Socorro Islands

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, off the beaten track, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: San Benedicto, Roca Partida, Socorro Island

Day 1
A Solmar V representative will meet you at the Marina Del Rey for a short ride to the boat. The liveaboard typically departs in the late afternoon, depending on guest arrivals.

Core Days
Diving the Revillagigedo’s Islands is a true expedition into the wild, remote, and unpredictable Pacific. This legendary archipelago, often called Mexico's 'little Galápagos', is a magnet for epic megafauna and dense marine life. Prepare for breathtaking encounters with giant manta rays, migrating humpback whales, playful dolphins, and an incredible concentration of sharks, including up to 7 different species, with occasional orca sightings!
The liveaboard adventure often begins as Solmar V visits San Benedicto, where you can immediately dive into action alongside schooling hammerheads and majestic oceanic mantas. Next, the massive volcanic island of Socorro, discovered by Spanish explorers, attracts vast numbers of pelagics, such as tunas, wahoo and marlin to its nutrient-rich waters, especially at the spectacular Boiler and Cabo Pearce. Finally, the sheer pinnacle of Roca Partida rises from the deep, surrounded by massive schools of trevally and tuna. Its walls feature large caverns full of resting whitetip reef sharks, while Galapagos, tiger, silky sharks, and giant mantas are common visitors. This is the ultimate bucket-list dive destination.

Final Day
You arrive early morning at Cabo San Lucas and disembark after breakfast.

Sea of Cortez South (8 Days / 7 Nights - 22 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Sea of Cortez: Isla Las Animas, Isla San Jose, Isla Cerralvo, El Bajo, Cabo Pulmo National Park, Espiritu Santo

Day 1
A Solmar V liveaboard representative will meet you at the San Jose del Cabo marina for a short transfer to the vessel. Departure is in the late afternoon, timed to accommodate guest arrivals.

Core Days
The south of the Sea of Cortez puts its incredibly diverse marine life on spectacular display for the Solmar V. Each day begins with the promise of a new liveaboard frontier. Your morning dives will often take you to the region's spectacular walls and seamounts, which act as magnets for marine life. As you descend along a pristine vertical reef, you'll find yourself surrounded by massive schools of jacks and snapper, their silvery bodies turning the water into a living, shimmering curtain. Amidst this grandeur, your guide will point out the intricate macro world hidden in the nooks and crannies: the flamboyant colours of nudibranchs, well-camouflaged scorpionfish, and the shy, delicate seahorses clinging to seafans.
The afternoon often brings the thrill of pelagic encounters. As the sun climbs higher, so does the chance for heart-pounding action. You might find yourself searching bull sharks in a marine reserve, holding onto a rocky outcrop at a cleaning station, or watching in awe as the unmistakable silhouettes of scalloped hammerheads patrol the blue depths just meters away. The excitement continues during surface intervals, as the Solmar V's movement between sites becomes its own wildlife liveaboard safari. It's not uncommon to spot the powerful splash of a sperm whale pod or the distinct dorsal fins of orcas slicing through the water, with playful dolphins often riding the bow wave, escorting you to your next.
No day is complete without the playful energy of the sea lion colonies. A dedicated dive at a rookery like Los Islotes is a Solmar V highlight, where curious and acrobatic young sea lions will dart around you, inviting you to join their underwater ballet with breathtaking spins and turns. This interaction is a pure joy, offering incredible photographic opportunities. As the day winds down, you'll return to the liveaboard for a delicious meal under a canopy of stars, sharing stories of the day's hammerhead sightings, whale encounters, and playful sea lion pups, already anticipating what the next day's exploration in the world's aquarium will reveal.

Day 8
The liveaboard trip concludes with an early morning arrival in San Jose del Cabo. Disembarkation from Solmar V follows breakfast.

Sea of Cortez (15 Days / 14 Nights - 42 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Sea of Cortez: Isla Las Animas, Cabo Pulmo National Park, Espiritu Santo: Roca Swany + Ferry Salvatierra, Fang Ming + C59; La Reina, La Reinita, San Francisquito, Loreto: Isla Danzante, Isla del Carmen, Isla Coronado; Isla San Pedro Martir, Isla Salsipuedes, Angel de la Guardia. Snorkelling with whale sharks in Bahía de los Ángeles.

Day 1
Please meet the Solmar V staff at the marina in San Jose del Cabo. They will provide a short escort to the liveaboard, which typically departs in the late afternoon, depending on guest arrival times.

