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Bay of Banderas: Wildlife Eco-Adventure Tour
4.3
1,114 Ratings
Puerto Vallarta
Embark on an eco-adventure in the Bay of Banderas and Mexican Pacific. Discover dolphins, whales, manta rays, sea turtles, and tropical fish in their natural habitat. Enjoy bird watching, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking in the Marietas Islands.
Embark on an eco-adventure in the Bay of Banderas and Mexican Pacific. Discover dolphins, whales, manta rays, sea turtles, and tropical fish in their natural habitat. Enjoy bird watching, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking in the Marietas Islands.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Marietas Islands - Discover the breathtaking Islas Marietas National Park, a volcanic archipelago located off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.
Join an all-inclusive eco-adventure that includes kayaking, snorkeling, and birdwatching, all led by bilingual experts.
After exploring the islands, relax at the pristine Majahuitas Beach, where a BBQ buffet…
- Marietas Islands - Discover the breathtaking Islas Marietas National Park, a volcanic archipelago located off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.
Join an all-inclusive eco-adventure that includes kayaking, snorkeling, and birdwatching, all led by bilingual experts.
After exploring the islands, relax at the pristine Majahuitas Beach, where a BBQ buffet and refreshing drinks are ready for you. Unwind under the palm trees, enjoy panoramic views, and partake in activities like paddleboarding or snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters.
With its stunning landscapes, vibrant marine life, and exceptional service, this tour provides the ideal blend of nature, adventure, and relaxation, promising an unforgettable experience in Mexico’s ecotourism paradise.
What's Included
- Stand-up Paddle Boarding
- Use of snorkel and kayak equipment
- Lunch
- Stand-up Paddle Boarding
- Use of snorkel and kayak equipment
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Port fees (to be paid in cash at the port)
- Admission fees
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Port fees (to be paid in cash at the port)
- Admission fees
Additional Information
This thrilling day tour lets you explore the immense diversity of wildlife found in the Bay of Banderas and the Pacific side of Mexico. Experience the beauty of nature firsthand as you search for dolphins, whales, giant manta rays, sea turtles, and tropical fish in their native habitats! You’ll also get to enjoy bird watching, swimming, snorkeling,…
This thrilling day tour lets you explore the immense diversity of wildlife found in the Bay of Banderas and the Pacific side of Mexico. Experience the beauty of nature firsthand as you search for dolphins, whales, giant manta rays, sea turtles, and tropical fish in their native habitats! You’ll also get to enjoy bird watching, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and kayaking in the balmy waters around the Marietas Islands. This eco-adventure adds an exhilarating twist to your vacation in Puerto Vallarta!
- Due to federal regulations, and in an effort to protect the flight path of endemic birds, drones are prohibited in this tour
- Please be advised that Mexico’s Federal Maritime Ports operate a strict No-Drug Policy, including electronic cigarettes, vapers, and all kinds of drugs. Please be advised not to bring them to any of our tours. We cannot offer a refund or change of day for any guest to whom Federal Security has denied access.
- This option is not suitable for cruise ship passengers due to time conflicts with our local schedule
- There isn’t a dock at any of the locations we visit in this trip so we jump off the boat and to get back on board we use small metal ladders.
- We spend most of the duration of the trip on the boat, if you suffer from seasickness this might not be the best adventure for you, please contact one of our adventure advisors.
Location
Puerto Magico
Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio
Please contact Vallarta Adventures if you have any questions regarding meeting details and check in instructions
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
4.3
(1114 Ratings)
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Sunshine544485
Aug 9, 2025
So Worth It!!!! - If I could give six stars, I would. At the end of our week in Puerto Vallarta, I asked my family (2 adults, 3 kids) for their trip highlight—every single one of us chose this tour.
We were picked up in Nuevo Nayarit, stopped in Puerto Vallarta to pick up more passengers, and then continued to Isla Marietas. If you're prone to seasickness, consider taking medication. We had no issues, but some other passengers did feel sick. Cruising across Bahia de Banderas was a highlight. Our guide, Mr. Luis, made the ride both informative and fun—more like a lively tour-meets-boat-party than just a transfer.
We mainly booked for the snorkeling, especially for our daughter who is nine. The water was rough that day, and it was almost canceled, but the crew found a calmer spot. Snorkeling with three kids was a challenge, but the crew was incredibly helpful. We also spotted blue-footed boobies near the island!
On the way to the beach, Captain Ricardo spotted a pod of dolphins—including babies! Watching them from the top deck was pure magic and a total surprise in the off-season.
The beach stop was stunning. Lunch was delicious, and we enjoyed a banana boat ride and kayaking. On the way back, we even saw sea turtles!
An unforgettable day and the absolute highlight of our trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Frank_c
Jul 24, 2025
Don’t miss this one! - Staff onboard were outstanding.
