going to cabo, san lucas july 19 to the 26

[hdtran]

You can drive the last 6-10 miles in a regular rent-a-car. You don't need a 4wd (unless it has been raining, which almost never happens). But you don't want to do it at any great speed, unless your back & kidneys like extra-strong massages

Don't drive from San Jose along the coast to Cabo Pulmo (the most direct route on the map). Instead, take the Transcarretera north towards La Paz, and when you get to the junction towards La Ribera, turn right towards La Ribera, Punta Colorada, etc. This road is still paved (but in various stages of disrepair). As you continue from La Ribera towards Cabo Pulmo, the road stops being paved, and your comfortable driving speed drops precipitously. (But the view is marvelous, and the sea is turquoise blue).

When my wife & I return next year, we intend to ask Baja Dive to recommend a tour in Cabo Pulmo (they won't do it themselves, but they are buddies with the outfits who do). This way, we get a van ride, lunch, juices, etc. Or if you want to reserve yourself (esp. if staying nearer to San Jose, e.g. the Hilton, Melia, Ventana, Westin, etc.), Baja Wild looks like a very nice outfit. They contract with one of the Cabo Pulmo outfitters for boat & DM.

If you do a dive trip from Cabo itself, you can park on the dirt parking lot off of Ave Cabo San Lucas just South of Blvd Marina. This is a free lot. Baja Dive is at I-4 in Plaza Las Glorias (near the SW corner of the former Plaza Las Glorias hotel, Solomon's Landing, & Captain Tony's). If you go with Baja Dive, Paco Silva is a great guy, and I hear Victor Arriaga is also wonderful. Paco gave me my certification lessons. You will never have a crowd with them.

Land's End divers is just a couple of storefronts down from Baja Dive (also looks nice); Manta Divers and Ocean Cabo are in the same building, but NE. Cabo Acuadeportes is one of the largest outfitters, and is based in the Hotel Hacienda (a good walk from the marina). Amigos Del Mar has an 800-number reachable from the US.

All the rental equipment looks serviceable. Not new, but functional.

All do e-mail, and respond to their e-mail.

 

[SeaFlea]

Pammyk here is my opinion, for what its worth.

I guess I've been spoiled by Cozumel, Bonaire, and the Philippines but I found Cabo / La Paz to be very unexciting. The water was cold, no living coral worth seeing, very long boat rides, and expensive. The only thing that I enjoyed was the Sealions.

Go see it but don't expect too much. Now the land activities were very nice. We really enjoyed the Fiesta Americana Grand.

Hope I didn't put too much of a damper on your plans. Try Bonaire next and you will see what I mean.

 

[dlndavid]

Pam, it's Cabo Pulmo on the East Cape that is adjacent to N. America's only living coral reef. Of the three dive shops listed for Cabo Pulmo, I'm dealing with Pepe's with good results. Check out Pepe Murrietta's biweekly dive reports. For dive sites, below are three fairly comprehensive links of descriptions, by area. You've probably seen these dive sites listed separately elsewhere in your online research, but I consolidated the Cabo and Corridor dive sites into online lists of their own to make it easier. I'm looking forward to your own trip reports!

Cabo San Lucas dives

Cabo Pulmo dive sites

Corridor-area dive sites (between CSL and Cabo San Juan)

I read many of Pepe's dive reports, good readings. I will be in the Cabo area 1st week of Oct. and would like to dive with Pepe. How are his prices? None are listed on his site.
Sure would love to see one of those whale sharks!!!!

 

[dlndavid]

Hi everyone...I just got my open water cert the end of june...then went to ft lauderdale (I did post a thread about my trip) and got my advanced. Even though I've only done 10 dives so far so I really don't feel like an advanced scuba diver yet...lolol. I did dive as deep as 72 ft which was a wreck dive and was awesome! I'm going to Cabo july 19 for a week and will be doing some diving there. Has anyone ever gone to cabo and gone diving there that can give me any information on dive sites and dive shops that are easy to work with? Any information would be great. I have gone online to check them out but it's difficult to tell which operations are the best ones without getting first hand experiences. I've heard that the only living coral reef is about 2 hours away by car but it's one that can't be beat. I don't know how long the boat ride is. Thanks is advance.

:dazzler1: I'm so excited about this trip I can almost taste it...lolololol!!!!!

Pam

Here is a good map link for Cabo, keep clicking dive flags to get more detail.
http://www.tiosports.com/scuba-map.html
Have fun, and look forward to hearing about you trip.

David

 

[558973]

Cost of 2-tank dive (including all equipment) is $100 at Pepe's. The three dive shops at Cabo Pulmo (Pepe's, Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, and Cabo Pulmo Divers) are roughly the same price (with Cabo Pulmo Divers just a bit higher than the other two).

You need to be at Pepe's by 8:15AM and CPBR by 9:15AM for the morning dives.

 

[colonelchuck]

Cost of 2-tank dive (including all equipment) is $100 at Pepe's. The three dive shops at Cabo Pulmo (Pepe's, Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, and Cabo Pulmo Divers) are roughly the same price (with Cabo Pulmo Divers just a bit higher than the other two).

You need to be at Pepe's by 8:15AM and CPBR by 9:15AM for the morning dives.

Just dove with Pepe's (6 dives in three days). We paid $140 for two divers. I guess it depends on how long and how many to set the price.

Roberto was our DM and he was terrific. Don't expect elegance. They use trucks to push open boats out into the ocean. Boat recovery is done by ramming the beach. That said, the dives were great and the lilfe very interesting.

 

[WaterWayne]

To avoid hijacking Pammy's thread...Unfortunately, one cannot delete an entire reply once submitted.