Bull sharks
The adult females that gather at El Vencedor wreck (45 ft) are the most reliable bull shark encounter in Mexico outside Playa del Carmen. Calm, unbaited, on the sand. Best Nov–Apr, present most months.
Marine life · seasons · conditions
Marine life and the best time to dive Cabo Pulmo
A reef with 800+ species has a different cast every month: sharks in the cool season, whales in winter, mobulas in spring and the clearest water in the fall. Here is the calendar our dive masters work by.
Cabo Pulmo can be dived year round. Water temperature ranges from about 68 °F (20 °C) in February to 86 °F (30 °C) in September. The clearest, warmest water is August to November; the big bull shark aggregations at El Vencedor and the humpback whales come with the cooler water from December to April; mobula rays and sardine runs mark the spring. Sea lions, turtles, morays, groupers and schooling jacks are present every month.
Month by month
Water temperature, visibility and who is around
Typical values from our logs. Any given week can differ; a norther in February or a plankton bloom in April changes the picture for a few days.
Jan68–72 °F · vis 40–70 ftHumpbacks singing, bull sharks on the wreck, sea lions playful. 5–7 mm suit.
Feb68–72 °F · vis 40–70 ftPeak whale month. Bull sharks, guitarfish, electric rays on the sand.
Mar70–74 °F · vis 40–70 ftWhales still around, first mobula schools, big groupers courting.
Apr72–75 °F · vis 30–60 ftMobula rays jumping, plankton blooms, sardines; last humpbacks.
May74–78 °F · vis 30–60 ftShoulder season, few boats. Mobulas, jack tornadoes, turtles nesting season starts.
Jun77–80 °F · vis 40–70 ftWater warming fast; long calm days, sardine balls at El Islote.
Jul80–84 °F · vis 60–90 ftSummer heat on land, tropical water. Mantas possible, whale shark rumours.
Aug83–86 °F · vis 60–100 ftWarmest, clearest water. 3 mm suit. Storm watch begins.
Sep84–86 °F · vis 60–100 ftBest visibility of the year; most likely month for a weather day.
Oct82–85 °F · vis 60–100 ftPrime diving: warm, clear, mobulas and mantas, bull sharks returning.
Nov77–81 °F · vis 60–90 ftBull shark season ramps up at El Vencedor; still warm.
Dec72–76 °F · vis 50–80 ftFirst humpbacks arrive; holiday season books out early.
| Season | Water | Suit | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter · Dec–Mar | 68–75 °F / 20–24 °C | 5–7 mm, hood optional | Humpback whales, bull shark peak, sea lions, guitarfish, big groupers |
| Spring · Apr–Jun | 72–80 °F / 22–27 °C | 5 mm → 3 mm | Mobula schools, plankton and sardine runs, turtles, few visitors |
| Summer · Jul–Sep | 80–86 °F / 27–30 °C | 3 mm or shorty | Warmest and clearest water, mantas, possible whale sharks, storm watch |
| Fall · Oct–Nov | 77–85 °F / 25–29 °C | 3 mm | Prime conditions, mobulas and mantas, bull sharks returning to the wreck |
The headliners
Animals that bring divers to Cabo Pulmo
Jacks, sardines and the bait balls
Bigeye trevally form a rotating tornado at El Cantil and Los Morros all year; in spring and early summer the sardine schools roll in and the whole reef hunts.
Whitetips, groupers and the giants
Whitetip reef sharks nap under the ledges of Las Casitas, leopard groupers and gulf groupers patrol the wall, and the outer reef still hides goliath-class black sea bass.
Turtles
Green (black) turtles and hawksbills on nearly every dive. Olive ridleys nest on East Cape beaches from summer into fall.
The small stuff
Coral hawkfish, jewel morays, nudibranchs, blennies, Cortez angelfish, king angelfish, Moorish idols, balloonfish. Bring a macro lens and a slow buddy.
Whales, mobulas, sea lions
Humpbacks sing through your dive Dec–Mar; mobula rays school and leap in Apr–Jun; the sea lions of La Lobera are in residence most of the year and at their most playful in winter.
Why there is so much life
The Cabo Pulmo recovery, in numbers
Cabo Pulmo National Park covers 7,111 hectares (about 27 square miles) of sea around a 20,000-year-old reef, the only hard-coral reef on the Baja peninsula and one of only three in the eastern Pacific. It was decreed in 1995 at the request of the local families, who had fished the bay for generations and watched it empty.
A decade later, scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography measured a 463 percent increase in total fish biomass inside the park, the largest recovery ever documented in a marine reserve, and a return of top predators that had been absent for years. Since 2005 the reef has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as part of the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California) and a Ramsar wetland. That is the science behind the sharks you see on the wreck.
7,111 ha protected800+ species+463 % fish biomass 1999–2009UNESCO 2005No fishing since 1995
Good to know
Season and marine life questions
What is the best time of year to dive Cabo Pulmo?
There is no bad season, only different ones. August to November has the warmest water (80–86 °F / 27–30 °C) and the best visibility (often 60–100 ft), with mobulas, mantas and the chance of whale sharks. December to April is cooler (68–75 °F / 20–24 °C) and brings humpback whales, the biggest bull shark aggregations at El Vencedor and active sea lions. May to July is the quiet shoulder season with warming water and the sardine runs.
How cold is the water in Cabo Pulmo?
Roughly 68–72 °F (20–22 °C) in January to March, warming through spring to 80–86 °F (27–30 °C) from August to October, and cooling again in November and December. A 5 mm wetsuit (some divers add a hood) is comfortable in winter; a 3 mm or shorty is enough in late summer.
When can I see bull sharks in Cabo Pulmo?
Bull sharks are present most of the year at El Vencedor wreck, with the largest numbers typically between November and April when the water is cooler. They are wild animals, so no sighting is guaranteed, but the wreck is one of the most reliable places in Mexico to see them.
When is whale season in Cabo Pulmo?
Humpback whales are in the Sea of Cortez from about mid-December to late March or early April. You see them from the boat and often hear them singing during the dive. Gray whales were recorded in the park for the first time in recent years, and whale sharks appear occasionally in the warm months.
Is visibility good in Cabo Pulmo?
Visibility ranges from about 30 ft on a plankton-rich spring day to 100 ft in the fall. Plankton blooms in spring are what feed the mobulas and the schools, so lower visibility usually means more animals.
Does Cabo Pulmo close during hurricane season?
The dive center operates year round. Tropical storms can affect Baja California Sur between August and October; on the rare days the port captain closes the bay, dives are rescheduled or refunded. September is the most likely month for a weather day.
Pick your season, we will pick the reefs
Tell us when you are coming and what you want to see. The dive masters will match the sites to the month.