You might be familiar with Puerto Vallarta as a getaway destination, but did you know it’s also a great place for a bit of scuba diving in Mexico?
This well-known beach town is the ideal base for exploring some remarkable dive sites in the area. We’ll take a closer look at scuba diving in Puerto Vallarta in this comprehensive guide.
For much more on travelling to PV, make sure to have a look at our complete guide to going to Puerto Vallarta, where to stay in Puerto Vallarta, the best beaches, where to eat, the nightlife, and the top tours!
Here we go, our scuba Diving guide to Puerto Vallarta
Indholdsfortegnelse
Introduction to scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta
When To Go scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta
Best Dive sites in Puerto Vallarta
Cost of scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta
Dive shops in Puerto Vallarta
Hyperbaric Chambers in Puerto Vallarta
How to get to Puerto Vallarta
Ready to Go scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta?
Introduction to scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta
It’s a short and beautiful boat ride from town to numerous sites in Banderas Bay, many of which are fine for beginners and advanced divers alike. around PV, you can dive shipwrecks, caves, underwater mountain ranges, and much more.
There’s lots of remarkable marine life to see when diving around Puerto Vallarta. You can spot all kinds of rays and turtles as well as moray eels, dolphins, and even humpback whales.
Scuba diving really is an amazing experience and is one of the best activities in Puerto Vallarta.
While destinations like Cozumel and Playa del Carmen on the east coast may be much more well-known, Puerto Vallarta is a great diving destination in its own right.
In my humble opinion, it’s also just a nicer place to visit. I may be a bit biased, having spent the better part of the last three years living there, but there’s a reason I chose this beach town on the west coast of Mexico!
Although it takes a little while from town to reach the best dive sites, that’s half the fun. On these boat trips around Banderas Bay, you’ll be able to delight in some postcard-worthy scenery en route to your dive site. It really is a spectacular place to visit.
Best of all, there’s so much to see and do in Puerto Vallarta when you’re not in the water.
This is the ideal destination if you’re wishing to do a bit of diving in addition to other adventure and cultural activities. Of course, you can always just kick back and unwind on the beach with a margarita in hand as well!
If you’re planning a trip to do some scuba diving in Puerto Vallarta, read on for a closer look at the best time to visit, the top dive sites, and some highly-rated dive shops to go with.
When To Go scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta
The best time to go scuba diving in Puerto Vallarta depends on what you’re wishing to do. Some would say the best time is between November and may when the seas are calmest.
It’s typically sunny, warm, and dry during these months, so you can delight in your time on land as well. That being said, the winter season months also see limited visibility and the water can get quite chilly.
In February the water can get down to 72°F (26°C). Plankton blooms at this time affect the visibility, but that also attracts manta rays and sharks that you’ll hopefully be able to spot.
On the site of one popular dive shop, they mention how the winter season months bring very unpredictable conditions at numerous of the best dive sites.
Strong currents and winds at this time of year can limit or completely block off access to some of them, so it’s best to plan at least a week in advance.
Peak travel season to Puerto Vallarta is between December and March, with things getting especially crazy around Christmas and new Year’s. Be sure to book your accommodation well in advancement if traveling at this very busy time!
There’s another mini-peak season when Semana Santa (Holy Week) rolls around. This is one of the best times to travel Mexico if you’re into culture, but not if you aren’t a fan of crowds.
Summer implies the rainy season in Puerto Vallarta, which has its pros and cons.
On the one hand, it’s very hot and humid with frequent downpours. handling inclement weather implies smaller crowds and lower prices, though.
The exception to this is weekends in the summer when Mexican families turn up in droves to delight in la playa.
The water is also warmest at this time (around 85°F/30°C in August-September) and visibility is at its best, so it’s not a bad time to go scuba diving in Puerto Vallarta.
Best Dive sites in Puerto Vallarta
While thEre er ikke adskillige dykkepladser offshore eller bedste rundt i byen, bådturen for at nå dem er halvdelen af det sjove. At krydse rundt i Banderas Bay på en smuk dag på vej ud til et 2-tank dykke er ikke sådan en dårlig pendling.
