Up Dive
Calle Cuauhtémoc, La Paz, ESP
About the Center
Up Dive, located in La Paz, Mexico, is a responsible and eco-touristic company dedicated to revealing the beauty of the Sea of Cortez and La Paz Bay. Certified by SSI and TDI, it offers a comprehensive range of diving courses, including Advanced Open Water, Instructor Development Course, Snorkeling, Boat Diving, and Wreck Diver. Divers will experience the wonder of the region, famously dubbed the "Aquarium of the World" by Jacques Cousteau, with opportunities for interactive dives with playful Sea Lion pups and exploration of vibrant rocky reefs teeming with colorful fish.
The facilities at Up Dive are designed for comfort and immersion in the experience. They include showers and lockers, along with a restaurant and bar for post-dive relaxation. For those wishing to extend their stay, accommodation is available. The dive shop is equipped with equipment rental and air fills (nitrox). Activities encompass both boat diving and shore diving, with airport transfers provided for ultimate convenience. The team comprises Marine Biologist Dive Masters and guides, bringing deep knowledge and a commitment to marine conservation.
Up Dive's experience offerings are diverse, covering trips to Espiritu Santo Island with sea lions, visits to Balandra Beach, whale shark snorkeling, sunset tours, and ocean safaris. They also offer sport fishing services. The company is committed to creating once-in-a-lifetime memories while promoting a sense of conservation for nature and our oceans. Languages spoken at the center include Spanish, English, and French, ensuring fluid communication with an international clientele.
Available Courses
2 cursosDiscovery Scuba Experience
The Discovery Scuba Experience at UP Dive is the entry point for anyone who's never been underwater with a tank. It's a shallow, controlled dive done alongside a certified instructor in La Paz Bay — an area with calm conditions and abundant marine life that makes for a forgiving and visually rich first dive. The Sea of Cortez backdrop is hard to beat for a first underwater experience. Rocky reefs covered in coral, schools of colorful fish, and the possibility of sea lion encounters depending on the season — it's a long way from a hotel pool intro. After the dive, if you want to go further, UP Dive can move you directly into an Open Water course to get certified. The Discovery experience functions both as a standalone excursion and as a natural first step in that progression. Guides on these dives are Marine Biologist Dive Masters, so questions about the marine life you encounter will get real answers rather than shrugs.
Open Water Dive Course
UP Dive offers Open Water certification for divers who want to make their La Paz experience more than a one-off. The course leads to a recognized scuba certification that opens access to the full dive site list in the Sea of Cortez — wrecks like the Fang Ming and C-59, reef dives, and certified-diver sea lion encounters at Los Islotes. Instruction is handled by Marine Biologist Dive Masters based out of La Paz, people who know the local dive sites in detail and can contextualize the marine environment beyond standard course content. The Sea of Cortez itself is the classroom backdrop, which changes the character of the experience compared to pool-heavy certification programs. Once certified, the full UP Dive trip menu opens up: shared boat trips to multiple sites per day, private charters, and deeper reef and wreck diving across La Paz Bay and around Espiritu Santo Island. Certification here means you leave La Paz with a card that works anywhere in the world. Pricing for the course wasn't listed on the site — contact UP Dive directly for current rates.
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No. UP Dive offers a Discovery Scuba Experience for uncertified divers — a shallow, instructor-led dive to get your first taste of the underwater world. If you want to get certified afterward, they also offer an Open Water course.
MX$4,000 per person for a shared trip. Private charters start at MX$14,000 for up to 3 divers, MX$16,000 for 4, and MX$20,000 for 5. Both options include 2 dives, full gear, beverages, snacks, lunch, and the National Park bracelet.
The colony is accessible for interaction outside the June–August reproductive season. The rest of the year the colony of over 400 individuals is open to both snorkel and scuba visits.
Yes. If you're comfortable with your own equipment and can travel with it, you're welcome to use it. Full gear rental is also available if you prefer not to bring your own.
A physical card is preferred, but a photo of your certification on your phone is accepted.
Yes. If you're anchored or moored in La Paz Bay, they can collect you at your vessel and return you after the dives.
It ranges from around 20°C in January up to 30°C in July. A 3mm wetsuit covers the warmer months; switch to 5mm for winter dives.