Socorro Manta & Shark Madness Liveaboard Trip 2027

Socorro Islands Photo Workshop on the Quino del Mar in Feb 2027 for manta rays, sharks & humpback whales.

Trip Dates:

February 6 - 15, 2027

Trip Leader: Nirupam Nigam

Photo Workshop

Quino del Mar Cabin From $4,295 per person

Prices are per person, based on double-occupancy unless otherwise noted.

Why Join This Trip?

Intense focus on repeated encounters with friendly giant Manta Rays, hammerhead, silvertip & galapagos sharks, and dolphins
Prime season for breaching humpback whales
A short 2 hour flight to Cabo from the SouthWest United States
On one of the best reviewed liveaboards, the Quino Del Mar
Includes FREE photo workshop from your trip leader
Diver to Guide ratio is 6:1
25% discount on rental photo gear from Bluewater Photo
Fully refundable deposit until 12 months from departure

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Trip Overview

The trip starts and ends in San Jose del Cabo, then goes on to the Revillagigedo Archipelago which includes Socorro Island, Roca Partida, and San Benedicto Island. The Quino del Mar is one of the better liveaboards cruising to Socorro. Dive to your heart's content as many as four times a day and get to interact with large pelagics up close and personal.

Click the Manta Trust logo to learn more!

Tim Johnson shares his underwater footage from Bluewater Travel's Socorro 2023 Underwater Photo Workshop

Dive Overview

The Revillagigedo Islands are where you will have an experience of a lifetime with large ocean pelagic animals including a wide variety of sharks (hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, Galapagos sharks, and silky sharks), dolphins, tuna, barracudas, clouds of jacks, and of course, the friendliest mantas in the world. This is also humpback whale season, and if lucky, you may see a humpback whale swim by underwater.

Read about our latest trip in our Socorro Trip Report 2026.

Socorro March 2020 Trip Report

Photos by Christina Ricafort (L) & Nirupam Nigam (R)

Sample Itinerary

Here's a sample day-by-day itinerary of this trip (subject to change):

Day 1: The Quino Del Mar will be ready for boarding at 5:00 pm, dinner is served at 7:00 pm, and will depart that evening
Day 2: Quino del Mar arrives in San Benedicto
Day 3: San Benedicto, 4 dives scheduled
Day 4: Roca Partida, 3 dives scheduled
Day 5: Roca Partida, 3 dives scheduled
Day 6: Socorro Island, 4 dives scheduled (check-in with naval station)
Day 7: Socorro Island, 4 dives scheduled
Day 8: San Benedicto, 4 dives scheduled, at the end of this day, we will start our departure to San Jose del Cabo
Day 9: Arrive at San Jose del Cabo, guests may sleep on the boat
Day 10: Disembark after breakfast by 8:30 am

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Diving Conditions

February is an excellent time for diving in Socorro, as it falls within the peak diving season from November to May. This period offers divers a chance to encounter remarkable marine life, including giant manta rays, playful dolphins, and schooling hammerhead sharks.

Water Temperature - 75F-80F (24-27C) degrees in November and December, beginning of January, late April and May. Expect cooler temperatures between 70-74F (21-23C) in late January, February, March, and beginning of April.
Visibility - Varies depending on the dive site, season, currents, and other conditions. Roca Partida often has the best visibility, reaching over 100 feet. There are sometimes reports of lower visibility in November/December (when whale sharks are found feeding on plankton).
Depth Range - 33-100ft (10-30m)

To learn more about what you can expect from this Socorro trip check out our 2023 trip report. You can also read the great reviews of the Quino del Mar & the reviews on diving Socorro here.

Recommended Scuba Gear

Download our full scuba gear guide to Socorro, Bluewater Travel guests receive 10% OFF! Click the image below to download (PDF).

Note on Marine Park Fees

*For people who are over 60 and can provide documentation that they are retired or pensioned, the park fee will be waived. According to the CONANP, any official document with the words "RETIRED" or "PENSIONED" will be accepted along with a photo of a current passport. Any other documentation will NOT be accepted.

In our experience, US citizens who are receiving retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration can download a Benefit Verification Letter from the www.SSA.gov website.

For students and teachers: A 75% discount is available for ACTIVE/CURRENT students and teachers. To get this discount, a photocopy of an identification card with a photo and current date is required.

To apply for an exception, the above documentation should be sent to Bluewater at trips@bluewaterdivetravel.com no later than one month prior to boarding. Please note that CONANP has the final word if a document is accepted or not. They do not verify the exception prior to the trip. If it is not accepted, the applicant will be required to pay the full park fees.

For more details, read about the Socorro Marine Park Fees 2025.

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Trip Type

This is a PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. Led by one of our photo instructors and will include daily underwater photography tutorials, in-water photography support, and one-to-one advice and guidance as required.

What to Expect From Our Photo Workshops

Daily photo workshops - Your photo instructor will schedule seminars each day on topics including, but not limited to, equipment type and selection, the concept of underwater photography, lighting and composition techniques, and post-processing. They will also include additional topics relevant to the location and your experience.

