Do I need a certification to join?

Yes—most full-depth and drift dives require Open Water certification; confirm with the operator if introductory options are available.

How many dives are included in a full-day trip?

Expect two to three guided dives, with surface intervals and travel between sites included in the 10-hour schedule.

What are typical water temperatures?

Water is warm much of the year, but thermoclines occur; a 3mm–5mm wetsuit is commonly recommended.

Are children allowed?

The experience advertises availability for divers aged 10 and up, but check certification and age-specific restrictions with the outfitter.

Is photography allowed?

Yes—wide-angle and macro photography are excellent here; avoid flash near sensitive corals and secure camera rigs to prevent contact.

How do park fees and permits work?

Park fees are typically collected by operators and fund conservation; confirm fee amounts and what is included at booking.

Cabo Pulmo Excursion Diving: Full-Day Guided Reefs, Sharks & Giant Groupers

On the east side of the Baja California Sur peninsula lies Cabo Pulmo, a protected reef system reached from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Excursion Diving in Cabo Pulmo runs full-day guided trips that ferry divers to a living reef that hosts over 900 species of fish, giant groupers, schooling jacks, sharks, and a mosaic of hard corals. The trip visits any of 24 documented dive sites across turquoise, sun-warmed seas — a rare place where coral colonies, rocky ledges, and sandy basins stitch together dramatic underwater topography.

You descend along vertical walls and sloping bommies, passing dense stands of staghorn and brain corals, while curious parrotfish and angelfish thread between swell-worn fingers of rock. Larger residents announce themselves in open water: placid giant groupers that inspect divers from crevices, fast-moving schools that flash like metal, and occasional reef and pelagic sharks on patrol. Visibility often exceeds 30 meters in the shallows, making this a photographer’s playground for wide-angle reef scenes and close-focus life disciplines.

The trip is notable not only for biodiversity but for the reef’s conservation story: Cabo Pulmo National Park revived from overfishing to become one of the most successful marine reserves in the eastern Pacific. Guides combine local knowledge with patient instruction, making the full-day schedule (about ten hours ashore to ashore) productive without feeling rushed. Onboard briefings cover site-specific hazards, current management, and techniques to minimize gear contact with fragile coral.

Practicalities are straightforward. Expect two to three guided dives, surface intervals that let you soak up Baja light, and a small-boat shuttle between sites. The water is warm for much of the year, but thermoclines mean a 3mm to 5mm wetsuit is wise. This operation works well for certified divers and adventurous families with divers aged 10 and up; verify certification requirements before booking.

Why book this trip when visiting Cabo San Lucas? Because Cabo Pulmo offers hard coral structures rare in the Sea of Cortez, close encounters with large reef fish, and a conservation success story you can experience firsthand. Whether you come for macro life among coral fingers, wide-angle walls, or the chance to see schooling fish and sharks together, a full day here reshapes how you think about Baja’s marine ecosystems. Guides, clear water, and protected sites make it an efficient, memorable dive day out of Cabo San Lucas.