The 15 Best Whale Watching Trips in Puerto Vallarta

Whale and Dolphin Watching with a Biologist in Puerto Vallarta - A small boat that keeps the animals in view

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 666 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $105Our pick

Watch humpback whales, dolphins, turtles, and mantas with a marine biologist in Puerto Vallarta while helping real cetacean research.

“This whale and dolphin watching tour was extraordinary. Our guide, Gema, had so much knowledge to share and a sparkling personality to match. My friend and I enjoyed every moment and felt the tour was just the right length. We could feel the guide's passion and excitement which infused the experience with so much joy. Cesar, our boat captain, was a quietly confident presence, we felt completely safe in his hands even on a super windy day. We also got lucky and saw SO many whales and dolphins, including mothers and babies playing together. This was a day we'll never forget!”

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All-Inclusive Cruises & Open Bar Trips, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Sunsets and Whales Mega Yachts ALL INCLUSIVE: Puerto Vallarta

2.Sunsets and Whales Mega Yachts ALL INCLUSIVE: Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 509 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $80

Puerto Vallarta sunset whale cruise with an open bar, guacamole, comfortable yacht seating, dolphins, and winter humpback sightings.

“Amazing time!!! Highly recommended. Love our tour guide, very knowledgeable and fun. Service at the boat was fantastic.”

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Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale Encounter Puerto Vallarta

3.Whale Encounter Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 469 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $99

Puerto Vallarta whale watching by fast boat, with marine guides, hydrophone, snacks, small groups, and close encounters from $99.

“Carlos and Emilio were perfect. Very knowledgeable and respectful of the whales and their habits. Very enjoyable trip.”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, Punta Mita & Nuevo Vallarta Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale Watching Cruise In Puerto Vallarta & Nuevo Vallarta

4.Whale Watching Cruise In Puerto Vallarta & Nuevo Vallarta

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

Puerto Vallarta whale watching by catamaran with whale sightings, Mexican lunch, breakfast, open bar, and practical booking tips.

“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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Half-Day, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching

Small-Group Half-Day Whale-Watching Tour in Puerto Vallarta

5.Small-Group Half-Day Whale-Watching Tour in Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 334 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $110

Review of Puerto Vallarta’s small-group whale tour, with marine biologists, respectful viewing, lunch, dolphins, and a 12-person limit.

“This was the highlight of our trip! Thalia is an amazingly knowledgable guide. Angel is a great boat captain. Within 9 minutes of leaving the marina, we were watching whales in the bay! Thalia has a masters degree in marine biology and is great at spotting the whales and explaining their behavior. We learned so much about the beautiful animals. Thalia and Angel are also very responsible and respectful of the whales. If there were a lot of boats around a pod of whales, we would move on to find another pod, so the whales would not be distressed by all the boats. We saw two different calves, one as…”

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All-Inclusive Cruises & Open Bar Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruise in Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive

6.Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruise in Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 212 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $78

Puerto Vallarta whale and dolphin cruise with breakfast, open bar, lunch, bilingual guides, and a marine biologist, plus practical booking tips.

“We had a wonderful time! The crew was amazing and made it a truly fun and memorable experience. We saw several whales and even had a surprise close up with one last whale while nearing the marina.”

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Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale Watching Experience

7.Whale Watching Experience

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

Puerto Vallarta whale watching by speedboat with marine guides, hydrophones, snacks, and close views of humpbacks in Banderas Bay.

“Had a great leader. Saw many whales and learned much about them. Saw a family of dolphins playing with the whales. Greatly enjoyed.”

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Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale Watching Adventure – Led by a Marine Biologist

8.Whale Watching Adventure – Led by a Marine Biologist

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

Learn about humpback whales with marine biologists, hear whale song underwater, and search Banderas Bay in a small Puerto Vallarta boat.

“This tour was absolutely amazing! It starts with an informative presentation about whales, so you learn a lot before heading out on the water. The guide was passionate and knowledgeable, which made the whole experience even more fun. We were lucky enough to see two different groups of whales, each demonstrating different behaviors. We even got to hear some of the male whales singing.”

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Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale Watching Guaranteed Experience in Puerto Vallarta

9.Whale Watching Guaranteed Experience in Puerto Vallarta

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

See humpback whales and dolphins from a fast boat in Puerto Vallarta, with expert guides, lunch, snacks, and a cruise-port pickup option.

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

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Private, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching

Private Whale Watching Tour in Puerto Vallarta

10.Private Whale Watching Tour in Puerto Vallarta

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

Private Puerto Vallarta whale watching with a marine biologist, lunch, dolphins, and a small boat for up to eight people.

“Seeing so many whales breaching! Exceptional day of whale watching. Sharing this experience with close friends was precious. Victor and Captain were experts and very friendly.”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Puerto Vallarta Yacht Charters, Sailing, Sunset Experiences in Puerto Vallarta, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Puerto Vallarta: Mega Yacht Whale Watching Sunset Cruise

11.Mega Yacht Whale Watching Sunset Cruise

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

Watch humpback whales at sunset from a spacious Puerto Vallarta mega yacht with drinks, guacamole, live guides, music, and city lights.

“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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3-Hour Experiences, Snorkeling, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Puerto Vallarta: 3-Hour Whale Watching and Snorkeling

12.3-Hour Whale Watching and Snorkeling

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

See humpback whales near Puerto Vallarta, visit a beach, and possibly snorkel on this flexible three-hour boat tour for $45.

“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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Private, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Private Whale watching Puerto Vallarta

13.Private Whale watching Puerto Vallarta

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

Private Puerto Vallarta whale watching for up to six, with a hydrophone, expert guides, dolphins, turtles, snacks, and bay views.

“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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Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta

14.Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta

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

Watch humpback whales in Banderas Bay from a catamaran with a marine mammal expert, snacks, an open bar, and a three-hour outing.

“We throughly enjoyed this excursion. We not only got to see several whales but also as a bonus, we saw dolphins as well. The crew was fantastic. They were not only friendly and informative, but kept us entertained as well with a dance skit they performed as we were heading back. The tour lasted about 3 hrs. It was a little cold as we were headed out on the water, so make sure you wear a light jacket. There was an open bar on board, and we were served sandwiches and various fruit while on board. For those who have concerns about bathroom facilities, there is a bathroom on the…”

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