Scuba Dive at Marietas Islands

This certified, two-tank diving takes you to one of the best spots in Puerto Vallarta. Thanks in part to the efforts of conservationist Jacques Cousteau, the Marietas Islands Marine Reserve is a paradise of untouched tropical beauty, above and below the waves. When you experience Marietas Islands scuba diving, you will glide along an underwater mountain range that offers the perfect conditions for observing sharks, turtles, and other fascinating marine species that call the reserve home.

This dive is for certified and experienced divers. All divers must provide their PADI Certification

* This dive site is also available as a private excursion for certified divers (840 USD is the starting rate for up to 4 divers). Please contact our Adventure Advisors, toll-free from USA & Canada 1.888.526.2238 or SEND US AN EMAIL

Diving at the Marietas Islands

Your adventure begins on a boat that will take you 21 miles from the shore out into the furthest reaches of Banderas Bay. Depending on the time of year, you may spot dolphins cavorting in the water or a humpback whale breaching! The dive site, which is considered suitable for all levels, will wow you with its visibility.

Travel through these clear waters and see volcanic formations, arches, spires, tunnels, and caves, which create the perfect setting for an amazing experience. You’ll see tropical fish, giant manta rays and other creatures that will convince you that the Mexican Pacific is a truly amazing place for diving and snorkeling.

Why the Marietas Islands are So Beautiful

These islands have no human residents and were actually the site of bomb testing in the first half of the 20th century. There’s no way to know for sure, but many of the most interesting features of the archipelago may be man-made! In the 1960s, Jacques Cousteau pioneered the idea of protecting this ecosystem though it took many decades for the islands to be officially christened Parque Nacional Islas Marietas. Today, the remarkable flora and fauna that can be found here are flourishing and eco-exploration helps fund the continued efforts to keep the Marietas Islands pristine and ensure that the wildlife can thrive.

Scuba Dive at the Marietas Islands as Part of a Private Excursion

You can scuba at the Marietas Islands as part of a private trip for your friends, family, business colleagues, school or dive club. Just contact us and let us know what kind of Puerto Vallarta vacation you’re dreaming of, and we’ll help you create it. The Marietas Islands aren’t just a gorgeous diving spot; they’re also a beautiful spot for anyone who loves relaxing in nature. Non-divers love these islands because they can go snorkeling and explore gorgeous coral reefs, whale watch from a kayak drifting gently in the sea, and then swim to a sandbank, where there’s nothing to do but enjoy the warmth of the sun and take in all the beauty.

Get Certified to Scuba Dive at the Marietas Islands

Vallarta Adventures' PADI Five Star Dive Center offers many dive certification courses designed to open up a world of opportunities beneath the surface of the sea, and many of our PADI certification courses can be completed while you are on your vacation if you do the book work before you leave home! Our PADI Scuba Diver Certification is one of the fastest ways to take a PADI scuba course administered by an experienced PADI-certified instructor. At the completion of the course, you will have a limited certification that allows you to dive in more locations as long as you’re in the company of a certified dive guide.

Certified Dive - 2 Tanks 

• Boat: Mid-sized Catamaran

• Water Temp: 62-86°F/17-30°C

• Average Visibility: 40 ft/12 m

• Depth: 25-60 ft/7.5-18 m