The official season runs December 8 to March 23, best in January and February, and group trips cost $69 to $124 per adult. Humpbacks come to Banderas Bay to mate and give birth.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humpback whale | January: peak | February: peak | March: in season | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: not usually seen | July: not usually seen | August: not usually seen | September: not usually seen | October: not usually seen | November: not usually seen | December: in season |
Peak In season
From vallarta-adventures.com. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whale Watching Photo SafariIncludes Bilingual marine mammal expert guides, Hydrophone whale-song listening, Fruit and purified water |
$69 per adult |
3 hours |
Small groups (number not stated) |
6+ | Uncovered inflatable speedboat, no onboard facilities | Second free tour if no whales are seen (December 20 to March 1); no refunds | Check dates | ||
Whale Watching CruiseIncludes Deli-style lunch with vegetarian and vegan options, Open bar, Marine mammal expert guides, Hydrophones |
$76 per adult |
3 hours |
1+ | Catamaran with roof and onboard facilities; size not stated | Second free tour if no whales are seen (December 20 to March 1); no refunds | Check dates | |||
Whale + Dolphin WatchingIncludes Bilingual specialist guide, Hydrophone on board, Light breakfast (coffee, juice, bread), Lunch, Bottled water, soft drinks and snacks |
$90 per adult |
4.5 hours; morning start 08:00, afternoon 12:30 |
12, 14 or 20 passengers depending on boat |
No age restrictions | Shaded fast boats, 27 ft or 33 ft, 12 to 20 passengers | 100% guarantee the animals are found or your money back | Full refund 48+ hours before; 50% refund or date change 36+ hours; date change only within 24 hours; no-shows not refunded. | Check dates | |
Humpback Whale WatchingIncludes Pre-trip whale talk, Biologist expedition leader, Donation to a humpback research project, Coffee, tea, water, sodas and light snacks, Travel insurance |
$124 per adult |
3 hours plus a half-hour talk before; 8:30am-12pm or 1-4:30pm |
Max 14 guests |
No children under 3 | Authorized whale watching boat, max 14 guests | Not stated | Full refund 36+ hours ahead; 50% refund at 24 hours; no refund same day, no-show or late arrival. | Check dates | |
Humpback Whale Watching (private tour)Includes Biologist expedition leader, Coffee, tea, water, sodas and light snacks |
$765 per group |
3 hours plus a half-hour talk before |
Up to 6, 10 or 14 |
No children under 3 | Authorized whale watching boat | Not stated | Full refund 36+ hours ahead; 50% refund at 24 hours; no refund same day. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Wildlife Connection boards at the OPEQUIMAR Yacht Club in Marina Vallarta, across the street from the Westin Regina, and brings passengers back to the public pier beside Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta. Morning tours check in at 8 am, leave at 8:30 am and return at 1 pm; afternoon tours check in at 12:30 pm and are back by 5 pm. Cruise passengers can arrange a later departure to fit their ship's arrival.
Ecotours Vallarta's trips run 8:30 am to noon or 1 pm to 4:30 pm, starting with a half-hour talk about humpbacks. It picks up at the Paradise Village public pier on request for morning trips, and a departure from Marina La Cruz costs $60 more. Vallarta Adventures asks guests to reach its check-in point 45 minutes before departure, and says its boats usually find whales along the coast between the Marieta Islands and Puerto Vallarta.
Humpbacks come to Banderas Bay each winter to mate and give birth, and Wildlife Connection lists calves, breaching, lobtailing, fluking and flipper slapping among the sights. SEMARNAT's official season for the bay ran December 8, 2025 to March 23, 2026, and all three operators use those dates. Vallarta Adventures lists December 8, 2026 as the next opening, calls January and February the best months, and says sightings are sometimes possible in November or May.
The 2025-2026 notice closed two areas where mothers and calves concentrate. One is a 1.5 km radius around the Islas Marietas; the other is a 2 km strip along the coast from Punta Mita to the mouth of the Río Ameca. Dolphins live in the bay all year, and Wildlife Connection lists bottlenose, spotted, spinner and rough-toothed dolphins, mostly on morning trips, plus giant mantas and sea turtles. Orcas, false killer whales and sperm whales turn up occasionally.
Researchers have photographed the undersides of humpback flukes in Banderas Bay since 1991, Wildlife Connection says, and more than 810 individuals are catalogued as part of the SPLASH project. Ecotours Vallarta puts part of each fare toward a humpback research project and takes part in the Banderas Bay photo identification project, whose head researcher may lead some of its tours.
Early mornings are chilly on the water, Vallarta Adventures says. It asks for pants, a sweater or light jacket and closed-toe shoes, plus sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat with a neck strap, since caps blow off during the ride. Expect glare and splashes, so cover cameras. Its speedboat trip excludes pregnant guests and people with back or neck problems, and drones are banned under federal rules.
Ecotours Vallarta warns that hurricanes, storms or swells can change a trip, has every guest sign a risk acknowledgement, and tells anyone prone to seasickness to consult a doctor beforehand. It does not take children under 3 or pregnant women, sets a 230 lb limit, and advises against the trip for people with back, neck, heart or knee problems. Wildlife Connection suggests a windbreaker or sweatshirt, non-skid shoes, a swimsuit and a towel.
Vallarta Adventures has the lowest listed prices. Its 3-hour Photo Safari, $69 online, runs on an uncovered inflatable speedboat with no facilities for ages 6 and up; its 3-hour roofed catamaran cruise, $76, includes lunch and an open bar. Both carry bilingual marine mammal guides and hydrophones, and the company says its guides belong to RABEN, the regional whale disentanglement network. Dock fees and a Humpback Whale Conservation Fee are paid in cash on top. If no whales are seen between December 20 and March 1, guests get a second tour free, with no refunds.
Wildlife Connection runs 4.5-hour trips on shaded 27 ft and 33 ft boats carrying 12, 14 or 20 passengers, led by bilingual specialists who include biologists. Breakfast, lunch, drinks and snacks are included. Wildlife Connection lists adult fares of 90 and 105 without naming a currency or saying which applies. It guarantees the animals will be found or the money back, refunds in full 48 hours ahead, and takes guests of any age.
Ecotours Vallarta charges $124 for adults and $100 for children 4 to 11, plus a $5 port fee. That buys 3 hours with a biologist leader, a group cap of 14, snacks and travel insurance, and part of the fare goes to humpback research. Private boats cost $765 for up to 6, $1,029 for up to 10 and $1,290 for up to 14. Cancellations 36 hours ahead are refunded in full, and at 24 hours the refund is 50%.
from $69 per adult
Whale Watching Photo Safari and 1 more option
Guides belong to RABEN, the regional whale disentanglement network
from $90 per adult
Whale + Dolphin Watching
Guides are cetacean specialists, including biologists with a master's in marine ecology
from $124 per adult
Humpback Whale Watching and 1 more option
Running nature tours in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit since 1996
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.