Mexico is a country of incredible land and marine diversity. On land the country boasts landscapes ranging from deserts and mountains to tropical rainforests. Mexico's coastline takes in the vast Pacific Ocean and two contrasting seas: the rich Sea of Cortez and the warm Caribbean bordering the Yucatan Peninsula.
The Yucatan is home to vast monuments of the ancient Maya civilization and the world's second largest barrier reef stretches for more than 300km along the Latin American coast. It is also where the World's largest known annual aggregation of Whale Sharks occurs. July and August are the peak periods for this which is when Aqua-Firma's expert team of whale shark researchers & underwater photographers can take you in search of close encounters with these beautiful and harmless giants. As well as providing some of the best opportunities to swim and snorkel with whale sharks, you can if you wish, actively participate in research. Your participation will automatically help to fund their work.
Aqua-Firma also operates private and small group journeys to explore the best of this region's wildlife, scenery, marine life and culture. We take you to temples as famous as Tulum and Chechen Itza; and others like Calakmul lost deep inside a huge forest reserve on the border with Guatemala. Our adventures by canoe through mists rising from a lake take you walking amongst lakeside troops of Yucatan Spider Monkeys; to caves where snakes uniquely snatch bats from the air in caves; and to see hummingbirds, toucans and woodpeckers close to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.
For scuba divers, areas we specialise in are the Cenotes of Yucatan, coral reefs of Cozumel and Belize, diving from land or by liveaboard; and by liveaboard only to Mexico's marine 'Galapagos', the Revilla Gigedo Islands, best known by the name of its largest island of Socorro. Here we find Giant Manta Rays whose wingspans reach more than 6 metres. These graceful sea giants gather in large numbers and often beautifully clear water here. Humpback whales are a feature of these seas early in the year; as well as congregations of hammerhead, silky and other sharks.
Expedition cruises for non-divers in late winter and spring along the western coast of Baja California, yield some of the most rewarding marine life encounters our planet has to offer. Grey Whales migrate down the North American coast to the shallow warm waters of several lagoons along the Baja Peninsula. They give birth here to their fragile (but still sizeable) calves in relative safety from pods of Orcas which predate them in their open ocean and Alaskan feeding grounds. We can take you out to the grey whales in small boats and it's not unusual for young whales to do a little human watching themselves, examining boats and some rubbing themselves against them.
Down this coast Humpback Whales, Sealions, Elephant Seals, Mobula Rays and Dolphins are also seen in good numbers. Across the Baja Peninsula, the Sea of Cortez offers chances to spot the largest animal on the Planet, the Blue Whales, with sea kayaking, camping on remote islands and snorkelling with sealions being some of the wide range of activities we offer based in the rugged Espiritu Santu Islands.
citizen science - whale shark tour - swimming with whale sharks
