Magdalena Bay Striped Marlin Expedition
The magdalena bay marlin run expedition is the best way to experience all the biggest and most iconic marine wildlife Baja California can offer, all at the same time, all in the same trip: the world's biggest striped Marlin aggregations, Mahi Mahi's madness, whales, dolphins, sea lions mobulas, orcas and more, as seen on NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC! The wildest experience, a real hunting scenario where you will experience the adrenaline of hunters and prays interacting together. Thanks to our highly qualified guides and our knowledge of the area, you will have a safe and life - changing experience in the pristine and surreal landscape of Magdalena Bay!
FREEDIVING / SNORKELING
- minimum occupancy 4 people
- 5 days tour option with 3 full days in the ocean
FREEDIVING/
SNORKELING
- minimum occupancy 4 people
- 7 days tour option with 5 full days in the ocean
Included
- Transportation from Cabo San Lucas to Puerto San Carlos (Magdalena Bay) round trip. Meeting at Cabo Shark Dive Location, in front of Captain tony's restaurant at the marina next to Tesoro Resort. Chance to pick up in La Paz.
- Hotel accommodation in Magdalena bay in a 3 star hotel, nice and clean, in a double occupancy room with a private bathroom, air conditioning (Having a private single room, costs an additional $90 US per night, per person)
- Breakfast, box lunch, snacks, water and sodas on boat.
- 3 or 5 full days free diving & snorkeling in the open Ocean looking for striped marlin and pelagic activity. Chance to see whales, dolphins, orcas, sea lions and other big marine animals.
- Visit the local community of fishermen of isla Magdalena, a real contact with local culture and traditions
- Weights on boat if needed
- Life jackets available on board (NOT MANDATORY)
- Underwater photos or videos of the wildlife encounters
Departure
Weekly departures, at 10.30 am
Duration
7-day trip or 5-day trip
What to Bring
Wind jacket, some heavy clothes, wetsuit (3 or 5 mm) mask snorkel and fins, cameras and go pros, sun screen, and we suggest to take a Dramamine 45 minutes prior the the boat ride in case you suffer seasickness
Not Included
Snorkeling and wetsuits gear for rent, Alcoholic beverages, tips for the crew, dinners at the restaurant, flights, hotel in Los Cabos or La Paz, any meal outside Puerto San Carlos.
Tour Highlights
- Small groups only 6 guests per boat plus crew
- Snorkeling and free dive with striped marlin hunting in bait balls and other big marine animals
- Big animal interactions with sea lions, mobula rays, whales, dolphins and chance to see orcas
- Maximum learning from our expert guides and marine biologists
- Maximum safety
- Up close and personal encounters
- Explore the wildest marine reserve of Baja California, best wildlife encounters in Baja California sur
- Witness unique landscapes, birdwatching and nature visits to local mangroves with the endemic populations of coyotes, sand dunes and wild landscape of the Bay.
- Authentic experience in ar real Mexican fishermen village
SAFETY ON TOUR
Magdalena Bay Striped Marlin Expedition: The Secret Sardine Run
WHAT YOU WILL SEE WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!
Every year, in October, November and December the clear and pristine waters of Magdalena Bay filled up with Striped Marlins, sardines, birds, and other big pelagic fishes hunting the famous Sardines and Mackerel bait balls.This is the second world biggest sardines migration after the South Africa Sardine run. Cabo shark Dive is one of the first companies discovering and monitoring this amazing natural event, for OVER 10 YEARS!. We know perfectly how the marlin behave and how to find the best action and the biggest static bait balls. Here we work only with the best and trusted captains (all ex fishermen) best connoisseurs of the area, and during to whole trip, FROM START TO FINISH, you will be guided by the best and super-trained guides of Cabo Shark Dive, for a maximum safety and highest marlin sightings percentage. This is a unique opportunity to live a real wild life experience, like in a National Geographic documentary, face to face with one of the fastest and most elusive pelagic predators, hunting free in his natural environment!
THIS INCREDIBLE TRIP IS OPEN TO EVERYONE, FROM BEGINNERS TO PROFESSIONALS, NO CERTIFICATION REQUIRED. UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY OF YOUR MARLIN ENCOUNTER INCLUDED!!
THE HUNT: ARE YOU READY FOR THE WILDEST EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE?
On this amazing expedition you will have the UNIQUE opportunity to free dive and snorkeling SAFELY with one of the fastest marine predators, hunting literally in front of you, the best up close and personal encounter! We offer the best, up close and personal experience, a more intimate and longer interaction with marlin, mahi mahis, sea lions, dolphins, mobula rays whales and even orcas; for that reason we take only small groups, max 6 guests per boat plus crew. We can spend SEVERAL HOURS with massive static bait balls watching marlin and other big marine animals hunting, and we can stay in the water until they eat everything!
