Humpback tail lifting out of the sea, water pouring off it

Season: mid-December to March

Meet the humpbacks.

Name: Small-group whale trip (sample)
Start: 2027-01-09T11:30:00-06:00
End: 2027-01-09T14:30:00-06:00
Location: Banderas Bay

Every winter they come to these warm waters to have their calves and sing. We go out quietly, keep our distance and let them decide how close to come.

See whale trips →

Humpback whales spend the winter in Banderas Bay. Our trips leave in the morning, when the sea is calmest, with Hannah, our marine biologist, or one of the guides she trains, on board.

View from a small boat's wheelhouse towards a distant whale

Group · set dates

Small-group whale trip

You hear a humpback before you see it: a hard exhale like a door slamming in the distance, then a mist hanging in the air. Hannah drops the hydrophone over the side so you can hear the males sing.

At a glance

Duration: 3 h
When: 8:00 and 11:30 a.m. (the 8:00 boat is usually calmer)
Ages: All ages
Group size: Max 12
Boat: Covered boat with shade and a toilet
Included: Naturalist, hydrophone, life jackets for every size, water and fruit
Getting there: Meet us at the marina; most hotels are 15–40 min by taxi or Uber. No hotel pick-up on shared trips.
Meeting point: Meeting point sent with your booking

$1,850 MXN per guest (about US$100)Sample prices

Babies under 2 ride free on a lap; tell us when you book. Group of 7 or 8? Compare the private boat: up to 8 guests, $15,500 MXN, on your own schedule.

No whales? Come again free. Leaving Vallarta before the next shared trip? We refund half your ticket.

Get a spot →Secure booking with Bloom · your spot is held while you pay

Pairs well with: Sunset sail →

Private · pick your time

Private whale boat

The boat to yourselves, at your own pace, with your own questions. For families, proposals, photographers, and anyone who wants unhurried time with the whales.

At a glance

Duration: 3 h 30 min
Group size: Up to 8 guests
When: Start 7:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Season: Mid-December to March
Boat: Open panga with a sunshade (no toilet on board)
Included: Captain, a naturalist trained by Hannah, hydrophone, life jackets for every size, water, fruit and snacks
Meeting point: Meeting point sent with your booking

$15,500 MXN per boat (about US$840)Sample prices

A $1,000 MXN deposit holds the date. Full refund up to 7 days before.

No toilet on board; we can head back to the marina anytime.

Private boats open for booking on 1 December. Planning January now? Ask on WhatsApp and we'll pencil in your date.

Pairs well with: Private boat day →

We watch. We don't chase.

We stay at least 60 meters away in the panga and 80 meters in the covered boat, and wait our turn further back when other boats are watching.
No more than 30 minutes with the same whales, and never more than four boats around them.
We never come between a mother and her calf, never chase, and never feed.
Nobody swims with the whales, and we never use paddleboards or kayaks to watch them.
Engine slow and quiet; in neutral when the whales are still. Hydrophone only with the engine off.
Every trip starts with a short briefing.

Note: On a real client's site, their SEMARNAT whale-watching authorization would be shown here.

How a trip goes

Meet at the marina 20 minutes before. We check life jackets and give the briefing.
Out to open water, watching for the first blow.
Time with the whales, engine down, hydrophone in.
Back to the marina, salty and quiet.

Who can join

All ages; babies from 6 months with an infant life jacket. Not recommended in late pregnancy or with back or neck injuries: the open sea can be bumpy. Prone to seasickness? Take a tablet an hour before, book the 8:00 boat and sit at the back, near the middle.

Whales are wild

In season we meet whales on most trips, but we can't promise it. If we see none, you come again free on another shared trip. Leaving Vallarta before the next shared trip? We refund half your ticket.

Weather and cancellation →

Here between April and November? The sunset sail runs all year. Sunset sail →