Whale Watching in Mexico Vallarta

Have you ever heard a humpback whale sing or seen one breach (jump out of the water)?

Humpback whales weigh up to 40 tons, can grow up to 55 feet long and migrate up to 16,000 miles each year.

The prime Mexico whale watching season is between December and March when humpback whales by the thousands migrate to the Bay of Banderas Mexico and the Rivera Nayarit region to mate and give birth.

Baby humpbacks, breaching, flippering and lob tailing are all common surface activities that you can witness on whale watching vacations in Mexico.

Humpback whales are curious and these "friendlies" as the locals call them, will often approach Mexico whale watching tour boats and hover under or around the boat for many minutes.

Nuevo Vallarta Mexico Whale Watching

Just north of Puerto Vallarta lies the resort community of Nuevo Vallarta, a part of the Riviera Nayarit, which stretches for 200 miles along Mexico's west coast and is dotted by unbelievable Mexico beaches and upscale resorts.

It is along these Mexico beaches and in the Bay of Banderas especially that you can view the world's largest mammal up close. Many times humpback whales are visible from the Mexico beaches but to truly experience these amazing mammals you can book one of the many available Mexico whale watching tours 

Tourists from around the world come to Nuevo Vallarta on the Bay of Banderas specifically to enjoy a Mexico whale watching vacation, Catching a glimpse of the courtship activities of humpback whales is an unforgettable experience that many consider to be one of the greatest natural attractions on earth.

Other species of mammals one might encounter on Mexico whale watching tours include;

If the season is right one might even encounter Hawksbill turtles, Giant Leatherback turtles and Green Sea Turtles.

Small Boat Mexico Whale Watching Tours

We recommend booking Mexico whale watching tours that utilize small boats. Small Mexico whale watching boats have the lowest impact and allow the tour operators to get in closer to the whales.

Humpback whales are still on the endangered list so some Mexico whale watching tour companies allocate some of the proceeds of their tours to future whale research and conservation.

These companies are concerned about the protection and preservation of the humpback whale species. When choosing a tour operator to do your whale watching in Mexico, look for a responsible operator with a permit.

During the Mexico whale watching season, whale watching tours are available on a daily basis. A typical tour can vary in duration but usually lasts up to 4 hours.

When packing for a Mexico whale watching vacation be sure to include a sweatshirt or windbreaker to keep warm and dry in addition to your sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. Your Mexico whale watching tour may even include lunch, bottled water and snacks.

Other Riviera Nayarit Water Activities

In the Riviera Nayarit region, Mexico whale watching vacations can also be complemented with other local marine activities such as;

Get Help Booking Your Mexico Whale Watching Vacation

There are countless locations where one can enjoy whale watching in Riviera Nayarit, from San Blas to Nuevo Vallarta, sometimes close to the coast and sometimes by following them on an authorized vessel.

For a complete list of water activities in the Riviera Nayarit region please check out our Vallarta Mexico Activities page.

Talk to a specialist for more in-depth information about Mexico Vacations or about Mexico whale watching in the Riviera Nayarit region. View our interactive Nayarit Mexico Map for more detailed information about specific Riviera Nayarit destinations.