Courtez La Paz
Quick fit summary
Book Mexico Dive Resort
Min. level
PADI Open Water
Signature
Sea lions, whale sharks, hammerheads, mobula rays, seasonal gray whales
Best season
Year-round
Getting there
Fly to SJD or LAP Airport
Vibe
Small-operator feel, owner-led dive center since 1995
Non-divers
Snorkeling, whale watching, kayaking, SUP, sailing, water skiing
Packages
Choose your trip
What’s included vs what you pay on-site
✓ Included
⚠ Extra costs
All prices subject to 16% IVA local sales tax; hotel rates subject to 20% local accommodation tax.
Sea lions on nearly every Los Islotes dive — 5-night packages from $1,890.
Check available dates or reach out — we answer quickly.
Or email: office@bookdiveboat.com
What it’s actually like.
The Cortez Club is a long-established PADI 5-Star dive center based at La Concha Beach Resort, running boats out to Los Islotes, El Bajo and the Espíritu Santo archipelago since 1995. It suits divers chasing big-animal encounters — sea lions, hammerheads, whale sharks and seasonal gray whales — over warm-water reef diving, and works well for couples, small groups and combo divers who also want a snorkeling or whale-watching day. Read our full La Paz diving guide →
Schooling hammerhead sharks at El Bajo — a 90-minute boat ride from the dock.
Check available dates or reach out — we answer quickly.
Or email: office@bookdiveboat.com
The diving
Dive centre — The Cortez Club
Certification
PADI 5-Star Gold Palm IDC Center — Open Water through Instructor
Languages
English, Spanish
Boats
12 boats · up to 250HP outboards · 5–7 divers per boat
Dives per day
2 dives/day (2-tank) or 3 dives/day (3-tank), per package
Nitrox
✅ Available — 36% ($12/fill) and 50% ($16/fill)
On boat
O₂, VHF radio, first aid kits · all instructors are Medic First Aid Instructors
Chamber
Hyperbaric chamber in La Paz city · approx. 25–35 min from the dock
Gear storage
Rinsed and stored on-site after each dive day
Courses
Open Water to Instructor (IDC), Rescue, Divemaster, SafeAir/CCR rebreather
Dive sites
Where you’ll dive
Over 450 California sea lions, especially playful with pups. One of the most reliable wildlife encounters in the Sea of Cortez.
Three seamount peaks known for schooling hammerhead and silky sharks. Best Aug–Nov.
Rock islet near Isla Cerralvo with groupers, sea fans and conger eels.
Sea lions year-round and seasonal mobula ray squadrons, late spring through summer.
Coral heads, small caves and overhangs; a popular night dive for sleeping parrotfish.
Shallow reef with dense schools of green jacks and visiting sea lions.
Seasonality
When to go
★ Peak = best visibility + marine life (gray whales, whale sharks & sea lions all active) · Good = worth going (mobula rays, warming water, hammerhead season building)
Jan–Apr: Gray whale season on the Pacific side, whale sharks present through May, sea lions year-round, water 18–24°C — heaviest wetsuit needed.
May–Jul: Mobula ray squadrons peak at Punta Lobos, sea lion colony closes Jun 1–Aug 30 for mating season, water warming to 26–29°C.
Aug–Sep: Hammerhead season builds at El Bajo, water at its warmest 29–32°C, sea lion colony reopens late August.
Oct–Dec: Whale shark season opens (best Nov–Apr), water cooling, marine biodiversity at its highest.
Hammerhead Shark
El Bajo · Aug–Nov
Gray Whale
Pacific side · Jan–Apr
Sea Lion
Los Islotes · Sep–May
Whale Shark
La Paz Bay · Oct–May
Mobula Ray
Punta Lobos · Apr–Jul
Bottlenose Dolphin
Year-round
Humpback Whale
Jan–Mar
Giant Manta Ray
La Reyna · Jun–Nov
Green Sea Turtle
Year-round
Where you sleep
Accommodation
One featured property — Cortez Club’s home base directly on the Sea of Cortez.
Hotel La Concha Beach Resort
Beachfront hotel adjoining the Cortez Club dive center on the Sea of Cortez. Sea-view rooms steps from the dive dock.
Non-dive days
What else to do
🐋 Whale Watching
Daily Pacific-side Gray Whale expedition, Jan–Apr, $249pp, 4 pax minimum.
🤿 Snorkeling
Los Islotes sea lions and Balandra Bay, from $99pp; whale shark combos available.
🛶 Kayaking
Single, double and fishing kayaks from $20 for 2 hours.
🏄 Stand Up Paddleboarding
11ft boards from $35/hour, $75 full day.
⛵ Sailing
Hobie and Pringle sailboats from $30/2hrs, plus 2-hour sailing instruction.
🎿 Water Skiing & Wakeboarding
Mono ski, wakeboard or standard skis, $120/hour including equipment.
Getting there
How to reach La Paz
International flight
Fly to SJD (Los Cabos International) or LAP (La Paz, Manuel Márquez de León International). No direct flights from Europe — connect via Mexico City, Tijuana or a US gateway.
Domestic connection / transfer
From SJD: private van ~2.5–3 hrs (Cortez Club arranges) or shared shuttle ~3–3.5 hrs. From LAP: 25–35 min taxi directly to La Paz.
Transfer to the dive center
Cortez Club arranges roundtrip airport transfers: $85pp from LAP, or $350/van (up to 4 pax, +$50 each additional) from SJD, plus 16% tax.
Fly into SJD or LAP — Cortez Club arranges your transfer straight to the dock.
Check available dates or reach out — we answer quickly.
Or email: office@bookdiveboat.com
FAQ
Questions, answered
Do I need a certification to dive with The Cortez Club?
Are sea lion, whale shark or hammerhead sightings guaranteed?
Is El Bajo safe for less experienced divers?
What does a typical dive day look like?
Is nitrox available?
Can I use my own gear, or do I need to rent?
How do I get to La Paz?
What is the cancellation policy?
What extra costs should I budget for?
Are there group discounts?
Sustainability
How The Cortez Club operates
✓ NOM-133 Certified
Holds NMX-AA-133-SCFI 2022 ecotourism certification.
✓ Project AWARE
PADI Project AWARE member supporting marine conservation.
✓ Marine Park Compliant
Respects the 56-boat daily limit and timed-slot system in the whale shark protected zone.
⚠ We don’t know yet
Specific carbon offset or plastic-reduction programs are not publicly confirmed — we’ll update once verified.
BDB quality marks
Online reservation agency for liveaboards and dive resorts. Paris, France.
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Explore more
Other Mexico Dive Resorts
Read our full Mexico diving guide →
Something different?
What about staying on a liveaboard instead?
A liveaboard reaches more remote Sea of Cortez sites without a daily boat commute, often fitting in more dives per day than a land-based schedule. It suits divers who want to maximize bottom time across multiple islands in one trip.
All Liveaboards Mexico →