Is swimming with sea lions in La Paz, Mexico on your bucket list? This post will give you the full run down on what to expect!
One of my favorite experiences I’ve had when visiting La Paz, Mexico is taking a day trip to the remote Espiritu Santo Island (or Isla Espiritu Santo)—in fact, I love it so much I’ve visited twice.
My first visit to the island was years ago on a liveaboard boat cruise, but on my second and most recent trip I decided to do a full-day tour to snorkel and swim with sea lions!
In doing research before my recent trip to La Paz, I discovered that you could swim with sea lions at Espiritu Santo Island, and after learning that there are only a few places in the world you can do this I knew I needed to add it to my itinerary.
I mean, what a unique experience, right?!
In this post, I’m going to share what you should expect on a day tour to Isla Espiritu Santo swimming with sea lions, tips for the best ways to visit, and everything else you need to know to have an unforgettable experience in what many consider the most beautiful island in the Sea of Cortez.
The Sea of Cortez in Baja, Mexico is famous for its rich biodiversity and marine life. There’s a reason why Jacques Cousteau notably referred to this body of water as “the world’s aquarium,” as it has one of the most vast arrays of marine life in the world with over 900 different species of fish and tons of species of sharks, whales, dolphins—and of course, sea lions.
Espiritu Santo Island, which is one of the islands within the Sea of Cortez, is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but a protected national park too.
While I feel like La Paz has made a name for itself as the place to swim with whale sharks (which I did back in 2018!), it doesn’t seem as well-known that you can swim with sea lions here too.
This is one of the most unique things to do in Baja if not all of Mexico, and if you’re planning a trip to La Paz, Mexico, this should absolutely be on your must-do list.
Not only will you get the joyous and adrenaline-inducing experience of swimming with playful sea lions, but you’ll also get to experience the magic of Espiritu Santo Island.
So let’s get down to the details…
Don’t have time to read the full post? Here’s a quick guide to swimming with sea lions in La Paz:
- Where: Los Islotes sea lion colony off of Espiritu Santo Island
- How: Visitors must book a guided tour since it is a protected area. Here is the top-rated tour I took and recommend. If you prefer scuba diving over snorkeling, check out this tour.
- Important Tip: Pack layers for the boat trip as it’s a long day and can get cold on the boat at high speeds.
Everything You Need to Know About Swimming with Sea Lions in La Paz
Where Can You Swim with Sea Lions in La Paz?
All of the top tours that offer swimming with sea lions from La Paz will go to a sea lion colony called Los Islotes, located at the northern tip of Espiritu Santo Island. Los Islotes is home to some 800+ California sea lions. Here, visitors can either snorkel or scuba dive with the sea lions, plus see other fish species. We lucked out by spotting a big school of sardines!
You can find Espiritu Santo Island in the Sea of Cortez, about 31 km off the coast of La Paz, Mexico. The island is connected to Isla Partida by an isthmus and is close to Los Islotes, which is famous for its sea lion colony.
It takes approximately 90-minutes by boat ride to get from La Paz to Los Islotes, making it a popular day trip for people traveling around Baja California Sur.
Here’s a map for reference to show you the island’s location in relation to La Paz:
Quick Facts About Espiritu Santo Island
- The area is protected: Along with being a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, Espiritu Santo Island has been a National Park protected by the Mexican government since 2007.
- Tour or permit requirement: Since it is a protected area, you must have a permit from CONANP to visit independently or join a guided tour which includes permits. If you’re swimming with sea lions, you’ll need to join a guided tour anyway, so you won’t have to worry about this!
- Best time of the year to visit: December is the most ideal time to visit La Paz and Espiritu Santo Island in my opinion, when the water is still warm from the summer months and marine life spottings (like whale sharks) are optimal. However, anytime between September and May is a solid bet for swimming with sea lions. Keep in mind, tours don’t run to swim with the sea lions in La Paz from June to August due to mating season.
- Popular activities on Espiritu Santo: Swimming with sea lions, hiking, whale watching, viewing marine life and visiting secluded beaches are some of the top things to do.
- Marine life highlights: The Sea of Cortez is home to 900 fish species and 39% of the world’s known marine mammal species! Sea lions, various kinds of whales, turtles, and dolphins are common sights around Espiritu Santo Island.
