Mexico, Socorro Islands

A Mexico Double 🇲🇽 2027

The dream combo: Socorro & Magdalena Bay

Travel details

Available spaces

Fully Booked

Trip duration

15 nights

Travel dates

17 November, 2027 - 02 December, 2027

Price per person

8.469 $ per person

Trip Highlights

An Incredible Double 🇲🇽 Mexico is a diving Valhalla. It hosts tons of the most marine diverse areas in the world, and we found nothing better than to combine tow of them in one single trip: A Mexico Double of two destinations that would be worth visiting even individually. Crossing the Atlantic with a purpose, that is a 4 day ocean safari in Magbay on the Rocio del Mar, followed by a week Socorro liveaboard with Latitude Encounters!

Socorro Island 🪨 Revillagigedo's archipelago's most well known island Socorro, is a magnet for large pelagics such as oceanic mantas, tons of sharks, dolphins and big schools of fish. It’s mysterious and humongous underwater rock formations are as spectacular as the animals that surround it. + November in Socorro means a very decent shot at whale shark sightings!

Magdalena Bay 🌊 Each year in November, Magdalena Bay is home to the second biggest sardine migration in the world, attracting big pelagic fish such as marlins and sea lions. The place is a whale hotspot too, and has the famous mobula ray schools cruising through. Important: due to the fast pace of the bait balls, the ocean safari's are snorkelling and freediving only!

Trip description

Yes, I know. I use a lot of superlatives when I talk & write. But, those of you who have experienced the thrill of Socorro will understand my enthusiasm. The Revillagigedo Islands present interaction with Giant Giant Mantas unlike anywhere else. These animals, which often exceed a 20-foot wingspan, approach divers with absolutely no fear ….. in fact, it often seems they exude great joy at welcoming the visitors to their environment.

The effect on divers is always one of intense emotion and the scuba diving at Socorro, in my opinion, can rightfully claim its place amongst the world’s absolute top pelagic destinations … particularly when you add in a variety of shark species, including occasional whale sharks … and the migrating humpback whales in late winter, early spring.

Magdalena Bay with Latitude Encounter

Nights

Price per person

3.744 $

BOARD BASIS

Breakfast

DATE START

17 November 2027

DATE END

22 November 2027

Mexico is such a diving Valhalla, that divers often tells us its a pity they have to travel quite far and ultimately choose one location in a country that offers so many. This is why we handcrafted a “best of the best” Socorro Magbay combo trip that offers the unique opportunity dive in both of these wildlife hotspots in one single travel. We lack space on this page to truly describe how special this one is.

Included

5 nights accommodation, double room bed & breakfast
3 days on the water, one day on land activity
Transfer from Airport to Magbay (around 5 hour drive) and back

Not Included

meals
personal expenses
crew tips

Socorro on Rocio del Mar

Nights

Price per person

4.725 $

BOARD BASIS

DATE START

22 November 2027

DATE END

02 December 2027

Rocio del Mar is custom-designed for diving the waters on Mexico’s west coast and in the Sea of Cortez. The owners know this region well and wanted a vessel that was large, stable and comfortable. Rocio is the result. She isn’t a luxury vessel, but she has 4 decks and plenty of comfortable living space. On the top deck you’ll find a good-sized sundeck, with lounge chairs set up in covered and uncovered areas, plus a great bar & barbecue area and an al fresco dining area for meals, when the weather permits. The upper deck houses 2 large staterooms, the indoor salon and dining area … plus a spacious, covered & protected outdoor salon on the aft deck. The dive deck is located on the main deck along with the other 8 staterooms.

The dive deck is ample and well-designed, with plenty of room for gear and a large camera table for photographers. Nitrox is available and a satellite phone is available onboard for emergencies.

Robust & Relaxed For Long Crossings

Rocio del Mar was custom-designed for diving the waters on Mexico’s west coast and in the Sea of Cortez. The owners know this region well and wanted a vessel that was large, stable and comfortable. Rocio is the result. She isn’t a luxury vessel, but she has 4 decks and plenty of comfortable living space. On the top deck you’ll find a good-sized sundeck, with lounge chairs set up in covered and uncovered areas, plus a great bar & barbecue area and an al fresco dining area for meals, when the weather permits. The upper deck houses 2 large staterooms, the indoor salon and dining area … plus a spacious, covered & protected outdoor salon on the aft deck.