Core Days
The Sea of Cortez, famously called the "world's aquarium" by Jacques Cousteau, is a stunning marine paradise. Its reefs and walls are home to an incredible array of life, from super-pods of dolphins and mobula rays to sea lions and nearly 900 fish species. These waters are also a vital habitat for an impressive roster of whales, including blue, humpback, sperm, and pilot whales.
This extensive Solmar V liveaboard expedition offers a rare chance to fully explore this diverse underwater world. Your encounters will range from tiny, fascinating critters like nudibranchs and seahorses to the awe-inspiring power of schools of hammerheads, silky sharks, bull sharks, and the gentle giant, the whale shark. Prepare for an unforgettable series of underwater moments.
Your liveaboard cruise will begin by exploring the southern reaches, including the legendary Cabo Pulmo National Park. Here, the only hard coral reef in the Sea of Cortez thrives, creating a breathtaking oasis of life. As you dive amongst these vibrant structures, on the lookout for bull sharks, you'll be surrounded by immense schools of jacks, snapper, and grunts, a testament to one of the world's most successful marine conservation stories. Further north, the islands of Espiritu Santo and La Paz offer a different kind of magic. At sites like Roca Swanee, you can drift along nutrient-rich currents, while the wrecks of the Ferry Salvatierra and the Fang Ming provide fascinating artificial reefs, their structures now encrusted with life and serving as a sanctuary for everything from giant moray eels to vast colonies of garden eels.
Venturing towards the Midriff Islands, the expedition enters a realm of raw, untamed ocean power. At legendary sites like Isla Salsipuedes ("Leave if You Can"), strong currents surge around dramatic seamounts, attracting massive schools of scalloped hammerhead and silky sharks that patrol the deep blue. The remote and wild Isla San Pedro Martir is a seabird colony above water and a pelagic magnet below, where you may also encounter the formidable bull shark. These islands offer some of the most exhilarating diving in the sea, providing unparalleled opportunities to witness the open ocean predators that make this aquarium so thrilling.
The Solmar V adventure continues with unforgettable surface interactions. A highlight of the liveaboard tour is a dedicated excursion to Bahía de los Ángeles, where you will have the opportunity to snorkel alongside the gentle, filter-feeding whale sharks. The northern islands, including the majestic Angel de la Guarda, offer stunning landscapes above water and thriving reefs below. Sites around Islas Danzante, del Carmen, and Coronado near Loreto feature beautiful walls, caves, and sea lion colonies, while the sheltered coves of San Francisquito provide pristine conditions for spotting a stunning variety of macro life, from colorful blennies to elusive frogfish.
Every day presents a new chapter in marine discovery. You will spend your evenings sharing stories under a canopy of stars, retracing the day's adventure from diving with curious sea lions to witnessing the breathtaking spectacle of a hundred mobula rays flying through the water.

Day 15
You will typically arrive in Puerto Peñasco early in the morning and disembark after breakfast.
Please note that this itinerary can also operate in reverse, so be sure to verify your specific trip's port details.

Socorro Islands & Magdalena Bay (15 Days / 14 Nights - 28 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, off the beaten track, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Isla Santa Margarita (USS H-1 or Indiana), Magdalena Bay, Revillagigedos: San Benedicto, Roca Partida, Socorro Island. Free diving with striped marlins.

Day 1
Day 1 A Solmar V crew member will meet you at the Marine Del Rey for a short transfer to the liveaboard. Departure is typically in the late afternoon, coordinated around guest arrivals.

Core Days
This will be an unparalleled liveaboard diving expedition onboard the Solmar V that combines two of the planet's most spectacular marine phenomena into a single, epic adventure. This unique itinerary merges the raw, explosive energy of the Sardine Run in Magdalena Bay with the pristine, big-animal encounters of the legendary Socorro Islands, creating the ultimate Mexican Pacific adventure for experienced divers and wildlife enthusiasts.
The adventure begins with the breathtaking Sardine Run, a natural spectacle where the ocean erupts in a frenzy of life. From the decks of small, locally-operated pangas that ensure an authentic and sustainable ecotourism experience, you will witness an incredible predator-prey ballet. Marvel as gray whales, humpbacks, blue whales, marlins, mobulas, and sea lions work together to herd massive, shimmering baitballs of sardines. For 3 full days, you will be at the heart of the action, with opportunities to free-dive alongside striped marlins as they hunt, all while supporting the local community.
The Solmar V then transports you to the remote and wild Revillagigedos Archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage site often called the "Mexican Galápagos." Diving here is an encounter with the untamed ocean, home to giant mantas, humpback whales, and an impressive concentration of sharks, with seven different species and occasional orca sightings. You will explore San Benedicto, a site known for schooling hammerheads and oceanic mantas; the volcanic island of Socorro, a magnet for pelagic activity; and the pinnacle of Roca Partida, surrounded by vast schools of trevally and tuna, its caves sheltering resting whitetip reef sharks. This is a true once-in-a-lifetime exploration of the ocean's most magnificent creatures.

