Dive the Best Sites of Socorro With a Super Friendly Liveaboard!
Overall Rating
Highly recommend this awesome trip off the Mexican Pacific coast! The dive sites are extraordinary, the marine life very rich and interesting. We dived with a multitude of manta rays, sharks (hammerhead, galapagos, white tip, black tip...), dolphins. The boat and the crew were impeccable, the meals on board delicious. I have a gluten intolerance but that was no problem. Sea Crush is a very professional, reliable agency that is always attentive to our desires and needs.
Exceptional stay! In terms of marine life, it was just incredible. From the first adjustment dive we saw rays (manta and electric), sharks (hammerhead, galapagos, silky and white tip) and a school of dolphins came to play with us during the safety stop. The mantas were often very close and stayed very long around us, it was great! We had the chance to observe large school of hammerhead sharks including one where we were almost in the middle! Regarding the organization, everything was impeccable. We found ourselves alone on the sites almost the entire stay. The crew of the Valentina was top notch. The meals were incredible (very important for the French ^^) with a high quality cook. This stay comes at a price, especially because of the remoteness and national park fees, but it is well worth it.
Exceptional trip! Comfortable boat. Caring staff. The cook, whom you have to be wary of if you don't want to get too fat, at the top, makes you travel to the 4 corners of the world. Magical dives with very professional guides. Pelagic species are there, curious mantas, playful dolphins, shy and curious sharks. I highly recommend this trip.
Many schools of hammerhead sharks, oceanic manta rays staying up to 30 minutes around us, dolphins, multitudes of whitetip, silky, and Galapagos sharks, large schools of trevally, tuna... the marine life was really gorgeous! The visibility was sometimes average, however out of the 23 dives made, only one did not literally amaze us! The guides give good briefings beforehand on how to behave underwater and for each site. Lorenzo is particularly excellent, communicates well with the group, and knows how to wait when necessary, so that the cash comes to us! The destination has a price, of course, because of the marine park fees which are high, however we were almost every day the only boat on the sites. When there were other boats, they arranged for us not to dive at the same time, so it was a real luxury to have the site to ourselves! Finally we appreciated that the Valentina has a maximum of 20 divers on board, while the other boats have almost twice as many. The boat is very spacious and stable. The cabins are all on the main deck, which I particularly appreciate because there is no smell of diesel in the rooms. The twin cabins with bunk beds have the advantage of having a large 140 cm bed below. A special mention to chef "Luigi" who prepared meals for us worthy of gourmet restaurants, and varied in cuisine, from French, to Mexican, Italian and even a sushi evening! Certainly the best kitchen boat tested so far.
Why We Love It
Off the west coast of Mexico, Socorro is a superhighway for pelagic species! Divers and scientists from around the world come to dive with its giant manta rays, some friendly dolphins, and up to ten species of sharks. Between November and January, it's whale shark season. Humpback whales migrate in February and March and you might hear some if you're lucky. Finally, the end of the season in May brings amazing bait balls! With only 20 divers and top-notch service all along the trip, this is the friendliest Socorro liveaboard!
Conservation
The liveaboard regularly invites onboard scientists working to protect manta rays and other pelagic species.
Who Is It For?
For passionate, experienced divers. Medium to strong currents attract the pelagic, which is why most sites are challenging. A minimum of 50 logged dives and an Advanced Open Water certification are required.
Prices and Dates
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Dive Briefing!
Marine Life
- As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the large Marine Protected Area since 2017, the archipelago is largely uninhabited, with only two naval bases.
- You'll get to see oceanic mantas that can grow up to 7 meters (23 feet) in wingspan, some bottlenose dolphins, some whale sharks, and up to 10 varieties of shark - schooling scalloped hammerheads, solitary giant hammerheads, Galápagos, whitetip reef, silver-tip, silky, tiger and oceanic whitetips.
- Dive sites: some of the most famous sites we'll visit are The Boiler, a cleaning station for manta rays, The Canyon where you can see several shark species, Cabo Pearce, The Aquarium, Punta Tosca, and the impressive Roca Partida pinnacle.
- All dives are planned and executed without deco stops.
- There is a crossing journey of 24 to 28 hours from/to the marina.
Dive Conditions
- Season: from November to July: oceanic mantas, bottlenose dolphins and up to 10 species of sharks all these months. From January to April: Humpback whales. November-December and May to July: whale sharks.
- Currents: currents can be strong, and the sea, choppy.
- Visibility: 20 to 30 m (66 to 98 ft) on most days. Sometimes 15 meters (50 ft) or 45 meters (148 ft)
- Water Temperature: 23° to 26°C (73° to 79°F) with a peak of 28° (82°F) in November.
- Depth: deep dives mostly
Dive Sites
- A total of 20 dives for a 9-night itinerary, with a maximum of 4 dives a day.
- First morning dive starts at 7:30 am while the last dive of the day usually starts at 4:30 pm.
DAY 1
- Afternoon: 2 pm, 4 pm, and 5:30 pm shared transfers from Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) to the liveaboard in Puerto Los Cabos
- Evening: 9 pm: departure to San Benedicto
DAY 2
- Morning: safety briefing
- Afternoon: presentation of Revillagigedo national park and rules to dive in the park
DAY 3
- Morning: San Benedicto (2 dives)
- Afternoon: San Benedicto (1 dive)
DAY 4
- Morning: Roca Partida (2 dives)
- Afternoon: Roca Partida (2 dives)
DAY 5
- Morning: Roca Partida (2 dives)
- Afternoon: Roca Partida (1 dive)
DAY 6
- Morning: Socorro, Cabo Pierce (2 dives)
- Afternoon: Socorro, Cabo Pierce (2 dives)
DAY 7
- Morning: Socorro, Cabo Pierce (2 dives)
- Afternoon: Socorro, Cabo Pierce (1 dive)
DAY 8
- Morning: San Benedicto (2 dives)
- Afternoon: San Benedicto (1 dive)
DAY 9
- All day: navigation back to Puerto Los Cabos
DAY 10
- Morning: after breakfast, shared transfers leaving at 10 am and noon from the liveaboard to Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) or your hotel
The Team
- Dive operator in the area since 2000
- Boat renovated in 2013
- Languages spoken: English, Spanish
- Nitrox course available on board with an additional fee
- Maximum 6 divers per guide
Safety Information
- Equipment Recommended: a 5 to 7 mm long wetsuit, a hood, dive gloves, an SMB and a marine GPS, and the usual diving equipment.
- Insurance: both dive insurance and travel insurance are mandatory. We recommend DAN Europe that has plans to cover both - ask us for a quote.
- Nearest Hyperbaric Chamber: San Jose del Cabo, Baja California, Mexico
Visas, Flights, and More!
Visa Requirements
- Many countries’ residents do not require a visa to stay in Mexico for up to 180 days.
- Please check the current visa policy that applies for your country on Mexico's Ministry of Tourism website.
How to Get There
- International flights to San Jose del Cabo (SJD), Mexico.
- The liveaboard team will pick you up at San Jose del Cabo airport at 2 PM, 4 PM, and 5:30 PM on the first day of the cruise, and will take you back at 10 AM and 12 PM on the last day.
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- Bring sunscreen, a hat, mosquito repellent, a rash guard, and a sweater or light-weight jacket for the evening.
Destinations
Right Season
Dive Operators
Booking Fees