Her er nogle af de bedste steder at gå i dykning i Puerto Vallarta:
Los Arcos
Vandtemp: 65-89 ° F (18-31 ° C)
Gennemsnitlig synlighed: 6-50 ft (6-15 m)
Dybde: 29,5-130 ft (9-40 m)
Det mest populære sted at gå i dykning i Puerto Vallarta er måske Los Arcos.
Denne episke Marine Park indeholder buer (deraf navnet) såvel som huler, tunneler og et rev fuld af havliv som hummer, blæksprutte, moray ål, stråler og alle slags farverige fisk.
Der er et par forskellige stier, som dykkere kan følge i Los Arcos. Disse er velegnede til dykkere på alle niveauer, når de varierer meget dybtgående.
Begyndere kan glæde sig over “El Acuario” (akvariet), mens meget mere avancerede dykkere kan tjekke “La Quijada del Diablo” (djævelens kæbe).
Chimo
Vandtemp: 65-86 ° F (18-30 ° C)
Synlighed: 20-60 ft/ (7-18 m)
Dybde: 40-80 ft (12-25 mt)
Denne afsondrede fiskerlandsby i bugten er et fantastisk dykkested for meget mere avancerede dykkere.
På en 2-tankstur her kan du glæde dig over at opdage tropisk fisk og store pelagiske arter. Dette inkluderer manta -stråler, havskildpadder og endda pukkelhvaler mellem december og april.
Derudover kan du beundre “Las Iglesias”, klippeformationer, der ligner søjlerne i en katedral og “las torrecillas”, som er en enestående række højdepunkter, der stiger op fra havbunden.
Marietas Islands
Marietas-øerne er en nationalpark beliggende omkring en times lang bådtur fra Puerto Vallarta. Dette betragtes som det øverste sted at dykke i Puerto Vallarta.
Da det er beskyttet mod jagt og fiskeri, er der en overflod af havlivet her. På en dykkertur kan du muligvis se enorme manta -stråler, havskildpadder, delfiner, ål og muligvis hvaler i vintersæsonen.
Det tager cirka en time at nå Marietas -øerne med båd.
Når du kommer tættere på øerne, kan du også få øje på flere forskellige fuglearter, inklusive den blåfodede booby. Bedst af alt, dykkere af alle niveauer kan glæde sig over en tur til Marietas -øerne.
Vandtemp: 62-86 ° F (17-30 ° C)
Gennemsnitlig synlighed: 40 ft (12 m)
Dybde: 25-60 ft (7,5-18 m)
Den spektakulære skjulte strand på Marieta Islands er fantastisk!
Omkostninger ved dykning i Puerto Vallarta
Omkostningerne ved dykning i Puerto Vallarta varierer afhængigt af hvilke websteder du besøger. Som jeg nævnte, er adskillige af dem en lang afstand væk fra centrum af byen.
For eksempel koster dykning på Los Arcos mellem $ 90-110. I mellemtiden koster ture ud til Marietas-øerne lidt meget mere ($ 120-150). Det er en længere afstand at rejse plus mange operatører inkluderer også frokost og drikkevarer.
To-tanksture til El Chimo gennemsnit omkring $ 150.
Har du aldrig dykket før? Puerto Vallarta er et fantastisk sted at lære og begynde at udforske de andre 70% af planeten.
For at give det et skud kan du tilmelde dig en Discover Scuba Diving Course for kun $ 50. Dette giver dig chancen for at se, om Scuba -dykning er bedst for dig.
De, der ønsker at gå all-in, kan i stedet tilmelde sig en PADI Open Water Course.
Disse tager typisk 2-3 dage at gennemføre. Du kan tilmelde dig åbne vandkurser i Puerto Vallarta Dive Shops for omkring $ 450 i alt efter omkostningerne ved læringsmaterialer. Når du er færdig, bliver du certificeret og klar til at rocke!
En anden mulighed er at lave et henvisningskursus for så lidt som $ 240.
Dette er, når du afslutter bogarbejdsdelen i en lokal dykkebutik derhjemme, før du rejser til Mexico. At gøre det giver dig mulighed for at tage sig af studiets del derhjemme og tilbringe meget mere tid i vandet i Puerto Vallarta.
