4.8 (413) · Puerto Vallarta · By Mike's Fishing & Tours Free cancellation
Embark on the ultimate winter whale watching expedition across Banderas Bay aboard a spacious double-decker catamaran!
Witness majestic humpback whales leaping and interacting in their natural habitat, offering a breathtaking wildlife show you cannot miss.
✨ WHAT MAKES THIS TOUR UNIQUE:
• TWO MEAL SERVICES INCLUDED: Enjoy a hot Continental Breakfast (pancakes, fresh fruit, yogurt, bread, coffee) followed later by a delicious buffet Lunch (marlin burritos, paninis, ceviche, and chips).
• INTERNATIONAL OPEN BAR: Sip on unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks from our premium selection throughout the cruise.
• DOUBLE-DECKER COMFORT: Sail safely on a large, stable catamaran (up to 120 travelers) with open-air viewing zones perfect for professional-grade wildlife photography.
• DUAL DEPARTURES: Convenient boarding options from Nuevo Vallarta (8:30 AM) or Puerto Vallarta (9:20 AM).
✓ Live commentary on board✓ A selection of international alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks served by our attentive crew throughout the cruise.✓ Enjoy vegan ceviche, ham & cheese paninis, traditional marlin burritos, and crunchy tortilla chips served onboard.✓ Continental breakfast featuring hot pancakes, fresh fruit, yogurt, bread, coffee, milk, orange juice, jam, and maple honey.✕ Crew gratuities are optional but highly appreciated for our dedicated maritime and service staff.✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off✕ Transportation to/from attractions✕ Entrance fees (port fees applies at API, Puerto Vallarta)Activity Schedule
4 h
Experience the magic of the winter season in Banderas Bay aboard our spacious, stable catamaran for an unforgettable Humpback Whale watching adventure!
Witness these majestic marine mammals interact in their natural habitat, offering a spectacular show of breaches and tail-slaps.
YOUR ALL-INCLUSIVE ECO-ADVENTURE INCLUDES:
• FULL BREAKFAST (Before 10AM): Fresh fruit, hot pancakes, bread, yogurt, coffee, milk, orange juice, jam, and maple honey.
• ️ BOUNTIFUL LUNCH: Vegan ceviche, ham & cheese paninis, traditional marlin burritos, and crunchy tortilla chips.
• INTERNATIONAL BAR: Unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks served by our attentive onboard crew throughout the cruise.
• COMFORTABLE EMBARKATION: Enjoy a double-decker boat featuring open-air viewing areas perfect for wildlife photography and maximum comfort.
Note: Please double-check your designated departure location and time (8:30 AM Nuevo Vallarta or 9:20 AM Puerto Vallarta) immediately after booking!
Mobile or paper ticket accepted. One per booking
2 DOCK OPTIONS! Check hotel location:
Nuevo Vallarta (Paradise Village): 8:30 AM.
Puerto Vallarta (API/Puerto Magico): 9:20 AM.
Port fee NOT included (pay cash at pier). Arrive 20 mins early! Check Viator messages.
2 DOCK OPTIONS! Check hotel location:
Nuevo Vallarta (Paradise Village): 8:30 AM.
Puerto Vallarta (API/Puerto Magico): 9:20 AM.
Port fee NOT included (pay cash at pier). Arrive 20 mins early! Check Viator messages.
Due to the nature of this tour and the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund.
Minimum drinking age is 18 years
Please, be there 30 minutes earlier
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Service animals allowed Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries Not recommended for pregnant travelers Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health Suitable for all physical fitness levels Refunds will not be issued if tour/activity is missed due to late or non-arrival of cruise ship May be operated by a multi-lingual guide Departure From Puerto Vallarta Departs strictly at 9:20 AM from Puerto Mágico (API Terminal). Arrive 20m early! Check Viator messages. Departure from Nuevo Vallarta Departs strictly at 8:30 AM from Paradise Village Public Pier. Arrive 20m early! Check Viator messages. Arrive at your departure point at least 20 minutes before the scheduled time. Check Viator messages for any updates regarding your tour. Bring your camera for incredible photo opportunities. The minimum drinking age is 18 years. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Product code: 8187P16
Activity offered by Mike's Fishing & Tours via Viator.
WizardTrip Help Center Nature enthusiasts Wildlife lovers Families Couples Witness majestic humpback whales in their natural habitat. Enjoy two meal services: breakfast and lunch. Unlimited international open bar included. Sail on a comfortable double-decker catamaran. Convenient departure options from Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta.
Population 224,166 (2020)
Elevation 101 m
Currency peso
Official languages Spanish, Nahuatl, Yucatec Maya
Driving on the right
Power plugs A, B · 127 V
Emergency number 911
Capital city Mexico City Average temperatures 20° Jan 20° Feb 22° Mar 24° Apr 25° May 25° Jun 24° Jul 24° Aug 23° Sept 23° Oct 21° Nov 20° Dec Sources: Wikidata; climate: NASA POWER, 2001-2025 averages.
What is included in the tour? + The tour includes live commentary, a selection of international alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, vegan ceviche, ham & cheese paninis, traditional marlin burritos, crunchy tortilla chips, and a continental breakfast.
What is not included in the tour? + Crew gratuities, hotel pickup and drop-off, transportation to/from attractions, and entrance fees (port fees) are not included.