- Birdlife highlights: Isla Espiritu Santo is home to blue-footed boobies, pelicans, frigatebirds, and much more.
- The island is uninhabited: You won’t find any hotels here. If you want to explore the area longer than on a day trip, a good option to check out is camping through an authorized tour operator or joining a longer liveaboard cruise.
Is Espiritu Santo Island Worth Visiting?
Absolutely—which is why I’ve been twice already! Between the abundant marine life, stunning beaches, and memorable experiences like swimming with sea lions, it’s one of the best things to do in La Paz.
If you love nature, exploring wildlife, and want to see a unique side of Mexico, I guarantee you’ll enjoy taking a day trip to Espiritu Santo Island.
What I especially love about Espiritu Santo is that it showcases a different side of Mexico than what you might typically envision. This is not your typical Mexico island lined with resorts and beach umbrellas. Espiritu Santo is remote, unspoiled and features unique geology that is quite different from the stereotypical Mexico people imagine.
Imagine spending an adventurous day out on the water, swimming alongside playful sea lions, spotting whales breaching next to your boat, and being in awe of the island’s natural beauty anywhere you look. That’s what I experienced on my last visit.
If you have even more time to do an overnight here or liveaboard cruise I highly recommend it. Seeing the sunset at Espiritu Santo is especially magical!
How to Get to Espiritu Santo Island to Swim with Sea Lions
The best way to visit Espiritu Santo Island for a day trip to swim with the sea lions is by joining a boat tour from La Paz. These typically depart from the downtown Marina in La Paz.
Due to the area’s protected status, booking a tour is necessary to ensure you are following local regulations that are in place to protect the wildlife.
While I recommend staying in La Paz to fully explore what this area of Baja has to offer, it’s also possible to commute in for the day from Cabo or Todos Santos or other areas of Baja if you have a rental car.
If You’re Staying in La Paz: If you plan on staying in La Paz, great! It will be a quick trip over to the marina where tours typically depart from. To get to La Paz, you can arrive via nonstop flights from Los Angeles, which is currently the only US city that is direct. From other US cities, you can fly nonstop into Cabo San Lucas, and then drive the 2 hours to La Paz.
If You’re Staying in Cabo: While a day trip from Cabo is doable by renting a car or booking a transfer, I really recommend spending a few days in La Paz to explore the town and other unmissable places like Balandra Beach. The trip from Cabo to La Paz will add two hours each way to your day.
If you’re staying in Todos Santos: Another option is to base yourself in Todos Santos (my favorite destination in Baja!) and take a day trip from there. It’s only about an hour and 15 minutes to drive from Todos Santos to La Paz, making it totally doable as a day trip. Don’t miss my Todos Santos travel guide if you are exploring this part of Baja.
Travel Tip
If you’re visiting multiple locations in Baja, renting a car is the most efficient way to see everything. We use Discover Cars when renting cars abroad and in Mexico especially as they allow you to compare cars from various agencies, as well as see transparent pricing up front to avoid hidden fees once you arrive at the rental agency. For the best experience, make sure to select full coverage insurance and choose a reputable rental company when booking.
Book your rental car with Discover Cars here
What is the Best Time of Year to Swim with Sea Lions in La Paz?
Sea lions live year-round in the Sea of Cortez, so you can certainly witness them in their natural habitat any time of year. However, the season for swimming with sea lions in La Paz runs from September through May as tours halt in the summer months to allow for their breeding season.
If you are planning other activities around marine life during your trip to La Paz such as swimming with whale sharks, I’d recommend planning your trip between November and February when whale sharks are most active in the area.
Best Things to do on Espiritu Santo Island
Depending on the tour you book and how you choose to visit Isla Espiritu Santo, there are quite a few different activities you can enjoy, such as:
- Snorkeling with sea lions at Los Islotes
- Whale watching
- Hiking on one of the various trails
- Picnicking at secluded beaches
- Scuba diving
- Birdwatching
- Make a visit to San Gabriel Bay
- Kayaking
- Paddleboarding
- Sport fishing
- Camping or glamping overnight on the island
What to Expect on a Day Tour from La Paz to Swim with Sea Lions
If you’re already convinced to visit and want to book a tour, here’s the tour I booked! However, if you still need a bit of convincing, I’m here to break down all the details of our tour so you can get an idea of what to expect and see if it’s the right fit for your trip.
