Mexico's Pacific coast holds some of the most electrifying big-animal encounters in the world. From the hammerhead schools of the Revillagigedo Archipelago to the sea lion colonies of the Sea of Cortez, the diving is world-class. A new vessel now makes accessing these remote sites more comfortable than ever: the Quino del Mar liveaboard. Built in 2025 and measuring 118 feet, this purpose-designed dive boat offers a level of stability and convenience that suits both seasoned reef divers and ocean travellers seeking reliable a platform for deep-water pelagic action.
The Quino del Mar was conceived from the keel up with divers in mind. 10 private en-suite staterooms provide accommodation for up to 20 guests, and built-in stabilisers keep the ride smooth even when crossing open ocean between islands. Full air-conditioning means that after a day in the tropical sun, the interior is a welcome refuge. The result is a liveaboard experience that prioritises rest between dives, without sacrificing space or comfort.
Beyond the hardware, the true draw of the Quino del Mar liveaboard is where it takes you. The Revillagigedo Islands, often called Mexico’s Galapagos, are a UNESCO World Heritage site where giant manta rays glide past cleaning stations, pods of dolphins ride the bow, and humpback whales surface in season. In the Sea of Cortez, Jacques Cousteau’s 'world’s aquarium', you can drift past sea lion nurseries, encounter mobula rays, and explore underwater rock formations teeming with macro life. The boat’s cruises are designed to maximise time in the water at each location, with multiple dives per day.
Dive operations aboard the Quino del Mar are guided by a team with long experience in Mexican waters. They know the currents, the cleaning stations, and the seasonal patterns that govern where the big animals gather. Tanks, weights, and fills are included, as are all meals, soft drinks, and a selection of complimentary beer and wine. That all-inclusive approach extends to port fees and taxes, so the price you see is largely the price you pay. No surprise surcharges at checkout.
For divers who value reliability and genuine dive-first design, this boat represents a strong choice. The operator has a track record of running safe, well-organised expeditions in Mexico’s offshore marine parks, and the Quino del Mar liveaboard continues that tradition. The stabilisers make a real difference when crossing the sometimes lumpy stretch between Socorro and San Benedicto, and the en-suite cabins mean you are never queuing for a shower after a long day of diving.
If Mexico’s big animal diving has been on your list, the Quino del Mar deserves a close look. Whether you are after the sheer spectacle of a hammerhead aggregation or the quieter pleasures of a sea lion pup inspecting your mask, this liveaboard offers a proven way to experience it all. Check the trips, book a cabin, and prepare for some of the richest diving the eastern Pacific has to offer.
Sea of Cortez (13 Days / 12 Nights - 38 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Sea of Cortez: Angel Island, Bahia De Los Angeles, Las Animas, Sal Si Puedes, San Pedro Martir, Isla Alfonso, Loreto: Coronado, Danzante; San Francisco, Dora's Pinnacle, Los Islotes, El Bajo, La Reina, San Lorenzo Channel
Day 1
As you board the Quino Del Mar in Puerto Peñasco, the captain and crew will greet you warmly and personally escort you to your cabin to help you settle in. After this friendly introduction, a delicious dinner will be served - the perfect chance to meet your fellow travelers and look forward to the diving safari ahead.
Core Days
Join the Quino Del Mar liveaboard for an immersive expedition through the Sea of Cortez, designed to reveal the full spectrum of this marine paradise, from the northern nurseries of whale sharks to the southern colonies of sea lions and legendary pelagic action. Descend into a world of vibrant color and constant motion. Pristine walls and rocky reefs teem with shimmering schools of fish, including regal king angelfish and dozens of triggerfish. Ethereal black coral forests create an otherworldly backdrop, while curious sea lions at playful sites like Los Islotes and the San Lorenzo Channel invite you into their acrobatic games.
For those who look closer, a macro paradise unfolds. Vibrant nudibranchs, colorful blennies, dancing jawfish, and elusive seahorses offer endless fascination. Keep your eyes open for masters of disguise, such as the octopus, as well as the many rays and eels that inhabit the nooks and crannies of this living seascape.
The deep blue of the Sea of Cortez holds its own majestic wonders. The Quino Del Mar visits legendary sites like El Bajo and San Pedro Mártir, where you can witness the awe-inspiring spectacle of schooling hammerhead sharks. The adventure continues among ghostly shipwrecks, now thriving artificial reefs, and includes a planned night dive, where powerful lights attract swirling swarms of mobula rays for an unforgettable spectacle.
