Mexico diving/snorkeling?
Mexico diving/snorkeling?
So seems someone I know has gotten a travel itch. I have never been to Mexico and wondering where to go for good diving and possible snorkeling? Looking at a 5-7 day trip.
Jeff Castor
Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
Cabo Pulmo!!!!
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Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
+1 for diving. Not sure about snorkeling though??ljjames wrote:Cabo Pulmo!!!!
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- Penopolypants
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Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
Snorkeling is great there too! There's a reef just off the beach that runs sorta parallel to the shore, with a bit of reef, a bit of sand, another reef a little farther out. We saw morays, occasional turtles, and even a small reef shark.
Bonus is that it's relatively inexpensive and easy to get there from here, especially compared to the other coast of Mexico. Just don't cheap out on the vehicle you rent - the roads can be pretty rough.
Bonus is that it's relatively inexpensive and easy to get there from here, especially compared to the other coast of Mexico. Just don't cheap out on the vehicle you rent - the roads can be pretty rough.
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Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
There's more snorkeling than diving at Cabo Pulmo, if the shops on the beach are any indication. The reefs are shallow and lovely, and quite worth snorkeling or diving.
Keep in mind that Cabo Pulmo is about an hour and a half by car from the more industrialized San Jose del Cabo (where the airport is), and two hours from the ultra touristy Cabo San Lucas. Cabo Pulmo is a tiny place, with not a whole lot going on other than the beaches (which are lovely), some hostels, and a handful of beachfront diving/snorkeling operations. There are some good restaurants within easy walking distance as well. The last several miles into Cabo Pulmo are by dirt road ... the nearest town, La Ribera, is about a half-hour away by car. Once you're down there, unless you have a car there's not much to do or see other than what you can get to from the beach. Might not be enough to keep you busy for a week.
Another option would be La Paz ... roughly 100 miles north of Cabo Pulmo. It's a much larger town, with lots to do and see. The diving's amazing ... and we had some snorkelers on our boat the day we went out to the sea lion rookery. On our second dive, which was a wreck, we dropped the snorkelers off on a nearby beach, and they were later raving about how good it was. So that's another option to consider. Also, there are direct flights into La Paz ... so you can avoid the more crowded and expensive Cabo area altogether if you want to.
Loreto's another 230 miles or so north of La Paz. It's much smaller than La Paz, more temperate (this time of year, not as hot), with mountains looming in the background that come all the way to the water. Loreto was my favorite place, but there's much less to do there than in La Paz. You can also get direct flights into Loreto, via Los Angeles. The water here was quite chilly (we were wearing 7 mm wetsuits), but there were snorkelers on our boat and they had a delightful time. This is where we were surrounded by dolphins, and on the way back from diving the driver spent some time looking around for a whale shark (although we didn't find one) ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Keep in mind that Cabo Pulmo is about an hour and a half by car from the more industrialized San Jose del Cabo (where the airport is), and two hours from the ultra touristy Cabo San Lucas. Cabo Pulmo is a tiny place, with not a whole lot going on other than the beaches (which are lovely), some hostels, and a handful of beachfront diving/snorkeling operations. There are some good restaurants within easy walking distance as well. The last several miles into Cabo Pulmo are by dirt road ... the nearest town, La Ribera, is about a half-hour away by car. Once you're down there, unless you have a car there's not much to do or see other than what you can get to from the beach. Might not be enough to keep you busy for a week.
Another option would be La Paz ... roughly 100 miles north of Cabo Pulmo. It's a much larger town, with lots to do and see. The diving's amazing ... and we had some snorkelers on our boat the day we went out to the sea lion rookery. On our second dive, which was a wreck, we dropped the snorkelers off on a nearby beach, and they were later raving about how good it was. So that's another option to consider. Also, there are direct flights into La Paz ... so you can avoid the more crowded and expensive Cabo area altogether if you want to.
Loreto's another 230 miles or so north of La Paz. It's much smaller than La Paz, more temperate (this time of year, not as hot), with mountains looming in the background that come all the way to the water. Loreto was my favorite place, but there's much less to do there than in La Paz. You can also get direct flights into Loreto, via Los Angeles. The water here was quite chilly (we were wearing 7 mm wetsuits), but there were snorkelers on our boat and they had a delightful time. This is where we were surrounded by dolphins, and on the way back from diving the driver spent some time looking around for a whale shark (although we didn't find one) ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
I guess I should have been a bit more elaborate, so the wife would probably like to see sights as well. She is a bit not easy in the water even when snorkeling as she does not like the not feeling bottom even with a life jacket. She did OK in the Lagoons at Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas though.
Thanks for all the suggestions and keep them coming. I seen Cancun has whale shark snorkel trips.
Thanks for all the suggestions and keep them coming. I seen Cancun has whale shark snorkel trips.
Jeff Castor
Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
Yes, but if your wife doesn't want to feel bottom she sure won't be snorkeling with whale sharks.pogiguy05 wrote:I guess I should have been a bit more elaborate, so the wife would probably like to see sights as well. She is a bit not easy in the water even when snorkeling as she does not like the not feeling bottom even with a life jacket. She did OK in the Lagoons at Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas though.
Thanks for all the suggestions and keep them coming. I seen Cancun has whale shark snorkel trips.
I hear that the shallows of Bonaire are great for snorkeling, and that you can wade in, and even touch the bottom when you want!
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Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
Very interesting. Guess I completely missed the snorkeling because I was too busy diving and snapping pics. Lol. Thanks for the insight y’all.
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Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
and fall onto tiny sea urchins as well, but then I have only heard this I have never seen it first hand.Tom Nic wrote:Yes, but if your wife doesn't want to feel bottom she sure won't be snorkeling with whale sharks.pogiguy05 wrote:I guess I should have been a bit more elaborate, so the wife would probably like to see sights as well. She is a bit not easy in the water even when snorkeling as she does not like the not feeling bottom even with a life jacket. She did OK in the Lagoons at Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas though.
Thanks for all the suggestions and keep them coming. I seen Cancun has whale shark snorkel trips.
I hear that the shallows of Bonaire are great for snorkeling, and that you can wade in, and even touch the bottom when you want!
Jeff Castor
Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
If you would like to know about Cozumel, pvt me and I can fill you in
Re: Mexico diving/snorkeling?
Whale sharks are typically off of Isla Mujeres or Isla Holbox. If you want to do a whale shark trip, you are better off heading out to one of those islands and leaving from there. I'm actually leaving this Saturday for a week on Mujeres with the whale sharks.pogiguy05 wrote: Thanks for all the suggestions and keep them coming. I seen Cancun has whale shark snorkel trips.