Every Espiritu Santo Island tour to swim with sea lions is a little different, but here is my personal experience from the tour I took.
Why I chose this tour
I chose this tour based on its great reviews (over 400 reviews with 5 stars!), the small group size (there were about 8 of us total on the tour), and because it’s led by marine biologist guides who care about protecting the local marine life.
What was provided on our tour
Transport out to the islands via boat, snorkels, wetsuits (because the water was freezing!), fins, lunch, and refreshments (non-alcoholic). Life jackets are also provided, but we only had to wear them when swimming with the sea lions.
Tour Overview
Departing From La Paz:
We started out the morning departing from La Paz and headed out toward Isla Espiritu Santo. Along the way, we stopped at a bird colony where we spotted blue-footed boobies and our guide pointed out some of the geological features of the island.
Our guide explained that along with its sister island, Isla Partida, Espiritu Santo is a rock formation that was formed over time by volcanic activity and tectonic movements. Because of this, the majority of the geologic composition in the area is made up of volcanic ash and lava.
During the boat ride, we also spotted several humpback whales. Our guides took their time, allowing us to wait for the whales to come to the surface so we could watch them for as long as possible and get some nice photos.
Our guides also made a pit stop to a unique rock formation that is uncannily in a shape that resembles Baja—so wild!
Visiting the Sea Lion Colony:
Around noon, we got to the sea lion colony, which was obviously the main attraction of the tour. This was perfect timing because the water is super cold this time of year (I visited in February). It was great to have full mid-day sun to soak up any warmth possible.
Luckily, the tour I was on provided thick wetsuits to help trap in heat, but honestly once I submerged into the water, the temperature wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.
After diving into the water, I was half expecting to have to fight to see the sea lions up close, but I was shocked that within minutes the playful young ones were swimming right up to our group, zooming between us. I literally had to dodge out of the way to avoid touching them!
It was really fun to see how playful they were, performing underwater acrobatics and showing just as much curiosity about us as we were showing towards them. A couple young sea lions even nibbled on some of our fins, which our guides explained is all part of their curious way of playing.
Tip: While the sea lions are definitely really friendly and interactive, it’s important to not touch them or chase after them. Let them come to you! I also recommend keeping your hands and fingers close to your body to avoid getting nibbled in the wrong place!
Wrapping Up the Day:
After we’d had our fill of sea lion play, we headed back out on the boat towards a remote beach at Ensenada Grande, where we were able to dry off in the sun while our guides prepared lunch. We had the area all to ourselves other than one other boat parked in the bay.
They served three different kinds of ceviche (including one vegetarian option) over hard tortilla shells, which were actually so delicious. After doing many boat day trips in my lifetime, this was honestly some of the best and freshest lunch food I’ve had on a tour like this!
The last stop on the tour was San Gabriel Bay where we passed by the frigate bird colony and learned about the history of cultured pearls here that dates back to the 1600s.
Throughout the day trip, we also saw sardines, cormorants, and pelicans. All in all, it was a really enjoyable experience filled with a little bit of everything: adventure, time spent in nature, and some environmental education along the way.
All in all, the tour lasted about 6 hours from 9 am – 3 pm, and we still got back in time to explore beautiful La Paz in the afternoon.
Best things about the tour
- Playing with sea lions underwater—such a bucket list experience!
- Eating lunch at a beautiful remote little cove called Ensenada Grande.
- The marine biologist guides are super knowledgeable about the wildlife in the area, and I feel like I learned a lot about the bird and marine life around Espiritu Santo.
- Even though I was the only one who didn’t speak Spanish on the tour, the guide translated everything for me in English so I could learn all about Espiritu Santo National Park alongside everyone else.
- The wetsuits on our tour were included, but I’ve heard that you have to pay extra for them on some other tours.
