Dive· Los Arcos (Mismaloya)· Mexico
Los Arcos Dive Site
20° 32.8′ N · 105° 17.5′ W
Walls, tunnels and caves around the Los Arcos granite stacks, on the lip of the deep submarine canyon in the south of the bay. Reef fish, seahorses, morays, turtles and the occasional nurse shark, at depths that suit novices and experienced divers alike.
Practical
Coordinate is PADI's dive-site position for Los Arcos (20.54665, -105.29155). Depth 30 to 120 ft / 9 to 40 m with about 60 ft average visibility (PADI). Local operators run it from 10 to 90 ft (Chico's, Ecotours). Nearby named sites include El Cañón ('La Quijada del Diablo'), a wall from 60 to 120 ft for experienced divers, and El Aquario, 30 to 60 ft (Chico's Dive Shop). It is a protected marine park: no anchoring (Noonsite), so dive from an operator's boat or a dinghy with a dive flag. It is about 35 minutes by dive boat from Marina Vallarta. Ecotours charges USD 160 for 2 tanks (no year stated, verify locally). Seabirds roost on the stacks.
Best for
All-level wall and tunnel diving close to town
Season
Year-round; best visibility Jun–Dec