Home > Diving Mexico > Mexico Dive Tours

Dive Cabo Pulmo, 6 Days

Sea of Cortez, Mexico

An Exciting New Dive Destination

Ahhh. Cabo Pulmo. We believe this is the best diving in the Sea of Cortez. Bull sharks. Big fish. Giant schools of fish. Coral reefs. Humpback whales in season through mid-January, and much more! This tightly protected marine park is a living example of a small living community transitioning from subsistence fishing to successful eco-tourism. And, we can take you there to join our liveaboard dive boat in a way that has never before been possible.

What’s There

The shredded remains of a shipwreck are home to a year round population of bull sharks. Along the reef you can expect to see astonishingly large schools of jacks, a good mix of panamic animals, some really big fish, sea lions, turtles and more. Plus, ever-popular humpback whales are resident through the end of peak season in January.

What’s Special

Cabo Pulmo is a UNESCO world heritage site and marine park that was brought back to life from terrible devastation. Cabo Pulmo was famous for pearl diving from the 1880’s until the industry collapsed in 1938. The sharks did not fare any better. 44 species of sharks once called Cabo Pulmo home, but overfishing including the demand for shark livers by the US military in World War 2 and the sickening Asian trade in Shark fins wreaked havoc on the populations.

The great news is that the local village of 120 people banded together to stamp out fishing and transition to sustainable eco-tourism. In 1995 the national park was created by the Mexican government with a full-time staff of park rangers. In 2005, Cabo Pulmo was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and in 2008 it became a Ramsar International Wetlands site.

One word of caution to divers is that the park is tightly managed. As such, divers must stay with their dive masters (individual diver mastering is available), and touching the animals or resting on the bottom is not allowed. Some of the most popular sites are on a quota system, although there is lots of other good diving in the park.

The Ship

The Nautilus Gallant Lady will be anchored just outside the nucleus zone of the park. With speedy panga rides to the dive sites using pangas from our mothership, you will be able to dive Cabo Pulmo in a way never before possible.

With 6 spacious suites – all convertible from quasi-king to 2 doubles – and all the luxury of a private yacht, we are excited to offer more than just diving. Kayaking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, desert hikes, long walks on remote beaches, beach bonfires are all on the menu.

Cabo Pulmo Itinerary

Day 1 - Whisked out to our luxury yacht

We recommend flying into Cabo San Lucas (SJD) the day before your trip starts. You never know what the airlines might do with cancelled/delayed flights, or lost baggage, and coming in early eliminates any stress. Our Cabo Dive Centre in the Tesoro Hotel is right on the main boardwalk and we would be pleased to take you out on a complimentary warm-up dive when you arrive.

We will meet you at the Dive Centre by 8:30 am the next morning tol whisk you up to Cabo Pulmo and your waiting yacht. Alternatively, if you fly into Cabo today, we can pick you up at the airport after 1 pm and transfer you directly to Cabo Pulmo. Please note that for the driver’s safety we don’t drive the remote roads after dark and will not be able to accommodate late afternoon arrivals.

Champagne and appetizers will be waiting for you onboard the Gallant Lady, and after a welcome aboard briefing, we would love to get you in the water for your first dive of the trip!

Days 2 through 5 - Submerged in Cabo Pulmo

Full dive days plus, of course, much more:

It’s entirely your option to start with a lazy morning otherwise we’ll have an early breakfast ready and a local captain and a divemaster waiting in their panga to speed over to the nucleus zone for a 2-tank dive before lunch. Your yacht will be anchored in the protected and calm waters in front of the beach at “Los Frailles” in compliance with national park regulations and just around the corner from most of the Cabo Pulmo dive sites. We limit each panga to 6 - 8 divers plus divemaster. We may also dive around Los Frailles.

After heading back to the Gallant Lady for lunch - and a hot tub?? - you will have a tough decision to make. You can choose between heading out for another 2 tank dive, or head off for some kayaking, paddle boarding, a long walk on the beach, hike into the desert, or taking a mountain bike out for a ride! Or, you might just decide to relax on the yacht. If you are visiting in-season, you may even have a humpback whale or two swim right past the boat!

We traditionally have cocktail hour at 6 bells ( or 7 pm, which might be a bit confusing but it’s how we talk as sailors! ) with micro brews, fine wines, single malt whiskey and our signature gin and tonics. Dinner to follow, then a bonfire on the beach, an evening presentation, and lots of relaxation.

Day 6 - Departures

The last day of any trip is always sad for us. After breakfast, it will be time to say goodbye. We will likely depart by 1100 for either SJD airport, or our dive centre in Cabo San Lucas. If you are joining one of our Guadalupe great white shark trips, we will be sure to provide seamless transfers to connect you with the flight to Tijuana and pick you up in TIJ to transfer you directly to our hospitality suite in Ensenada and your waiting dive ship. If you are joining one of our Socorro trips, you may be able to board same-day in Cabo San Lucas. Otherwise, it’s our job to assist you with arrangements for a local hotel, condo, or private villa.

Download Detailed Itinerary [pdf]

View Nautilus Gallant Lady's Trips & Dates

For more information
Contact:
Dive Discovery
@
1 800 886-7321
(415) 444-5100
or
Request Info