Liveaboard Diving in La Paz
What To Expect On A La Paz Liveaboard
Liveaboard diving in La Paz is well-known for the large pelagics that migrate through here with some of the most famous being the Whale Sharks and huge schools of Hammerhead sharks. La Paz is the capital city of Baja California, a perfect first destination to discover the beauty of Mexico's marine world. It is also a gateway into the Sea of Cortez, known for the large Sea Lion colonies made up of curious and cheeky sea lions who love teasing divers.
LA PAZ UNDERWATER
There is a large variety of species that pass through here. The most extensive range of species are present from December to April. The winter months attract many animals to feed when the amount of plankton in the water is at its highest. They then migrate to warmer waters for breeding and giving birth. During these months you will have the chance to see pods of Dolphins, Orcas, breeding Humpback whales, schools of hammerhead sharks, Manta Rays on a La Paz liveaboard. Californian Brown Sea lions are always present here. These playful creatures are very curious about divers and won't hesitate to come close. In October and November, you will enjoy the sight of juvenile Whale Sharks. There are also many schools of fish in this area, including Tuna, Jacks and Wahoos.
The water temperatures range from 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) to 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit), and the visibility ranges from 15m (45ft) to 30m (90ft); July to December have the clearest waters.
LA PAZ DIVE SITES
El Bajo: This is the dive site which is most visited by the LiveAboard.com liveaboards. This dive site is known as The Seamount due to its aligned underwater peaks. The shallowest peak is at 17m (52ft) from the surface, and the deepest is at 27m (83ft) from the surface. The central peak is where the mooring lines are secured, and you descend. The water surging against the peaks extracts a lot of nutrients, which attracts marine wildlife. This site is located a few hours from La Paz by boat, which makes a liveaboard trip the ideal way to take full advantage of your time to dive.
Los Islotes: Also known as The Colony provide divers with a fun and exciting dive thanks to its resident colony of more than 200 Californian Brown Sea Lions.
TIPS FOR DIVERS
La Paz, in general, is a dive area for advanced divers due to its strong currents and big waves. Each liveaboard will have their own minimum dive experience level requirement, so be sure to check this before booking. Remember to bring your dive logs/logbooks. It is, of course, possible to rent equipment but diving with your gear is always more comfortable. Bringing your underwater camera will be more than worth it due to the large diversity of marine life you will have the chance to see. Spanish is the local language, but English is commonly spoken on the liveaboards and in most of the country. The local currency is the Mexican Peso, which you can easily exchange into all major currencies, such as U.S. dollars and Euros, etc. The electrical plug is the same as in the U.S. – two flat prongs with the standard 120V. Please remember to bring an adaptor for all your electrical devices if you are not travelling from the U.S.
HOW TO GET THERE
La Paz is the capital city of Baja California and the port from which the Mexican liveaboards depart is called Marina Fonutar. The closest International airport is El Alto International airport, which has flights arriving from both domestic and international destinations such as the United States, Peru and other South American destinations. The airport is located approximately 15km (8mi) from La Paz centre.
