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The Cabo 100 / On the Water

No. 06

Manta Scuba Diving

A PADI 5 Star centre in the marina running full-day trips to Cabo Pulmo and offshore dives at Gordo Banks.

Manta Scuba Diving, Los Cabos (illustrative image)
Illustrative image, AI-generated. Photography of the real place coming soon.

Manta is a PADI 5 Star dive centre on the Cabo San Lucas marina, a short walk from the boats and a short ride from the famous rock formations at Land’s End. For visitors who want to dive Cabo properly, from a first underwater breath to technical training, it offers one of the most complete set-ups in town.

Its strength lies in range. Local dives explore the Cabo San Lucas marine reserve, including Pelican Rock, Neptune’s Finger and a shipwreck site, while longer trips head to the Corridor, to the offshore seamount at Gordo Banks for big pelagic species, and to the protected reef at Cabo Pulmo on the East Cape.

It belongs on this list for depth of expertise and infrastructure. Few centres in Cabo combine their own fleet, a training pool and a course ladder that runs all the way to technical diving.

What to expect

Manta runs four dive boats. Three have onboard toilets and roomy dive decks, and the fourth is a small, fast boat that offers more flexibility in reaching sites. The shop is air-conditioned, with private hot-water showers and an on-site pool for training.

Beginners can start with Discover Scuba, while certified divers can join daily trips, night dives or private charters. The course list is extensive: Open Water and Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (nitrox), Rescue Diver, sidemount, PADI specialties, Tec 40 and Tec 50, and a divemaster internship. Snorkelling tours are offered for non-divers in the group.

The Gordo Banks trip is a long, demanding outing of about seven hours, while Cabo Pulmo takes a full day, so plan around them.

Good to know

  • Reach the team by phone, WhatsApp or the website contact form.
  • The shop is on Paseo de la Marina in central Cabo San Lucas.
  • Private charters suit families or groups with mixed experience levels.
  • A strong choice for divers who want to progress, including those interested in technical training.

Also in On the Water

The rest of the ten

01Pisces Sportfishing & Yacht ChartersCabo San LucasRunning since 1980, Cabo's best-known fishing charter fleet also offers luxury cruiser yachts for private trips.02Costa Palmas MarinaEast CapeA full-service marina for motor yachts up to 250 ft, serving the Aman and Four Seasons resort community on the Sea of Cortez.03Marina Puerto Los CabosSan José del CaboA gated marina with about 230 slips for yachts up to 250 ft, plus a fuel dock and an on-site boatyard.04Picante SportfishingCabo San LucasFounded in 1995, it fishes from nine company-owned boats of 31 to 45 ft.05Cabo Pulmo Dive CenterEast CapeA PADI centre run by the family who helped found Cabo Pulmo village, with local divemasters who know the protected reef intimately.07Cabo Yacht LifeCabo San LucasAll-inclusive private charters with captain and chef, on a fleet that reaches an 80-ft Ferretti and a 100-ft Maiora, including multi-day trips.08Cabo TrekCabo San LucasMarine-biologist-led whale, whale-shark and mobula-ray trips since 2013, plus private yacht charters and custom expeditions.09Cabo Private GuideCabo San LucasPrivate guided dives, snorkelling and ocean safaris from the marina, plus day trips to Cabo Pulmo.10Cabo SailingCabo San LucasA locally owned company running truly private sailing charters on its own 38 to 51 ft boats.

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