La Paz has earned international scuba diving fame due to sites found primarily around the islands that form part of the bay, such as Espíritu Santo Island, considered the most beautiful in the Sea of Cortes.
These dive sites include marine mountains (El Bajo at 18 mts of minimum depth, recommended for experienced divers), colonies of sea lions (Los Islotes, recommended for all levels), coral reefs (Cabo Pulmo, a natural reef very close to La Paz), nearby beaches (Punta Arenas, only one hour from the city), Cueva de Leon (located in Punta Arenas; considered one of the best places for diving) and small islands and artificial reefs (underwater ships such as the Salvatierra and two other Chinese ships that were submerged in 1999). To the north there is Las Animas, a world-class diving paradise and on Cerralvo Island, there are Hammerhead Shark caves where you can swim among these marvelous animals.