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The Revillagigedo Archipelago, more commonly known by its largest island, Socorro, is widely considered by divers to be one of the most amazing big animal dive destinations on our planet. And rightfully so! This UNESCO World Heritage Site and Mexican National Park located in the eastern Pacific Ocean is one of the largest Marine Protected Areas in the world. More commonly known by the name of its largest island – Isla Socorro, these islands are packed with jaw dropping encounters. It is a playground for giant oceanic mantas growing upwards of 7 meters wide (23 feet). A location where over 10 species of sharks can be seen, friendly pods of dolphins join divers, and schools of massive tuna can be seen hunting. But it is not just the biodiversity & abundance of pelagic marine life that makes this area so special. The unique interactions with the beautiful creatures of Socorro are what scuba diving dreams are made of. Diving here is emotional. Imagine a massive oceanic manta ray spotting you from afar, and seeking you out. Swimming directly to your face to look you in the eye and then spending the next 20 minutes circling you as if she wants to begin a conversation. Picture pods of dolphins that actively seek out divers beckoning them to play. All the while white tip sharks gather in piles of 10s & 20s, schools of shy hammerheads create choreographed walls out in the blue, and huge tiger sharks patrol the depths. This is the Revillagigedo.

Why Should You Go

There are many reasons the Revillagigedo is considered one of the best big animal destinations on earth. First up, the oceanic manta rays here behave unlike any I have ever seen. They seem to seek out divers for attention. Imagine floating eye to eye with a 6m /20ft wide ocean giant, watching her eyes track yours as if she wants to start a conversation with you. Or looking above you to see one of the massive creatures playing in your bubbles just above your head. It’s surreal. But even better, normally it isn’t just 1 manta. I’ve had dives with upwards of 10 oceanic manta rays around us on one dive. I love watching how they interact with each other and seeing them gliding through the water following or spiraling around each other. 

But then it doesn’t end there, Socorro and the Revillagigedo are home to a lot of shark species. Tiger sharks, schools of scalloped hammerheads, dusky, Galapagos, silky, white tip reef, oceanic black tip, silver tip, and even the world’s largest fish – the whale shark! Oh, and don’t forget the bottlenose dolphins that like to mess with divers for entertainment. They seem to have developed games out of it. But I won’t ruin the surprise, just make sure to listen to your guides briefing. False orcas, humpback whales, and other cetacean species can be spotted around the islands. Beyond the big stuff, there is just a ton of life on the sites from big schools of different species of jacks to the beautiful bright orange Clarion Angel Fish that is endemic to these islands. Seeing the Clarions cleaning a manta is one of my personal favorites and a definitive iconic shot from the Revillagigedo. 

When Should I Go? 

The Socorro Island & Revillagigedo Archipelago season runs from November into June. During this time there is not really any ‘bad time to go’. I’ve been every month from November through May and always had mind blowing encounters out there. There isn’t a massive difference from month to month. The beginning of the season is sometimes touted as the whale shark peak, but ask any of the guides that have been working out there for a few years and they’ll tell you the chances to see whale sharks are the same pretty much all season. 

From my personal experiences, I feel that early and late season tends to be more sharky, and mid season I tend to have seen more mantas. But with that being said I have never had a trip where we didn’t see mantas on at least 75% of the dives. So I wouldn’t stress too much which month to go. The only month I personally tend to stay away from is June. This is due to the eastern tropical pacific hurricane season starting to kick off. As there is quite a long open ocean crossing to get to the islands storms in the summer can create less than ideal conditions or even force operators to cancel trips unexpectedly. 

In terms of water temperatures there is a little bit of difference through the season. The early months (Nov-mid Jan) and late months (May-June) tend to be warmer at roughly 24-27C / 75-80F. The middle of the season (late Jan through April) tends to be cooler with temperatures of 22-25C / 70-76F.

How Do I Get There?

These beautiful islands are located 240 miles due south of Cabo San Lucas, which means there is only one way to dive them and that is via liveaboard. The crossing to the northern most island, Isla San Benedicto, takes roughly 26 hours depending on which ship you are on. There are currently 6 operators running trips to the Revillagigedo Archipelago. My personal favorites are Nautilus Liveaboards and Mexico Liveaboards. Nautilus has 3 ships that operate there (Undersea, Explorer, & Belle Amie), and Mexico Livebaboards has 2 (Rocio del Mar & Quino el Guardian). Dive Ninja Expeditions runs at least 1 or 2 specialized trips every year to Socorro that I personally guest host. During the trip I give talks about the mantas and sharks that call the area home, as well as current research & conservation projects and how to get involved in Manta Photo Identification projects. So far every trip we have discovered new mantas that we were able to name! This past trip we found 3 new ones! 

