Los Arcos
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
Los Arcos is a marine national park reef about 7 miles (11 km) south of Puerto Vallarta, also known as The Arches and Los Arcos de Mismaloya. Depths average 9 to 40 m with a maximum of 45 m, the current is low and visibility runs from 6 to 15 m.
The rocky west side has a vertical wall, and El Cañón del Diablo drops off from it for experienced divers, with bright fish and moray eels along the way. El Acuario is the shallow site, and El Bajo del Cristo has an underwater peak and submerged volcanic formations. Angelfish, pufferfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, seahorses, trumpetfish and sea turtles are easy to spot, and large manta rays turn up at times. Surge and currents are present, and a free descent is needed on the west wall.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Manta rayManta rayReported here · unconfirmed
ButterflyfishButterflyfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
Moray eelMoray eelConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
Sea turtleSea turtleConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
LobsterLobsterReported here · unconfirmed
SnapperSnapperConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
NudibranchNudibranchConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
ParrotfishParrotfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
PufferfishPufferfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
OctopusOctopusReported here · unconfirmed
SeahorseSeahorseConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
AngelfishAngelfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
Sally Lightfoot CrabGrapsus grapsusReported here · unconfirmed
Giant DamselfishMicrospathodon dorsalisReported here · unconfirmed
King AngelfishHolacanthus passerReported here · unconfirmed
Panamic Sergeant MajorAbudefduf troscheliiReported here · unconfirmed
Cortez Rainbow WrasseThalassoma lucasanumReported here · unconfirmed
TriggerfishTriggerfishReported here · unconfirmed
GrouperGrouperReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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