Hvis du vil tage din dykning til det næste niveau, kan du også tilmelde dig avanceret åbent vand, redningsdykker, dyb dykker og flere andre kurser. Priserne for disse spænder typisk fra $ 350-500 og tager et par dage at gennemføre.
Dykbutikker i Puerto Vallarta
Kvaliteten af dykkebutikker kan ændre sig, når årene går forbi. Sørg altid for, at det firma, du vælger, er PADI anerkendt, professionelt og følger de rette sikkerhedsretningslinjer. Sørg også for at tjekke nylige anmeldelser online, og dit dykkerudstyr, inden du går ud.
Banderas Scuba Republic
Adresse: Lázaro Cárdenas 230, Zona Romántica
Anmeldelser: 4.8 (51 anmeldelser)
Web: Besøg webstedet
BSR har været i SCUBA -dykkerfirmaet i adskillige år og har tjent Rave Reviews from divers the entire time. This is a professional operation through and through, from the equipment to the dive instructors.
Vallarta Adventures
Address: C, Mástil 13, Marina Vallarta
Reviews: 4.4 (587 reviews)
Web: Besøg webstedet
The most significant and best trip operator in Puerto Vallarta also does scuba diving courses and trips. You always know that the quality will be first-class when booking with these guys.
PV ocean Tours
Address: Calle Pez Espada 197, Las Gaviotas
Reviews: 5.0 (25 reviews)
Web: Besøg webstedet
Run by a dad and child team from the UK, PV ocean trips started just a few years ago and is already one of the top dive shops in Banderas Bay. They are known for being very professional and personable.
Hyperbaric Chambers in Puerto Vallarta
While scuba diving is typically a safe activity, accidents do happen. That’s why you always want to know where the nearest hyperbaric chamber is.
Unfortunately, there is no SSS Network hyper chamber in Puerto Vallarta. The nearest one is over in Cabo San Lucas in Baja California Sur. You can click here to check out their site and get much more information.
Los Arcos Marine Park
Before you go scuba diving in Puerto Vallarta (or anywhere, for that matter), make sure you have solid travel insurance. The DAN (Divers Alert Network) comes highly recommended for divers. Click here to learn much more about their policies.
How to get to Puerto Vallarta
Most visitors will arrive at the Puerto Vallarta international airport (PVR). It’s always possible to find direct flights to PV from the us and Canada, with the most options during the high season (December-March).
There aren’t a lot of other international options for arriving in Puerto Vallarta. You can get direct flights to and from Panama City as well as both London and Manchester, but that’s about it.
If you can’t find a good deal on a flight to PV, I recommend checking out options into either Mexico City or Guadalajara. Both cities are lots of fun to visit and you’ll then be a very short and cheap domestic flight away from the beach!
Puerto Vallarta is also a major cruise ship destination. Those arriving for a quick excursion from a ship can still squeeze in a scuba dive (or two) in Puerto Vallarta.
The thing about traveling to Puerto Vallarta is that you have numerous options other than staying in town. By flying into PVR, you can also easily base yourself in places like Sayulita, Bucerias, Punta de Mita, Mismaloya, or Yelapa.
All of these places are easily reached by local bus or water taxis and will put you closer to some of the best dive sites in the bay.
Ready to Go scuba Diving in Puerto Vallarta?
While it may not make numerous lists of the best places to go scuba diving in the world (or in Mexico), Puerto Vallarta is still a fantastic choice if you want to include a bit of diving during your beach holiday.
Even if you only visit one of the epic sites like the Marietas Islands or Los Arcos, it’s well worth it to try out scuba diving in Puerto Vallarta.
More advanced divers will certainly want to tack on a few extra days to visit some of the much more challenging sites in the area such as El Chimo — where you’ll hopefully spot humpback whales from the boat!
When you’re back on land from a big day of diving, you can delight in all the amenities of this beautiful town. Puerto Vallarta has some amazing restaurants and bars to choose from, making for the ideal way to unwind after a big day out in the water.
Images in this post were sourced on Shutterstock.
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