You know you’ve reached El Morro, an advanced dive site on the edge of Banderas Bay when you set your sights on a dramatic series of rock pinnacles jutting out of the Pacific Ocean. That’s where experienced divers can plunge under the waves with a PADI Dive Master to dive walls and explore amazing caves and tunnels.
That’s not all there is to discover, however! You can also get up close and personal with large pelagics like rays, manta rays, and even humpback whales (during winter months). Visit this amazing site with the professional team of Vallarta Adventures' PADI Five Star Dive Center. Scuba diving in El Morro is one of a kind experience you’ll never forget!
**This dive site is also available as a private excursion for certified divers ($840 USD is the starting rate for up to 4 divers). To book your private scuba Diving excursion to El Morro, please contact our Travel Advisor today at 1-888-526-2238 or [email protected].
Discover Drama in the Deep
El Morro is sometimes called the most secluded dive site in Puerto Vallarta, but it is definitely one of the most striking. The pinnacles that are the first sign you’ve reached El Morro are also what make it so unique a site. They rise from the ocean floor and are pockmarked with dozens of tunnels and caves that are teeming with marine life - all of which you can discover on this dive.
A Diversity of Creatures Awaits
Down below El Morro you might see lobsters, turtles, octopuses, seahorses and jacks, along with sharks, and the biggest eels and most awe-inspiring manta rays you’ve ever seen. Then there are the coral and the sponges, which come in every conceivable color and are home to too many varieties of tropical fish to count. It is a spectacle of color!
The Caverns at El Morro
The start of your scuba dive in El Morro involves diving down 90 feet, where you’ll see cave openings in front of you. It’s difficult to see inside, but those daring enough to enter will be rewarded with two things. First, rocky granite walls teeming with invertebrates like sea fans and coral, along with brilliant nudibranchs and scurrying shrimp. Sometimes an octopus will speed by! And second, a brilliant view of the surrounding sea. The darkness of the cave makes the brilliant clarity of the water all the more stunning.
Why Scuba Diving in El Morro Requires Certification
El Morro can have challenging currents and sea conditions that are intimidating for less experienced divers, but that isn’t the only reason our PADI certified dive guides limit this dive to certified guests. The same conditions that make this dive site so fascinating are those that make it riskier for dive enthusiasts who haven’t yet been certified.
If you’d like to scuba dive in El Morro but aren’t yet certified, now is the time! Taking one of the dive certification courses offered by Vallarta Adventures' PADI Five Star Dive Center will give you the knowledge and the qualifications you need to dive in deeper waters and in the most exciting locations in and around Puerto Vallarta. Many of these PADI courses can even be completed while you’re on vacation!
Safety Is Our Number One Priority
When our guests scuba dive in El Morro or in any of the other dive sites in and around Puerto Vallarta, our PADI-certified guides are there to ensure that all dives are as safe as they are thrilling. Dives are supervised by one PADI-certified instructor per each group of six divers, and we use the buddy system to be sure that no diver is ever alone.
Trip Details:
- Dives: 2 (certified divers)
- Boat: Speed boat
- Water Temp: 65-86°F/18-30°C
- Visibility: 20 - 100 ft / 7-30 m
- Depth: 60-100 ft/18-30 mts
Get Certified!
Are you ready to dive into deeper waters and more exciting locations? A dive certification course can open up a world of opportunities - and many courses can be completed while you are on your vacation. Learn more
- Please be aware that you must be at the check-in point 30 minutes prior to departure. Boarding will be closed 10 minutes prior to departure time.
- The minimum age to dive at El Morro is 12.
- Based on PADI’s flying after diving recommendations, divers shouldn’t fly within 18 hours after two or more dives, and within 12 hours after one dive in a day.
- At least one immersion in the 12 months prior to diving with Vallarta Adventures is required.
- A $25 USD equipment rental fee will be applied at check-in for certified divers. This fee does not apply to beginner divers or certification courses.
- To dive at El Morro, you must have an Advanced Certification or higher. If you have an Open Water Certification, then at least 25 logged dives are required, or you can dive with Vallarta Adventures up to 7 days prior to evaluating your diving skills.
- Expecting mothers are not allowed.
FORBIDDEN ITEMS
Please be advised that Mexico's Federal Maritime Ports operate a strict No-Drug Policy, including electronic cigarettes, vapers, and all kinds of drugs. Please be advised not to bring them to any of our tours. We cannot offer a refund or change of day for any guest to who Federal Security has denied access.
You’ll find this Puerto Vallarta scuba diving spot on the edge of Banderas Bay. With depths up to 150 feet to explore, it’s a great place for experienced divers to check out caves and tunnels. Along the way, you’ll find yourself face to face with more lobsters, turtles, octopuses, sharks, yellowtails, sailfish and the largest moray eels and manta rays you've ever seen!