The Sea of Cortez at its best
Loreto Underwater
Fish and more fish!
An Eden of Life
Our sea is commonly known by three names: the Gulf of California, the Sea of Cortez...or the Aquarium of the World!
The latter was bestowed by Jaques Cousteau, the famous oceanographer, after his exploration voyages across the waters that surround Baja. This is still true, and only a few places in the world boast such an outstanding variety of marine life.
The Sea of Cortez is kinda unique. Its a huge, closed body of water with its own climate, only connected to the open sea on its southern end, where it becomes the Pacific ocean. This has created a tropical-like habitat for thousands of colorful reef fishes, yet still being home for other animals from the cooler Pacific.
It's easy to encounter large amounts of warm water fish like the angelfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, moorish idols and other tropical fauna. They will provide an ever present touch of color in every dive!
At the same time, expect to see turtles, rays under and over the water (yes, they jump!), lots of nudibranchs and macro life and schooling fish like jacks and barracudas.
The latter was bestowed by Jaques Cousteau, the famous oceanographer, after his exploration voyages across the waters that surround Baja. This is still true, and only a few places in the world boast such an outstanding variety of marine life.
The Sea of Cortez is kinda unique. Its a huge, closed body of water with its own climate, only connected to the open sea on its southern end, where it becomes the Pacific ocean. This has created a tropical-like habitat for thousands of colorful reef fishes, yet still being home for other animals from the cooler Pacific.
It's easy to encounter large amounts of warm water fish like the angelfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, moorish idols and other tropical fauna. They will provide an ever present touch of color in every dive!
At the same time, expect to see turtles, rays under and over the water (yes, they jump!), lots of nudibranchs and macro life and schooling fish like jacks and barracudas.








There she blows!
The Big Stuff
If you are one of those people that doesn't like to strain your eyes looking for the tiny stuff, this might as well be your lucky day!
Loreto National Park counts with two sea lion colonies where you can easily make new friends (at a low cost of letting them chew the tip of your fins). These fun fellows are here all year round! Yay!
Mobula rays roam these waters and sometimes they put on a show by jumping out of the water in the most spectacular manner. Huge schools of them (hundreds I tell ya!) can be encountered from May to August more frequently.
Another cool inhabitante of the Cortez is the dolphin. Large pods of them frequently wander about and it's not unusual to have several dozens of these animals chasing and jumpingn over the boat's wake. You might even see them underwater during a dive!
You want bigger still? No probs! Whalesharks come in big numbers to the Sea of Cortez, and with a bit of luck you might even have the chance to snorkel with one of them. Winter and spring months are usually the best to see these gentle giants, that can be found easily in La Paz.
Whales. You can not go bigger than that! Loreto is one of the best destinations in the world to see the blue whale, fin whales and even humpback whales. Gray whales and their calves can also be seen a couple of hours from Loreto.
The best season for whale watching are the winter and spring months, although you might be able to see some in the late autumn.
Loreto National Park counts with two sea lion colonies where you can easily make new friends (at a low cost of letting them chew the tip of your fins). These fun fellows are here all year round! Yay!
Mobula rays roam these waters and sometimes they put on a show by jumping out of the water in the most spectacular manner. Huge schools of them (hundreds I tell ya!) can be encountered from May to August more frequently.
Another cool inhabitante of the Cortez is the dolphin. Large pods of them frequently wander about and it's not unusual to have several dozens of these animals chasing and jumpingn over the boat's wake. You might even see them underwater during a dive!
You want bigger still? No probs! Whalesharks come in big numbers to the Sea of Cortez, and with a bit of luck you might even have the chance to snorkel with one of them. Winter and spring months are usually the best to see these gentle giants, that can be found easily in La Paz.
Whales. You can not go bigger than that! Loreto is one of the best destinations in the world to see the blue whale, fin whales and even humpback whales. Gray whales and their calves can also be seen a couple of hours from Loreto.
The best season for whale watching are the winter and spring months, although you might be able to see some in the late autumn.

Countless nudibranchs, sea slugs and invertebrates
Macro Paradise
Although Loreto has been traditionally known for its migratory cetaceans and jumping mobulas, its true diversity is hidden well beneath the surface. There is a hugel world down there populated by the tiniest inhabitants, so rich with life that will make you forget about the big stuff. Dozens of different types of nudibranchs of all colors, sea slugs, flat worms, crustaceans and tiny fish can be found in great quantities almost in every dive.



Hey, these are animals too!
Coral Forests
The Aquarium of the World can't be complete without its own great botanical garden! Although that statement may not be too accurate (corals are no plants!), it does look like a garden down there. And a very colorful one!
There might not be extensive hard coral reefs like the ones you could find in the Caribbean, but the amount of nutrients and currents in our waters create an ideal home for soft coral, like gorgonias, sea fans, and black coral.
Thick forests of black coral can be found deep (and sometimes not that deep), some other times sea fans decorate the walls of the reef, and often small hard coral patches speckle the rocky reefs.
A garden, let me tell ya, with its flowers and a micro-universe to discover!
There might not be extensive hard coral reefs like the ones you could find in the Caribbean, but the amount of nutrients and currents in our waters create an ideal home for soft coral, like gorgonias, sea fans, and black coral.
Thick forests of black coral can be found deep (and sometimes not that deep), some other times sea fans decorate the walls of the reef, and often small hard coral patches speckle the rocky reefs.
A garden, let me tell ya, with its flowers and a micro-universe to discover!







