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Liveaboard Diving in San Benedicto

What To Expect On A San Benedicto Liveaboard

Liveaboards to San Benedicto, part of the Socorro Islands, or officially known as, the Revillagigedo Archipelago, will be escorting divers to one of the best dive areas for seeing large pelagics. The Socorro Islands are a group of four volcanic islands located in the Pacific Ocean about 400km (250mi) 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 pelagic species which you will have a chance to see and dive with. The other three islands are Socorro Island, Roca Partida and Clarion; all incredible dive sites in their own ways. Roca San Benedicto is the second smallest of the islands; an uninhabited island with a volcanic crater, lush green forestry and is 10km squared. This island is teeming with life above and below the water.

San Benedicto, and the rest of the Revillagigedo Archipelago, is a year-round dive area, but each season brings its own gems. Due to its remote location, this area is best reached by a liveaboard cruise. 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 many pelagic species which migrate through here but also the permanent residents of this area which are the Giant Pacific Manta Rays and many species of sharks. 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).

San Benedicto is an open water dive area and so has more advanced diving areas. Sometimes there are strong currents and big waves, and most dive spots are quite deep, however, each liveaboard which visits this area has their own minimum dive experience level, most expect divers to have 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

The most popular spectacle here at San Benedicto is the world-famous Boiler. This is a cleaning station for the Giant Pacific Manta Rays to which divers can truly come up close and personal. They really do justice to their name as 'Giant' is really what they are; their wingspans measure up to 7m (20ft) but they are the gentle giants of the sea. They are very curious and will come and investigate the divers and hang around the whole time, but they are also incredibly shy, so if they are chased they will take off. This dive site is a pinnacle and you can swim around this pinnace multiple times in a dive; flying side by side with the Mantas.

This archipelago of islands is part of a protected biosphere reserve and many conservation organizations are working around here to preserve the unique wildlife which inhabits and pass here. 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 anyways!

Getting To San Benedicto

This island is only accessible via 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 have to 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 we have to offer depart from, these are 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.

San Benedicto Diving Reviews

9.1 Superb
75 Verified Reviews

10.0 Exceptional
Sarah W
United States

Canon and boiler sites were both excellent. Never came up from a dive feeling like I saw nothing

Diving San Benedicto in April on the Valentina

9.2 Superb
Stacey W
United States

Drifting Pariente's Rock exposed us to much marine life, including a tiger shark.

Diving San Benedicto in April on the Solmar V

10.0 Exceptional
Michael J
United States

This is the best island to dive.

Diving San Benedicto in May on the Nautilus Belle Amie

8.0 Very good
buford M
United States

Mantas and a few hammerheads

Diving San Benedicto in May on the Solmar V

9.6 Exceptional
Matthew L
United States

"El Cañon". The diving had a little bit of current. We have been diving around the cleaning station, and everything happened around us: Sharks, Mantas, dolphins, huge schools of hammer sharks.

Diving San Benedicto in December on the Quino el Guardian

9.6 Exceptional
Peter K
United States

Great, we had the most interaction with Giant Manta rays here.

Diving San Benedicto in December on the Nautilus Belle Amie

8.4 Very good
Jason K
United States

We had a great first dive at el canyon. We couldn’t visit the boiler on the way back because of strong swells and winds. We ended with a couple of dives at el canyon on the way back but visibility was bad and didn’t really see much.

Diving San Benedicto in December on the Solmar V

8.8 Fabulous
Stephanie F
United States

Great starter dives as you can gauge your depth easier. First place we saw the giant manta.

Diving San Benedicto in January on the Nautilus Explorer

9.2 Superb
David W
United States

Great interaction with Mantas

Diving San Benedicto in March on the Valentina

10.0 Exceptional
Kathleen S
United States

Great, saw dolphins, whale shark, silver tips sharks.

Diving San Benedicto in February on the Nautilus Belle Amie

10.0 Exceptional
john L
United States

Mantas dolphins whale shark white tips

Diving San Benedicto in February on the Nautilus Belle Amie

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Popular San Benedicto liveaboards Explore all liveaboards

Nautilus Belle Amie

Solmar V

Nautilus Under Sea

Quino el Guardian

Valentina

Nautilus Explorer

Liveaboard Diving in San Benedicto

What To Expect On A San Benedicto Liveaboard

What You Can See

Getting To San Benedicto

San Benedicto Diving Reviews

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