9 Whale and Dolphin Watching Tours in Mexico Worth Flying For

1.Whale and Dolphin Watching with a Biologist in Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 666 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $105Our pick

Spend about four hours on a small covered boat with a cetacean biologist such as Jemma or Camilla and a skilled captain. Watch humpback whales, dolphins, turtles, and giant mantas, hear whale songs through a hydrophone, and help with ongoing research. The tour leaves from Opequimar Centro Marino in Marina Vallarta and carries up to 20 people.

“We went all the way to the Marietas Islands and saw five male whales and one female — truly magical. Jema was warm, knowledgeable, and clearly loves what she does. Captain Jorge was excellent, getting us right to the action with a smooth ride. Whales everywhere, great crew, and yes… surprisingly good sandwiches. Book it. You won’t regret it. 🐋✨”

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2.Dolphin & Whale Watching in Puerto Escondido

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 278 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $65

Set out from Puerto Escondido at 7 am with Omar’s Sportfishing to search for wild dolphins, humpback whales, sea turtles, manta rays, and seabirds. Guides such as Alex, Johnny, Fernando, and Omar explain the marine life and coastline. Swimming or snorkeling may be possible, but jellyfish and sea conditions can change that.

“Absolutely wonderful experience! It was better than we hoped! We saw so many dolphins, even got to swim with them which was magical. We also saw many tortugas and manta rays.”

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3.Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruise in Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 212 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $78

Cruise Puerto Vallarta’s bay and nearby waters for humpback whales and dolphins aboard a bilingual, all-inclusive boat trip. You’ll get breakfast, a croissant or sandwich lunch, an open bar, and commentary from a marine biologist. Expect about four and a half hours on the schedule, though actual time on the water can vary.

“Whale watching is always iffy. We did see whales. One popped up right next to the boat. The guide who narrated was extremely knowledgeable and spoke very good english. He was also very helpful with the little hiccup. We had gone to the travel company office, got a boarding pass but the lady didn't say anything about paying port fees (cash only btw). We got to security only to find out we were supposed to pay a port fee. The same guy who narrated walked us back to the travel company office, sorted that out, walked us all the way back and helped us cut the security line since our…”

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4.Ocean Safari: Sea Lions, Mobula Rays, Dolphins, Orcas & Whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 85 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $179

From La Ventana, you’ll spend about five hours in a panga searching for marine life with an English-speaking guide and no more than six people aboard. Expect mobula rays, dolphins, and whales when conditions are right. Orcas are possible but not daily. Snorkeling, lunch, fees, and taxes are included.

“The captain and tour guide very helpful and good at finding animals in the ocean!we can see humpback whales, sperm whale, dolphins, mobula rays…So much fun!”

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5.Dolphin & Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $89

Set out from Puerto Beach at 7 am on a shaded 27-foot panga with room for up to 18 people. Robert’s Ecotours provides snorkeling gear, hotel pickup within Puerto Escondido, and an English offering. Keep watch for whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and the chance to swim near dolphins during this three-hour ocean trip.

“Amazing experience we saw two whales fully breach! Also got to see dolphins and sea turtles! definitely recommend!”

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6.Dolphin & Whale Watching with Marine Biologists

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Set out from Chahué Marina at 8:00 am with Oceanico’s marine biologists, including guides such as Scarlett and captains such as Tito. Spend about 2.5 hours seeking humpback whales, dolphins, sea turtles, rays, and other wildlife in Huatulco National Park. You’ll use a hydrophone to hear whales and dolphins, with a maximum of 14 people aboard.

“Very informative venture with experts in marine biology who are conversant in several languages. We saw two pods of dolphins, bottlenose and spotted, many Ridley turtles, yellow-bellied sea snakes, a leaping sailfish. No whales today, but the rest was fantastic. This was an excellent trip!”

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7.Dolphins and whales watching in Puerto Escondido.

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 13 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $75

Leave your Puerto Escondido hotel around 6:40 am for a small-group boat trip along the coast. An English- or Spanish-speaking guide helps spot dolphins, sea turtles, and seasonal whales, while the captain supplies life jackets. The 2.5-hour outing includes transport from four local areas, though pickup reliability deserves careful confirmation.

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8.Dolphin and Whale Watching Boat Trip in Puerto Escondido

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $56Best value

Leave Puerto Escondido at 7:00 am for a three-and-a-half-hour wildlife trip with a captain and guide such as Omar or Salvador. Search for several dolphin species, sea turtles, rays, and seasonal humpback whales. Snorkeling gear is provided, and swimming is possible when the captain approves a safe area.

“This is by far the best tour we have ever been on! Everyone was on time, helpful, and happy! We say humpback whales, thousands (literally) of dolphins, plus turtles. We were in awe!”

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9.Whale & Dolphin Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $101

Set out from Puerto Angelito playa for about three hours of marine wildlife watching with an English-speaking captain. You may see dolphins, turtles, and humpback whales, and snorkeling equipment is included. The boat holds no more than 15 people, with pickup offered in Puerto Escondido.

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