A breathtaking underwater scenery
Ancient Landscapes
A diver does not only live of fish! There is much to discover in the forgotten depths of Loreto. The geological history of Baja is a dramatic one. Great tectonic changes and volcanic action have shaped the face of Baja California. Within the Loreto Bay National Park we can find volcanoes, solidified lava walls, great sea caverns, steep and deep walls, pinnacles and several sea mounts...you name it, really!
The variety of divesites and unique sceneries seem endless. Even if you don't see any fish (not that it would happen anyway) you would still enjoy a jaw dropping landscape, and even a couple of nice wrecks!
With 3 main islands and several islets to choose among, you won't likely run out of options anytime soon.
The variety of divesites and unique sceneries seem endless. Even if you don't see any fish (not that it would happen anyway) you would still enjoy a jaw dropping landscape, and even a couple of nice wrecks!
With 3 main islands and several islets to choose among, you won't likely run out of options anytime soon.

A glimpse of our underwater wealth
Video Gallery
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Lost Mount exploration, Loreto BCS
A new breakthrough in our exploration efforts! This new reef exceeds 140 ft of depth and has a total coral cover. Predators and thick reef life live here in incredible amounts. Tech divers paradise but also a great advanced recreational dive -
Tech exploration of "Gomez" seamount - Loreto BCS
"Gomez" is a deep reef located in the very south corner of the National Park. The reef consist on a twin peaked mount and a deep skirt that slopes down gently. Coral growth is crazy as it is the population of creole wrasses. -
Huarache Reef - Loreto BCS
We discovered a new reef north of Loreto! The reef is a large seamount with some canyons. The topside is literally covered with coral and teems with life.
Music. Bensound.com -
Macro diving in Loreto
Did you know that Loreto has one of the highest invertebrate biodiversity of Baja Sur? This makes our National Park a paradise for the tiny stuff and macro lovers! We like critters so much we have put together this video so we can show you a wonderful world that very often is overlooked. A good camera that can capture species like these can show you a world of undeniable beauty. We hope you like it!
Music by www.bensound.com -
The Albino Garden: A new dive site!
🇺🇸 Last week we published the finding of a new technical dive site we called "Albino garden". The place is an underwater treasure, teeming with life, specially rays and sharks, and covered with forests and gardens of coral, in particular, this new albino coral that hans't been identified and has kept us in awe ever since. The video does not make the site justice and we intend to go back with proper video lights. Did we mention that we rescued a swell shark during the dive? Watch the little fellow swim free in the video! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
🇲🇽 La semana pasada publicamos el hallazgo de un nuevo punto de buceo técnico, al cual nombramos "Jardín Albino". El lugar es un tesoro submarino, repleto de vida, especialmente de rayas y tiburones, y tapizado de jardines de coral, muy particularmente, de un nuevo coral albino aún sin identificar y que nos tiene boquiabiertos desde entonces. El video no le hace justicia al lugar, pero volveremos con mejor equipo e iluminación. ¿Ya mencionamos que rescatamos a un tiburón globo durante la inmersión? ¡Míralo nadar libre en el video! Espero que les guste tanto como a nosotros. -
2nd Technical Exploration at Mt Eden in Loreto (plus bonus reef dive!)
🇺🇸 In the last three years we have been monitoring the wildlife and general state of the deep reef in one of the most productive underwater systems in Loreto: Mount Eden. Last week was the first winter technical dive we did in this site, and the result, although somewhat murky, was spectacular as expected. Huge schools of yellowtails roam free, plus the addition of hornsharks (never witnessed before here, but expected) and hundreds of rays of all types. We also managed to map most of its topography which extends all the way down to 180 ft deep (60 meters), and a second exploratory dive will be performed soon in a nearby twin mount. The second dive took place in Piedra Ahogada ("drowned rock"), a known shallow reef made of pinnacles and one of the healthiest gorgonian reef in the vicinity. What a joyful day!
🇲🇽 En los últimos tres años hemos estado monitorando la vida salvaje y el estado general del arrecife profundo de uno de los sistemas submarinos más productivos en Loreto: El Monte Eden. La semana pasada hicimos el primer buceo invernal en este sitio y el resultado, aunque un poco turbio, fue espectacular tal y como esperábamos. Enormes escuelas de seriolas nadando libres, más el avistamiento de tiburones cornudos (nunca vistos aquí, pero esperados) y cientos de rayas de todo tipo. Conseguimos también mapear la topografía del sitio, que se extiende a más de 180 pies o 60 metros, y otra inmersión de exploración se realizará próximamente en un monte vecino. El segundo buceo se realizó en un conocido arrecife somero llamado Piedra Ahogada, un sistema de pináculos con uno de los arrecifes coralinos más saludables y preciosos de la zona. ¡Vaya día tan increíble! -
