Best Scuba Diving in Baja California

Baja California has many different dive locations to offer. We picked six of them that we think are among the best you can find. Check out our top picks of the best scuba diving in Baja California!

Best Scuba Diving Sites in Baja California

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Are you looking for your next scuba diving destination, but don’t have the budget to fly halfway across the world? Don’t get confused by the name, Baja California is not a part of California.

Rather, it is a part of Mexico; this peninsula is a sovereign state that is dotted with mountains and has gorgeous white sandy beaches on the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean. It is a beautiful holiday destination in and out of the water.

The 1250 kilometer stretch of land goes all the way from the US-Mexico border all the way to the southern tip of Cabo San Lucas. Because of the diverse waters that surround the peninsula, it offers endless diving opportunities for scuba divers.

Below we will discuss all the reasons to dive in Baja California, who can dive there, what marine life you are likely to see and of course, the best places to go diving!

Why Dive in Baja California

Baja California is a stunning location to go diving. Since it is a peninsula, it is surrounded by water on three sides, giving you a variety of different diving experiences. The water on the southern coast is warm all year round with great visibility from July to October.

You won’t be time-bound as you can visit the coast any time and you’ll be able to dive! Plus, the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) is known as one of the most fertile seas in the world. It offers a large variety of tropical sea life to the south and colder temperature fish to the north.

The great varieties of dive sites you can find alone make Baja California a great place to visit for divers. You can get in a quick shore dive or more adventurous deep dives. The marine life on the peninsula also makes for a once in a lifetime experience. From cage diving with Great Whites to swimming alongside Whale Sharks, Hammerheads, giant Mantas, Sea Lions, and even Humpback Whales; Baja has got it all!

Is It Good for Beginners to Dive in Baja California?

Usually, with places like Baja California where there are several dive sites, you can find diving for all levels of expertise. Since the peninsula is famous for its beautiful dives, dive centers have arranged beginner dives in a lot of areas. The most popular location for beginners to dive or even for people to learn diving in Cabo San Lucas off the coast of Los Cabos.

The environments that you can dive in there are protected and enclosed with diverse and plentiful marine life. Even though these dives are ideal for beginners, there is plenty to see even for experienced divers.

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Is It Easy To Get There?

Thanks to modernity, airports, and highways have made Baja California very accessible to the rest of the world. There are multitudes of ways you can get onto the peninsula. Let’s start with the local airports. There are two international airports in Mexico that are in proximity to Baja California, namely Tijuana and Mexicali International Airports. From here, you can take one of the airport shuttles to your destination.

If you don’t fly directly to Mexico, you can fly into Lindbergh Field Airport in San Diego, and then drive down the CBX (Cross Border Xpress) aerial bridge to Baja California. If you’re feeling more boujee, there are a few airports close by that you can take private flights to. Four minutes away from the Mexico border in San Diego is the Brown Field Airport, and in Mexico are the San Felipe and Ensenada Airports that are all available for private flights.

Other than that, there is a multitude of buses and roads that lead to Baja California within Mexico as well as from the California border. This place is not a difficult destination to reach.

What Aquatic Life Can You Find?

Probably, one of the most thrilling places to dive in terms of marine life, Baja California is home to some of the greatest marine creatures. If you’re looking for whales, Baja is the place to spot them. The coasts are home to a number of different kinds from the epic Blue Whale to the celebrated Killer Whale, you’re going to see it all. The other whale species you can find include Humpback, Bryde’s, Gray and Sperm Whales.

The Sea of Cortez is also one of the best places to spot dolphins. You can easily spot Long-beaked Common Dolphins as well as Bottlenose Dolphins, and if you get lucky, you might even see a Spinner Dolphin. The diverse waters are also home to giant Manta Rays, Sting Rays, and the majestic Flying Mobula Rays. If you get a chance, seeing this acrobatic creature in action is an experience of a lifetime. They break the surface of the water and can go as high as nine feet up, flapping their “wings” before belly-flopping back into the water.

Of course, no one goes to Baja California before spotting at least one of the triumphant shark species. You can go cage diving to see the Great Whites or swim alongside the interesting looking Hammerheads, Whale or Mako Sharks.

Another diver favorite on the coast is the chance to run into a sea lion. These creatures are fun, interactive and even a little mischievous. Don’t miss the opportunity to jump into the water with them if you get the chance.

If you still want more, Baja California is also home to the gorgeous Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, jumbo squids, and a variety of pelagic fish and tropical reef fish. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find it off one of the coasts on this peninsula.

6 Best Scuba Diving Destinations in Baja California:

Loreto

Known as one of the top dive locations in the world, Loreto was once the capital of Las Californias, a region that includes modern-day Baja California and part of the western United States. Loreto is on the Sea of Cortez where it houses the Loreto Bay National Marine Park; a 500,000-acre stretch of water that is home to hundreds of beautiful fish species and underwater plants. The park is referred to as “the world’s aquarium” because of its diversity; you can expect to see whales, sea turtles, and dolphins, among the hundreds of different fish.