Quino el Guardian, Mexico

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Highlights

  • Choice of 3 incredible itineraries
  • Dive with the world’s friendliest mantas at the Socorro Islands
  • Custom built for scuba diving and scientific research

Join the Quino el Guardian for an unforgettable diving vacation in Pacific Mexico. Custom built for scuba diving and scientific research, she easily caters to 16 divers with 4 quad cabins (two upper bunks and two lower bunks) and 1 double cabin (one upper bunk and one lower bunk), each assigned by gender.  All bunks have a privacy curtain and a storage drawer for each guest. There are 4 spacious community bathrooms equipped with full-size showers (also assigned by gender). Social areas include the indoor salon with comfortable sofas, TV, and computer table. Meals are served in the dining room and start with an American Breakfast to fuel the morning and end with homemade soups, salads, and local fresh dishes. Beers and wines are included. In between dives, guests can relax on the large partially shaded sundeck with lawn chairs.

The Quino el Guardian liveaboard offers divers the choice of four itineraries depending on the time of year.  The Socorro Islands are known for being home to the world's friendliest manta rays, 7-species of sharks including schooling hammerheads, friendly bottlenose dolphins, whale sharks, and humpback whales.  The Sea of Cortez/Midriff Islands where you can dive untouched walls with abundant marine life, play with sea lions, and snorkel with whale sharks.  Sea of Cortez/Explore Baja where divers experience over 700 miles of the Sea of Cortez and finally Southern Safari where divers are in the right place at the right time for Mobula rays, wrecks, whales, and more.  All dives are led by divemasters and the diving takes place from two pangas with their own captains and have sturdy, easy-to-use ladders.  The huge dive deck is well-organized for gear storage and has a spacious camera table.

Call us or book online today to reserve your space aboard the Quino el Guardian liveaboard.

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Included: VAT, Alcoholic Beverages, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Wine with Dinner, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Kayaks, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: Dive Insurance, National Park Fees (75-480 USD per day).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Nitrox, Nitrox Course (245 USD), Rental Gear.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Boat features

  • Camera Station
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Audio & video entertainment
  • Library
  • Air Conditioned saloon
  • Aircon Cabins
  • Sun Deck
  • Indoor Saloon
  • Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
  • Warm Water Showers
  • Outdoor Dining
  • Custom built for diving
  • Charging stations
  • Non-Smoking Rooms
  • Outside Showers
  • Kayaks On-Board
  • Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
  • Naturalist Itineraries
  • Dedicated Local & International Crew
  • Leisure Deck
  • Observation Deck
  • BBQ Area

Food & Drinks

  • Western Food
  • Local Food
  • Vegetarian Options
  • Beer available
  • Snacks All Day
  • Free Wine w/Dinner
  • Vegan Options
  • Free Soft Drinks
  • Wine Available
  • Set Menu Dinner
  • Fine Cuisine
  • Welcome Cocktails
  • Full-board Option
  • Al Fresco Dining

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.


Diving

  • DIN Adaptors
  • Nitrox available
  • Rinse Hoses
  • Dive deck
  • Tenders for diving
  • Sidemount Diving
  • Shaded Diving Area

The crew speaks English and Spanish.


Gear Rental

There is diving gear available on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing. Show prices.


Accommodation


Boat Specifications

  • Year built 1980
  • Year renovated 2015
  • Length 82ft
  • Top speed 10 knots
  • Cruising speed 7.5 knots
  • Engines 1 x Perkins
  • Max guests 16
  • Number of cabins 5
  • Number of bathrooms 4
  • Tenders 2 x Yamaha 75hp
  • Water capacity 25000 liters
  • Fuel capacity 40000 liters
  • Freshwater maker 7000 lts per day

Boat Navigation and Safety

  • Radar
  • Depth Sounder
  • GPS
  • Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
  • E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
  • Emergency Rafts
  • Life Vests
  • Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
  • Oxygen
  • First Aid Kits
  • Fishfinder
  • Satellite & mobile phones
  • Search light
  • Engine room CCTV
  • Crew trained in first aid

Quino el Guardian Reviews

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • 32 Verified Reviews
  1. Vessel
    6.6
  2. Crew
    9.8
  3. Food
    9.8
  4. Diving
    9.2
  5. Value
    8.5
  • 7.2 Good
  • Alex C
  • United States United States
Weather plays the ultimate role in this trip

Manta rays, dolphins

Recommended for
Owners, crew, small size
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Joel G
  • United States United States
the crew went way overboard!

the work the scientists were doing for tracking species. getting to watch them perform an ultrasound on a wild Rey.

Recommended for
variety, the energy the crew took for us
  • 7.2 Good
  • salvatore A
  • United States United States
All the good stuff was above 20 feet or snorkeling

Sperm whales, whale sharks, sea lions and dolphins And Joshua the chef. He was extraordinary

Recommended for
The chef, the crew and of course the sperm whales
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Matthew L
  • United States United States
Trips with wonderful underwater surprises.

Each dive surprised us with Mantas, School of sharks: Hammerheads, Silky, Tiger, dolphins. Huge morays, sea lions, and friendly dolphins swimming around us for a long time. There are also many species that are appreciated when there is little current. During the sunrise and sunset, we can still be enjoying the dolphins and sharks from the deck of the boat. The food was really nice and a lot all day. I really liked the diving operation, the whole crew taking care of us.

Recommended for
Safety / Crew - Warm Atmosphere - Wildlife
  • 10 Exceptional
  • jack A
  • United States United States
This trip was a the top of the list of the best trips I've taken

Getting to know the crew, and the total experience

Recommended for
The dive masters, the crew, the friendly atmosphere
  • 8.4 Very good
  • Larry N
  • United States United States
Best crew ever.

