Diving Cabo’s Corridor or Marine Park?

Answering the Impossible Question

Every diver heading to Cabo will have to answer one impossible question: should I dive in the corridor or the Cabo Marine Park? Let me shine a little light on the two options so you can make a more informed decision.

The Marine Park

The Marine Park consists of a long rock wall starting close to the Cabo San Lucas marina and extending all the way to the world-famous arch of San Lucas, or, El Arco. It starts as a boulder field and progresses to a sheer drop with its base at a depth of over 200m. 

Scattered along the top are almost a dozen different dive sites with varying depths for all different experiences and certification levels. Some sites, such as Pelican Rock, accommodate all experience levels. You will often see scuba divers getting their first experience in the ocean playing around Pelican Rock whilst others swim past loaded up with tanks destined to explore the depth of the wall. 

Land’s End

At the end of the wall is Cabo’s famous El Arco and Land’s End… the last land mass before you reach the Antarctic due south of here. This is also one of my favorite dives sites. You drop into the Pacific Ocean and descend just next to an ill-fated cargo ship: The Lundenberg. You will spend a bit of time exploring the wreck before moving onto the coral covered pinnacle just a short swim away. There are huge amounts of life around this including some sizable grouper, trigger fish and large schools of fish which are often being chased by massive bigeye jacks. You may also get a visit from some other unique animals that appear out of the blue. You will finish the dive close to a sea lion colony, and on occasion get a visit from the playful inhabitants, before ascending in the Sea of Cortez where the boat will be waiting.

The whole marine park area is stunning above and below the water. It is quick and easy to get to, meaning it is a very popular destination for all who visit Cabo. Keep this in mind as it means you’re unlikely to be alone in the water. 

The marine life has exploded in this area since the introduction of the marine park. You will see plenty of life year-round, but in spring and summer there are vast schools of fish of all different species in the area, and the soft corals that litter the wall and surrounding rocks harbor incredible amounts of macro life. There is always something new to see/find in the marine park. 

For more information on the dive sites in the marine park take a look at this article.

The Corridor

The Corridor refers to the 30km stretch of coast between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo – two of the ‘Cabos’ that make up Los Cabos. It’s a vast area of coastline scattered with various dive sites. They all differ but in general you will be over a sandy bottom swimming between, or above rocky panicles covered in countless species of hard and soft corals. The sites generally start at depths of about 6m and you can swim down a gentle slope to about 18m (or more if you swim a longer way). Because the corridor is vast and holds a number of different sites it is more likely you will have the dive site to yourself.

Don’t Forget to Look Out to the Blue

When you’re diving The Corridor it’s a good idea to occasionally look away from the stunning corals and glance out into the blue. You can often see schools of eagle rays gliding by or the occasional massive pancake or devil ray. On some of the sites there is a good chance of seeing some white tip reef sharks. These animals were fished out long ago but are slowly returning which is a great sign for the health of the area. 

As an added bonus, the 20-30 minutes boat ride to the dive site doubles as a mini wildlife expedition. You might bump into a pod of dolphins, mobula rays jumping and somersaulting on the surface, or giant whales breaching as they migrate to and from their breeding grounds. The boat captains will always do everything they can to give you a great view of these incredible creatures as they seem to love seeing them as much as the guests on the boat.

For more information on the dive sites along the corridor take a look at this article.

Weather and Swell

The topography of Cabo often blocks the prevailing swell from reaching the Marine Park. Generally, the surface conditions are closer to what you would see in a lake. The Corridor is more exposed to the elements and therefore can often have a bit more swell than in the Marine Park. Current in both areas tends to be minimal. If you’re prone to sea sickness, you may want to pop some meds before the trip to the corridor. It’s usually quite calm, but the longer boat ride can be bothersome for those that get easily sea sick. 

Logistics

Marine Park

When heading to the Marine Park the crew will start setting up your gear in the harbor. You will get to kick back and gawk at the super yachts as you motor out slowly. Then it’s time for a dive briefing before gearing up to jump in for your first dive. On the surface interval most operators will take you for a tour to the Pacific Ocean and back before finishing at your second dive site. You will get to see the sea lion colony, Lovers Beach (and its counterpart Divorce Beach) and, of course, they will stop by El Arco so you can snap an obligatory photo. After you surface from your second dive you will be back at the dock before you even realize. It’s one of the most logistically convenient dive areas in the world.

The Corridor

When you’re heading to The Corridor the boat will leave soon after you board. The crew will set up your gear whilst underway and often deliver a dive briefing. You will be geared up and ready to hit the water when you arrive at your dive site. For this reason, the time it takes to do a double dive at The Corridor is similar to the Marine Park, even though it is located 15-30 minutes further from the dock. You might arrive back a few mins later but will be back in time for lunch and sneaking in some afternoon diving!