Sea lions

Todd Winner

If you think you’ve seen all that Cabo San Lucas has to offer, maybe it’s time to take a second look. An abundance of creatures large and small make the Gulf home; this area is especially well known for large-animal encounters.

Juvenile whale sharks visit the Bay of La Paz seasonally in October and November, and May through June; swimming with them is exhilarating though highly regulated — be sure your guide is properly authorized and follow all guidelines.

Scalloped hammerheads cruise these waters too — head to offshore islands for a greater chance of sighting one. Manta rays are abundant year-round, with many individuals well known to local divers, who have regular interactions with these winged giants.

Sea lions are always a big draw — their playful antics will be part of almost any trip to the area. The Sea of Cortez is home to five of the world’s seven species of sea turtles, and 15 whale species call the Gulf of California home.

“It’s incredible,” Dora Sandoval, owner of the Rocio Del Mar live-aboard, says of their sightings this year. “It’s why we all got into diving in the first place.”

GO NOW: Rocio Del Mar live-aboard, rociodelmarliveaboard.com