If you’ve never done a long crossing liveaboard before, don’t stress! While the crossing from Cabo San Lucas to San Benedicto is on the longer side it tends to be quite calm with the wind at your back and the waves moving in the same direction as the ship. So no rocky, crazy seas. If you’re not sure if you get seasick I always recommend taking meds before boarding the ship just to be safe. It’s much easier to prevent seasickness than it is to get rid of it once you feel it. Once you are in the islands you’ll be anchored in protected bays most of the trip and only do short crossings in the evening when you move from one island to the next.

What Dive Gear Should I Pack?

In regards to scuba gear you’ll want to pack all your normal stuff: mask, fins, wetsuit, regulator, booties, and BCD. However one thing I highly recommend is having a tall surface marker buoy (SMB), and a reel so you can send it up from underwater if need be. Most of the dive sites have some current and you are essentially in the middle of nowhere. So if you lose your group or need to surface without them you want to make sure you can get a buoy up quick so the zodiac drivers can easily see and track you. They’re great at spotting divers, but it always helps to be a little extra safe when diving remote areas like this. I’d also highly recommend having a Nautilus Lifeline. If you are onboard a Nautilus ship they’ll actually give you one to use for free during the trip. These awesome little devices are like a personal emergency GPS that when triggered send out an alert to all ships in the area with your exact GPS location.

Outside of that, your wetsuit will depend on when in the season you are going as temperatures range throughout the season. For most of the season the norm is a 5mm, unless you get cold easily. Personally, in the early season I’m using board shorts and a hooded vest, then I switch to a 3mm open cell wetsuit. Very rarely do I break out my 5mm, but I am also accustomed to diving colder waters. I’d recommend checking with the ship to find out the current temps before you fly out so you can be comfortable for your trip. Gloves and reef hooks are not allowed anywhere in the  park so you can leave them at home. 

What Camera Gear Should I Bring?

For camera gear you are going to want to go wide angle. A fisheye or WACP is great for the unclose manta interactions. Then I like to switch some days to my Sony 16-35mm G Master lens for shark shots. While there is a bit of macro around the sites, you won’t need to bring your macro lens. Trust me, you’ll be way too busy with the mantas and sharks to be looking for nudis! If you are shooting photos, I’d recommend strobes, such as the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Mk II Lightning strobes. Most of the dives take place around 25 meters / 80 feet so you’re going to want a bit of light to help out. If you’re shooting video, then you might want video lights depending on the subject or just some good old fashioned custom white balance. If you need an awesome suitcase to carry it all in that’s super sturdy, keeps your gear safe, and doesn’t attract unwanted attention like hard shell cases do; then check out Think Tank! I personally love their roller bags!

For topside, I’d recommend a 100-400mm telephoto to get shots of dolphins, seabirds, and the surrounding landscapes. The islands themselves are incredibly beautiful. I’d also highly recommend bringing your drone if you are comfortable flying from boats. At San Bendicto you can actually see the top of the volcano, Cabo Pearce looks beautiful looking back towards the island and Roca Partida also makes for some great drone shots. Plus, many times I’ve spotted mantas sun tanning at the surface from the drone. There are 2 things to consider when flying a drone here though. First, some sites can have a lot of sea birds cruising around so keep an eye out- especially for frigates. Second, the rock here messes with GPS and RC connection if you get too close to it so you always want to keep direct line of site and do NOT fly behind the rocks or walls. In other words, you want to make sure there is a direct line of site between you and the drone with no part of the islands between you and the drone.

Conservation & Research

With so many jaw dropping pelagic encounters to be found in Socorro and the Revillagigedo Islands there are a lot of brilliant researchers and passionate conservationists working hard to better understand and protect this area. Pacific Manta Research Group has been studying the mantas found in the Revillagigedo Archipelago as well as the eastern pacific and the Gulf of California for over 30 years.  They also created and run one of the largest manta identification programs in the world. The research from this photo identification program has been crucial in gaining further protections for the area as well as pushing forward our understanding of these enigmatic gentle giants. On the Dive Ninja Socorro trips I teach the guests early on how they can get involved and contribute to the project with any camera. Plus we get the name any mantas that are discovered to be new to the database. For me, I love this part as it lets us take all those incredible memories from the trip and let them live on through naming one of the beautiful creatures we seen.

