10 Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta to Build a Day Around

1.Whale Watching Cruise In Puerto Vallarta & Nuevo Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 398 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $99Our pick

Spend about four hours sailing Bay of Banderas on a spacious catamaran with live commentary, whale and dolphin sightings, breakfast, Mexican lunch, and an international open bar. Meet at Puerto Magico in Puerto Vallarta. The boat holds up to 120 people.

“Well organized. Great team. Good food. Fun time. Would use them again. Very comfortable cat with plenty of room to move around for pics”

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2.Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 186 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $89

Set out from Puerto Vallarta’s Maritime Terminal on a fast, open boat with a marine mammal expert such as Chai, Enrique, Lilou, or Andrea. You’ll search Banderas Bay for winter humpbacks, listen to whale calls through hydrophones, and may see dolphins, rays, turtles, and Marietas Islands views.

“Our Captain, Jesus and guide Daniel were 5 stars! Knowledgeable and very invested that we had a great experience. Respectful of preservation and mindful of not stressing them! The tour was actually longer ( in the best way) than we paid for and we were literally surrounded by humpback whales we also saw pods of bottle nose dolphins. A large pacific Ray, a sea turtle and a mom and 1 week old baby learning to breathe air.”

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3.Whale Watching Adventure – Led by a Marine Biologist

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 176 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Start with a short whale-biology talk at Ecotours Vallarta, then set out from Marina Vallarta with a marine biologist and captain. You may see humpbacks, dolphins, sea turtles, and manta rays, while an onboard hydrophone lets you hear whale songs. Groups are capped at 14.

“This whale watching tour was absolutely fabulous! The highpoint of the tour was when our boat driver Raphael saw two whales blow out in the distance, and he drove the boat to that location. There were no other boats around and he and our guide Cristina looked for the location to stop the boat. He turned the engine off and we just waited. In a few minutes two huge whales started swimming around our boat. There were a total of 13 people on board, so was not a large boat. The boat did seem very stable and we all had a life vest on. The whales swam around the boat,…”

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4.Whale Watching Guaranteed Experience in Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 156 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $99

Spend about three hours on a high-speed boat searching Puerto Vallarta’s humpback whales. Guides such as Benji explain whale behavior, while captains Jose, Miguel, or Hido may steer you toward pods, mothers, calves, and dolphins. Lunch, snacks, and water are included, with cruise-terminal pickup available.

“Guide was very informative and made the trip fun. We saw several whales and got some great pictures and video”

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5.Private Whale Watching Tour in Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 109 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Meet at Marina Vallarta for a private 3.5-hour boat trip with a marine guide and captain. Look for humpback whales from December through March, listen for whale calls, watch for dolphins and turtles, and enjoy lunch on the water. The boat has a bathroom, soft drinks, and room for up to eight.

“We had an epic time on our Private Whale Boat, it was simply amazing! The guide was very informative and the boat captain was great as well. We had it all… breaching whales, close encounters as the whales and dolphins actually interacted with the boat. It was seriously a better than we could have ever imagined! Would do it again in an instant!”

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6.Mega Yacht Whale Watching Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 94 reviews · 3 hours · from $87

Cruise Bahía de Banderas aboard Chica Locca Tours’ roomy mega yacht during whale season, November through April. Guides such as Isai and Ricky share whale facts while the crew serves drinks, guacamole, chips, and snacks. Expect sunset views, city lights, music, and a chance to see dolphins and humpback whales.

“The staff was friendly, helpful, and very attentive. Isai was very informative and we saw a lot of whales. THE SUSNSET WAS LASO SPECTACULAR.”

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7.3-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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8.Private Whale watching Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Set out from Marina Vallarta at 11:30 a.m. with a private group of up to six. Guides such as Carlos, Emilio, and captain Hector help you search Banderas Bay for humpback whales, dolphins, turtles, and mantas, using a hydrophone to hear life below the boat.

“Carlos was so great at explaining the whales and finding them for us, and hector was a perfect captain! For being the end of whale season, we had plenty of wildlife to see (we are guessing about 20 whales and tons of dolphins). This tour definitely did not disappoint and I would recommend it for anyone wanting to see these magnificent animals!”

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9.Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 57 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $99

Set out from Puerto Vallarta at 8:00 am aboard a catamaran for a three-hour whale-watching trip in Banderas Bay. A marine mammal expert explains the seasonal humpback migration, while the crew serves sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and an open bar. Dolphins and whale calves are possible bonuses.

“Wonderful tour. Wasn’t aware they served lunch and drinks so ate first. But good lunch and trip well worth it.”

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10.Whale Watching and Los Arcos 5 Islands Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $79

Cruise from Mismaloya into Banderas Bay for seasonal humpback whale watching, then snorkel near the granite arches of Los Arcos. Your English-speaking local guide provides safety instructions and wildlife context. The four to five-hour trip includes drinks, snacks, beer, and snorkeling gear for up to 15 people.

“We saw whales and dolphins. The dolphins were jumping out of the water and a whale breached right in front of us.”

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