love to book again next year. Please let me know how early we can book and get the best deals for next summer. We would love to know how we can choose a room at Villa del Arco that has both a sunrise and sunset view and has two rooms. Let me know if you can help us. Sincerely, V. Hager

V. Hager, Idaho

Hi Bob, Thank you for arranging our stay at Villa La Estancia, the place was absolutely beautiful, clean and organized. We enjoyed our stay very much and we already passed the word around to family and friends. I am sure you will hear from us pretty soon. Thanks Mike

Thank you so much for all your help organizing our trip to Cabo. We had a FABULOUS time. This is a part of Mexico we had not been to before and we are now captivated by its beauty and culture! La Estancia was a perfect place for us. We loved having the opportunity to cook for ourselves in the condo paired with the option to enjoy the culinary flavors of the local favorites. The condo was huge and the balcony views were magnificent. The condo was very clean and we were amazed that we didn't see any bugs the entire week! The consierge staff were superb. They were helpful, friendly and resourceful. We enjoyed the 20-30 minute walk to town and felt safe walking at anytime of day or night. The beach was magnificent and we loved the cool ocean water and the waves!! Loved seeing the humpback whales as well. Can't wait until next time!

Judy Tobias, Eden Prairie Minnesota

We thoroughly enjoyed our first trip to Cabo. The accommodations were exceptional--loved 1707--view was breathtaking from the balcony. Did not really realize the topography of the area--were very surprised by the mountain, desert, and sea views. Loved our panga ride around Lands End. My husband and I had the king bedroom and bath and were very comfortable. The main living area was awesome except for the fact that the dishwasher was broken--discovered it by a wet kitchen floor when we arrived. We called maintenance and they came immediately, but the dishwasher was not useable. It ended up not being a problem because of the every other day maid service--she washed the dishes for us. The couple we were with had the second bedroom and I think they were just a little disappointed after seeing our accommodations with the king bedroom and bath. Tried some of your recommendations for restaurants and absolutely loved Salvatore's--great food at great prices. Asked the concierge for a recommendation for an authentic Mexican restaurant with reasonable prices and found Maria Coronas to be an excellent choice. Spent Valentine's dinner at Ruth's Chris (our favorite American dining spot) and were not disappointed as usual--food and service there is always replicated. Spent a lot of time at the beach bars (The Office, Billygans, and Mango Beach Deck)--great Cabo atmosphere. Also liked shopping in the marina area. We feel that the $7 cab ride to the mall area was well worth the expense--walking the streets with occasional sidewalks was scary at times. Thanks for allowing us to use your condo--overall our first experience in Cabo was very memorable. Sincerely, Beth M

Beth Mason, Covington Indiana

There isn't anything you didn't think of. Everything is in a good place, we love it. The housekeeper was very thoughtful and pleasant. The villa is both clean and vibrant, we have never been to a villa that is so clean. Thanks for sharing your home with us. P.S. we will tell all friends about 1208!