The renown pelagic research center, Pelagios Kakunja based in La Paz, also has a wealth of projects and researchers working in the island on some remarkable projects. I highly recommend giving both research centers a follow on Instagram and checking out their websites for more info on the awesome work they are doing. You might also spot ships flying the Sea Shepherd flag while in the islands. This is because through Operation Treasured Islands, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society helps the Mexican Navy and national park service patrol this gigantic protected area from illegal fishing ships.

Local Insider Tips 

Experience wise I’d suggest being a PADI Advanced Open Water diver or equivalent with around 30 dives under your belt. This is because most of the dives are on the deeper side and there can be some current on some of the dive site. Also, I’d highly recommend having your Nitrox certification. You’ll be doing 3-4 dives per day with most of them being to roughly 25m/80ft. Using Enriched Air Nitrox will help you extend your bottom times on the receptive dives, as well as lower your overall nitrogen load. The course is quick and easy to do so it won’t take up much of your time. You could even book the course with a local dive shop in Cabo, such as the highly rated Dive Ninja, and they will send you the eLearning to do online before you arrive. Then you show up and only have a couple hours of learning & practice and you’re all set! For my readers, Ninja is offering a $50 discount on the PADI Nitrox Course – all you have to do is mention this article and tell them you’re going to Socorro.

Since all the ships to Socorro & the Revillagigedo depart from Los Cabos, Mexico I’d definitely recommend sneaking in some dives in Cabo San Lucas before you head out to the islands! Plus it gives you a chance to dust off the gear and make sure everything is working correctly so you can hit the water ready for action when you get out to the islands. This way you’re not wasting any dives out there trying to get comfortable or sorting gear issues. I wrote an article with a bunch of info about diving in Los Cabos, Mexico here. If you have the extra time, I’d also recommend jumping on a day trip from Cabo to visit the sea lion pups & whale sharks in La Paz, or experiencing the world famous Cabo Pulmo National Park. A couple of the local shops in Cabo, like Dive Ninja offer day trips to visit these beautiful spots with transportation and everything included making it super easy to sneak in!

My last tip for Socorro is to make sure you book in advance! Trips out there sell out fast and sometimes a year or longer in advance depending on the dates you are looking for. February and March tend to be the quickest to sell out. Personally I find that January always has the best action, so I always host trips then.

Mexico’s Isla Guadalupe is widely considered the best location in the world for up close encounters with Great White Sharks – and for good reason! To start, over 700 individual great whites have been identified at Guadalupe so far. Located about 210 miles (338kms)  southwest of Ensenada, and 150 miles (240kms) from the coast of Baja California, Mexico this UNESCO World Heritage Site and Marine Protected Area is breaming with life and home to a population of over 50,000 seals and sea lions. The island itself is ominous looking as it comes into view on the horizon. Almost feeling as if you are approaching Jurassic Park, and that if you keep a keen an eye out, you might just catch a glimpse of a pterodactyl flying over one of its rocky glacial ridges. Sadly, I’ve yet to spot one – but not giving up hope yet!  Today we’ll check out why so many ocean lovers make the journey each year, as well as tips for getting there, shooting photos, and what gear to bring.

Why Should You Go?

Three words…Great. White. Sharks. Guadalupe is hands down the best place on earth for not only consistent encounters but also beautiful crystal clear blue waters. The visibility at Guadalupe can easily reach upwards of 40 meters (130ft). I’ve had days in the cages where I could clearly see starfish on the sand beneath the ship which was roughly 60m (180ft) below us. 

Seeing large numbers of great white sharks at Guadalupe Island is also almost a given. Captain Mike Lever, founder of Nautilus Liveaboards tells me that with all the trips they run every year – typically 80 or more Guadalupe expeditions annually – they have only been skunked twice in over 17 years of operating at out there. Mike reports that “the number of sharks we see is just crazy. Every year it has gotten better and better.  20 years ago we might have seen several sharks a day.   These days we see sharks on almost every dive.  Often 2 or 3 more sharks per dive.   Sometimes as many as 10 or 12 and once, 13 great whites around the cages at one time!”  And I can actually personally attest to that. In August 2019 I was on the Nautilus Explorer when we had 10 individual great white sharks around the cages at once.  Plus, the area tends to only be visited by sub-adult and adult sharks — so you can not only expect to see sharks, but you’ll definitely be seeing lots of big sharks. Some of the largest Great Whites ever recorded have been spotted here; including the infamous massive momma shark – Deep Blue. Another thing that makes a trip Isla Guadalupe awesome is that the bay where the shark diving occurs is naturally protected from any bad weather making for a comfortable few days onboard the ship – which can be clutch for those that are prone seasickness. 

