r/DiveAdvisor

I feel small

A giant manta passing right over my head at Socorro… probably one of the best underwater moments of my life

This year I finally checked off two places that had been sitting on my dive bucket list forever: the Galápagos Islands and Revillagigedo (The 3 Islands, Socorro,Roca partida and San Benedicto). I’d read hundreds of reviews, watched way too many YouTube videos, talked to dive guides, and honestly couldn’t decide which one I wanted to prioritize first… so I ended up doing both within a few months.

I know a lot of people compare these destinations because they’re both considered “big animal diving” and both are expensive enough that most of us can’t casually do them every year. After spending time in both places, I figured I’d share my personal experience in case it helps someone else decide.

For context:
I’m mostly into pelagic encounters, healthy ecosystems, and dives that feel wild and unpredictable. I care way more about what’s underwater than luxury topside stuff. I travel solo most of the time, usually shoulder season when possible, and I’m happiest on boats talking diving until midnight with strangers who become friends by day three.

Travel & Logistics

Galápagos definitely felt easier overall. Flights through Quito were straightforward, and once I got to the islands everything felt pretty organized for tourism. There are more options for land-based diving too if you’re trying to save money. Puerto Ayora had a fun atmosphere, lots of little restaurants, dive shops, cafés, and backpackers everywhere. It felt adventurous but comfortable.

Revillagigedo was a completely different mindset. Getting to Socorro felt like committing to an expedition instead of a vacation. Long crossing from Cabo San Lucas, no land in sight for days, nowhere to “escape” once you’re out there. Just open Pacific. The remoteness honestly became part of the experience for me. Everyone on board was there for one reason only: diving.

And I think that changes the energy completely.

Topside Experience

Galápagos wins easily if you care about things to do outside diving. Wildlife everywhere, great food, little towns to walk around, sea lions sleeping on benches, marine iguanas casually hanging out beside you. Even non-divers would probably love it there.

Socorro isn’t really about topside at all. You live on the boat, wake up, dive, eat, repeat. No beaches, no bars, no wandering through town at sunset. But weirdly… I loved that simplicity. It felt immersive in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve done a remote liveaboard.

Diving — the real reason we go

Galápagos felt raw, chaotic, and alive. Some dives honestly felt like underwater traffic jams of marine life. Hammerheads everywhere at Darwin and Wolf, huge schools of fish, sea lions constantly messing with divers, turtles, rays, Galápagos sharks… every dive felt busy.

But conditions can absolutely humble you.

Cold thermoclines, surge, strong current, negative entries, rough surface conditions — this is not relaxing Caribbean diving. A few dives genuinely felt like work. Amazing work, but still work. I remember finishing some dives completely exhausted and grinning like an idiot at the same time.

Now… Socorro.

This is where things changed for me.

The diving in Revillagigedo felt less crowded underwater but somehow more emotional and more personal. The giant mantas there are unreal. Not just because they’re huge, but because of how interactive they are. I’d heard people describe them as “curious puppies” before and thought it sounded exaggerated… it’s not. Multiple times they stayed with us for entire dives, making eye contact, circling inches above us, coming back again and again.

I’ve had amazing shark dives before, but those manta encounters honestly hit differently.

Then you add dolphins joining safety stops, massive schools of tuna, silky sharks at Roca Partida, whale songs in the background, occasional tiger sharks, humpbacks during the season… the whole place felt like blue-water magic.

Visibility in Socorro and Roca Partida was generally better for me than Galápagos, and the volcanic seamounts rising from deep blue water made every site feel dramatic. Roca Partida especially felt like diving in the middle of nowhere on another planet.

One thing I noticed: the divers in Revillagigedo were generally more experienced. The conditions can get rough, and most people onboard had hundreds of dives. The overall pace felt calmer and more dialed in.

Cost

Neither destination is cheap. No way around that.

Galápagos can be done cheaper if you stay land-based, but the best sites still require expensive liveaboards. Socorro is basically full-commitment liveaboard pricing from the start.

That said… if I had to save up and choose only ONE to repeat tomorrow?

I’d go back to Revillagigedo without hesitating.

Galápagos impressed me. Revillagigedo stayed in my head long after I got home.

There was something about the isolation, the pelagic encounters, and especially the manta interactions that felt deeper and harder to describe. It reminded me why I started diving in the first place.

