El Morro

El Morro plunges advanced divers into the deep Pacific waters off Puerto Vallarta's coastline, where a dramatic underwater rock formation creates one of the most exciting and marine-rich dive sites in the Banderas Bay region. This offshore pinnacle rises from significant depth to attract large marine species from the surrounding open ocean, creating encounters that make El Morro a must-dive destination for experienced divers exploring Mexico's central Pacific coast. The rock formation that gives El Morro its name rises from the Pacific seabed as a massive underwater mountain, its peak reaching within advanced diving depth while its flanks drop away into the abyss. This dramatic topography creates the upwelling conditions that concentrate nutrients and attract marine life from the surrounding deep water, making the pinnacle a natural aggregation point for species that divers rarely encounter on shallower coastal sites. The volcanic origin of the formation is evident in the rock's texture and composition, its dark surfaces creating a dramatic backdrop for the marine life encounters. The big-animal encounters at El Morro are the site's primary draw. Manta rays visit the pinnacle during their seasonal movements through Banderas Bay, their enormous wingspans creating moments of pure underwater magic as they cruise past at arm's length. During the winter months, the chance of encountering humpback whales in the area adds extraordinary anticipation, with their haunting songs audible underwater long before the animals themselves come into view. Bull sharks are occasionally seen in the deeper water around the pinnacle, their solid presence adding genuine excitement to deep sections of the dive. The rock surfaces host communities adapted to the high-energy Pacific environment. Large gorgonian sea fans extend from the volcanic rock in impressive sizes, their branches hosting the small fish and invertebrates that form the base of the pinnacle's food chain. Schools of Pacific species including jacks, snappers, and barracuda orbit the formation in formations that can number in the hundreds, their collective presence reflecting the productivity of the waters surrounding El Morro. The macro life on the rock surfaces is equally rewarding. Nudibranchs in Pacific species graze across the encrusted rock, while octopuses demonstrate their camouflage abilities among the volcanic boulders. Moray eels of impressive size occupy crevices in the rock structure, their territories established over years of continuous residence. El Morro delivers Pacific diving at its most adventurous and rewarding, an offshore pinnacle where depth, current, and open ocean exposure create the conditions for marine encounters that define the very best of Mexico's western coast diving.