The 5 Snorkeling Trips in Puerto Vallarta That Earn Their Price

1.Mega Yacht ALL INCLUSIVE Yelapa Waterfall & Snorkeling Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,515 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $117Our pick

Cruise from Puerto Vallarta to Yelapa aboard Chica Locca’s spacious catamaran. Enjoy breakfast, fajitas, an open bar, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboards, a waterfall walk, and beach time. The lively crew, including host Ricky Ricardo and DJ David, keeps the six-hour trip moving.

“We had a great time however not a bough time to swim and explore beach! We haven’t received our photos that were paid for to this email!!”

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2.Los Arcos Islands Boat Tour and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 317 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

Travel by local bus from central Puerto Vallarta to Mismaloya, then cruise around Los Arcos’ five islands with a guide such as Armando, Andrés, Bruno, or Sebastián. You’ll see nesting birds, caves, and marine life before snorkeling in a protected area for about 40 minutes.

“It was great. We saw cool fish and the arches were really interesting to swim through. The tour guide made us feel safe and wanted to make sure that we had a good time.”

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3.Los Arcos 5 islands Snorkeling Cliff Jumping and Hidden Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 295 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $49

Spend about three hours boating from Mismaloya to Los Arcos for optional cliff jumping, snorkeling among tropical fish, cave viewing, and a short stop at a boat-access beach. Guides such as Alfonso, Diego, Arnold, Maximo, and Panchito lead the outings in English.

“Started out a little fast as soon as we got out of the bay we did the cliff jump. It makes sense they do it first because after the snorkel you do get drinks of your choice so could make judgement a little hard. Alcohol, soda, water However, I wanted to do the jump, but was not offered a life jacket as I am not a great swimmer. Although I asked if that was possible so I could do it I was given one so I didn’t get to do it. Next thing is when we did the snorkel we did not have fins. We were the only company without…”

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4.Marietas Islands snorkeling & Hidden beach (w/ restrictions)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 183 reviews · 5 hours (approx.)

Spend about five hours with a biologist or naturalist exploring the Marietas Islands from a small boat. Snorkel in protected waters, watch blue-footed boobies, and try for Hidden Beach access. Guides such as Maggie, Michael, Cynthia, and Luis add wildlife insight, but the beach swim is limited and never guaranteed.

“Excellent snorkeling and cave exploration via boat. Crew helpful and full of knowledge. Lots of whales”

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5.3-Hour Whale Watching and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 62 reviews · 3 hours · from $45Best value

Join an English- or Spanish-speaking guide for a three-hour boat trip from Puerto Vallarta’s marina in search of humpback whales and dolphins. You may stop at a beach or snorkeling site, but recent departures varied widely in timing and water access, so bring flexible plans and extra pesos.

“La actividad dejó mucho que desear. Sí logramos ver ballenas, pero fue exactamente igual que con todos los demás barcos; no hicieron ningún esfuerzo extra ni ofrecieron algo especial para mejorar la experiencia. En cuanto al snorkel, fue muy decepcionante: aunque pagamos por la actividad, no nos permitieron bajar al agua. Solo nos dejaron observar desde la lancha cómo otros grupos de otros barcos sí snorkelaban, lo cual resulta muy frustrante. Además, nos llevaron a una playa poco atractiva y la lancha iba demasiado llena de personas, lo que hizo el paseo incómodo. En general, no siento que la experiencia haya valido lo que se pagó ni que cumplieran con…”

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