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Bay of Banderas: Wildlife Eco-Adventure Tour
4.3
1,119 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
(1119 Ratings)
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Gustav0danter
Sep 17, 2025
The best experiencie - Great expeierence! Amazing! Every single detail, every single moment, they make it special. We came from Tijuana, BC, MX., and it has been one of the most great experiencie of my life. The staff is pretty kind, the best ones. Thank you Lucas, Angel, Daniel, bartender and staff. Thank you!
Dante.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mark-norma
Sep 3, 2025
GREAT Excursion!! - Dani and crew on Boat 1 did an amazing job. The weather wasn’t the best, but a good time was had and was well worth the money. Plenty of fish and other wildlife seen at the Marieta Islands. Great lunch was provided after the snorkeling while we were moving to the beach for another hour of fun. While at the beach, more food was provided as well as drinks that continued to flow. The last leg back to port was an entertainment filled hour provided by the crew…singing, dancing, and lip sync/air guitar shenanigans.
Great excursion guys!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bobbi_r
Aug 20, 2025
Great - Amazing and entertaining. Dani and his grew were the best. Great service and entertainment. Snorkeling and lunch were great.
Review provided by Viator
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
Dane_s
Sep 17, 2025
Snorkeling visibility... - Snorkeling visibility during rainy season is terrible.
The birds are cool.
The lunch was quite good.
Boat crew were great.
Review provided by Viator
Davei945
Aug 26, 2025
Great crew more beach time needed - Crew was great 👍 Beach time at Majahuitas was too short, too rushed, we were back at 3pm at port.
Islas Marietas snorkeling was waste of time, no visibility so could have had more beach time at Majahuitas!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
321marioa
Aug 10, 2025
Poor value for money - Do not publish this review, just let the tour operator know our observations. Upon arrival at the meeting point, we are greeted with a surprise charge. This voracious attitude was what disenchanted us and eventually we found that the journey is long between each point of the attraction; snorkeling from the 1st and 2nd location, then to Majahuitas beach for activities and food with a very limited time. The publicity photo is misleading since we did NOT disembark to access the crater beach, which after reading the details of the tour we realized is a different tour to reach the hidden beach. What can be rescued from this walk is that the crew/hosts at all times were very attentive and friendly. We did not like the tour and do not recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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