Diving fish tunnels in Loreto's Marine Park
🇺🇸 Have you ever swam through a fish tunnel? They're rocky underwater passages where different types of fish gather. Fish use these tunnels for sheltering mainly during the day, and even for protecting themselves from strong currents.
We encounter this big school of graybar grunts all around this area, pretty incredible right?
🇲🇽 ¿Alguna vez has atravesado un túnel de peces? Son pasajes submarinos rocosos donde se reúnen diferentes tipos de peces. Los peces utilizan estos túneles para refugiarse mayormente durante el día, e incluso para protegerse de las fuertes corrientes. -
Exploring the underwater world of "Bajo Sandia" in Loreto, BCS
🇺🇸 Somewhere in the Loreto Bay National Park, lost in the middle of the sea, lies the unknown depths of Bajo Sandia. This is a remote dive site, seldom documented and visited, and therefore, in pristine conditions. Its name is given by the overwhelming amount of "pez sandia" or pacific creole wrasse that floods the reef like a magnificent tapestry. Our UW Explorers Club visited a new area of this prime spot recently, and found some new unique features, unknown until then, such as a reef system of arches and tunnels, and a huge and old anchor, around 9 feet long. A spectacular dive site with still a lot to discover. We hope you enjoy this video we made about it!
🇲🇽 Perdido en algún lugar del mar, en un remoto rincón del Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto, se encuentra el Bajo Sandía. Se trata de un sitio de buceo alejado, escasamente documentado y visitado, y por lo tanto, en excelentes condiciones de salúd. Recibe su nombre por las ingentes cantidades de pez sandía que cubren el arrecife como un enorme y ornamentado tapiz. Nuestro Club de Exploradores Submarino visitó recientemente una nueva área de este arrecife, y descubrió algunas características desconocidas hasta ahora, como por ejemplo, un sistema arrecifal con arcos y túneles, y un ancla antigua de unos 3 metros de largo. Un buceo espectacular que aún guarda muchos secretos. ¡Esperamos que difrutes este video que hicimos al respecto! -
Common dolphins in Loreto, Mexico 🐬
🇺🇸 Common dolphins are frequently seen when boating around Loreto’s Marine Park. These intelligent mammals use echolocation for locating food (producing sounds and listening for the echoes), as well as different sounds and body language for communication. Echolocation helps them to know distance, size, shape, speed and location of a near object. Sounds like whistles, pulsed sounds and body gestures allows them to stay in contact with each other, whether it’s for playing or hunting. They’re pretty awesome, right? 🐬
🇲🇽 Los delfines común se ven frecuentemente cuando se navega por el Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto. Estos inteligentes mamíferos utilizan la ecolocación para buscar comida (producir sonidos y escuchar los ecos), así como también diferentes sonidos y lenguaje corporal para comunicarse. La ecolocación les ayuda a saber la distancia, el tamaño, la forma, la velocidad y la ubicación de un objeto cercano. Sonidos como silbidos, sonidos pulsados y gestos corporales les permiten mantenerse en contacto entre ellos, ya sea para jugar o cazar. Son bastante impresionantes, ¿verdad? 🐬 -
Sea lion colony in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
🇺🇸 The California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) lives around the coastal areas of western North America. They are intelligent animals that are usually playful and curious, they can adapt to man-made environments, and even can be easily trained. Because of this, this is the most used sea lion for entertainment in zoos, marine shows, aquariums, etc.
If we want sea lions to thrive (or any other animal), it's always best to visit them free in their natural environments, not in zoos, cages nor aquariums.
🇲🇽 El lobo marino Californiano (Zalophus californianus) vive alrededor de las zonas costeras del oeste de América del Norte. Son animales inteligentes que suelen ser juguetones y curiosos, pueden adaptarse a entornos creados por el hombre e incluso pueden ser entrenados fácilmente. Debido a esto, este es el lobo marino más utilizado para entretenimiento en zoológicos, espectáculos marinos, acuarios, etc.
Si queremos que los lobos marinos prosperen (o cualquier otro animal), es siempre mejor visitarlos libres en sus entornos naturales, no en zoológicos, jaulas ni acuarios. -
The Aquarium of the World - Loreto BCS Mexico.
🇺🇸 The Loreto Bay National Park is one of the biggest marine reserves in Mexico, and the largest of Baja California Sur. Jacques Cousteau called these waters ‘The Aquarium of the World’ for a reason: only few places in the world boast such an outstanding abundance of marine life.
🇲🇽 El Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto es una de las reservas marinas más grandes de México, y la más grande de Baja California Sur. Jacques Cousteau llamó a estas aguas "El acuario del mundo" por una razón: solo pocos lugares en el mundo cuentan con una abundancia de vida marina tan excepcional. -
Snorkeling surprise: dolphins came to say hi!