Buceo Carey, La Paz

Divers in the know flock to La Paz for unique encounters with incredible marine wildlife. These waters are home to migratory whales and dolphins, orcas, sharks and rays, and the most famous residents of all - a raucous colony of California sea lions. From September through May, divers can get up close and personal with the playful pups who all but harass lucky dive groups, tugging on fins and hamming it up for the camera. Los Islotes, inside the national park, is the best sea lion rookery, with a fascinating underwater landscape and sheltered conditions.

Diving in Espíritu Santo National Park

The La Paz scuba diving sites inside Espíritu Santo National Park boast a mix of craggy reefs and rocky walls. These chilly waters can't support massive coral colonies, but you will spot some hard and soft species, especially in the shallows. Macro species like nudibranchs and seahorses are common, as are lobsters, turtles, giant moray eels, and a variety of Pacific reef fish.

The park's southwest corner is also home to shipwrecks including two military boats and a passenger ferry, which makes for an exciting penetration dive. You'll also have a chance to explore boulder fields and sandy-bottomed sites, where schooling mobulas, grouper and snapper, and different species of sharks can be seen. While some dive sites are protected from the Sea of Cortez' powerful currents, few are suitable for absolute beginners. La Paz is prone to currents and surge, surface waves, and frigid thermoclines.

Diving El Bajo

Northeast of Espíritu Santo island but still within the marine park lies El Bajo - a series of three current-swept seamounts connected by a submerged ridge. This site is home to legendary big fish action, with schooling hammerheads, sometimes by the hundreds. Whale sharks and giant oceanic mantas also make surprise appearances at El Bajo, feasting on plankton in the shallows. This is one of the region's farthest sites, and you'll be diving deep, so it's best to plan for a long day on the water.

Diving Isla Cerralvo

Southeast of La Paz and outside the marine park lies Isla Cerralvo, also known as Jacques Cousteau Island, where a small rookery of sea lions can be found. But, the real treat lies due north, at a tiny islet named La Reina. This small rocky reef is visited by giant oceanic mantas each year between May and October. Sightings aren't guaranteed, but your chances are good - with dozens of individual rays identified returning to these same waters year after year.