What are the departure options? + You can depart from Nuevo Vallarta at 8:30 AM or from Puerto Vallarta at 9:20 AM. Please check your hotel location for the correct departure point.
What is the cancellation policy? + For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Top notch service!
S8090VTcodyb, March 2026
Mikes Fishing was an excellent host. From the giant boat, the amazing food and drinks, and the service was spectacular.
Top it off they had us on whales the entire time. Highly recommend this group!
Response from the operator · Mikescharterstours Hi! 🐋✨ Thank you so much for the review and for the 'top notch' praise!
We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our giant boat and that the food, drinks, and service were spectacular. Our main goal is always to provide the best possible sightings, so hearing that you were on whales the entire time truly makes our day!
It was a pleasure being your host in the bay, and we truly appreciate your high recommendation. We hope to see you back on board for another spectacular adventure soon! ⚓🍹🌊
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
A wonderful whale watching excursion - top notch!
Leah B, March 2026
We and our teen daughter went on the whale watching tour out of Riviera Nayarit Marina today. The directions provided to us for the pick up spot were detailed and perfect. The boat was, surprisingly, a huge 93 foot luxury yacht that would have held 100 people. The ship was accessible in that there was lots of seating and the bar and food were on the main deck, but there is also a top deck and the bathrooms were down some windy stairs from the main deck (not wheelchair accessible). Twenty of us or so embarked from Nuevo at 8:30 AM, then we sailed to Puerto Vallarta to pick up another 25 people. There was coffee, fruit, pancakes and sweet bread for breakfast, and we were served mimosas, Bloody Mary, or any other drink we wanted from the open bar. There were servers who brought the drinks so we didn’t need to miss a moment of the ocean viewing. We stopped with engines and music off at a few spots where there were Mama and baby humpbacks and enjoyed watching them frolic. The crew are all part of the whale conservation effort and were very respectful of giving the whales their space. The chef then prepared some turkey and cheese sandwiches, delicious marlin salad with tostadas, vegan ceviche (which was a mixture of fruits and veg and was absolutely delicious) and chips. The open bar and drinks service continued for the whole voyage. The tour guide, Israél, was knowledgeable about the ocean animals and whales in particular and gave lots of interesting info in both English and Spanish. He was very funny too, and made the trip super fun. There was a pro photographer onboard who took photos of the guests and all the whale sightings. Her photos were available for purchase. The crew was all very friendly and the ship safe and clean. We also saw sea turtles and dolphins! We would highly recommend this tour! Pro tip: If you embark at Nayarit you are first on the boat and can choose your viewing spot first, and you get extra time as you’re dropped off last. Muy bueno!
Response from the operator · Mikescharterstours Hi Leah! 🐋✨ Thank you so much for this 'top notch' and incredibly detailed review!
We are thrilled that you and your daughter had such a wonderful time on our 93-foot luxury yacht. It’s great to hear that our directions made your arrival easy and that you enjoyed the breakfast spread—nothing beats starting a whale-watching adventure with pancakes and mimosas!
We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Israel. He takes great pride in being both funny and knowledgeable about our humpback friends, and we’re glad he made the trip so much fun for you. It’s also wonderful to know you enjoyed the lunch, especially our marlin salad and the vegan ceviche.
Seeing the mama and baby humpbacks while maintaining a respectful distance is exactly how we love to operate, so thank you for noticing our commitment to being an ethical tour. Topped off with dolphins and sea turtles, it sounds like you had the 'full house' of marine life!
Lastly, thank you for sharing that pro-tip about embarking at the Riviera Nayarit Marina. It's a fantastic piece of advice for future travelers who want to snag their favorite viewing spot early.
We can't wait to welcome your family back on board for another adventure! ⚓🍹📸
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Highly recommended
Alejandro A, March 2026
Nice boarding and the crew was great
Response from the operator · Mikescharterstours Hi! 👋 Thank you so much for the 5-star rating. We are glad to hear you had a 'nice boarding' experience and that our crew made your trip great. We hope to see you back on the water with us very soon! ⚓✨
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Excellent whale watching!
Lisa R, March 2026
Whales, Dolphins, and Turtles, oh my! We saw many humpback whales, mostly mamas with their babies. We also saw a pod of dolphins and several sea turtles. One of them swam right alongside our boat. The drinks and food were great and the staff and service were fantastic. Highly recommend
Response from the operator · Mikescharterstours Hi Lisa! 🌟 Whales, dolphins, and turtles—oh my! We are absolutely thrilled you got to see the 'full house' of marine life, especially the humpback mamas with their babies.
It’s wonderful to know one of the sea turtles swam right alongside the boat for you to see! Thank you for your kind words about our food, drinks, and staff service. We truly appreciate the high recommendation and hope to see you again! ⚓🍹✨
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Awesome time!
patricksD5528QN, March 2026
It was well worth the time. We saw many humpback whales, dolphins and sea turtles. The service was great! Plenty of food and drinks! The crewmembers were great.
Response from the operator · Mikescharterstours Hi! 🤩 Thank you for the 'awesome' review! We are so happy the tour was well worth your time and that you had such a productive day of sightings with humpbacks, dolphins, and turtles.
Our crewmembers take great pride in keeping the food plenty and the drinks flowing, so we’re glad you felt well taken care of. Cheers to a great time in Vallarta! ⚓🐋🍻
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