The magic isn't confined to the depths. The liveaboard captain's keen eye will guide you to pods of breaching dolphins and the powerful fluke of a rising whale. You might even spot the distinctive fin of an orca in the distance. A highlight of the trip is a stop at Bahia de Los Angeles to snorkel alongside the ocean's gentle giants: the magnificent, filter-feeding whale sharks.
The activities extend beyond the waterline. The remote islands visited by the Quino Del Mar liveaboard, such as Ángel Island, San Pedro Mártir, and the Loreto region's hidden gems like Coronado and Danzante, offer rewarding hikes during surface intervals. Here, you can trek through arid landscapes and ascend to panoramic views of the rugged coastline below.
As night falls, the absence of light pollution unveils a celestial masterpiece. The sky blazes with countless stars, providing a silent, majestic end to days filled with vibrant life. This is the true magic of the Sea of Cortez: a deep connection to the wild, both above and below the surface.
Day 13
A continental breakfast will be served on the final morning of the trip before guests disembark from the Quino Del Mar in San José del Cabo.
Please note that these itineraries sometimes run in reverse - be sure to check your specific trip for details.
Sea of Cortez North & Midriff Islands (8 Days / 7 Nights - 24 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Sea of Cortez: Angel Rock, El Jardin, El Aquario, Las Vivoras, El Lavadero, Xareni's Pinnacle, Punta Martir, Chayo's Cove, El Pescador and Animas in Bahia Los Angeles
Day 1
The Quino Del Mar liveaboard sets sail from Puerto Penasco late afternoon. Upon arrival, the tour leader will assist you by assigning your cabin and dive station, allowing you to unpack and prepare your gear for the next day's diving. Please be ready to present your scuba certification and dive insurance documents. Dinner will be served to conclude your first evening.
Core Days
Prepare for an unparalleled underwater liveaboard adventure in the northern Sea of Cortez, where each day promises 3-4 dives in the region's characteristically clear, deep waters, teeming with abundant marine life. This legendary body of water, often called the Aquarium of the World, is a dynamic highway for magnificent migratory species.
As the liveaboard navigates the waters around San Pedro Martir, you might witness the breathtaking spectacle of humpback whales breaching in the distance. Beneath the surface, your dives will bring you face-to-face with graceful manta rays, ancient leatherback sea turtles, massive schools of mobula rays, and pods of curious dolphins that might race alongside the liveaboard. The vibrant reefs are also home to a stunning array of macro life, including clever, colour-shifting octopuses, Cortez angelfish, and schools of triggerfish.
A truly unforgettable highlight of this Quino Del Mar diving liveaboard safari awaits at the Midriff Islands, where bustling sea lion colonies reside. These playful and inquisitive pups and adults are known to zoom through the water, coming within inches to tug playfully at your fins or blow bubbles right in front of your mask, a truly heart-pounding and joyful interaction. And then the liveaboard stops at Bahia de Los Angeles to snorkel with whale sharks, as these gentle filter feeders effortlessly glide through the water.
When you're not submerged in the blue, the adventure continues topside on the Quino Del Mar. Stay alert for spectacular displays of leaping mobula rays and the hunting dorsal fins of orcas. You can kayak along pristine coastlines in search of a glimpse of fin, sperm, or pilot whales, hike and explore uninhabited desert islands, or simply relax on deck, sharing stories and forging friendships with your fellow guests. This is more than a liveaboard dive trip; it's a comprehensive immersion into one of the planet's richest wildernesses.
Day 8
A continental breakfast is served on the final morning prior to disembarkation from the Quino Del Mar in Puerto Penasco.
Note: this itinerary sometimes uses the port of San Jose Del Cabo. Check your trip details for exact port information.
Socorro Islands (10 Days / 9 Nights - 25 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: San Benedicto, Roca Partida, Socorro Island
Day 1
The Quino Del Mar is based at the new marina in Puerto Los Cabos, San José del Cabo. Arrival is straightforward: find the marina, find the boat, and leave the rest to the crew. Once all guests have boarded, the captain and crew welcome you aboard and show you to your cabin. Settle in. There is no rush to cast off straight away. A welcome dinner is served after everyone has arrived, giving you a proper first taste of what the kitchen can do. Departure happens after midnight. The Quino Del Mar slips out quietly, heading south toward the Revillagigedo Archipelago.
