Join the professional team of Vallarta Adventures' PADI Five Star Dive Center for an hour-long trip in our fully equipped dive boat to one of our favorite dive sites in the outer limits of Banderas Bay: Los Anegados.
Halfway between the Marietas Islands and El Morro, there is a bank where shallows transition into deeper waters and divers can join bottom dwellers like rays and eels and then pelagics like jacks and tuna in waters that can sometimes pose a challenge but are typically pleasantly mild and easy for more experienced divers to navigate.
This dive site is only available as a private excursion for certified divers (1200 USD is the starting rate for up to 4 divers).
See Caves and Fascinating Rock Formations
Where else can you see such a wide variety of marine life in one day? The relatively sheltered rocky bank at Los Anegados is peppered with caves and punctuated by intricate rock formations that are the perfect hiding spots for creatures both large and small, including moray eels, eagle rays, and sometimes even nurse sharks.
A Shallow but Challenging Scuba Dive in Los Anegados
The shallow depths at Los Anegados may make it seem like an easy site, but this dive can sometimes be demanding for even more experienced divers. There are sometimes strong currents to contend with and north winds can make the ocean rough. Very rarely, the conditions at Los Anegados are such that we don’t feel we can guarantee our guests’ safety, and in such cases, we take guests to the beautiful Marietas Islands or to another dive site in the southern part of Banderas Bay.
Open Water Shark Diving at Los Anegados
This popular diving tour gives you the opportunity to dive at two different locations in Los Anegados, and if you’re lucky you will get to see some of our famous sharks! Nurse sharks are gentle creatures that spend their days resting on the sandy ocean floor and tend to turn tail and swim away when approached by humans.
But you can observe nurse sharks from a distance if you have your Open Water Certification. The biggest nurse sharks prefer deeper reefs and shelves 100 feet into the ocean. You can meet these sharks, too, though you’ll need an Advanced Open Water Certification or higher.
Get Certified Before Your Dive
Did you know that we offer a variety of PADI scuba diving certifications? Some of these courses have components that you can complete ahead of your vacation so you can do book work and pool work before you leave. All of our courses are designed to get you into the water faster and ultimately to give you qualifications that will open up a world of diving opportunities to you.
From Learn to Dive classes led by PADI certified instructors that teach you the basics of scuba and equip you with the knowledge you need for one-tank dives, to PADI Scuba Diver Certification courses that give you a limited certification so you can dive with a guide to more advanced courses for serious divers, there’s a scuba course for you at Vallarta Adventures' PADI Five Star Dive Center.
Stay Safe from Start to Finish
The safety of our guests is our number one priority, in and out of the water. Every one of our dives, at Los Anegados and at other sites, is overseen by one or more PADI certified instructors trained to look for any signs of trouble. We also use the buddy system on all of our dives, so no guest is ever alone under the waves. Help is always a wave away.
The Dive Location
This dive can sometimes be demanding for divers due to strong currents, but typically the current is mild. The location of this dive site is outside of the bay, 24 nautical miles. We will get north winds that can make the ocean rough. The journey to the dive site is 1 hour in our fully-equipped dive boat. If the conditions are too difficult at Anegados, we may change the destination to The Marietas Islands or to the Southern part of the bay.
Sea Conditions
Cold water season (Dec-May)
- 60°F - 75°F / 15 a 24 ºC
- Visibility: 3-9m / 10-30 ft
- Best time to see Rays, Mantas Rays, and schools of fish
- We provide full 5.5mm wetsuits (we do not provide boots, hoods, or gloves)
Warm water season (Jun-Nov)
- 75°- 86°F / 24 a 30 ºC
- Visibility: 9-24m / 30-80 ft
- Best time to see manta ray to see Manta Rays and Nurse Sharks, but it depends on the ocean
Trip Details
- Dives: 2 Dives
- Water Temp: 60-86 °F / 15 - 30 ºC
- Average Visibility: 3-27 m / 10-80 ft
- Depth: 9-24 metros / 30-80 ft
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.
- To dive at Los Anegados, the minimum age 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 Los Anegados, 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.
This rock bank halfway between El Morro and the Marietas Islands is a must-see spot if you’re scuba diving Puerto Vallarta. Certified divers will love exploring the caves and fascinating rock formations that lie below the surface and swimming among the nurse sharks. You’ll also see turtles, seahorses, dolphins, jacks, sailfish and more!