Our Shop
Dive Zihua is located at the heart of downtown Zihuatanejo, in Pacific side of Mexico. We are an experienced PADI Dive Resort with an atmosphere you would expect to find in a small dive operation. We not only have a passion for diving but all of our staff have been involved with conservation efforts for years and it is our philosophy to bring safe fun diving with an appreciation to the aquatic environment. We offer both diving and snorkeling tours through our full service dive facility. We also facilitate equipment rentals to certified Dive Masters and Instructors.
Meet the Owner
Joao Gouveia, the new owner of Dive Zihua, was born in Portugal in 1976, and has years of diving experience throughout Mexico, Belize, Portugal and Cabo Verde and therefore knows what it takes to bring you the best diving we have to offer. Be it reefs, a rock face or caverns and amazing life like whale-sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, nudibranchs, sea horses, frog fish, octopi, moray eels, turtles and sharks. We have everything you might want to see with a splash of humor and some fun surprises along the way. To know more information about Zihuatanejo the town and Ixatapa-Zihuatanejo diving visit our Zihuatanejo diving page.
Diving
Diving in Zihuatanejo can be a very exciting experience. There are several places with different depths ranging from 5m/15ft to 30m/100ft with coral reefs and some pelagic dives and swim throughs where different marine species live such as dolphins, whales, whale-sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, nudibranchs, sea horses, frog fish, octopi, moray eels, turtles and sharks.
While diving in Zihuatanejo you can find that the local marine life is incredible in its quantity and variety. Dive conditions do change throughout the year including visibility, temperature and currents. The water temperature changes in some months of the year, April to May being the coldest with an average of 26ºC / 78F but it can be as cold as 20ºC / 65F during this period so be prepared. The rest of the year tends to be a bit warmer ranging from 26º C / 78F to 31º C / 87F.
Visibility also varies ranging from 10m / 15ft or less to 30m / 100ft. These conditions change constantly during the year so call us to find out more. The best months to dive are from November to January. Having some excellent periods in July, October, February and March.
You can choose from either a 1, 2 or 3 tank dive. We take you out on our 18 person covered panga boat to one of the many dive sites we have in and around Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa. After the first dive we return to the boat to switch for new tanks and complete our surface interval. This is the time when you can enjoy refreshments that we will provide or just sit in the sun and relax a bit. Our staff takes care of the changing of the tanks and getting equipment ready. Once the surface interval has been completed we go on our second dive and then finish up the day.
The day usually starts at 8 a.m. and for a double tank dive you will be back before lunch, around 12. Everything is taken care of for you, so all you have to do is meet us on the pier.
We have over 30 different dive sites to choose from and all of them have something different to offer. Diving in the Pacific is a very different experience than diving in the Caribbean. Although the water visibility is not usually 100% the health of the water provides for us an amazing array of life. We have coral populations that span the majority of the dive sites and as so are houses for multiple species of fish.
Snorkeling
We have great trips to several snorkel sites. The most popular ones are Manzanillo or Zacatoso or even Morros de Potosi, where you have shallow corals and lots of life! The colors are amazing and you can bring anyone to a snorkel trip. Our guides will show you around safely with life vests if necessary.
Snorkel gear (mask, fins and snorkel) are included in our prices.
Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo is small fishing village in the Mexican Pacific Ocean coast. Its surrounded by mountains and it has a pleasant climate averaging temperatures of 28°C / 82F all year round. Its unbelievably beautiful. The golden beaches with soft waves and its picturesqueness are what invites people to come and relax and have fun.
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo offers ecotourism activities such as the release of endangered turtle hatchlings, as well as the observation of crocodiles, iguanas and birds in the mangroves. There are kayak tours and you can also go surfing, one of the best places to practice this sport thanks to its excellent waves is la Saladita or Troncones where surfing tournaments are held.
The hotel zone features from first-class amenities to more affordable hotels, where you will find many different water activities for everyone promising lots of fun, adventure. The people are especially kind and they will make your stay even more pleasant. Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo has ecological reserves, Eco-parks, you can go hiking in the forest or go to Mahahua cave to see the geological formations.
And in end of the day you can visit some of the local restaurants and bars and enjoy the bohemian scene or go party in the big clubs and dance halls in Ixtapa until dawn. Its cuisine with its excellent seafood is highly regarded by local and foreign tourists and you cannot miss the traditional recipes such as the famous grilled fish “talla”, the pozole or the tiritas/ceviche.
Site Locations
The town of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is very safe. The crime rate is very low, and you always feel safe walking the streets even at night. Taxis are cheap, safe so you can move in between places with ease.
Scuba diving enthusiasts there are several places with different depths ranging from 5m/15ft to 30m/100ft with coral reefs and some pelagic dives and swim throughs where different marine species live such as dolphins, whales, whale-sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, nudibranchs, sea horses, frog fish, octopi, moray eels, turtles and sharks.
Some of the best sites for Scuba Diving in Zihuatanejo:
La Piedra Solitária *** turtles/eagle rays/sea horses/moray eels/octupi/schools of fish and pelagic sea creatures like the occasional whale-shark…
El Faro ***
Caleta de Chon * Coral, turtles, sea horses, sand sting rays
El Pango ** Old broken wreck/canyons/eagle rays/turtles
Godornia ** Very broken boat wreck/swim throughs/big rocks/walls
Punta Esteban ***
Cactus **
El Yunque **
Palmitas **
Manzanillo * Novice dive site/snorkelers/great coral
Morro Bravo **
Morro del Tigre **
Bajo de Arturo ** Amazing canyons and pools
Special trip – Morros de Potosi *** Chance to see turtles (99%)/shark/eagle rays/ manta ray/big schools of fish…
Some of the best dive sites in Ixtapa are:
Sacramento A/B ***
Bajo de Jaime ***
Bajo Perdido ***
Bajo Seco ***
Torresillas ***
Bajo del Chato *
Zacatoso *
Bajo Punta Ixtapa **
* Easy
*****Hard
