When is the best time to dive Cabo Pulmo?

The best months to dive Cabo Pulmo are July, August, September, October, November, when conditions are most favorable.

What certification do I need to dive Cabo Pulmo?

Cabo Pulmo requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically moderate and the maximum depth reaches 30 m.

How much does it cost to dive Cabo Pulmo?

A 2-tank dive at Cabo Pulmo averages around $120 USD. The destination is in our mid range tier.

What will I see diving Cabo Pulmo?

Cabo Pulmo is known for manta ray, hammerhead, dolphins, whale, humpback, with 9–24 m visibility and 21–26°C water temperatures.

Why does Cabo Pulmo score 57.5/100 on OkToDive?

Cabo Pulmo earns a 57.5/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 490 operator reviews.

Cabo Pulmo Diving — Mexico's Marine Conservation Win

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World Class

Intermediate

Cabo Pulmo

MexicoCaribbean

57.5

SCORE

23.4408°N

-109.4244°E

Cabo Pulmo is what happens when a fishing community bans fishing entirely. Since 1995, biomass has increased 460% — the greatest marine recovery ever documented. Bull sharks school by the hundreds, jack tornadoes fill the water column, and groupers the size of Volkswagens sit on the reef.

The Sea of Cortez's Greatest Conservation Success

Visibility9–24 m

Temperature21–26°C

Max Depth30 m

Currentmoderate

2-Tank Dive$120

Best MonthsJuly, August, September, October

CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

68.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine Life Diversity

68.0

Coral & Reef Health

32.0

Visibility & Conditions

67.0

Dive Site Variety

28.0

Water Temperature

60.0

Depth & Access

56.0

Operator Quality

78.0

Topside Experience

66.0

Getting There

68.0

Value & Cost

50.0

Crowding

57.0

Social Proof

57.0

Key Species

manta ray hammerhead dolphins whale humpback

Dive Types

pelagic

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

snorkeling the reefkayakingdesert ATV toursstargazing (zero light pollution)beach camping

Non-Diver Partner Score

5/10

Limited topside — plan ahead for non-diving partners.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org

Hyperbaric Chamber100 km — San Jose del Cabo Hyperbaric Chamber

Nearest Hospital60 km

Remote village — drive to San Jose del Cabo (1.5 hrs) for hospital and chamber

Skill LevelIntermediate

Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Cabo Pulmo Divers

PADI

4.8

280 reviewsNITROX

Cabo Pulmo Sport Center

PADI

4.7

210 reviewsNITROX

Compare This Dive Site

Current conditions

10/10Excellent

Waves0.56 m

Swell0.5 m

Wind2.5 km/h

Air22.2°C

Clear sky

9d ago

Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives

25+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Open Water

“A dead reef that came back to life after a fishing ban. The jack tornado alone is worth the trip. Proof conservation works.”

What will challenge you

→Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
→Cooler than most tropical sites — 21°C minimum. A 5 mm wetsuit is the floor for longer dives.
→Remote — 2 hours of dirt road from Cabo San Lucas. No nearby chamber. Dive conservatively.

What will surprise you

→Thermoclines can drop water temp by 5°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: Oct-Mar for bull sharks and jacks. Jun-Sep for mobulas..

Morning

Viz
high
Current
moderate
Crowd
light

jack tornado
bull sharks
wide angle

Greatest marine conservation success in the Americas. Jack tornado at El Bajo is thousands of bigeye jacks forming a wall 20m wide. Morning when tightest.

Afternoon

Viz
high
Current
moderate
Crowd
moderate

bull shark encounters
reef dives
mobula rays

Bull sharks reliable Oct-Mar. Afternoon is when they're most active.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	13–21	24	Mod	Calm	Dry	65%	conditions vary
Feb	12–20	24	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	conditions vary
Mar	12–20	24	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	conditions vary
Apr	13–21	24	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	conditions vary
May	13–22	25	Mod	Calm	Dry	65%	conditions vary
Jun	13–22	24	Mod	Chop	Light	78%	conditions vary
Jul	13–21	23	Mod	Chop	Light	88%	conditions vary
Aug	12–20	23	Mod	Chop	Wet	88%	conditions vary
Sep	12–20	23	Mod	Chop	Wet	88%	conditions vary
Oct	13–21	24	Mod	Chop	Wet	88%	conditions vary
Nov	13–22	24	Mod	Calm	Light	88%	conditions vary
Dec	14–24	24	Mod	Calm	Dry	78%	conditions vary

Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects33

Wide angle62

Viz stability65

Hover friendliness70

Natural light57

Recommended kit

→General reef kit — mid-range wide or a 60mm macro depending on the specific site

Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

Marine conservation impact
foundational
Seeing firsthand what happens when you stop fishing a reef.
Schooling fish behavior
foundational
The jack tornado teaches schooling patterns and positioning.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$1,600–$2,400

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $320–$390
Accommodation / day: $50–$100
Diving / day: $100–$120
Food / day: $25–$45
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$2,600–$4,050

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $500–$610
Accommodation / day: $120–$220
Diving / day: $120–$160
Food / day: $50–$90
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$4,450–$7,400

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $770–$940
Accommodation / day: $260–$500
Diving / day: $160–$200
Food / day: $100–$200
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here

Cabo Pulmo Diving — Mexico

Score Breakdown

Marine Life

Key Species

Dive Types

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Activities for Non-Divers

Non-Diver Partner Score

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Top Operators

Cabo Pulmo Divers

Cabo Pulmo Sport Center

What your dive shop won't tell you

When to dive it

Dive forecast

Photography brief

What this site will teach you

Marine conservation impact

Schooling fish behavior

7-day trip, per person

Build a trip around it