You will experience the best pelagic action you have ever seen, even better than the South Africa Sardine run, more intense, with 90 ft visibility, warm and crystal clear water in the pristine and fascinating environment of Magdalena Bay. On this trip we will spend 3 or 5 whole days in the ocean, full day until sunset! During the Mexican sardine run, you will see thousands of Frigate birds, hundreds of marlin, sailfish, mahi-mahi, tunas, sea lions, orcas and whales all participate in this crazy natural event, with the same purpose, feeding on sardine bait balls, and you will get very close to the action. The most amazing and interesting thing is watching different species of animals, birds, top predators and marine mammals interacting together to hunt as many sardines as possible, a real food frenzy for a real wild life experience!
Requirements
- Basic swimming and snorkeling skill
- Avoid wearing shining colours, yellow, silver and white
- Use of wetsuits from December to June. You can bring your own wetsuit or rent one of ours (only 10 usd each for rent)
- For the shark snorkeling experience the minimum age is 11 years old, for the shark watching tour no age limits
BOOK YOUR MARLIN EXPEDITION NOW!
To reserve your spots and hold your reservation we just require a deposit of the 50% of the total per person payable right here on our website, just CLICK ON "BOOK NOW" BUTTON to book your trip, it will take a minute, safe and easy! The balance will be paid in cash or credit card at the check in. If you pay with credit card we will add the 16% state taxes (IVA) on the balance. Check out schedule for the next season, CLICK ON "BOOK NOW" BUTTON and scroll on our calendar and choose the date you prefer
DEPARTURES DAYS SEASON 2025
Both the 5 and 7 days trips start every Monday from October 6th until December 30th.
October: 6 - 13 - 20 - 27
November: 3 - 10 - 17 - 24
December: 1 - 8 - 15 - 22 - 29
Full private charters and luxury marlin expeditions with catamaran and accommodation in villas with Jacuzzi and private chef available, ask us for rates and availability!
A UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM, ONE OF THE WORLD BEST MARINE RESERVE WITH AN INCREDIBLE BIODIVERSITY
Magdalena Bay is a natural reserve in the Pacific Coast of Baja California Sur, not open yet to mass tourism. It is a 50 km long bay along the western coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the sandy barrier islands of Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita. This bay is particularly noted for the seasonal migration of the California Grey whales and now also for the biggest striped marlin migration of the animal world. The abundance of sharks, billfishes, pelagic predators and different species of marine mammals makes Magdalena Bay the best place in Baja California Sur to free diving and snorkeling with marine mega - fauna.
WILDLIFE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE OCEAN
Nature is wild also outside the water. Nearby mangrove swamps provide sanctuaries for seabirds and an endemic population of COYOTES. More than 100 species of birds call the bay and the surrounding area. The bay includes the small and authentic Mexican fishing village of San Carlos, which will be our base. This is a place where time seems to be stopped, preserving nature and culture. Isla Magdalena and the surrounding area is also home to more than 8 endangered, endemic and rare plant species.
DIVING AREA
The activity occurs offshore, in the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean far from coastal recreational activities. We will go out early in the morning in the open ocean looking for any surface activity like birds hunting or bait balls, the unmistakable sign of presence of the mighty striped marlin hunting sardines! Then we will jump in the water for the big show! Visibility 100ft, water temperature 80-85 F
SAFETY ON TOUR
This trip is absolutely safe, we have run this expedition safely and successfully for over 10 years. All our guides are Emergency First Responder Certified Instructors, with a strong aquatic readiness and incredible swimming and diving skills. We have an extremely safe and efficient way to approach the bait balls and a fully - leaned diving technique. Before the tour we will do a detailed briefing to explain basic safety rules and how to interact with marlin hunting in the best and safest way!
WHAT YOU CAN SEE BESIDE MARLIN AND BAIT BALLS
Magdalena Bay is the only place where you can take pictures of pelicans eating sardines underwater. Ask our guide or captain to spend sometimes with the pelicans or to visit the famous Bird's Island at the end of the day! This is a list of the species you can see during our expedition. Interact With:Yellow fin tuna ( Thunnus albacares)Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus)Striped marlin (kalika audax)Wahoo (acanthocybium solandri)Common Dolphin (delphinus capensis)Mobulas (mobula mobular)Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)Killer whales ((Orcinus orca)Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)Pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus)Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta)Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)Hawksbill Turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata)Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)Brown PelicansSabine's GullsHeerman's GullBlue-footed BoobyMagnificent FrigatebirdPink-footed ShearwaterBlack-vented ShearwaterImpressive Laysan AlbatrossBlack-footed Albatrosses