When to Go? 

The Isla Guadalupe Great White Shark diving season runs from July through November with only minor variations between the months. The main difference being that in early season you will primarily see a lot of male sharks, where as in the late season you may see fewer sharks but they will be primarily huge females. Side note: The males are already massive animals and built like Mack trucks – so you can imagine what seeing the even bigger females is like. Personally I prefer the early season as there tends to be more sharks and action around the cages. Without the big females around the males don’t really follow as much of hierarchy and will sometimes get a bit intense as they compete for dominance. Plus the younger males are a bit more energetic and seem to not care who’s the big boss which always makes for a good show. 

But with that being said the entire season is solid and seeing a 6 meter (18ft) long female apex predator up close is obviously jaw dropping. So if you’re after a chance to catch Deep Blue or one of her massive sisters then aim for October or early November. If you’re looking to try to get the best of both worlds, then aim for mid to late September. To put some perspective to it, my last trip was the last week of September and we had a few females around with a max of 5-6 individual sharks around the cages at once on one day. The rest of the days were about 1-4 sharks around the cages. My past trip before this one was in late August and we had 6-9 male sharks around the cages almost all day long every day. 

How to dive it?

Due to Isla Guadalupe being a remote offshore island the only way to access it is by liveaboard, such as with Nautilus Liveaboards or on special trips with Dive Ninja Expeditions. Most of the ships that do trips to Socorro & the Revillagigedo Archipelago spend the off season running Guadalupe or Sea of Cortez trips. The primary jump point for the liveaboards is Ensenada, located in the north of Baja California, Mexico. Some of the ships include transport from both San Diego and Tijuana which makes the trip really easy. These 2 cities straddle the US / Mexico border and you can actually even cross between them walking too using the CBX as well.  

So in short, you can fly into one of these 2 airports and then hop in the shuttle service provided by the ship or grab an Uber, bus, or private transfer down to Ensenada. The drive from Tijuana to Ensenada is about 1.5 hours and has some incredible views as the highway runs down the coastline. From San Diego you’ll add on an extra 30 minutes or so depending on how fast the border crossing goes. 

Most of the liveaboard trips are 6 days door to door, which gives you 3 days in the water. Personally I think it’s the perfect amount of time. You’ll board the ship in the afternoon or evening the first day, set sail for Guadalupe overnight and arrive there before sunset the next day. I highly recommend going up to the sundeck or bridge when the island starts coming over the horizon – the view is something you definitely won’t forget (and don’t forget to keep an eye out for those pterodactyls). The crossing to Guadalupe from Ensenada takes about 16-18 hours. The next morning the cages open at dawn and it’s time to get wet. The surface cages are usually open from sunrise to sunset, giving everyone lots of time to play. Then on the fifth day they’ll pack up a little early to start heading back so you arrive in Ensenada in the early afternoon the next day. 

Dive Tips & Recommendations 

With most ships you’ll have 2 options: surface cages or submersible cages. The surface cages mount right on the stern of the ship and have you a little less than 1m (3 ft) below the surface. The submersible cages are on the sides of the stern and lowered down on cranes to about 5m (15 ft) below the surface. Both options give you completely different views and experiences so I highly recommend checking them both out. The surface cages will give you the most light for photographers as well as some cool light effects. But they also can have a lot of mackerel around them sometimes making it tricky to shoot. 

Since the submersible cages are to the side of the wrangling platforms it creates a really cool angle of view plus you get the sharks coming down to check out the cage. Another recommendation is to ask the guides if they can put the submersible just below the surface instead of going all the way down. You can get some really cool shots of people in the cages to show the true size of the sharks this way, plus it’s along the route the sharks travel when moving past the wranglers. 

