A few more comments:
In Cabo Pulmo, you can use Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort (the green two-story bldg, you can't miss it), or Cabo Pulmo Divers (past the green bldg, right next to the beach). I've heard bad things about Pepe's op, which is the first thing you'll see on the right as you drive into town. CPBR accepts credit cards. Everyone else is cash/travelers cheques. I used Cabo Pulmo Divers for my one day at Cabo Pulmo, though the visibility was bad that day. If you want to dive Cabo Pulmo, leave Cabo San Lucas
early (e.g. before 8am)! You want to arrive at Cabo Pulmo by 9:30am. The best diving/snorkeling tends to be in the mornings before the wind picks up. Playa La Sirenita (Mermaid Beach) has great tidal pools, but it's a 5-10 minute drive (not walk!). Waters in Cabo Pulmo tend to run 5-10 F warmer than CSL. Water entry is backroll; be aware that exit is "no ladder; heave, kick, & wriggle onto the boat."
Closer to CSL: Bahia Santa Maria & Bahia Chileno are good snorkeling beaches, esp. along the southern (right) end. Approx. 13-15 km North of CSL. In CSL, good snorkeling on the south side of Lover's Beach (you need to take a water taxi to get there) and on Playa Balconcito (walk on the street towards the Solmar, stay left instead of going to the Solmar, past the Navy barrack, to the defunct tuna/sardine cannery. Then, walk out into the sand, just S of the cannery. There's a large Palapa at Balconcito). Only locals play at Balconcito, no tourists, no beach vendors. There's an old shipwreck about 50 ft from the beach, in about 6-8 ft of water, which is swarming with puffer fish, moorish idols, trumpetfish, etc. You might even spot a sea horse there.
If you use Land's End Divers, they are likely to offer you a discount for paying with cash as opposed to a credit card, and a discount for doing multiple dives. (My wife & I got a 10% 'frequent diver' discount without asking). Gonzalo (aka Chalo) may remember certifying my wife (she could do the PADI nitrogen tables better than he), and is likely to be the instructor for "discover scuba" for your group, unless the manager, Carlos, is around. All the DM's are quite good. Be aware that common practice in Baja is not as ecologically enlightened as one might wish (e.g. the DM's think nothing of feeding the fish in CSL).
Most of the dive ops in CSL do backroll entry and ladder exit (hand your weight belt up; hand your BCD up; take off your fins & climb). The Amigos del Mar boat is a multihull, and appears to have entry/exit platform, rather than ladder (e.g. easier exit)
The Fish House (very near the Marina & former Plaza Las Glorias) does the best "Huachinango Entero" (fried whole red snapper with spicy garlic salsa) we've ever had. You can ask them to give you a coupon for 'buy 2, get the 3rd entree' before paying, and use the coupon that day. Avoid their lobsters, though.
Avoid Lan's (chinese/asian fusion; in Plaza Bonita) like the plague.
Finally: Watch out for the timeshare vendors & learn to say "no gracias" unless you really want to waste your time (or buy a timeshare
)
If I get my act together, I'll post a trip report w/ pictures from our trip (May 23-June 3) and a link to it.
Have a great time! We wish we were still there!
