Liveaboard Diving in Roca Partida

Liveaboards to San Benedicto, part of the Socorro Islands, officially known as the Revillagigedo Archipelago, will escort divers to one of the best dive areas to see large pelagics. The Socorro Islands are a group of four volcanic islands located in the Pacific Ocean about 400km (250 mi) off the coast of the southern tip of Baja California, a southwestern state of Mexico. This archipelago is a popular dive area and most popular for the different aquatic species you can see and dive with. The other three islands are Socorro Island, San Benedicto, and Clarion, all incredible dive sites in their own ways. Roca Partida is the smallest of the islands, with a pinnacle of 30m (100ft).

Roca Partida is a year-round dive area, but each season brings its own gems. The calmest seas are from November to May, with the waters being around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) in November, 21 degrees Celsius (69 degrees Fahrenheit) in February, and back up to 25 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) in May. These winter months also bring with them the main spectacles: the thousands of humpback whales that stop over here during their migration to and from Alaska and numerous Pacific manta rays. The visibility here depends solely on the plankton in the water, which depends on the moon, but in general, the visibility varies from 15 - 50m (49 - 164ft).

Roca Partida is a more advanced diving area as sometimes there are strong currents and big waves, and most dive spots are quite deep; however, each liveaboard to Roca Partida has its minimum dive experience level, most expect to have your Advanced Open water with at least 50 logged dives, but there are a few which only need you to have your Open Water and no minimum logged dives. Please keep this in mind.

What You Can See

Roca Partida liveaboard dive cruises allow divers to see a large variety of marine life to satisfy all divers with a unique experience. It is open water dives and unsteady conditions, with currents coming and going and large waves coming and going; many pelagic species are attracted to this area. When diving down, you will first be met by large schools of Jacks and Tuna, which live around the pinnacle. 20 meters (60 feet) down the pinnacle, there are multiple caves that you can explore, including lobsters and different species of sharks. Some of the most popular sharks you will run into here are Oceanic white tip, schooling Scalloped Hammerhead sharks, and Whale Sharks on an extremely lucky day. Other inhabitants are the impressive Giant Pacific Manta Rays, which fly through the water with wingspans of around 7 meters (21 feet); they are extremely curious and come close to the divers for a fantastic experience.

This archipelago of islands is part of a protected biosphere reserve, and many conservation organizations are working to preserve the unique wildlife that inhabits and passes through it. Socorro diving area is not a coral reef, so do not expect bright colors everywhere, but once you spot the spectacular marine wildlife, you won't be able to focus on much else anyway!

Getting To Roca Partida

This island is only accessible via a Mexico liveaboard, and because this island is mostly uninhabited, this is the perfect way to get away from the busy cities and get a good quality experience with some of the best the oceans offer. Liveaboard.com currently offers six different liveaboards that visit these sites, all different to suit anyone's desires.

There are two ports from which the liveaboards depart: Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. These are both cities in the state of Baja California and located in the most Southern municipality; Los Cabos in Mexico. The closest international airport to these two cities is Los Cabos International Airport, which has flights arriving from the United States, Canada, and other Mexican Cities.


Roca Partida Diving Reviews

  • 9.1 Superb
  • 89 Verified Reviews
  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Renee P
  • United States United States

Two whale sharks circling & eating with all the shark action, was a beautiful moment. Enjoyed every dive on this site

Diving Roca Partida in March on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Stacey W
  • United States United States

I could dive here everyday of the trip just to watch the animal behaviors.

Diving Roca Partida in April on the Solmar V

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Michael J
  • United States United States

This is the second best island to dive.

Diving Roca Partida in May on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Matthew L
  • United States United States

No current. Full of life, for me the best dive spot, especially the best and magic underwater landscape.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Quino el Guardian

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Peter K
  • United States United States

Really cool to see all the sea life and then get some blue water diving in.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Jason K
  • United States United States

We were told that this site was shark heaven. We saw a number of white tips but not other types of sharks.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Solmar V

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Stephanie F
  • United States United States

A challenging dive site for someone with 50 dives, but the dive masters were keeping a good eye on me. Excellent place to see manta, sleeping sharks, lobster, eels, and more!

