About El Barco
El Barco is a highly favored dive site in Cabo Pulmo, known for its wreck and the presence of bull sharks. The wreck serves as a focal point for large schools of pelagic fish, offering a thrilling experience for divers. Uniquely, the bull sharks here are observed in their natural environment without the use of bait, providing an authentic wildlife encounter. The site benefits from the rich marine life of Cabo Pulmo Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While considered an intermediate dive, divers should be comfortable with potential moderate currents. The abundance of marine life and the chance to see bull sharks without baiting make El Barco a standout site. It's a great spot to witness the vibrant ecosystem that has flourished since fishing was banned in the area, leading to remarkable population recoveries of various species.
Highlights
Bull sharks in natural environmentImpressive schools of pelagic fishWreck explorationVibrant marine park ecosystemNo baiting for shark encounters
Dive site facts: El Barco
- Current
- Moderate
- Entry
- Liveaboard or dayboat
- Level
- Intermediate
- Dive type
- Wreck, Reef
- Region / port
- Mexico
- Coordinates
- 23.4735° N, 109.4310° W
Conditions & Currents
Moderate currents can run here, so plan drift entries and stay close to the group. It is usually briefed as a dive for intermediate divers. It can be dived from a liveaboard or a day boat, depending on where you start the trip. Tide, wind and season all shift the picture from day to day, so the crew's briefing on the boat always overrides any general description.
Why dive El Barco from a liveaboard?
El Barco is one of Mexico's signature dive sites. A liveaboard sleeps you on the water and puts you in the water for three to four guided dives per day, including dawn and night dives that day-boat operators rarely offer. You skip the daily commute back to port and reach quieter, less-crowded sites in the same region on a single trip.
Below are the liveaboards that include El Barco on their Mexico itineraries.
Liveaboards diving El Barco
These liveaboards may visit El Barco on selected itineraries — the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.
Nautilus Explorer
Mexico
25 guests44.8 m
$230/day
Valentina
Mexico
20 guests38.1 m
$430/day
Rocio del Mar
Mexico
20 guests33.5 m
$392/day
Nautilus Under Sea
Mexico
19 guests32 m
$261/day
Nautilus Belle Amie
Mexico
32 guests44.8 m
$249/day
Quino del Mar
Mexico
20 guests36 m
$392/day
Nautilus Gallant Lady
Mexico
12 guests35.36 m
$332/day
Dive sites similar to El Barco
Same character, same waters — six more sites divers love for the exact same reasons.Compare seasons, access and liveaboard routes — then pick the site that fits your trip best.
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Tak Be Luum
Mexico
Cenote Tak Be Luum, located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, is an exceptional cavern dive that forms part of the vast Sac Actun underwater cave system, one of the world's largest.
- Suitable for
- Advanced
- Current
- No current
- Access
- Shore / dayboat
- Depth
- 4–9 m
- Theme
- Reef
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Neptune's Finger
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Neptune's Finger is a renowned dive site located in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
- Suitable for
- Beginner
- Current
- Mild
- Access
- Liveaboard or dayboat
- Depth
- 4–152 m
- Theme
- Reef
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Majahuitas
Mexico
Majahuitas is a pristine and secluded cove located on the southern coast of Banderas Bay, near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
- Suitable for
- Beginner
- Current
- Mild
- Access
- Dayboat
- Depth
- 8–14 m
- Theme
- Reef
La Poza is a remarkable dive site located in Xcalak, a serene fishing village situated on Mexico's Caribbean coast, near the Belize border.
- Suitable for
- Advanced
- Current
- Mild
- Access
- Shore / dayboat
- Depth
- 20–25 m
- Theme
- Reef
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Siete Bocas
Mexico
Cenote Siete Bocas, meaning "Seven Mouths," is a unique cavern dive site nestled along the Ruta de los Cenotes near Puerto Morelos in Mexico's Riviera Maya.
- Suitable for
- Intermediate
- Current
- No current
- Access
- Shore / dayboat
- Depth
- ≤ 30 m
- Theme
- Reef
© Esri — Maxar, Earthstar, GIS
Sleeping Shark Cave
Mexico
Sleeping Shark Cave is a legendary underwater site situated off the eastern coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
- Suitable for
- Intermediate
- Current
- No current
- Access
- Liveaboard or dayboat
- Depth
- 16–20 m
- Theme
- Reef