Whale Watching

Banderas Bay is home to it own colony of Humpback Whales.  Many tours are available to view these magnificent mammals.

From December to April they thrill visitors with their playful cavorting with one another, showing their babies the ways of the world and breaching in the sparkling bay. Puerto Vallarta residents are concerned for the welfare of these gentle giants, so the local tour operators are licensed by the National Environmental agency to insure respectful whale watching.

Whale-watching tours become more popular each year. Viewing humpback whales is almost a certainty from mid- to late November to March. The majestic Humpback whales have migrated to Banderas Bay for centuries (in the 17th c. it was called "Humpback Bay") to bear their calves. The noted local authority is Open Air Expeditions, Guerrero 339 (tel./fax 322/222-3310; mailto:openair@vivamexico.com or http://www.vallartawhales.com/). It offers ecologically oriented, oceanologist-guided 4-hour tours on the soft boat Prince of Whales, the only boat in Vallarta specifically designed for whale-watching. Twice-daily departures (8:30am and 2:30pm) include a healthful snack. Vallarta Adventures (tel. 866/256-2739 toll-free, or 322/297-1212, ext. 3; http://www.vallarta-adventures.com/) offers whale-watching photo excursions in small boats. The trip includes a predeparture briefing on whale behaviors. The company also features whale-watching on tours to the Marietas Islands.