We planned our trip to La Paz specifically with the goal of making it to Isla Espiritu Santo National Park – the beautiful clear water of this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, coupled with the white sand beaches, made it a must in our La Paz itinerary, and it did not disappoint. And, to snorkel with sea lions? Say no more.
Just an hour off the coast of La Paz, accessible by boat, we embarked on our tour to the “Holy Island” ready to experience the magic of place also called the Jewel of the Sea of Cortez – with beer stocked in the cooler on board, of course.
On the docket for the tour is first, the boat ride to Isla Espiritu Santo, a stop at the sea lion colony at Los Islotes for snorkeling, and then to the Playa Ensenada Grande for lunch and relaxation on the incredible Isla Partida – which was voted the most beautiful beach in Mexico AND one of the top 12 beaches in the world.
Looking for more recs for La Paz? Checking out my full Destination Overview of La Paz or a deep dive into another popular La Paz destination with my Day Trip To Isla Espiritu Santo Recap.
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What To Know Before Going
- The tour costs approx. $75 pp
- We booked our tour through TripAdvisor
- Food is provided
- Alcohol is not provided, but you can bring your own to store in their coolers
- There is a bathroom on board
- Make sure to bring:
- Sunscreen: The Mexican sun is very strong
- A hat: Again, don’t want to burn!
- Swimsuit + a wetsuit (if you have, they can provide for an extra $5 if you’d like!)
- Beach towels: The tour does not provide their own, so if you want to relax on the beach, make sure to pack!
- Sweatshirt or jacket: It does get a bit chilly on the way back, especially depending on the time of the year you go.
- Camera: Bonus points if you have one that can go underwater to capture swimming with the sea lions!
Set Sail For Isla Espiritu Santo
Our tour company met us on the Malecon in La Paz, right at Escultura De La Perla, the pearl sculpture on the pier, where we lugged our belongings and beer onto the boat with a couple of other passengers.
While enroute to the main attractions, our boat driver took us up past the coast of La Paz, passing Playa Balandra, one of the most gorgeous beaches in all of Mexico, and up towards Isla Espiritu Santo. The tour guide offers up a bit of history of the land itself and a glimpse of what to expect for the next 6-hours.
If you get lucky, in the open ocean you’ll find packs of dolphins jumping out all around you. Our trip actually started out in the most magical way, as we looked down to see dolphins swimming directly next to the boat – and then to our surprise, looked out into the ocean and find that we were floating with 1000s of dolphins, all jumping out of the water, breaking through to the sunshiny day. It was a quick bonding experience with the other passengers, as we all sat in awe of what was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Never have I ever seen so many dolphins at once & coupled with the backdrop of Isla Espiritu in the distance – it was breathtaking.
After many circles around the massive pod of dolphins, we headed back on track to the island, passing the frigatebirds, who nest along the island. From far away, the portion of the island looks like a black rocky texture, but as you approach you realize there are so many of the birds in one pocket, you can’t even see the island ground itself – the black rocks are actually the birds crowding the island!
Los Islotes – Sea Lion Snorkeling
Once we reached Los Islotes, we prepped for the snorkeling session, which lasted about 30-minutes (though you’d probably want to stay for hours, it seems each tour group gets an allotted amount of time for the session).
You can rent a wetsuit from the company (ahead of time so they have your size ready) or bring your own, but we chose to jump right in with our bathing suits on. The water is definitely chilly here, so if you’re not used to swimming in colder water, the wetsuit is definitely recommended!
We honestly weren’t quite sure what to expect swimming with the sea lions – not sure how close we’d be able to get to them, or what the scenery would be like. Not only do you get to swim directly next to the sea lions – and there are some massive ones (up to 1,000 pounds!!), that will swim right underneath you, but you also get to experience the coral reef and all the tropical fish in the water. The larger sea lions do keep their distance, but some of the babies get intrigued and will swim right up to you. We even swam face to face with one little cutie. Always be safe, though – this is their home after all.
Our tour guide took us through a sea cave to see some coral up close, and was continuously pointing out cool things to look at. You can stay up front with the guide, or swim along at your own pace, taking in what excites you the most.
Playa Ensenada Grande, Isla Partida – Ceviche lunch and beach chill
After the excitement of swimming with the sea lions, we headed to Playa Ensenada Grande to enjoy some ceviche on the beach. The views on this tour steadily exceeded my expectations – this beach was incredible. We anchored the boat, and walked out in knee-high, crystal clear water, to the white sands of the beach, anchored on both ends by ragged sandy cliffs.
It’s the perfect place to lay in the sand and crack open a beer – plus the ceviche the tour guides cook up in a build-your-own style, are mouthwateringly good. We definitely headed back for seconds, maybe even thirds.
We took some time to explore the beach, which only had one other tour group also there for the day, so it felt almost like our own private getaway. The water is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s so clear, and just fascinating to shuffle through the sand and watch the movement of your toes so clearly.
Heading back
After a jam-packed day on the ocean, we headed back to La Paz around 6PM full of buzz from the day (& maybe those few beers) and some new friends from the tour. This time, in the open ocean, our tour guide spotted a grey whale, so we circled around the area for a good 30-minutes in hopes of seeing him rise again.
It’s not typical to see one out in this area, as it’s far from the normal migration paths, but since it was just one whale and a baby, our tour guide assumed he got lost from his pod (so sad). He jumped up for a second time, for all of to catch sight, and we were in awe (for probably the 15th time this trip). We felt so lucky to experience the pod of dolphins and then on top of that, to have a whale sighting!
Sunset was approaching so we decided to have a quick dinner on the Malecon, with views of the sun setting on the ocean and a mojito in hand. We popped into Buzos for a table right on the boardwalk, recounting our favorite moments from the insanely beautiful day.
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