The world‘s finest diving

Sea Of Cortez & Baja

While this really cool destination may not feature the titillating thrill of the mantas at Socorro … nor the adrenalin-pump of Great Whites at Guadalupe, it is absolutely worth a week of your diving life. The underwater world offers the strong possibility for some quite sensational pelagic encounters with bull sharks, whale sharks, humpbacks, hammerheads & striped marlin … plus virtually guaranteed baitball action with outrageous numbers of fish.

You’ll dive some lovely walls … and reefs rich in marine life. Some super Kodak photo ops! Plus, depending on the season, you’re likely to encounter one of more of the whale species in addition to whale sharks, mantas, mobula rays, dolphins and the ubiquitous sea lion colonies.

A word from Dom

Check out our favourite liveboards in the Sea Of Cortez after decades of exploring!

Most of our liveaboards are on Live Search. You can search for spaces, rates & other details. Choose your destination, apply the filters … and away you go!

To help you plan your trip, we’ve prepared a list of basic information you’ll want to know before you book.

Kick Back, Relax, Enjoy The Sunshine

The Sea of Cortez is alive with a variety of marine life which is overviewed below. Just a quick caveat …as you won’t see all the the life we describe on one trip. The marine animals here are very seasonal, often migratory … and no promises are made about who will be where and when ! It’s Nature’s call …. but any trip into this lovely sea will offer encounters with sharks or sea lions or whale sharks or mobula rays or whales … or, if you’re lucky … with several in that cast of characters.

Your Sea of Cortez voyage will be one of pleasure, relaxation, sun and white sand beaches in addition to lovely diving & some periods of hiking on land, if you choose. While it may not be the height of adventure diving, you’re almost certain to encounter multiple pelagic species and enjoy the pleasure of genuine laid-back holiday atmosphere.

The Sea of Cortez is home to (or a vacation spot for) some the ocean’s largest and smallest life forms … so if you’re a photographer, bring both your wide angle lens and your macro.

You may encounter whales, sharks (including whale sharks), mantas, mobulas, dolphins and sea lions at the top end of the size scale. At the other end of the scale, you have unique nudibranchs & sea horses, prolific blennies & amazing (and huge) jawfish. Mid-range are the octopus, eels and colorful reef fish (mainly angelfish, surgeonfish & porkfish) and the reefs sport huge gorgonians and black coral.

Then, there are the baitballs, those colossal swirling, whirling masses of fish … from sardines & makerels to jacks & trevallies. Finally, the rocky topography, arches & swim-throughs, adds both visual interest and fun to your diving.

The Sunny Sea of Cortez & Baja California

You’ll dive rocks & PINNACLES, sloping walls & HEALTHY REEFS buzzing with life large, richly colored sea fans & sponges .. plus KELP FORESTS. Immense BAITBALLS will knock your socks off, and, countless SEA LIONS are ready & waiting to cavort with you. Elegant MANTA RAYS & extraordinary leaping MOBULAS are likely, while DOLPHINS & PORPOISES jet at full speed under the water & above. Seasonal appearances from WHALE SHARKS, pilot whales, orcas & HUMPBACKS. On the western side of Baja, add in STRIPED MARLINS.

Sea Of Cortez & Baja Peninsula Diving Adventures

Southern Sea Of Cortez ... Sea Lions, Bull Sharks, Whale Sharks, Orcas & Mobulas

The southern half of the Sea of Cortez is the most frequently visited by divers, perhaps because of the variety it offers. If you play the timing just right, you MIGHT manage a trip which includes both whale sharks and bull sharks, plus the rest of the fascinating underwater life … the absolutely immense, churning schools of jacks & trevallies, ...

Midriff Islands ... Sea Lions, Macro Photography, Bait Balls

Midriff Islands trips start from Puerto Penasco at the northern part of the Sea of Cortez and take you to diving right in the center of the sea. A plethora of islands offer opportunites with the renowned & high-spirited sea lions of this region and, rather unexpectedly perhaps, some good macro photography and lots of black coral. The Sea of Cortez is ...

Magdalena Bay ... Striped Marlins, Sea Lions & Pelagic Fish

Off the west coast of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, scuba divers can experience some of othe most exhilarating pelagic animal encounters anywhere on the planet. Set in the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, which is home to Galapagos, Cocos, Malpelo, the Revillagigedo Islands (Socorro), Guadalupe, Alaska and all the territory in between, the chilly nutrient-rich currents nourish hundreds of ...