Buceo Carey
Quick fit summary
Is Carey Dive Center right for you?
A family-run operation in La Paz built around sea lion colonies, shipwrecks, and seasonal whale sharks.
Min. level
Open Water
Signature
600+ sea lions at Los Islotes · whale sharks Oct–Apr
Best season
Year-round
Getting there
Fly to La Paz
Non-divers
7-day snorkeling package · whale shark snorkel · marine safaris
What’s included vs what you pay on-site
Included
Not included
600+ sea lions at Los Islotes — 7-day packages with 10 dives, price on request.
Check available dates or reach out — we answer quickly.
Or email: office@bookdiveboat.com
What it’s actually like
Own private villa — Villa Carey. Book Dive & Sleep packages. Sea lions, shallow shipwrecks, reef sites, with whale shark snorkeling — it suits Open Water divers and non-diving companions.
Whale shark snorkel included in season — 7-day packages, price on request.
Check available dates or reach out — we answer quickly.
Or email: office@bookdiveboat.com
The diving
Dive centre — Carey Dive Center
Only the details confirmed by the operator are shown below — ask us for anything not listed here.
Boats
3 boats · combined capacity for 30 divers
Nitrox
✅ Available — Nitrox 32 included free with every diving package
On boat
Shade, toilet, lunch + non-alcoholic drinks included
Dive sites
Where you’ll dive
Three core site types around La Paz Bay and Espíritu Santo / Los Islotes.
Los Islotes
Beginner-friendly · Open Water+Sea lion colony with more than 600 animals — one of the most reliable sea lion encounters in the Sea of Cortez. Pups are often the most playful, approaching divers directly.
Shipwrecks
Beginner-friendly · Open Water+Sunk deliberately to create artificial reefs, now covered in marine growth and visited by turtles and schooling fish. Suitable for all certified levels.
Coral Reefs
Beginner-friendly · Open Water+Reef sites with schooling fish, nudibranchs, moray eels, and rays. Visibility varies by season — see below.
When to go
Seasonality in La Paz
★ Peak = best visibility (20–30m) + warmest water, start of whale shark season · Unmarked = good, diveable year-round
Sept–Oct: Warmest water (28–30°C), best visibility (20–30m), whale shark season begins.
Jan–Mar: Coolest water (18–22°C) and lowest visibility (10–15m) of the year, but gray whale sighting season in Magdalena Bay.
Apr–Jun: Water warming (20–24°C), mobula ray and orca safaris in La Ventana.
Sea lions
Los Islotes · year-round
Whale sharks
La Paz Bay · Oct–Apr
Sea turtles
Wrecks & reefs · year-round
Gray whales
Magdalena Bay · Jan–Mar
Common dolphins
Magdalena Bay seafari · Sept–Dec
Orcas
La Ventana safari · Apr–Jun
Mobula rays
La Ventana safari · Apr–Jun
Reef fish schools
Coral reefs · year-round
Nudibranchs
Coral reefs · year-round
Where you sleep
Accommodation
One property: Villa Carey, the operator’s own private lodging club, with continental breakfast included daily.
Villa Carey
Private lodging club exclusively for Carey’s diving and snorkeling guests, with 20 double-occupancy rooms. Built specifically for international groups, with European 220v sockets throughout.
Non-dive days
What else to do
Magdalena Bay Seafari
Snorkel with sardines, marlin and dolphins (Sept–Dec) or watch gray whales by boat (Jan–Mar).
La Ventana Safari
Snorkel with mobula rays and orcas, April to June.
Malecón Walks
La Paz’s waterfront promenade, a short trip from Villa Carey — popular for sunset walks.
Farewell BBQ
Carey hosts a farewell BBQ with staff for groups of 10 or more divers.
Getting there
How to reach La Paz
International flight
Fly into La Paz International Airport (LAP). No direct flights from Europe — standard routing is an EU hub → Mexico City (MEX), then a domestic connection to LAP.
Domestic connection
Mexico City (MEX) → La Paz (LAP) with Aeromexico or Volaris, roughly 2.5 hours. Tijuana (TIJ) → La Paz is also possible via VivaAerobus or Volaris.
Transfer to Villa Carey
Airport ↔ Villa Carey ↔ Airport transfer is included in every package, with a city tour on the day of arrival.
Visa: EU and French nationals do not need a visa for tourist stays up to 180 days. A passport valid for the trip and the Mexican tourist card (FMM, ~983 MXN / ~US$57, usually included in airfare) are required.
Power: Villa Carey provides European 220v sockets in guest rooms; standard Mexican voltage elsewhere is 127V (Type A/B plugs).
Door-to-door transfers from La Paz Airport — 7-day packages, price on request.
Check available dates or reach out — we answer quickly.
Or email: office@bookdiveboat.com
FAQ
Questions, answered
Do I need a certification to dive at Carey?
Are sea lion or whale shark sightings guaranteed?
Is swimming with whale sharks safe?
What does a typical diving day look like?
Is Nitrox available?
Can I rent dive gear, or should I bring my own?
How do I get to La Paz?
What’s the cancellation policy?
What extra costs should I budget for?
Do you offer group discounts?
BDB quality marks
Online reservation agency for liveaboards and dive resorts. Paris, France.
We earn commission when you book. If Carey Dive Center isn’t right for your level or dates, we’ll tell you and suggest something better.
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Something different?
What about staying on a liveaboard instead?
A liveaboard puts you closer to remote sites with more dives per day, instead of a land base with daily boat transfers. Mexico offers liveaboard itineraries beyond what a shore-based operator like Carey can reach.
All Liveaboards Mexico →