Humpback whales in Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay

Short answer: in the latest official notice we read, whale watching in Banderas Bay was authorised from 8 December 2025 to 23 March 2026. During that window, boats leaving Puerto Vallarta can watch humpback whales as long as they keep at least 60 m (small boats) or 80 m (larger ones), move slowly and never let anyone swim or dive near the animals. This guide explains the season, the rules and what our 3-hour trip includes. Anything we could not confirm is flagged.

Quick answers

• Season: 8 December to 23 March in the 2025–26 notice; shorter than in Los Cabos (15 December to 30 April in the same notice).
• Where: Banderas Bay, on the Jalisco and Nayarit coasts. The official norm lists the area between the Marías Islands, Isabel Island and Banderas Bay as a place where humpbacks gather in winter.
• Distance: 60 m for boats under 10 m, 80 m for boats of 10 to 27 m, waiting distance 240 m.
• Length of our trip: about 3 hours.
• Minimum age on our listing: 5 years.

Why Banderas Bay

The norm that governs whale watching in Mexico, NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010, says humpbacks reproduce in Mexican waters from the south of Baja California Sur to the Gulf of Tehuantepec and that they are especially concentrated in Los Cabos, in the area between the Marías Islands, Isabel Island and Banderas Bay, and around the Revillagigedo Islands. Banderas Bay is therefore part of the official map of humpback winter grounds. For a visitor, it also means that you can see them from a city with an airport, hotels and a seafront promenade, without a long transfer.

When can you watch whales?

SEMARNAT publishes the season notice every year, area by area. In the notice of 2 October 2025, whale watching in Banderas Bay (the Jalisco side, around Puerto Vallarta and Cabo Corrientes, and the Nayarit side) was authorised from 8 December 2025 to 23 March 2026. We have not read the 2026–27 notice, so check the dates before you travel. At the time of writing, the calendar of our trip opens on 8 December 2026.

The notice also sets restrictions for whales with calves in the bay. We have not read the details, and the skipper applies them on the day. We found no official data on the best weeks inside the season and no official sighting rates, so we do not give any.

The rules every boat follows

The rules are national, so they are the same as in Cabo San Lucas. For humpbacks, NOM-131 says:

• Distance: at least 60 m for boats under 10 m and 80 m for boats of 10 to 27 m; waiting distance of 240 m for every boat.
• Speed: under 5 knots (9 km/h) in the observation area and 2 knots (4 km/h) in the observation zone, always slower than the slowest whale.
• Crowding: no more than four boats around a group, for up to 30 minutes each.
• Approach: diagonally from the rear side when the whales are travelling; engine in neutral when they are not.
• Mothers and calves: no boat may come between them.
• Forbidden: swimming, diving, fishing, feeding, throwing waste into the sea, and using jet skis or kayaks to watch whales.
• Briefing: the operator must explain the rules to passengers at the start of the trip.

What our trip includes

The humpback whale watching trip in Puerto Vallarta lasts about 3 hours. The listing includes a life jacket, seasonal fruit, a sandwich and bottled water. The meeting point is Los Veranos Canopy Tour, Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio 2735, and departures are scheduled from the early morning (the calendar shows 7:45, 8:00 and 11:00, among others).

• Minimum age: 5 years, according to the listing.
• Not suitable for: infants on laps, people with back problems and pregnant travellers; not wheelchair or stroller accessible.
• Cancellation: free up to 24 hours before departure.

The listing describes the season as December to March, and a sighting is never guaranteed.

If you prefer snorkelling to whales

The Yelapa speedboat trip with snorkelling goes to a village reachable only by sea and runs outside the whale season too. It includes a life jacket, a sandwich, a granola bar, fish ceviche and bottled water; the listing says a small port tax is paid separately on departure from Puerto Vallarta, and the minimum age is 8. For the rest of your stay, read the Puerto Vallarta guide.

To compare with the other Mexican whale destination, read whale watching in Cabo San Lucas.

Tips for the day

• Book the earliest departure you can: mornings are usually calmer on the water (a general rule of thumb, not an official figure).
• Bring a hat, sun protection and a light layer.
• Follow the crew’s instructions during the observation; they apply the law.

Frequently asked questions

When is the whale season in Puerto Vallarta?

In the 2025–26 official notice, from 8 December to 23 March. Dates are set each year.

Is the season longer in Cabo San Lucas?

In the same notice, yes: Los Cabos ran from 15 December to 30 April.

Can I swim with the whales?

No. The norm forbids swimming and diving during whale watching.

How close can the boat get?

At least 60 m for boats under 10 m and 80 m for larger ones.

Is a sighting guaranteed?

No. They are wild animals and the crew must keep the legal distances.

Can children come?

Our listing sets a minimum age of 5.

Where do we meet?

At Los Veranos Canopy Tour, Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio 2735, according to the listing; your confirmation has the final details.

Sources

• SEMARNAT · NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010, DOF 17-10-2011 (Spanish).
• SEMARNAT · Notice of the 2025–2026 whale-watching season, 2 October 2025 (Spanish).
• Our trip description: Humpback whale watching in Puerto Vallarta.

Last checked: 27 October 2026. Season dates come from the 2025–26 notice; confirm the 2026–27 dates before you travel.