Dive Gear

You can leave your BCD, regs, and fins at home for this trip. The cages are all surface supplied air with an incredible array of redundancies for safety. So all you need to pack is your mask, wetsuit, and booties. Maybe some gloves, a hood, or an under layer for extra warmth. You’ll most likely want a 5-7mm wetsuit, depending how easy you get cold and how long you’re planning to spend in the cages at a time. Remember you’re not really moving around to much so you’ll chill a bit faster. I prefer to go with a heavier wetsuit so I can spend more time in the water before I start getting cold. The water is around 22C (71F) on average. Personally I bring my 7mm and can usually spend about 2.5 – 3hrs in the water in one shot before I need a break from the cold. 

Camera Recommendations 

For the photographers out there – I highly recommend against bringing a huge dome. Most of the openings in the cage can easily fit my 180mm Nauticam dome, but some of the corner openings and such the 180 starts to get a little tight. So for the most flexibility I wouldn’t go much bigger than a 180mm. Check out my friends at Backscatter for a large selection of domes for all sorts housings. I’d also recommend bringing both a fisheye and rectilinear lens, preferably one with a bit of zoom. Some times the sharks are inches from the cage you’re going to really want that fisheye. Other times they seem to stay back a little further so that rectilinear zoom becomes clutch. Every day is different, and you never really know how the action will be until you’re out there. The last trip I used my Sony 16-35 GM f2.8 the most and was jumping back and forth between 16mm and 35mm – so don’t forget your zoom gear. I only used my Sigma 15mm fisheye for a half day. The trip before I used my fisheye for almost the entire length of the trip. If you can only bring one lens, then go for the rectilinear wide angle zoom, like the Sony 16-35 GM f2.8. I’d also recommend bringing a solid topside telephoto zoom lens like the Sony 100-400mm G Master lens or the Sony 70-200 G Master II lens. The topside action can be incredible; as you’ll see below in my ninja tips section. 

Should I pack lights or strobes?

Personally, I prefer to shoot the great white sharks at Guadalupe with just natural light. Between the clear water and shallow depths there is usually a lot of light to play with. Those that know me know I will almost always choose to shoot natural light over artificial. But in Guadalupe I think it really lends itself to shooting natural light. Plus with arms and strobes on the rig it makes it a bit more difficult maneuvering the camera between the cage openings. I can def see the benefit of a strobe for a bit of fill in light when the sun is casting some harder shadows. So what should you pack? I normally pack 1 strobe and shorter arms to play with one day, or just in case it’s over cast and I really need that extra light for the photos. I’d recommend either the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Lighting Mk II strobe or go for a more compact strobe like the Backscatter Mini Flash Underwater Strobe to give you more room to play in the cage. 

Ninja Insider Tips 

The first morning everyone is going to rush to the cages. Don’t stress if you don’t get right in, but do grab your topside lens or cell phone and hang out on the back deck. You can get some insane shots of great whites breaching. Plus the early morning sun casts a really beautiful bronze reflection of the island on the water surface. By the first afternoon people are already starting to go in the cages less and less, to the point that by the end of the trip you’ll basically have the cages to yourself quite often. 

Talk to your group for the submersible cage, and if the action seems to be up top, ask one of the guides if you can put the submersible just a little bit below the surface instead of all the way down. It will give you a really nice angle to the action and makes for good shots of the surface cages on the stern to show the size of the sharks against other divers. 

Also you should pack a hoodie or jacket and comfy sweatpants. This is northern Baja – not the tropics like Cabo – it can be a bit cooler than most would expect – especially in the mornings and evenings. So it’s nice to have some comfy layers you can throw on. And last one – make sure to send me some of your shots and let me know how the trip was! You’re gonna love it out there. Cheers ninjas!

Dive Trip Quick Recap – TL:DR

When to go: The season runs from July through November. Go early season for lots of males, late season for big females or mid season to roll the dice and try to get both. My personal favorite is early season. 

Marine Life: Great White Sharks are the main attraction but you can also see yellowfin tuna, schools of mackerel, turtles, Guadalupe fur seals, and elephant seals.

Water Temps: 22C / 71F.

Wetsuit: 7mm, and maybe some layers if you get cold easily.  

Photo/Lens Type:  Bring both fish eye and wide angle zoom if you can. 

Experience Level: Anyone. Technically you don’t even need to be a certified diver to get in the surface cages. You only need to be certified to enter the submersible cages. 

Who to dive with: Nautilus Liveaboards run awesome 6 day trips all season long. Also check Dive Ninja Expeditions for special trips each season. Or you can join me on the Dive Ninjas trip August 31 – September 5, 2023 as I’ll be leading it and giving a few special talks on sharks as well as offering 1 on 1 photography workshops.