Included

10 nights liveaboard, 7 diving days in Socorro
Taxes and port fee except marine park fee (see below)
Full board
Tanks and weights
Complimentary local beer & wine

Not Included

National Park fee (as per 2025 3,622 Pesos, around $200/diving day)
Nitrox Fee – 140 USD
Crew gratuity (typically 10%-15% of the fare)

Day-by-day program

Meet in Cabo and load up for the drive north to Magdalena Bay, around five hours up the Baja coast. Arrive at the accommodation, settle in, and meet the team over dinner. Briefing on how the marlin run works and what the days on the water will look like.

The routine that defines this part of the trip. A spotter plane scans from above for bait balls and radios the panga out to the action, snorkel and freediving only. Striped marlin tear through the sardines and the bait ball moves like a single living thing.

Back out on the water, different conditions, different show. Marlin lit up neon blue along their flanks when they get excited, with sea lions and the occasional shark crashing the party. Multiple drops across the day, no hurry.

A day off the open ocean to see the other side of Magdalena Bay. The vast white sand dunes of Isla Magdalena rolling down to the sea, and the quiet mangrove channels that shelter the bay. A slower, gentler day among birds and calm water.

One more full day chasing the run. By now you read the cues the skipper reads, the splash on the horizon, the working birds, the change in the surface. Anything the group wants a second shot at gets it.

Early breakfast, then the drive back down to Cabo. Arrive in time to board the Socorro liveaboard at 5pm, swapping the panga for a proper expedition boat. Cabin check-in, gear setup, welcome briefing and dinner as the boat sets off on the overnight crossing.

A day at sea on the roughly 24-hour crossing south to the Revillagigedo Islands. Settle into the rhythm of the boat, dive briefings and equipment checks, eyes on the water for whales and dolphins. Arrive at San Benedicto toward evening.

First dives at San Benedicto. The Boiler is the famous manta cleaning station, where giant oceanic mantas with wingspans over five metres come in close and hold eye contact. Sharks and dolphins round out the day.

A full day at San Benedicto, The Boiler and Las Cuevas. More manta encounters, schooling hammerheads in the blue, silvertip and Galapagos sharks on the reef. Big-animal diving at its best.

Dive the sites around Socorro Island itself, the largest in the group. Cabo Pearce and Punta Tosca, manta cleaning stations, dolphins that seek out divers, and the chance of humpback whales heard singing underwater this time of year.

The long run out to Roca Partida, a lonely pinnacle rising from deep water far offshore. Walls stacked with whitetip sharks, schooling tuna and jacks, and big pelagics cruising past in the current. One of the most dramatic dive sites in the Pacific.

A second day at Roca Partida if conditions allow. Drift the walls and hang in the blue for hammerheads, silkies and Galapagos sharks. Mantas and dolphins often appear out of nowhere. Advanced diving in open water.

Back toward San Benedicto for more time with the mantas at The Boiler. By now the encounters feel familiar but never less special. Sharks, dolphins and the occasional surprise depending on the day.

The last diving day in the islands. A final morning with the mantas and sharks, and anything the group wants to revisit gets a second shot. Allow at least 18 to 24 hours surface interval before flying. Begin the return crossing in the afternoon.

A day at sea on the crossing back to Cabo. Relax on deck, dry and pack gear, last group meals and a debrief with the dive team. Watch for whales and dolphins on the way north.

The boat arrives back in Cabo. Breakfast on board, then disembarkation at 8:30am and transfer onward for your flight home, or stay on in Baja for an extension.

TRIP LEADER

Your Trip Leader

Our main Group Trip guide. A true adventurer with an unbreakable energy, born to dive, and a great eye for cinematic UW and topside shots. A man that lives for food, genuine interactions and raw exploration.

We are Behind the Mask Travel.

We offer individual tailor-made dive travel and organised group travel to the finest dive spots in the world.