Day 15
Arrival time at Cabo San Lucas is usually early morning. You will disembark the liveaboard after breakfast.

Sea of Cortez South & Socorro (15 Days / 14 Nights - 44 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, off the beaten track, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Revillagigedos: San Benedicto, Roca Partida, Socorro Island; Sea of Cortez: Cabo Pulmo, Cerralvo, San Jose, Las Animas, El Bajo, Espiritu Santo

Day 1
Please meet the waiting Solmar V agent at the Marine Del Rey. They will escort you on the short trip to the boat, which usually departs in the late afternoon once all guests have arrived.

Core Days
Explore 2 of the world's most stunning marine destinations in a single journey. This itinerary combines the thrill of Cousteau's 'Aquarium of the World' with top world-class diving in the Socorro Islands. This adventure offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the Mexican Pacific, perfect for experienced liveaboard divers and marine life enthusiasts.
Dive the wild, remote, and unpredictable Revillagigedos Islands of San Benedicto, Socorro Island, and Roca Partida, home to giant manta rays, dolphins, tuna, 7 shark species and sometimes, even orcas! Often the first island visited, San Benedicto is a guaranteed blast. At sites like The Boiler, get ready for incredibly interactive encounters with curious oceanic mantas and possible sightings of whale sharks. You might also find schooling hammerheads patrolling the depths. The massive volcanic island of Socorro acts as a magnet for pelagics. Its nutrient-rich waters are a stage for dramatic encounters with dolphins and numerous shark species. Roca Partida is a sheer pinnacle emerging from the open ocean, surrounded by massive schools of trevallies and tuna. Its base features large caves filled with sleeping whitetip reef sharks. It's also a renowned hotspot for Galapagos, silky, tiger, and oceanic whitetip sharks.
The Solmar V liveaboard adventure continues into the calm, biodiverse waters of the Sea of Cortez to explore legendary southern sites. Dive the robust Cabo Pulmo marine reserve, swarming with massive schools of jacks, snapper, and grunts, and also home to bull sharks. El Bajo Seamounts are famous cleaning stations where you can witness schooling scalloped hammerhead sharks. Play with colonies of playful sea lions at Las Animas and Espiritu Santo and witness the breathtaking spectacle of massive mobula ray schools being hunted by orcas. A renowned pelagic magnet, Cerralvo Island offers chances to see hunting action, possible whale sharks, and massive sardine bait balls being worked by predators.
On the penultimate day of the tour Solmar will start its way back to the mainland.

Day 15
You will typically arrive in Cabo San Lucas early in the morning. After enjoying breakfast on board the liveaboard, you will disembark.

Magdalena Bay (adventure) (8 Days / 7 Nights - 0 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, whales, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, off the beaten track

Dive sites and activities: Magdalena Bay, Boca de Soledad, Isla Santa Margarita, Thetis Bank. Snorkeling with gray whale calves, free-diving with striped marlin, bird watching, baitball spectacles.

Day 1
A Solmar V representative will meet you in Cabo San Lucas for the transfer to the liveaboard. Departure is timed around guest arrivals, typically in the late afternoon.

Core Days
Embark on the unique marine liveaboard safari with Solmar V dedicated to the majestic giants of the Mexican Pacific. This exclusive snorkeling and wildlife observation itinerary is meticulously timed for the peak of the gray whale migration and the incredible marine convergence in Magdalena Bay. From the comfort of the Solmar V, you will use small, agile pangas to access the calm, protected lagoons and the dynamic open ocean, offering intimate encounters with some of the ocean's most awe-inspiring creatures.
The activities begin within the calm, protected waters of Magdalena Bay, a critical nursery and resting area for gray whales. Here, you will have the profound and moving opportunity to enter the water alongside these gentle giants, including curious mothers and their newborn calves an encounter that is both humbling and unforgettable. The bay is also a haven for birdlife, with vast nesting colonies covering the islands, while its rich waters support bustling sea lion colonies and frequent dolphin super-pods that play in the liveaboard vessel's wake.
The adventure then shifts to the breathtaking spectacle of the open ocean. Venturing to offshore hotspots like Thetis Bank, you will witness the ocean's food chain in dramatic action. You will free-dive amidst massive, shimmering baitballs of sardines as they are hunted by coordinated teams of sea lions and mobula rays. The pinnacle of this excitement is the chance to enter the water with acrobatic striped marlin as they slash through these baitballs in a breathtaking display of speed and precision.

Day 8
You will typically arrive at Cabo San Lucas early in the morning and disembark from the liveaboard after a final breakfast.