Curious what other people think though, especially divers who’ve done both. Which one hit harder for you? And if you could only repeat one trip for the rest of your life… which would it be?  

Jump in

Hey everyone, and welcome.

This community was created with a simple idea: give divers a place to share real experiences and help each other make better decisions in diving. No fake reviews, no paid promotions, no “best dive center ever” marketing posts — just honest advice from people who actually dive.

Whether you’re brand new to scuba or have thousands of dives, your experience can help someone else avoid mistakes, discover amazing dive spots, choose better gear, or find trustworthy dive operators around the world.

Here’s the kind of stuff we’d love to see here:
• Honest reviews of dive centers, liveaboards, instructors, and dive shops
• Dive site recommendations and travel advice
• Scuba gear opinions and real-world experiences
• Beginner questions without judgment
• Safety tips and lessons learned
• Underwater photos and dive stories
• Marine life encounters and conservation topics

One thing we really want to build is trust. Diving can be expensive, and sometimes unsafe operators or misleading reviews can ruin a trip or worse. Honest feedback from real divers makes a huge difference for the whole community.

If you’re one of the first people here, thank you for helping start this community. Introduce yourself below:
• Where are you from?
• What’s your favorite dive so far?
• What destination is on your bucket list?

And if you have a friend who loves diving, invite them to join us. The more real divers we have here, the more useful this community becomes for everyone.

Dive safe and welcome aboard 🌊

The Junk

I’ve been wanting to write this review for a while because I think it’s important to share the good and the not-so-good honestly, especially in a diving community where real experiences matter more than marketing.

A few months ago, I spent several days aboard The Junk liveaboard in Thailand, diving around the Similan Islands and nearby areas. First of all, I completely understand why this boat has such a strong reputation. The boat itself is absolutely beautiful — traditional wooden style, lots of character, comfortable cabins, great food, and honestly one of the warmest crews I’ve experienced on a liveaboard.

The dive staff and dive masters were excellent. Professional, relaxed, patient, and clearly passionate about diving. Safety briefings were clear, groups were organized well, and the overall atmosphere onboard felt very personal instead of overly commercial. By the second day it felt more like traveling with friends than being on a tour boat.

The food deserves its own mention too. Some of the best meals I’ve had on a liveaboard anywhere. Fresh Thai food every day, great snacks between dives, and the crew genuinely cared that everyone was comfortable and happy.

Thailand itself is still magical above the water. The islands are stunning, sunsets were unreal, local people were incredibly kind, and every time we stepped onto land the food and culture reminded me why this country is one of the best travel destinations in the world.

Now for the honest part.

The diving itself was… good, but not what I expected from all the legendary stories people tell about Thailand diving 10–15 years ago.

Visibility was decent most days, the reefs still had beautiful colors in some areas, and we saw the usual reef life, but the amount of marine life felt noticeably lower than what older divers describe from the past. Fewer large schools of fish, fewer pelagics, and several dive sites felt quieter than expected.

One thing that really stayed with me was the number of fishing boats we could see at night. Huge bright lights all over the horizon. At first I didn’t think much about it, but about a week later I visited a local fish market and suddenly it all connected. The scale of fishing happening in the region is intense.

I’m not trying to blame local communities or criticize Thailand unfairly — fishing is part of life and livelihood for many people there. But as divers, I think we also have to be honest about what we see underwater. Overfishing is real, and in some areas you can absolutely feel its impact beneath the surface.

That said, I still do not regret the trip at all.

The overall experience was fantastic because diving is not only about chasing sharks or giant schools of fish. Sometimes it’s about the people you meet, the conversations on the dive deck, sunrise coffees before the first dive, and simply being out on the ocean for a few days disconnected from normal life.

Would I recommend The Junk? Absolutely yes.

Would I tell people to adjust expectations if they are expecting untouched oceans full of massive marine life like old Thailand dive documentaries? Also yes.

A few personal tips if you’re considering this trip:
• Go for the experience, not only the “bucket list” marine life expectations
• Bring reef-safe products and avoid touching anything underwater
• Support operators that genuinely care about conservation
• Spend extra time in Thailand before or after the trip — it’s worth it
• Talk to older dive guides; their stories about how the reefs used to be are fascinating and also a reminder of why conservation matters

I’d love to hear from other divers who have done Thailand recently. Did you feel the same way or did I just get unlucky conditions?