The next day is spent at sea. Meals continue at their usual times: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner. This crossing day is for resting, setting up dive gear, watching the horizon, and eating well. You arrive off Isla San Benedicto in the evening of the following day, ready to dive in the morning.
Core Days
A liveaboard safari aboard the Quino Del Mar takes you straight to the heart of the Socorro Islands. This is big-animal diving. The kind that stays with you. The waters around Socorro run rich with nutrients, which draws in megafauna like few other places on Earth. You are not hunting for scraps here. You are entering a pelagic zone where large creatures come to feed, clean, and pass through.
Expect close, calm encounters. Giant manta rays glide right over your head. They often circle back for a second look. Dolphins show up in playful pods, sometimes hanging around for an entire dive. From December to April, humpback whales move through the region. You will hear them before you see them, their songs carry clearly underwater.
The Quino Del Mar also puts you in shark territory. 7 different species are regularly encountered. The standout moment? Schools of hammerheads. Groups of them, holding formation in the blue, giving you a view that serious divers travel across oceans to witness. The Quino Del Mar liveaboard runs 3 to 4 dives per day, depending on conditions. You will dive alongside massive schools of trevallies, barracuda, and tuna. The standout site is Roca Partida, a sheer pinnacle teeming with life. Expect thousands of fish plus whitetip, silvertip, silky, and Galapagos sharks. When conditions align, hammerheads and whale sharks may appear.
Between dives, the Quino Del Mar keeps the options open. Glide across the water in a kayak. Stretch out in the sun. Or simply sit on deck, swapping stories with other guests while the Pacific rolls past. That last part, the easy conversation, the shared stoke, often becomes what you remember most.
Final Day
On the last morning, the Quino Del Mar arrives back in San José del Cabo. A continental breakfast is served before disembarkation at 8:30 am. Fruit, cereal, bagels, yoghurt, coffee. Enough to send you on your way with a full stomach.
Socorro Islands (Special Trip) (10 Days / 9 Nights - 25 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics, onboard experts on sharks and manta rays
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: San Benedicto, Roca Partida, Socorro Island
Day 1
This Citizen Science special diving expedition onboard the Quino Del Mar liveaboard journeys 250 miles offshore to the remote Revillagigedo Archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Mexico's 'Little Galápagos'. Designed for experienced divers, this cruise is a dedicated pursuit of the ocean's largest and most charismatic inhabitants in a wild, blue-water environment.
Transfer to the modern marina in Puerto Los Cabos to board the Quino Del Mar liveaboard. After settling into your cabin and a welcome briefing, enjoy a relaxed dinner as you meet your fellow divers and the onboard marine biologist. The vessel departs overnight on the crossing to the islands, with meals provided throughout the transit day.
Core Days
The rhythm of your days is set by the sea and its inhabitants. Each morning begins with a briefing from the divemaster and the onboard scientist, outlining the day’s potential encounters and the specific citizen science initiatives you can participate in. This is not merely a diving trip; it is an opportunity to contribute to ongoing research. You might assist in recording manta ray identification photographs, logging shark sightings for population studies, or observing humpback whale behavior during the winter calving season. Your level of involvement is entirely up to you, and each evening features informal presentations where findings are shared, deepening your understanding of this unique ecosystem.
Your diving focuses on the archipelago’s 3 main islands, each offering a distinct character. San Benedicto is often the first stop of Quino Del Mar, where the submerged crater of the Boiler serves as a renowned cleaning station for giant Pacific manta rays. These intelligent, winged giants, with wingspans exceeding 6 meters, frequently approach divers with a calm curiosity, making close passes that define the Socorro experience. At El Cañón on Socorro Island, you drift along a volcanic rock wall where whitetip reef sharks rest in sandy gullies, and large schools of jacks and tuna patrol the blue. The island's sheltered bays are also prime locations for in-water encounters with humpback whales during the winter months, a profoundly moving experience governed by strict, ethical guidelines to ensure minimal disturbance.
