Baja in July - need a lot of advice

[reefertravel]

I'll be going to Baja in July and would really appreciate advice as I don't know much at all! I've a couple hundred dives. Would love to see cool big stuff.

• What are the best locations for diving in Baja (particularly in July)?
• For 12 days, are other towns worth going to or should I just stay in Cabo San Lucas?
• Is car rental essential or is it possible to get buses between towns? I didn't drive in a long time.
• Any dive shop recommendations?
• I'd like some simple but decent accommodation and any recommendations would be appreciated. I'm going by myself and any accommodation associated with a dive shop and/or where I might meet other divers would be cool.
• Any other recommendations would be much appreciated!

 

[Chavodel8en]

I've only been to La Paz, so I hope others will add their expertise.

Generally, los Cabos is not known as a great dive destination -- its for beach resorts and partying.

Alot of folks like Cabo Pulmo, which basically exists only for scuba (I've never been). Its a bit of a pain to get there, as part of it is unpaved road. So you either get on a hired van, or rent a 4x4. Its rustic - i think the power is only on during the day (and supplemented by generator). Perhaps do a search of Cabo Pulmo.

La Paz has some good diving, but note that there are long boat trips (I made a trip report). Unfortunately, in July the best dive site -- los Islotes -- is off limits to allow the sea lion colony to breed and pup. La Paz is also a great town for food, especially seafood.

I tend to think of big stuff as available from liveaboards, but there may be other possibilities. I think there are rays further out from La Paz, for example.

 

[profmason]

I drive the truck down from LA. Shore diving off ensenda at arbolitos or other La Bufadora sites. This is similar to LA shore diving but a couple degrees warmer. Fill tanks in Ensenada. Then it is a long haul to Bahia de Los Angeles. Ricardo has a compressor there. Lots of nice warm water diving there however visibility in July is not great, but the whale sharks are usually there by then (To eat all the plankton/algae that is messing with the visibility). Fill Tanks before you go. I like to stop in bahia de conception and dive off the paddle board in the bay, or panga out to the islands for a couple of days. I think the dive shop in Mulege is gone, but folks can correct me. Diving off loreto is great with a couple of solid shops. This is where I usually stop. For La Paz I fly down or Cabo Pulmo, fly down to Cabo San Lucas. On the way up, I sometimes go by way of San Felipe, but it is a big tidal flat so no diving unless you boat across to the other side.

If flying down to Cabo San Lucas, either rent a car or hire a driver to take you over to Cabo Pulmo (ideally straight from the airport) for 3-4 days and then up to La Paz. It will be hot!

 

[reefertravel]

I've only been to La Paz, so I hope others will add their expertise.

Generally, los Cabos is not known as a great dive destination -- its for beach resorts and partying.

Alot of folks like Cabo Pulmo, which basically exists only for scuba (I've never been). Its a bit of a pain to get there, as part of it is unpaved road. So you either get on a hired van, or rent a 4x4. Its rustic - i think the power is only on during the day (and supplemented by generator). Perhaps do a search of Cabo Pulmo.

La Paz has some good diving, but note that there are long boat trips (I made a trip report). Unfortunately, in July the best dive site -- los Islotes -- is off limits to allow the sea lion colony to breed and pup. La Paz is also a great town for food, especially seafood.

I tend to think of big stuff as available from liveaboards, but there may be other possibilities. I think there are rays further out from La Paz, for example.

Thanks so much - that's really helpful and helping me to flesh out this trip in my head.

For Los Cabos, The PADI website listed Gordo Banks, Land's End and Pelican Rocks as three dive sites that sounded pretty cool with big schools of sardines, octopuses and macro stuff. I wonder if PADI make it sound better then it is. It would be great to hear if anyone has tried diving there. I read somewhere there's a big mobula migration too.

This website also states it's manta and whale shark season in July by the La Reina dive site near La Paz, which sounded really cool.

Any other advice from anyone would be much appreciated. I'm also visiting Cozumel and could just potentially spend all my time there if anyone thinks that it's way better. But I'd love to see some mantas and big schools of stuff.

 

[horn34]

Thanks so much - that's really helpful and helping me to flesh out this trip in my head.

For Los Cabos, The PADI website listed Gordo Banks, Land's End and Pelican Rocks as three dive sites that sounded pretty cool with big schools of sardines, octopuses and macro stuff. I wonder if PADI make it sound better then it is. It would be great to hear if anyone has tried diving there. I read somewhere there's a big mobula migration too.

This website also states it's manta and whale shark season in July by the La Reina dive site near La Paz, which sounded really cool.

Any other advice from anyone would be much appreciated. I'm also visiting Cozumel and could just potentially spend all my time there if anyone thinks that it's way better. But I'd love to see some mantas and big schools of stuff.

I lived in La Paz for a year. July is not a good time for diving. Sea lion colonies are off limits and the whale sharks are gone. Cabo Pulmo is super hot in the summer and the bait balls/bulls aren't there. Maybe try some dives from San Jose del Cabo.

 

[ibj40]

Thanks so much - that's really helpful and helping me to flesh out this trip in my head.

For Los Cabos, The PADI website listed Gordo Banks, Land's End and Pelican Rocks as three dive sites that sounded pretty cool with big schools of sardines, octopuses and macro stuff. I wonder if PADI make it sound better then it is. It would be great to hear if anyone has tried diving there. I read somewhere there's a big mobula migration too.

This website also states it's manta and whale shark season in July by the La Reina dive site near La Paz, which sounded really cool.

Any other advice from anyone would be much appreciated. I'm also visiting Cozumel and could just potentially spend all my time there if anyone thinks that it's way better. But I'd love to see some mantas and big schools of stuff.

We’ve only been to Cabo San Lucas in November/December, due primarily to researching water temperatures and visibility.

For our “local” dives, we’ve done Pelican Rock, Land’s End and Neptune’s Finger; plus up along what is known as the “Corridor”.

Of the several, Neptune’s Finger is one of our favorites, while the Corridor offers some interesting structure. On one of our Land’s End dives we were blessed with a huge school of Mobulas above us as we inspected what is left of the wreck.

We’ve also done day trips to both La Paz and Cabo Pulmo. The La Paz trip to Los Islotes was not worth the effort to see Sea Lions since they are just as prevalent at Land’s End.

For the Pulmo trip we were lucky enough to see Bull Sharks on the wreck for our first dive and a huge bait ball on our second tank.

For all our trips we have used Manta Scuba and will probably use them the next time we go.

With respect to whether to dive only Cozumel or split your time, we appreciate the significant difference between Caribbean and Pacific diving and would recommend if you have a chance, experience both.