Updated May 11, 2023
This is the fifth in a series that introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. This one will focus on Mexico and the Guadalupe Island shark diving, Socorro Island, and Sea of Cortez liveaboards.
In addition to this series on liveaboards, the best worldwide diving destinations are reviewed in their own series. To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.
Have you been diving in Mexico before? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.
Best Scuba Diving Mexico – Guadalupe Island Shark Diving, Sea of Cortez, & Soccoro Islands Liveaboards
Guadalupe Island Shark Diving
Guadalupe is a small island off the coast of Baja California about 165 miles (265 km) from Ensenada, Mexico. The liveaboards are specifically arranged to see great white sharks from cages and last 4-5 days. This region typically outperforms white shark areas in South Africa and Australia for consistency and conditions. Onboard experts have selected spots around the island where chances to see the big predators, sometimes in great numbers, are likely, several times each day. From the safety of cages, they frequently come quite close and in some cases right up to the cage. Visibility is from 100 to 150 feet (30 to 45 meters), great for photography.
Cage diving is accessible for both divers and non-divers. Surface cages using air hoses are suitable for uncertified and certified divers and submersible cages where divers may use scuba tanks are limited to the certified. In the case of some operators, it is even possible to leave the cage and stand with only a single rail between humans and sharks.
The season for Guadalupe runs from August to October when the ocean is calmest, and colder sea temperatures generally range from 66°F to 72°F (19°C to 22°C). Rain becomes more likely in October. Great whites, tuna, Guadalupe fur seals, and sea lions are most frequently sighted from August to October.
Socorro Islands
The megafauna in the Socorro Islands is unforgettable. You can experience encounters with mantas rays, dolphins, humpback whales (during the winter months), and 7 different types of sharks, including hammerheads. Schools of barracuda, trevallies, and tuna are seen on practically every dive.
Sea of Cortez North & Midriff Islands Diving
The Sea of Cortez, once described by Jacques Cousteau as the world’s aquarium, has highly diverse marine life including eels, octopus, seahorses, frogfish, nudibranchs, blennies, jawfish, several varieties of ray, guitarfish, Mexican horn sharks, and even pilotfin and sperm whales. In the area of the Midriff Islands, there are also whale sharks, Mobula rays, and sea lion colonies. What a fabulous location to see such a rich variety of creatures!
Liveaboard Dive Boats
Low Budget
- Nautilus Belle Amie – Guadalupe Island & Socorro Islands
- Nautilus Explorer – Guadalupe Island & Socorro Islands
- Nautilus Under Sea – Guadalupe Island & Socorro Islands
- Quino El Guardian – Socorro Islands & Sea of Cortez North & Midriff Islands
- Rocio Del Mar – Socorro Islands & Sea of Cortez North & Midriff Islands
- Socorro Aggressor – Guadalupe Island & Socorro Islands
- MV Sea Escape – Socorro Islands
- Nautilus Gallant Lady – Socorro Islands & Sea of Cortez North & South
- Valentina – Socorro Islands & Sea of Cortez North & South
- Southern Sport – Guadalupe Island & Socorro Islands
Middle Budget
- MV Solmar V – Guadalupe Island & Socorro Islands
High Budget
- Socorro Vortex – Guadalupe Island & Socorro Islands (Unfortunately, the Soccoro Vortex ran aground recently while on a safari to the Socorro Islands and is out of commission, perhaps permanently. No one was injured.)
- MV Horizon – Guadalupe Island
For complete information on the liveaboard dive boats listed above, go to this link:
Featuring
- Visits Socorro Islands, Guadalupe Island
- All cabins with private bathrooms
- Nautilus lifeline lost diver devices
- Rebreather diving available
- Free trip video and photos
- SOLAS safety standards
- Large boat with a steel hull
- Maximum of 32 maximum guests, 12 staff
- Mexican and international meals – 6 different dishes per sitting
- Nitrox available
- 2 or 3 motorized dive skiffs
Featuring
- Visits Socorro Islands, Sea of Cortez North, and Midriff Islands
- Good value for money Mexico liveaboard option
- Trips from 7 to 12 nights
- Complimentary beer and wine
- Mexican & international meals – 3 different dishes per sitting
- 12 and 15-liter tanks available
- Maximum of 16 guests, 8 staff
- Experienced English-speaking divemasters (1 guide for 8 divers)
- 2 motorized dinghies
- Nitrox available
Featuring
- Visits Socorro Islands, Guadalupe Island
- All cabins with private bathrooms, TV & DVD
- Camera: table, rinse tank, charging stations
- Free beer and wine
- Mexican and international meals
- Large boat with a steel hull
- 2 motorized dinghies
- Experienced English-speaking divemasters (11 divers to 1 guide)
- Maximum of 22 guests, 10 staff
Liveaboard Dive Boat Comparison Table
| Nautilus Belle Ami | Quino El Guardian | MV Solmar V | |
| Length | 41 m | 27 m | 34 m |
| Passengers | 32 | 16 | 22 |
| Crew | 12 | 8 | 10 |
| Equipment | $215/week | to be arranged | to be arranged |
| Nitrox | $20/day | $120/trip | to be arranged |
| Single Cabins | +25% | +50% | to be arranged |
| Price/Day | $309 | $291 | $366 |
| Guadalupe Island | yes | no | yes |
| Socorro Island | yes | yes | yes |
| Sea of Cortez | no | yes | no |
Photography in Mexico
With the pristine coral reefs, a variety of fish, macro critters, and great white sharks, there are many excellent photo opportunities. For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:
Scuba Diving Trip Insurance
A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation. I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.
Related Diving Reviews
For further details of diving in and around the Sea of Cortez, Baja California, and the Socorro Islands, please check out these popular posts.:
- Scuba Diving the Sea of Cortez Midriff Islands Liveaboards
- Scuba Diving Loreto Mexico
- Scuba Diving Cabo Pulmo Mexico
- Scuba Diving La Paz Mexico
- Scuba Diving Caba San Lucas Mexico
- Socorro Islands Scuba Diving Liveaboards
Feedback and Comments
I hope you found this post on Mexican liveaboard scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<
This is going to be a must for my husband on our next trip to the Baja. I’m sure he would be interested in a 7 night trip. I don’t dive though so I’m wondering if I would still be able to come along the trip or not. Would be great to see him do what he loves and be out at sea. Any chance a person could bring a fishing rod while out on the over night trips?
Thanks a lot for your comments. I’m sure your husband would have a great time. You could come along as a non-diver, but unfortunately you would most likely have to pay the full rate. These liveaboards are in pretty big demand. As to the question of fishing, you know us scuba divers are pretty big into conservation, so most likely the captain would not like for you to fish. You could ask, though. Perhaps if the fishing was not for reef fish, but passing pelagics it would be more acceptable. Good luck.
If you have other questions or concerns, please let me know.
Best regards,
Joe
I nearly turned away from this page but I stopped myself and read on. It really made me wish I were young again. I would simply love to do some of the adventures listed on your post. It looks and sounds so exciting and what I really like was the respect shown for these great creatures of the ocean. I have a foster son who is into diving so I am going to send this to him so that he can read about and take advantage of the dive opportunities you have shared. I loved the videos and photos you shared too, as that is the closest I will get to having this experience.
Thank you for sharing, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks a lot for your kind comments and for passing the info along to your foster son.
You know if you are basically fit, scuba diving is not determined by your age. I’m 66 myself and that is not a problem for me. If you have interest to become a certified diver or just give it a try, I could give you some information on how to do it. Maybe you could arrange with your foster son to participate with him. I’m sure he can advise you, as well, about how to get started.
Best regards,
Joe