A boat day built around getting in the water. We run to the bays where the reef fish hold, look at the sea lions on the rocks at Land's End, and keep the pace slow. It suits families and anyone who would rather look at the ocean than fish it. Comfort in the water matters here far more than fitness does.
The reliable snorkelling near Cabo San Lucas is in the bays along the corridor and around the rocks at the tip. Pelican Rock in the bay by Lover's Beach is close to town and busy. Santa Maria and Chileno further up the corridor have reef, structure and generally calmer water. Which one we use depends on the wind, the swell and how stirred up the water is that morning. Nobody can control visibility, and any operator who tells you the water is always clear here has not been out enough. When it is poor, we say so and we move.
Where we leave from depends on which boat the day runs on. The 35 foot El Wahoo King leaves from Cabo San Lucas Marina and the 28 foot catamaran La Morita from San Jose del Cabo. The departure point for the 27 foot super panga La Ruca is still being confirmed, and departure times are still being confirmed. We are based in El Pescadero, near Todos Santos on the Pacific side, so this is one of the trips where you and we both drive to the water. Our home water off Punta Lobos is a beach launch through Pacific surf, which is the wrong shape of day for snorkelling, so we take you to the gulf side for it. We almost never run split charters, so the boat is your group's for the day, which means we can sit at a spot while a nervous swimmer finds their feet instead of running to somebody else's clock. Numbers run to eight on El Wahoo King on a day with no fishing, with five on La Ruca and on La Morita. A 50% deposit is normally required to hold a date, and cancellation, refund and rescheduling terms are still being confirmed.
Cabo Pulmo is a National Marine Park up the East Cape, north of San Jose del Cabo. It protects one of the few hard coral reef systems in this part of the Pacific, and the recovery of the fish population inside the park after protection is genuinely remarkable. All fishing is prohibited there. It is a snorkelling and wildlife destination and nothing else, and access is managed with rules about guides, numbers and where boats may go. It is a long way from any of our departure points. Whether we run trips there, and how, is still being confirmed. If someone offers to take you fishing or spearfishing at Cabo Pulmo, walk away.
In the bays expect reef fish in numbers. Sergeant majors, king angelfish, parrotfish, puffers, wrasse, the occasional moray tucked into the rock, and schools of small fish thick enough to swim through. Around the rocks at Land's End there is a sea lion colony that you will hear before you see. Through the year the bigger animals move past this coast, including mobula rays, turtles and dolphins, and in winter whales. We do not promise any of them. The sea lions are the safest bet and we watch them from the boat rather than swimming into a colony.
Do not book it if you are not willing to put your face in the water, because the boat ride alone will not be worth your money. Do not book it if you need flat, clear water on a fixed date, since we do not control either. Do not book it if you want to fish, spear or take anything home, because this is a look and leave trip. And if a large group in your party wants to drink through the day, snorkelling and alcohol are a bad combination and we will not run the day that way.
Do not stand on coral or grab it to steady yourself. Do not chase animals, corner them, or try to touch turtles or rays. Use mineral based sunscreen or cover up with a rash guard instead, because there is decent evidence that some chemical filters harm reefs and it costs you nothing to avoid them. Take nothing off the bottom, including shells. Fins do more damage than hands, so keep them behind you and be aware of where they are.
You do not have to be a strong swimmer to enjoy this, but you do have to be honest about your ability before we leave the dock rather than at the ladder. Flotation vests make a very large difference to nervous adults and to children, and there is no shame in using one. Tell us who is nervous and we will keep a crew member near them. What child sized gear we carry, and any minimum age, is still being confirmed.
Peak months in lagoon. Billfish are released; most of the rest goes in the box.
The short version of how a trip with Indigo Adventures works. Licences, deposits, boats and what happens to your catch. The full FAQ has the rest.
Read the full FAQ→Indigo Adventures is based in El Pescadero, on the Pacific side of Baja California Sur, a few minutes south of Todos Santos. Boats launch from three points: Punta Lobos beach in Todos Santos, San Jose del Cabo, and the Cabo San Lucas Marina. Which boat runs your trip decides where you meet us.
Custom fishing and spearfishing charters, freediving excursions, whale watching from mid December to April, and kayaking. Every trip is built around your group, your dates and the conditions rather than a fixed timetable, and almost every one goes out private.
Book online on the Book Now page, where availability is live and a 50 percent deposit holds the date. If you would rather we picked the trip, send an enquiry with who is coming, when you are here and what you want out of the day, and we will say which trip fits and which one does not.
No. Everyone fishing in Mexican waters needs a Mexican sportfishing licence, and each angler buys their own. We help you arrange it before the day so nobody is sorting paperwork on the dock. The same licence covers rod and spear.
Rarely. Almost every trip goes out as a private boat for you and your group. If a split makes sense for a small party we will say so when you enquire.
Three on the 24 foot Punta Lobos panga, up to four on La Ruca and La Morita, and up to six on Don Pancho and El Wahoo King. Whale watching numbers run a little higher because nobody is swinging a rod.
Yes. The catch goes home with you. Filleting at the dock, vacuum sealing and freezing are available, and most guests fly home with a cooler. Marlin are mostly released, with judgement on the day.
Yes, on fishing days. The crew rigs and handles the gear and hands you the rod when something eats. Guided spearfishing needs breath-hold experience and runs on a strict buddy system, which is the only legal way to spearfish in Mexico. Water, ice and snacks are normally aboard.