Fun crew and great service. The sleeping cabin was very noisy.

Recommended for
Crew, food, diving
  • 6.8 Review score
  • Stephen F
  • United States United States
Occasionally intense diving but well rewarded for the effort.

Loads of sharks; white tips, silver tips, Galapagos, Hammerheads and occasional Tiger. Whales, mantas, dolphins.

Recommended for
The diving, crew, the diving
  • 8.0 Very good
  • Sharon E
  • United States United States
Cramped sleeping arrangements

Diving with a pod of 18 dolphins, watching breaching humpback whales far out to sea, playful and curious magestic manta rays.

Recommended for
Diving with sharks, rays, dolphins; food; comraderie among divers and crew
  • 9.2 Superb
  • Gregory M
  • United States United States
Amazing diving, crew, and food

Seeing manta rays, so many different species of sharks, and dolphins was amazing. Food was some of the best I've ever had on a dive trip and the crew was super enthusiastic and great as well.

Recommended for
Big pelagics, crew, food
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Mingyu W
  • United States United States
Great crew and fantastic dives

food and services are really great, the crew did all they could to make sure we had a great time. Diving is great, lots of sharks, mantas, fish and first time for me to dive with dolphins. The boat is a bit beaten up, very noisy and hard to get a good sleep. But the crew is really great at helping us to get everyone enjoy the trip.

Recommended for
Best Crew, Great Dives, Best food
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Camille B
  • United States United States
Diving With "Beasts of the Sea."

Impressionable and in awe, this was my first liveaboard experience; the sheer magnificence and beauty of the rock formations, sea and innumerable giant creatures were jaw-dropping! Seeming to love their jobs, the staff was exceptionally cheerful, creating a family like atmosphere. Dives, presentations and meals were well planned. My diving confidence increased exponentially as a result of the attentive training.

Recommended for
Crew was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and entertaining. Flirty and playful, tens of dolphins encircled us and put on a show! A whale shark made a cameo appearence.
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Pier-Luc D
  • Canada Canada
Great experience

Dive sites were all incredible, I had great time diving Socorro and strongly recommend any divers who like big pelagic animals to go there. The dive we had at El Canon with dolphins was the best of all.

Recommended for
diving sites quality, scientists sharing their works, food on board
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • miguel L
  • Argentina Argentina
Excellent

Giant Mantas

Recommended for
Dive, crew, food
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • seulky K
  • South Korea South Korea
It was just great!

Dolphins and Oceanic Mantas!

Recommended for
Diving Guide, Food and Drinks, The crews
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Linus N
  • Sweden Sweden
Amazing

Small cabins amazing value top quality diving great crew amazing food great relaxed vibe safe boat clean no fumes or diesel smells great tenders small groups personal attention when needed would come back

Recommended for
Diving, food, crew
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Sylvain R
  • France France
Nice trip to Socorro with Quino El Guardian team!

Oceanic Mobula - Vortex - Hammerheads

Recommended for
Atmosphere on the boat
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Paolo Martino C
  • Italy Italy
Very nice trip. Cabins are quite small.

Whalesharks and sealions

Recommended for
Crew and diving staff
  • 8.4 Very good
  • Robert K
  • South Africa South Africa
Unique and amazing

Snorkeling with Whale Sharks, diving with the Sea Lions, WOW memories for me

Recommended for
1. Definately the food. We had dietary requirements the Chef and assistant staff bent over backwards to accommodate us. 2. Captain and crew all excellent and friendly. 3. Panga trips to the dive sites these guys made sure we stayed safe
  • 8.0 Very good
  • Daniela H
  • Germany Germany
Very nice Staff and the best cook ever

Nice boat, nice diving,

Recommended for
Roca batida, Mantas, miguel the cook
  • 9.2 Superb
  • Nigel David M
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom
An amazing trip with 20 dives in super Viz and so much to see..

The highlights were closely interacting with the Giant Manta's, And visiting local areas and dive sights in Baja before the sailing, esp. Cabo Pulmo.

Recommended for
The Pelagics were fabulous ...The crew were brilliant...and the food was really great.
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Martin C
  • Ireland Ireland
I got to live my dream diving with Humpback whales and lots of sharks also with Manta's

Diving with Humpback whales, lots of sharks and Mantas. Meeting great people.

Recommended for
Diving, food, staff.
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Martin K
  • Czech Republic Czech Republic
Diving in a dream location with just amazing people

The entire trip was just amazing - we were taken care of since the moment we got on board. Very friendly staff, delicious food and when the diving started - WHOAW! what a diving location - we saw 8 kinds of sharks, giant mantas, friendly dolphins and much more. It is truly a lifetime experience

Recommended for
One of the best diving spot in the world, probably the best chef, food and service I have ever had on a liveaboard, amazing and super friendly diving crew
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Simona W
  • France France
Amazing diving and crew

Absolutely amazing diving and the crew are wonderful. The cabins are v small and cannot imagine them work with 4 people/cabin.

Recommended for
Diving, crew, food&drinks
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Egoi B
  • Spain Spain
Amazing crew!

Tons of dolphins

Recommended for
Crew, Food, Diveguides
  • 8.0 Very good
  • Larysa N
  • Germany Germany
Great crew and diving, very uncomfortable boat

Amazing diving! Mantas, sharks, dolphins and many more. The food was mostly great and the crew was very helpful. The boat, though… I am used to more comfort on a liveaboard, and the difference is not just a bit, it’s MUCH less comfortable from what I would expect for the price. Cabins for 4 are very small, I was either with my feet or with my head in the wall, toilets are one floor up and it’s a big deal if it is nighttime and boat is moving (which is mostly the case at night on this trip).

Recommended for
Crew, Diving, Food
Origin: US