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Brooke M
  • United States United States

One of the most beautiful dive sites. Fish everywhere. Humpback whales!!!

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Sharon E
  • United States United States

Yuck! Nothing on two dives. Left due to choppy seas.

Diving Roca Partida in March on the Quino el Guardian

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Kathleen S
  • United States United States

This is where we saw manta rays plus white tip sharks

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • john L
  • United States United States

More mantas than we could count. Larger than life

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Morgan A
  • United States United States

Whale sharks, tuna, fantastic. Not for beginner divers

Diving Roca Partida in May on the Solmar V

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • David M
  • United States United States

This was a highlight of the trip - it was like fish soup so many fish , sharks , dolphins

Diving Roca Partida in May on the Valentina

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Chelsea I
  • United States United States

Unbelievable. Teeming with life, the likes of which I've only ever seen in David Attenborough documentaries.

Diving Roca Partida in June on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Gregory M
  • United States United States

A bit challenging at times due to currents and open ocean but very rewarding.

Diving Roca Partida in November on the Quino el Guardian

  • 7.6 Good
  • Lisa K
  • United States United States

I love the big wall here with huge schools of Jacks. Many huge yellow-fin tuna. Mantas.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Solmar V

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Kathryn F
  • United States United States

Large schools of fish, lobsters, in addition to white tip and silver tip sharks, and mantas

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Rocio del Mar

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Linda M
  • United States United States

It was a little quiet compared to my previous trip in May so we only stayed one day.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Rocio del Mar

  • 6.0 Review score
  • Lisa K
  • United States United States

Water was clear, lots of Jacks, but not a lot of sharks this trip.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Jaclyn B
  • United States United States

Large swells, mostly wall diving with colorful fish and white tips

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Rocio del Mar

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Julie R
  • United States United States

Roca Partida was my favorite site because of its beauty. We saw a lot of life, but the best part was just the beautiful rock face.

Diving Roca Partida in March on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Gary C
  • United States United States

Real, real good. Visibility was less than I expected, but was told that we had normal visibility.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Valentina

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • TARA L
  • United States United States

So many sharks at cleaning station

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Nautilus Under Sea

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Charles C
  • United States United States

Great site -- lots of sharks and other life. Very unique place. Not as many manta as the other sites but a wonderful experience.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Camille B
  • United States United States

Extremely challenging for me due to the surges and strong current.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Quino el Guardian

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Bernard V
  • United States United States

Current was rough, viz not so good

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Eli R
  • United States United States

Sea mounts in the middle of nowhere. Thriving currents this is where I saw schools of tuna, a large tuna up close. Also this is where you see the sleeping silky sharks nestled together.

Diving Roca Partida in March on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Sunny K
  • United States United States

Was my favorite dive site. Such epic wall drop and the vast blue full of big eye jacks and whitetip reef sharks was truly a spectable.

Diving Roca Partida in May on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Victoria S
  • United States United States

My favorite! So many sharks, yellow fin tuna, wahoos, and fish!

Diving Roca Partida in June on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Arun S
  • United States United States

Roca Partida was amazing and my favorite spot of this trip! Such a unique experience and full of life.

Diving Roca Partida in June on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Frances F
  • United States United States

Everything you could hope for. Wonderful vis and large sea life. Shelves of sleeping sharks.

Diving Roca Partida in June on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Joshua F
  • United States United States

AMAZING, but not for unexperienced divers. Recommend a minimum of 50 (closer to 100) dives unless the conditions are incredible.

Diving Roca Partida in November on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Daniel B
  • United States United States

Not memorable; bad visibility.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Jim R
  • United States United States

Rough, lost of current and vortexes

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Pier-Luc D
  • Canada Canada

Great dives with school of hammerheads, white-tips, silver tips and even mobulas. That site is also full of big pelagic fish like tuna, wahoo. Each dive at that site is different and bring surprises.

Diving Roca Partida in November on the Quino el Guardian

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Alan P
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Amazing so Dolphins, Sharks and Manta Rays

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Solmar V

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Daniela S
  • Germany Germany

The diving at Roca Partida was fantastic: Mantas on every dives and all kinds of sharks! Schools of hammerheads passing by. A baitball of fish, and sharks who were hunting there....WOW....that was a big show!

