LA PAZ | MEXICO

La Paz, Mexico is such an amazing place to go scuba diving. The warm, turquoise water, the variety or dives and the abundance of sea life make it a perfect spot for beginners and veterans alike. Located in Baja California Sur, La Paz, on the Sea of Cortez, it is just a short 2-hour flight from southern California. There are plenty of dive operators in the area that will take you out, including the famous Cortez Club, but our favorite and go-to is Fun Baja. Akiko and her crew always take care of us.

FUN BAJA | LA PAZ, MEXICO

This trip, we had a group of seven people (3 divers and 4 snorkelers) so we booked a private boat with Fun Baja to take us out scuba diving and snorkeling for the day. While they have moved to a different marina (closer to the city), they made it super convenient for us and picked us up right in the Costa Baja Marina (where they used to be located). We were able to walk from our room at the Costa Baja Resort to the boat in less than 5 minutes.

There are so many beautiful spots to explore by water in La Paz. We started with the Salvatierra, a natural wreck dive. It was a ferry that crashed into a reef and sunk with many trucks on board. Today, you can dive down and explore the wreckage and all of the sea life that calls it home. We then made our way over to Swanee Reef for a shallow dive that is full of color, coral and is healthy with life.

One of the many reasons that we love Fun Baja is the special lunch treatment that you get. We made our way to a camp on a deserted island with a private beach that Fun Baja manages. There are small semi-permanent tents setup on the beach, some tables with thatch roofs and a chef that is the best on the island - while it IS a deserted island, she is still pretty good. We asked for seconds. During select times of the year, Fun Baja will pick you up, take you out for three dives, bring you to the deserted beach to camp for the night where you will be cooked dinner, go for a night dive and spend the night under the stars. Then, the next morning, pick you back for another three dives before returning you to La Paz. We still have this on our list of things to do. Maybe next time. After lunch, we got the chance to swim in some of the most turquoise water you will ever see.

One of the most popular spots in the La Paz area is Los Islotes. What makes it so famous is the friendly sea lion colony that lives there. The "island" is nothing more than some giant rocks that emerge from the water but below the surface lies a whole other world. This is where we spent our afternoon. Beneath the ocean waves is a colorful world that includes a swim through tunnel and a lot of sea life. We saw a stream of fish that seemed to go on forever. But, as I mentioned, the sea lions are what makes this place so special. They are playful and love divers. More like a puppy than a sea animal, they will dance with you, play with you and are sure to put a smile on anyone's face. Below is a video of from our last trip to Los Islotes and La Paz.

SCUBA DIVING IN LA PAZ

La Paz is a special place with world-class diving without the crowds of the bigger name cities. If you haven't been yet, I hope you do add it to your list whether for scuba diving or just a relaxing vacation. You won't be disappointed.