In-water support - Where possible, each dive group will spend time underwater with the photo instructor, receiving in-water support and guidance on their shooting techniques. Participants can also request in-water assistance during the workshop and the photo instructor will do his or her best to accommodate all requests.

Consecutive days of practice & review - Each day you will have the opportunity to practice the techniques and skills learned in the previous day’s tutorials. If you are new to underwater photography you will likely see a vast improvement in just a few days.

Daily photo image reviews - You are strongly encouraged to bring your laptop, a thumb drive, edit your photos, and submit your shots for review from both the instructor and your peers. These are fun and interactive sessions encouraging you to improve throughout the trip.

Quality time with fellow photographers - Both new and experienced photographers from past workshops have expressed the advantages of joining a trip with like-minded divers with a passion for underwater photography.

Suitable for everyone - New and experienced photographers are welcome on all our trips. Gain the necessary skills to start shooting great photos, increase your confidence in finding the best underwater shots, or hone specific skills. We also encourage non-photographers to join, as many of them really enjoy the daily photo reviews, learning about underwater photography, and some have even returned to a photo workshop with an underwater camera setup!

Enjoy free, unlimited access to a wealth of knowledge and advice from your photo instructor.

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Inclusions

Your accommodation and housekeeping
All meals, snacks, and beverages, including breakfast on the day of disembarkation
Local beer and wine
4 guided dives per day (conditions permitting)
Tanks, air and weights
16% Mexican tax
Port fees

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Exclusions

Marine Park Fee: approx. $1,300 per person (Socorro Marine Park Authority adjusts park fees annually, and the final amount will be confirmed closer to departure)
Nitrox: $120 for the week
Equipment rental
Transfers to and from the boat
Gratuity
Travel Insurance - ask us about our preferred partner plan

* onboard fees and charges are subject to change

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Accommodation

About The Quino Del Mar

Launched in July 2025, the Quino del Mar is owned by one of the top dive operators specializing in trips to the Sea of Cortez and Socorro Islands in Mexico. This 89-foot liveaboard yacht offers 10 cabins for up to 20 divers.

Exterior of the Quino del Mar Twin bed accommodation

Quino del Mar's Key Features

What excites us about the Quino del Mar liveaboard is the promise of knowledgeable and friendly dive staff, exceptional stability for navigating the often-rough waters to the Socorro Islands, mouthwatering Mexican cuisine, and ample space designed for underwater photographers to set up their gear. This liveaboard is shaping up to be a dream for avid divers and underwater photographers eager to explore Socorro and the Sea of Cortez!

Quino del Mar

Check out our walkthrough video of the Quino del Mar!

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Socorro Trip Extensions

Want to extend your trip? We can help with that! See more of Mexico before or after your trip with Bluewater in Socorro. Flying all that way merits a multi-destination vacation! Here are some examples of packages we can add on to your trip reservation:

Read More.

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Trip Leader

Nirupam Nigam

Nirupam Nigam is the Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide and the President of Bluewater Photo & Video - the world's top underwater photo & video retailer. While growing up in Los Angeles he fell in love with the ocean and pursued underwater photography in the local Channel Islands. After receiving degrees in Aquatic and Fisheries Science and General Biology, as well as a minor in Arctic Studies, Nirupam worked as a fisheries observer on vessels in the Bering Sea and North Pacific. Since then, Nirupam has been a full time underwater photographer and photo gear head.

View more of Nirupam's work here: www.photosfromthesea.com

Read more about Nirupam Nigam.

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How To Get There

Flight Information

Guests on this trip will need to fly into Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) and take a taxi to the Marina Puerto Los Cabos. The boat is located by the Hotel El Ganzo. Boarding time starts at 5pm.

Note: Guests arriving early may avail of day passes at Hotel El Ganzo, where they can spend time before boarding. There's an area for storing luggage and restrooms for changing. First come, first served, but guests can email the hotel before arriving.

Rooftop Pool - 1000 pesos, guests can use up to 750 pesos as a food and beverage credit
Beach Club - 750 pesos, guests can use the whole amount as a food and beverage credit

On the way back, we arrive in San Jose during the early morning hours of the last day of the trip. Guests must disembark by 8.30am. Since transfers are not included in our fees, guests will need to take a taxi to the airport, which the crew can help arrange. Return flights should be made after midday on the last day of the trip.

Recommended nearby hotels to book for extra nights include the Tropicana Inn, Hotel El Ganzo, or El Encanto Inn & Suites.

Flight Package

Our group trips attract guests from all over the globe and many of our customers prefer to book their own flights to take advantage of mileage points or credit card discounts. For these reasons, flights are not included in our group trip packages.

However, we are more than happy to work with you to find the best travel itinerary for your trip and will gladly give suggestions and advice, even if you make the final booking. We will check through your travel reservations at any time to ensure they fit with the trip schedule and can give recommendations on transit hotels and day tours where needed.

If you would like us to book flights and transit hotels for domestic and/or international travel on your behalf, we are also happy to arrange this. Contact Us for more information.

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