Witness majestic Humpback Whales in Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay. Each winter, the humpbacks migrate from the arctic to breed and rear their young in the sheltered coasts of Banderas Bay. Join a specialized 3-hour speedboat ride led by a marine mammal expert and take the most striking photography from this unique, sea-level vantage point - a perspective that is a rare privilege in the natural world.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 3.
Each winter, the humpbacks migrate from their arctic feeding grounds to breed and rear their young in the sheltered coasts of Banderas Bay.
See from the water
Excurgo comparison of 904 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Puerto Vallarta Small-Group Whale Watching Experience lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 2 stops.
Prices start at $79 per person for this Puerto Vallarta experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 7:30 AM.
Children aged 6–11 pay from $69, adults from $79.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Please arrive 30 minutes before departure. Look for the Vallarta Adventures check-in area and staff in turkish blue color uniform. Check in with our team before proceeding to the boarding area. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN, ES.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 30 participants.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 190 verified reviews; it is run by Vallarta Adventures.
Perfect experience would definitely do again
Hola Karen, A perfect experience is wonderful to hear! It’s even better knowing you’d choose to do it again. We’re glad your time with our dolphins left you with such a positive memory. We’ll be happy to have you back for another special encounter! 🐬 Warm regards,
What an experience! Our guides Diego and Jesus made this the most unforgettable trip - we saw dolphins, turtles, birds, and 10 humpback whales. They answered all of our questions, shared insights into the area, and made sure we were able to truly appreciate these magnificent creatures.
Hola Krista, Thank you for your incredible review! We’re thrilled to hear that your whale watching experience was so unforgettable. It’s amazing that you saw dolphins, turtles, birds, and even 10 humpback whales! We’re glad Diego and Jesús shared their knowledge and made the trip so special. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back soon! 😊 Warm regards,
Horrifying experience, we were in the boat and these people were driving above 4 knots in whale enlistment area, they impacted the boat against a poor calf and unfortunately it lost its life.
Awesome experience!! Our Captain Javier was fantastic- and the guide Sebastian was very knowledgeable- he explained all about the whales - we saw tons of whales and lots of action ! Highly recommend!!
Hola Eileen, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled you had such an awesome whale-watching experience and enjoyed Captain Javier’s leadership and Sebastian’s knowledge. It’s great to hear you saw so much action out on the water. Your recommendation means a lot, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for more unforgettable adventures! 😊 Warm regards.
The experience is one I will do again. Boat was stable, although a bit crowded.
We appreciate your excellent review! Thank you for choosing us, and see you again!😊
Bring a fleece or lightweight jacket, saw humpbacked whales in numerous locations, as well as breaching! Was all we hoped for!
Hola MaryAnne, We’re so glad you had an amazing whale watching experience! Seeing humpback whales breaching in multiple locations sounds unforgettable. Thank you for sharing your tip about bringing a jacket—it’s super helpful for future guests. We appreciate your kind words and hope to see you back for another adventure soon! 🐋 Warm regards,
Lovely way to spend the first part of the day. Chai was really informative and entertaining. He explained the length of various times whales dive, and varying behaviours of them to manage the group’s expectations really well. We got some incredible photos and visited at least 3-5 groups of whales, including a very active baby!
Hola Elyse, Thank you for joining us on your whale watching adventure! We’re delighted to hear Chai’s engaging explanations helped set expectations and made the experience even more enjoyable. Spotting multiple whale groups, especially an active baby, and capturing great photos sounds like a fantastic way to start the day. We hope to welcome you back on the water again soon 😊 Warm regards,
Our tour guide Benje was amazing! Very knowledgeable and funny. Really interacts with the group. Captain Miguel was also awesome. We got to see a ton of whales and even got really close to a couple. Also saw several dolphins.
Hola, Thank you for sharing your Whale Watching experience! We’re thrilled to hear Benje’s knowledge and humor made the tour so enjoyable and that Captain Miguel helped make it memorable. Seeing so many whales up close, along with dolphins, sounds incredible. We’re glad you had such a fantastic time and hope to welcome you back soon 😊 Warm regards,
I DO NOT RECOMMEND the Whale Watch Photo Safari or Vallarta Adventures. I spent over $1000 on tours with them and they treated me like crap. I was excited for the tour with my 2 boys and got to the boat early so we could have a good seat. We were the 2nd people on board and took our seats as did everyone else. The guide, FELIPE forced me from my seat perimeter of the boat to a seat at the interior of the boat. I tried to talk to him and said that you look upset but walked away. I was forced to sit in an inferior seat for the whole excursion. I would have left except that my 2 boys were there. When the cruise was done I confronted the guide Felipe and he told me directly that when a customer is unhappy he avoids the customer and does not talk to them. This is the terrible customer service. When I brought this to the attention of Vallarta Adventures they did NOTHING. I have spent over $1,000 USD on trips and will never spend another dollar with them. You should go with other groups that value you as a customer and treat you well. DO NOT USE VALLARTA ADVENTURES EVER. DO NOT BOOK the Whale Watch Photo Safari or anything with Vallarta Adventures. I spent over $1,000 on tours with them, and they treated me horribly. I was excited to share this experience with my two boys. We arrived early to get good seats and were the second people on board. Like everyone else, we sat down. Then the guide, Felipe/Pablo, forced me out of my seat on the perimeter and made me sit in the interior—an inferior spot for the entire excursion. I tried to speak with him, but he walked away. I would have left if not for my kids. At the end of the cruise, I confronted Felipe. His response? When a customer is unhappy, he avoids them and doesn’t talk to them. That is terrible customer service. I reported this to Vallarta Adventures, and they did NOTHING. After spending over $1,000 with them, I will never give them another dollar. Choose another company that values its customers. DO NOT USE VALLARTA ADVENTURES—EVER.
The very best experience we have had to date. The whales were beyond all dreams and the tour was enhanced by Daniel and Miguel who were brilliant hosts. People say this a lot, but we cannot recommend this experience any higher.
Hola James, Thank you for sharing such an incredible review! We’re truly honored to hear that your Whale Watching Experience exceeded your dreams. Daniel and Miguel will be delighted to know their hosting made the tour even more special. Your highest recommendation means the world to us, and we hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable moments in the future!😊 Warm regards,
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Vallarta Small-Group Whale Watching Experience | 3 hours | 4.7 (190) | $79 | |
 Whale Watching Adventure with a Marine Biologist | 3h 30min | 5.0 (181) | $120 | View |
 Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours | 3h 30min | 5.0 (3,955) | $59 | View |
 Puerto Vallarta Zipline, Rappel, Water Slide & Speedboat tour | 6h 30min | 4.9 (2,132) | $69 | View |
 Puerto Vallarta Rhythms of the Night, Dinner Cruise and Alma Show | 5 hours | 4.5 (2,076) | $119 | View |
 Food & Mixology Tour:Tequila,Tacos, Mezcal and Agave Cocktails | 4 hours | 5.0 (1,944) | $98 | View |
 Boat and Snorkel Tour to 5 Islands of Los Arcos | 3h 30min | 4.7 (1,354) | $48 | View |