Tips for Visiting the Sea Lions in La Paz
- Choose an Eco-Conscious Tour: Sea lion tours from La Paz are regulated to protect this colony and to minimize the impact from human visitors. It’s really important to choose a tour operator that is mindful and eco-conscious and is following all government regulations.
- Pack Layers: Depending on the time of year you visit, water temperatures can range from 65°F to 80°F. When I visited in February it was VERY cold. Make sure to pack appropriate layers including a jacket and long pants for the boat ride as it can get quite cold when picking up speed in winter. Pack a towel too!
- Safety Around the Sea Lions: While negative interactions with the sea lions are rare, they have been known to happen. Playful nibbling on fins and such is normal, but in order to stay safe around these wild creatures it’s best to avoid the adult males, only interact with the young sea lions, and let them lead the interaction rather than chasing them or trying to touch them. Keep your fingers close to your body. Remember, you are an observer in their natural habitat.
- Book Ahead: The tour that I booked is often sold out ahead of time, so make sure to book as soon as you have your dates set for La Paz!
What to Pack for a Sea Lion Swimming Tour on Espiritu Santo Island
These boat ride day tours will have you out on the water and in the sun all day so pack everything you need for a typical beach day. Here are the essentials you’ll need:
- Swimsuit – I’d wear something a bit more sporty with coverage as you’re going to be jumping in the water, and moving around a lot, but in the colder months you’ll put a wetsuit on over your swimsuit anyways to stay warm. I wish I would have worn a one-piece for extra warmth under my wetsuit.
- Eco-friendly or reef-safe sunscreen – While our boat had a shade cover, you’ll definitely be in the sun for part of the day while swimming and exploring beaches.
- Hat
- Towel – Our tour did not provide towels and I was really happy to have mine that I snagged from our hotel last minute.
- Sunglasses
- Layers – As I mentioned before, the boat ride can get chilly as you speed through the Sea of Cortez towards Espiritu Santo. I highly recommend packing a long-sleeved shirt and long pants as well as a windbreaker/jacket if you’re visiting during colder months.
- GoPro – This is how I was able to capture underwater footage of the sea lions!
- Waterproof phone case or dry bag
- Water shoes for rocky beaches
- Backpack
- Water bottle
- Snorkeling gear (most tour operators include this, but double check before you depart for your tour)
Best Tours to Book to Visit Espiritu Santo Island
Dead set on swimming with sea lions in La Paz?
Here are the best tours to book:
- The Tour I Booked: This is the exact tour I booked and it’s one of the highest rated snorkeling tours with an eco-conscious tour operator.
- Scuba Diving Tour: If you prefer to scuba dive with the sea lions, then book this tour that runs with the same tour operator I went with.
- Private Tour: Traveling with a group? If so, you can book this private tour to ensure it’s just you and your friends on the boat all day.
- Paddle Board Tour: In addition to swimming with sea lions, this tour offers paddle boarding around Espiritu Santo for a more active adventure.
There are plenty of other ways to explore Espiritu Santo Island if you’re not keen on swimming with the sea lions. Espiritu Santo Island is definitely worth visiting, whether you want to see the sea lions or not!
If you want something a little different than what I did, here are a few suggestions:
- Luxury Yacht Cruise to Espiritu Santo and Balandra Bay: If you’re traveling with a group, you can book this luxury yacht to experience the highlights of Espiritu Santo in style as well as Mexico’s prettiest beach, Balandra.
- Glamping at Camp Cecil de la Isla: On this glamping excursion, stay on one of the most beautiful beaches of Espiritu Santo National Park in comfortable tents with real beds to get an unforgettable experience on your trip around Baja California Sur. You can do the same things you’d do on a day tour plus more, like star gazing on the uninhabited island.
Final Thoughts for Visiting Espiritu Santo Island and Swimming with Sea Lions in La Paz
Out of all the amazing things to do in La Paz, Mexico, swimming with sea lions definitely has to be one of the most exciting and unique! I hope this post gave you all the insight you need to make a decision on how to experience this fun adventure in Baja.
If you have any questions about swimming with sea lions in La Paz, drop me a note in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer your questions!
Discover More More Baja Posts
27 Best Things to do in Todos Santos
How to Visit Balandra Beach in La Paz
18 Best Restaurants in Todos Santos
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