Cabo San Lucas
Mexico · North America
Where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, Cabo San Lucas delivers world-class diving anchored by Land's End and the iconic El Arco arch. California sea lions haul out on the rocks year-round and pour into the water with divers at the colony. The famous underwater sand falls cascade off a submerged plateau at 30 m, and the open blue brings hammerheads, whale sharks, and manta rays. Jacques Cousteau called the Sea of Cortez 'the world's aquarium' — the southern tip is where you feel it first.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is fairly quiet.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
33 species across the dive sites here
California Sea Lion
Seen 20 days ago
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Least concern
Cortez Angelfish
Seen 25 days ago
at Sand Falls
Least concern
Cortez Rainbow Wrasse
Seen 1 month ago
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Least concern
Golden Damselfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Sand Falls
Least concern
King Angelfish
Seen 1 month ago
at Pelican Rock
Least concern
Panamic Sergeant Major
Seen 1 month ago
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Least concern
Pufferfish (Bullseye)
Seen 2 months ago
at Pelican Rock
Least concern
Sierra Mackerel
Seen 4 months ago
at Gordo Banks
Least concern
Pacific Parrotfish
Seen 4 months ago
at Pelican Rock
Least concern
Reef Scorpionfish
Seen 4 months ago
at Sand Falls
Least concern
Yellowtail Snapper
Seen 4 months ago
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Least concern
Finescale Triggerfish
Seen 4 months ago
at Sand Falls
Least concern
Whale Shark
Seen 5 months ago
at Gordo Banks
Endangered
Pacific Creolefish
Seen 7 months ago
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Bigeye Trevally
Seen 9 months ago
at Gordo Banks
Least concern
Moray Eel (Green)
Seen 9 months ago
at Pelican Rock
Least concern
Giant Sea Star
Seen Feb 2025
at Sand Falls
Leopard Grouper
Seen Sep 2024
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Least concern
Hermit Crab
Seen Jun 2024
at Pelican Rock
Galapagos Shark
Seen year round
at Gordo Banks
Least concern
Great Barracuda
Seen year round
at Gordo Banks
Least concern
Grouper species (mixed)
Seen year round
at Gordo Banks
Pencil Urchin
Seen year round
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Purple Sea Urchin
Seen year round
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Reef-building Coral (Star Coral)
Seen year round
at Pelican Rock
Near threatened
Yellowfin Tuna
Seen year round
at Gordo Banks
Least concern
Yellowtail Damselfish
Seen year round
at Pelican Rock
Giant Pacific Manta Ray
Seasonal visitor
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Giant Pacific Octopus
Seasonal visitor
at Pelican Rock
Least concern
Jack Crevalle
Seasonal visitor
at Gordo Banks
Least concern
Oceanic Manta Ray
Seasonal visitor
at Gordo Banks
Endangered
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Seasonal visitor
at Land's End Sea Lion Colony
Critically endangered
Spotted Eagle Ray
Seasonal visitor
at Sand Falls
Endangered
Dive sites
Land's End Sea Lion Colony
california sea lion · giant pacific manta ray · yellowtail snapper · panamic sergeant major
Sand Falls
golden damselfish · panamic sergeant major · cortez angelfish · giant sea star
Pelican Rock
king angelfish · cortez rainbow wrasse · pufferfish (bullseye) · moray eel (green)
Gordo Banks
scalloped hammerhead shark · whale shark · oceanic manta ray · galapagos shark