Recently Viewed
Bahía de Banderas Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Tour
5.0
14 Ratings
Puerto Vallarta
The natural habitat of the bottle nose dolphins, which includes Bahía de Banderas where Puerto Vallarta is situated, is a year-round home for these creatures. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to watch these dolphins at a safe distance and enjoy a swim in a nearby area.
The natural habitat of the bottle nose dolphins, which includes Bahía de Banderas where Puerto Vallarta is situated, is a year-round home for these creatures. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to watch these dolphins at a safe distance and enjoy a swim in a nearby area.
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Vallarta Natours - This is the designated meeting point where the guide will welcome participants.
- Bahia de Banderas Municipality - The tour will involve cruising in the bay to observe resident pods of bottlenose dolphins. The guide will provide all necessary information. Once the dolphins’ behavior is evaluated, participants will enter the…
- Vallarta Natours - This is the designated meeting point where the guide will welcome participants.
- Bahia de Banderas Municipality - The tour will involve cruising in the bay to observe resident pods of bottlenose dolphins. The guide will provide all necessary information. Once the dolphins’ behavior is evaluated, participants will enter the water, allowing the dolphins to lead the way. Participation is voluntary, and the dolphins are not fed or coerced into any actions. Participants can enter and exit the water multiple times to enhance the chances of a meaningful interaction.
Lunch will be provided before returning to land.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Professional guide
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Use of snorkeling equipment
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos and t-shirts (available to purchase)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Marina Vallarta Port fee
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos and t-shirts (available to purchase)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Marina Vallarta Port fee
Additional Information
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Infant meals not included
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Wheelchair accessible, but diifcult to interact-get off and on the boat
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If cancelled due to Harbor master indications beacuse of unsafe weather, you will be…
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Infant meals not included
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Wheelchair accessible, but diifcult to interact-get off and on the boat
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If cancelled due to Harbor master indications beacuse of unsafe weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- Due to covid restrictions, there is a maximum of 8 passengers per booking
Location
Vallarta Natours
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(14 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Tcaruso29
Dec 3, 2025
Highlight of our week! - Thalia is incredibly knowledgeable. We learned a great deal about dolphins and whales. Capt. Angel got us out into the bay where we found the dolphins and got to jump in the water where they were swimming. Amazing! This was the highlight of the trip! The turkey sandwiches on the boat—best Thanksgiving we could ask for. Definitely recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mike
Nov 28, 2025
Magical Experience - Absolutely incredible experience. We saw dolphins continuously for nearly three hours. We swam with them several times. Our guide, Talia, knows these dolphins so well and provided an educational and surreal experience. She is the real deal marine biologist and it is very evident that the dolphins know and trust her. They follow her boat and were so curious and playful. She was also great with kids (10 & 7) and helped make them feel comfortable and enjoy every minute. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mml4dk
Jul 16, 2025
Highly recommend! - This excursion was the highlight of our trip. The guide and captain were wonderful and very knowledgeable. Ypu can tell that they love what they do. There were so many dolphins. They would swim under and around us. This is the second tour we have done with Vallarta Natours and we will definitely be back for another in the future. Highly recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roam258950
Feb 11, 2023
Magical dolphin encounter - We spent a magical half day swimming with dolphins and watching whales. Thalia was so knowledgeable and made sure the best interests of the animals always came first. This experience was a highlight of our time in Puerto Vallarta. I can't recommend it more highly!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stringsbysarah
Dec 31, 2022
Never ever support dolphins in captivity - DO THIS WILD ENCOUNTER! - Our private excursion with Thalia & Angel to search/find/encounter wild dolphins was absolutely incredible. Honestly, we were a little hesitant because we did not want to negatively influence the dolphins in any way. We have done snorkeling & whale watching with Natours in the past so I knew if we were ever going to experience wild dolphins, we had to do it with them - they are so respectful, compassionate, knowledgeable and safe. Thalia makes it absolutely clear that the dolphins come to US if they want and if they don’t want to, that’s the way it is. But the dolphins were inquisitive and independent. We learned so much about dolphin behavior and communication. We left the boat loving the sea - and Thalia & Angel - even more than when we got on. Every facet of the trip was fabulous, clean, safe, delicious lunch, comfortable accommodations (even for my older parents) and they took great photos to share with us. THIS is the only way to experience wild dolphins; totally worth the investment of money & time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fortyniner1340
Nov 29, 2022
Excellent private excursion - Thalia and Angel provided such a wonderful experience that I am ready to go again. We arranged a private excursion as we were arriving on a cruise ship. The 3 of us had multiple opportunities to swim and interact with some juvenile dolphins that are part of a pod who's territory is on the north side of the bay. This would be a great excursion for active adults as well as older children and teens. We also saw whales, manta rays and did some fantastic snorkeling. Thalia provided lots of information about the bay and its inhabitants. Totally enjoyable day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mohnishm822
Sep 1, 2022
The Champagne of Ocean Tour - There is pizza everywhere and then there is the really good pizza that compels you to close your eyes and moan a little as it does its thing to your brain.
Thats is how I will describe the excursion with Thalia and her team. I have been on 6 rides so far since last year and I could never have enough.
She has created this wonderful relationship with the dolphins where they let her know when its okay to jump into the water and play with them. Her in depth insight of the marine life is a joy to soak in.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ushabud
Aug 30, 2022
Amazing experience!! - Once in a lifetime experience of swimming with the dolphins and what made it extra awesome was Thalia. She is extremely passionate about what she does, very knowledgeable and shares valuable information about Dolphins. She made the entire experience fun and has a very friendly personality. She even helped my sister overcome her fear of the water by getting her to jump in and staying by her side the whole time we snorkeled. I highly recommend her tour. Thank you Thalia for this wonderful experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deepak403
Aug 30, 2022
Swimming with dolphins - Thalia and team are very professional and experienced. Thalia was with us, she is a marine biologist and is very knowledgeable about the marine life there. She knows many 9f the dolphins by names. She and her team are highly recomended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vanesaa756
Oct 1, 2021
Unforgettable - Swimming with wild dolphins in such a beautiful place as Banderas Bay and with the guidance of Thalía, was an incredible experience. The treatment of Thalía and Captain Angel throughout the tour was excellent. They are very professional and nice. They adapted very well to the needs of my family (an elderly person with walking problems and an adult with Down syndrome with fear of water). We are all very very grateful. I'm definitely going back to take the whale watching tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
More activities from this operator
