Hi everyone. My family and I ( there are 4 of us) are doing a dive trip to La Paz and Cabo Pulmo in November. I have read that the boat rides are long and I am wondering if anyone can suggest dive operators that have the best/safest boats for traveling in wavy open water. Cortez Club? Dive Gurus? Should we book Cabo Pulmo with a dive op from La Paz or go with a dive op in Cabo Pulmo? Any accommodation suggestions in La Paz? We are landing in SJD and renting a car. Any suggestions or hot tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Mardi
Diving La Paz and Cabo Pulmo in November
- Thread starter Mardi
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Manuel Sam
Contributor
I am doing a November trip that also includes La Paz for the sea lions and Cabo Pulmo for hopefully the bulls and the jacks. I am sharing some of my preferences.
I haven't picked a dive operator in La Paz yet, but I will be staying at the Hotel Hblue. It is in a quieter part of the city but it is close to several good restaurants including Casa Madre (for Italian) and Los Magueyes (for Mexican).
Another place I like a lot is Hotel Catedral. It is a bit nicer and pricier and there's a decent BBQ place nearby called J&R Ribs. Both of these hotels provide a free buffet breakfast.
I booked Mar y Sierra in Cabo Pulmo because I dived with him on 3 past occasions. Lodgings in Cabo Pulmo are mostly in the form of houses and bungalows. If oyu pick a local operator, they might be able to steer you to properties that are available. November is a busy time.
I haven't picked a dive operator in La Paz yet, but I will be staying at the Hotel Hblue. It is in a quieter part of the city but it is close to several good restaurants including Casa Madre (for Italian) and Los Magueyes (for Mexican).
Another place I like a lot is Hotel Catedral. It is a bit nicer and pricier and there's a decent BBQ place nearby called J&R Ribs. Both of these hotels provide a free buffet breakfast.
I booked Mar y Sierra in Cabo Pulmo because I dived with him on 3 past occasions. Lodgings in Cabo Pulmo are mostly in the form of houses and bungalows. If oyu pick a local operator, they might be able to steer you to properties that are available. November is a busy time.
Thank you very much for the tips!
aquabluegreg
Contributor
I have just started to book trips with Buceo Carey in La Paz. They have been around 40 years and are real pros. They offer Villa Carey as accommodation. They run full day trips to Cabo Pulmo and Bahia Magdalena, not sure if they offer Gordo Banks excursions. I recently met the father and son team at the Long Beach Scuba Show and they really know the Sea of Cortez. They would be my first choice. I would not do Cabo without a trip to Gordo Banks. I started driving the Baja Peninsula in 1972 and talking with Gabriel, I got to relive lots of memories from days when a trip to Baja was THE adventure. They also offer the Botique Catedral hotel packages.
Villa Carey / Buceo Carey: Liquid Diving Adventures - Villa Carey La Paz
Villa Carey / Buceo Carey: Liquid Diving Adventures - Villa Carey La Paz
We have booked to go to Baja at the end of Oct/beginning of November. We looked at La Paz, but ended up going for Cabo San Lucas instead. We are going to dive with Dive Ninjas -- they do loads of conservation & research work, & seem really professional Dive Ninja - PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center in Cabo San Lucas They do tips to Gordo Banks, but also go up to La Paz for whaleshark excursions. Seems like the best of both worlds to me!
A buddy and I are putting together our trip to SJD/Pulmo/LaPaz right now. We plan Nov 1-15 total and have a few days booked in Pulmo, Nov 6-9, with Baha Bungalows for lodging and Thierry (Mar y Sierra, I think) for the diving.
If anyone is putting together some custom dives along this area of the penninsula and needs a couple more bodies in the boat to make it more affordable, let me know. We are Intermediate (?) divers, with 50-70 dives each. No deep blue yonder type of experience, though. Mostly reefs and wrecks.
Mardi, Manuel Sam, perhaps we'll cross paths down there!
If anyone is putting together some custom dives along this area of the penninsula and needs a couple more bodies in the boat to make it more affordable, let me know. We are Intermediate (?) divers, with 50-70 dives each. No deep blue yonder type of experience, though. Mostly reefs and wrecks.
Mardi, Manuel Sam, perhaps we'll cross paths down there!
I’ve never dove in La Paz but we did spend a week in Cabo Pulmo in 2020 and I recall thinking, and being told, that it would be a long ride to La Paz. If it were me I’d spend a few nights in each place and enjoy much shorter boat rides. Cabo Pulmo is a very small town and the accommodations are, as someone else said, small bungalows and rental houses. When we went there was one official looking PADI dive op and several local shops that were quite busy. I was there on a trip organized by Denver Divers and I believe the local dive shop they used was Cabo Pulmo Divers. Denver Divers had been using them for 10+ years and was very happy with them and their operation; we also thought they did a good job
Still Kicking
Contributor
I used Cabo Pulmo Divers (David) and they were great. Newer rental equipment, good boats, excellent guides and short rides to the dive sites. David's family was one of the first to settle in the area and the first dive operators there. I highly recommend them.
Scubagolf
Contributor
We did a week to La Paz in July of 2019. It was warm topside, but the seas were flat and water temps were around 82-82 deg F. We stayed up north in a VRBO condo at Puerta Cortes Marina and dove with Cortez Club, which we found to be an excellent operator.
Chavodel8en
Contributor
Late response here, but we stayed at Hotel Catedral in La Paz in Dec 2021 and thought it was a good location in terms of walking the town / Malecon. I think they have parking.
You are correct about the long boat rides. I dont know of any operator who deals with it best. I used Dive in La Paz b/c it was walking distance from Hotel Catedral. We lucked out, flat seas the entire time, but I could see a long boat ride on rough seas being not pleasant.
You are correct about the long boat rides. I dont know of any operator who deals with it best. I used Dive in La Paz b/c it was walking distance from Hotel Catedral. We lucked out, flat seas the entire time, but I could see a long boat ride on rough seas being not pleasant.
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