Diving Roca Partida in April on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Sanjay K
  • India India

You are not a diver till you have dive Roca Partida. It is treacherous at places, but with a good dive team and strategy it can easily turn into the best dive you will ever do.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Fabian F
  • Argentina Argentina

Estuvieron muy bien pero por debajo de las expectativas, eso da motivos adicionales para regresar

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Under Sea

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Renato S
  • Brazil Brazil

Great encounter with false killer whales

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Solmar V

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Travis M
  • Canada Canada

Diving was very good and many many many white tip reef sharks here.

Diving Roca Partida in November on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 8.0 Very good
  • MARK E
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

I like this location. Many white tips, and silver tips plus the occasional Galapagos shark.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Under Sea

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Ellie D
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Breathtaking - the highlight of the trip. An incredible sea mount teeming with healthy marine life. schools of fish, sharks, hunting tuna, manta and whaleshark.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Nathan L
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Very low on marine life compared to previous trips.

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Solmar V

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Nigel David M
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Sheer wall diving but encountered the most fish.Some current.

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Quino el Guardian

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • HOJOON L
  • South Korea South Korea

Many whitetip sharks, Lots of jacks.

Diving Roca Partida in December on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Marcel K
  • Germany Germany

We did 7 dives here. It was great, but after 4 dives we had seen almost everything.

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Florian V
  • Germany Germany

No corrent, no action. Just this very aloof and adherent Manta Ray.

Diving Roca Partida in November on the Valentina

  • 7.6 Good
  • Kit G
  • Denmark Denmark

Very good, but better the last time we where there. not do many sharks this time

Diving Roca Partida in November on the Solmar V

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Claudio A
  • Austria Austria

Good. A lot of white tip swimming close to you, or laying sleeping in big groups in niches on the rock wall.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Under Sea

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Mathilde C
  • France France

Great, many tunas and beit balls. We saw orcas and humpbacks from the panga.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Rocio del Mar

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Andrew S
  • Canada Canada

Awesome just be ready for currents and swell.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Simona W
  • France France

No pelagics on 4 dives for our group - second panga had a humpback on the dive

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Quino el Guardian

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Jose Manuel U
  • Mexico Mexico

Amazing!! Caves of silky sharks! Humpback whale and baby!! The best!!

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Luke L
  • New Zealand New Zealand

The best dive days of the trip. Whale sharks seen on numerous dives. Manta very friendly, often coming within touching distance.

Diving Roca Partida in March on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Nadine G
  • Lebanon Lebanon

Visibility in March so-so. Hammerhead, silvertip, blacktip, whitetip, tiger, Galapagos sharks, manta rays.

Diving Roca Partida in March on the Valentina

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Binshuang L
  • China China

It was great! Seeing manta rays on almost every dive!

Diving Roca Partida in May on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 6.8 Review score
  • Alison M M
  • Canada Canada

Diving was also great here. More mantas and sharks. We saw one hammerhead. I would say the diving was great and I imagine it could be even better.

Diving Roca Partida in June on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Cynthia D
  • Mexico Mexico

Spectacular dives, full of silver and white tips

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • janina O
  • Mexico Mexico

It was a bit rough though is the most amount of sharks I have ever seen

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Janice S
  • Canada Canada

Visibility a bit poor but lots of sightings of mantas, sharks and dolphins.

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Rocio del Mar

  • 7.6 Good
  • Marlin T
  • Costa Rica Costa Rica

Fun, very interesting landscape. Lots of baby whitetips, even saw some hammers

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Nautilus Belle Amie

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Patrick M
  • Ireland Ireland

I really enjoyed diving here. Stronger currents for sure but the marine life is outstanding, sharks, big schools of jacks and tuna.

Diving Roca Partida in June on the Nautilus Explorer

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Iballa C
  • Spain Spain

Loved it Lot of sharks and interaction

Diving Roca Partida in January on the Solmar V

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Jasneet B
  • Canada Canada

Saw the vortex, people should have experience to dive here and there were a lot of variables to be mindful of.

Diving Roca Partida in February on the Nautilus Explorer