The dive trip’s dramatic apex is Roca Partida, a sheer pinnacle rising from the open ocean thousands of feet deep. This isolated rock is a magnet for pelagic life, creating dives of breathtaking intensity. Descending along its walls, you are surrounded by vast schools of silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, and dense schools of bonito. It is a location where you can look into the blue in any direction and see the silhouettes of sharks. Encounters with dolphins, and occasionally whale sharks or scalloped hammerheads, complete the picture of a truly wild, off-the-grid dive site. Surface intervals on Quino Del Mar are spent scanning for breaching humpbacks or relaxing on the spacious sun deck, sharing stories of the morning's encounters.
Day 10
After a final night spent sailing, a light continental breakfast is served on board. The Quino Del Mar liveaboard docks back in Puerto Los Cabos, with disembarkation typically completed by mid-morning, concluding your expedition to one of the world's premier big-animal diving destinations.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Meals are served in the indoor dining room. A menu is posted each day in the dining room so guests know what is being served.
A day on the Quino Del Mar liveaboard follows the rhythm of the sea and the dive deck. You wake early, but never without reason. The Pacific is calling, and so is breakfast. By 6:30 am, the coffee is hot and the fruit is fresh. The crew sets out a continental spread: papaya, melon, bananas, alongside cereals, yoghurt, bagels, and breads for toasting. It is a quiet, unhurried start. Then you gear up for the first dive.
After that initial plunge, often into the blue around San Benedicto or Roca Partida, you return to a proper, plated breakfast. Made-to-order eggs, chilaquiles, refried beans, or perhaps American-style pancakes with syrup. The kitchen knows you have burned calories. They replace them generously.
By 11 am, you have finished dive 2. Lunch follows soon after: a hot, homemade soup - poblano or tortilla - then a plated main. One day it might be fish tacos with cabbage slaw and lime crema. Another day, chicken mole with rice and roasted vegetables. Always something grounded in Baja flavours. Afternoons bring a third dive, sometimes a fourth depending on the island. Then comes the snack you start thinking about during your safety stop. Ceviche freshened with cilantro and onion. Sandwiches on bolillo rolls. Local cheese, sliced fruit, maybe a small bowl of guacamole with totopos. Nothing fussy. Everything welcome.
Dinner is the anchor of the evening. 3 courses, plated, served in the indoor dining room. A salad of mixed greens with a tangy vinaigrette. An entrée such as carne asada with black beans and grilled nopales, or a creamy seafood pasta with shrimp and scallops. Then a homemade dessert: flan, arroz con leche, or a simple chocolate cake that disappears fast.
Drinks are straightforward and fair. Unlimited water, coffee, tea, fruit juices, and canned soft drinks sit available all day. Beer and local wine come out after the final dive of the afternoon, a small reward before the night settles in. There is an outdoor fridge on the upper deck stocked with soft drinks and beer, so you can grab a cold one without interrupting the crew.
The Quino Del Mar also knows how to celebrate. Weather permitting, the team fires up the top deck for a carne asada night. The whole crew joins in. Grilled meat, salsas, tortillas, beans; a Mexican-style buffet under the stars. That night feels less like a liveaboard and more like a family gathering.
Dietary needs are taken seriously. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free: the kitchen handles requests with advance notice.
A Typical Day Onboard:
Let us walk through a standard diving day in the Revillagigedo archipelago. It changes slightly depending on the island: Roca Partida runs 3 dives, while San Benedicto and Socorro usually allow 4.
- 6 am: Wake-up call. Light continental breakfast available. Fill your water bottle. Set up your camera.
- 6:45 am: Dive briefing. Short, sharp, safety-focused.
- 7 am: First dive of the day. Often the longest and deepest.
- 8:30 am: Surface interval. Plated, made-to-order breakfast served in the dining room.
- 10 am: Second dive briefing.
- 10:30 am: Second dive.
- 12 noon: Lunch. Soup and a hot main course.
- 1:30 pm: Third dive briefing.
- 2 pm: Third dive.
- 3:30 pm: Afternoon snack. Ceviche, sandwiches, fruit, or cheese.
- 4:30 pm: Fourth dive briefing (if scheduled).
- 5 pm: Fourth dive.
- 6:30 pm: Happy hour with beer and wine. Sunset on the top deck.
- 7 pm: Dinner. 3 courses. Plated. Relaxed.
- 8:30 pm: Dive log, camera download, or just lying on the bow watching the Milky Way.