Constantly feeding and watering us. Many non alcoholic and alcoholic options. Alcohol was not served until after the snorkeling. Very smart.
Continental breakfast on ship great and lunch on shore was the best meal we had in PV!
Lots of shade on board, not overcrowded.
Mixed crowd.
So many activities to enjoy on shore.
Timing was unrushed.
Just a great day. Don’t miss it!
Review provided by Viator
Ingridh298
Jul 18, 2025
Wonderful and completely safe experience for the whole family. - This tour was amazing. The crew did an excellent job keeping everyone happy, entertained and safe. The snacks and drinks were really good and constantly the crew kept checking on us. Snorkeling was wonderful, I always felt that my family and I were safe. The food and activities in Majauitas were great, too. They all deserve 5 stars. We’ll be back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tena
Jul 11, 2025
fun day trip with lots to see! - we were wary due to some previous reviews, but ended up having a great time on this excursion thanks to boat #1 with danny!!! we came from nuevo vallarta, so it was a short stop to pick up the people from puerto vallarta (they do the reverse on the way back so its fair to everyone) before heading out to the marietas islands. since the islands are still in the bay, there are no crazy swells so i wouldn’t worry if you are someone that gets seasick. on the way to the islands, we even saw a couple dolphins :) there are no drinks before the snorkeling to make sure everyone is safe
despite previous reviews saying otherwise, we had a good 1 hour in the water to snorkel! there are a good amount of fish to see and they are diverse as well! we recommend going out to the edges of the rocks, as that is where the coral are and the fish :) there are also photographers with vallarta adventures that help you capture the moment, but i did wish i had a waterproof phone case or a gopro to take photos underwater.
after snorkeling, they take you around the islands to see the blue-footed booby and the magnificent frigatebirds that are around! then the open bar begins as you make your way to the beach bbq. the beach bbq did have some vegetarian options (rice, pasta, salad, potatoes, bread), which was a nice surprise! there are only a couple kayaks and paddle boards, but it seemed like those who wanted to do it were able to try it out for at least a couple minutes.
overall, the trip is what you make of it! the islands are beautiful, and we had an amazing time thanks to an amazing crew for a hassle-free experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carolinapu1460xg
Jul 10, 2025
I recommend it 100% - It exceeded our expectations, and the price is much better than in other places. It was fun, well-maintained, and the service was very good. The drinks were delicious, and the BBQ food was delicious. The crew members Cristian, Pulpo, Mahón, Captain Ricardo, Luis, Sebastián, Israel and Carlos are very friendly and always have a smile on their faces.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luis_m
Jun 27, 2025
Great Experience - Had a great time. My 7yr old loved it. Water was a bit chilly during thay time but wet suit helped. Music was a bit too much at times but overall ok.
Review provided by Viator
Samcinthebay
Jun 15, 2025
A Great Day put on by a Great Crew! - This trip was a fun day of snorkeling, water, activities, beach, lounging, eating, drinking, and laughing. It was a really fun day, but the crew really made it that much more! A couple things to know are there that this might be the only company that does a pick up north of PV. If you want to save some time and not go into town, this is your best bet. Also, on the day we went the water was a bit choppy. Be prepared!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
693griffing
May 25, 2025
Exceeded Expectations, Great Drinks & Food, + Amazing Crew! - We were a group of 16 friends in our mid 20s and were a little hesitant initially as we didn’t know what to expect. However, the friendly / fun staff on boat 4 with captain juan were incredible. The lunch on the beach was amazing and was located at this super cool beach restaurant with hammocks, ample seating, and delicious bbq chicken, ribs, coleslaw, salad, pasta and more, and the open bar was also great! If you’re looking for a little adventure and willing to learn a little more about the birds on the island, snorkel, and eat great food with a fun crew, this is the trip for you! While we took advantage of the open bar, there were families and kids on board and felt like it would be an equally great experience for them as well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amruta_j
May 13, 2025
Great time - one of our... - Great time - one of our key highlights of our trip. Would have been nicer to have another hour at the island but the team did a fab job with experience & show.
Review provided by Viator
Bensg6294vj
Jul 11, 2025
Not worth it - basically a long booze cruise - The tour promises a lot including we thought hidden beach. It’s a relatively expensive trip as well. After a reasonably long boat ride we got to the islands which are not especially pretty or remarkable - snorkeling with several hundred people in life jackets with poor visibility - saw some fish but it’s not exactly the barrier reef. We sailed past hidden beach and saw - a shallow cave. That was it. Another long boat ride but they cracked out the beer and fruit punch. Crew were fun, there was karaoke. The bbq beach was again unremarkable and the food pretty awful. The promised activities consisted of an old paddle board and some other bits of worn out equipment which in the time allowed about 2 people got to use. Long trip back - more booze and singing. Pretty crap trip to be honest. Take my advice and don’t waste your time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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