Puerto Vallarta Vacation and Information Center

Dolphins & Snorkeling at Los Arcos Combo Overview

The region near Puerto Vallarta, where the waters of the Pacific Ocean meet the warm sheltered waters of Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay), is home to an incredible array of biodiversity. Our bilingual naturalist guides will transport you into the splendid waters of Banderas Bay during dolphin watching season (from April through December) to witness wild dolphins as they frolic in their natural habitat. You could witness a variety of cetaceans on this excursion, including Pacific bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins, spotted dolphins, false killer whales, and possibly even humpback whales (during the winter). Bottlenose dolphins are the most common cetaceans that can be witnessed during this tour. We utilize especially-designed zodiac motor crafts to approach these amazing creatures. You’ll be astounded as these marine mammals surf along the wake or near the bow of the boat, leap from the water, and swim along in social groups called pods. We also utilize underwater audio equipment, a hydrophone, which allows participants to listen to the dolphins as they communicate with each other underwater. Dolphins also use sound as a type of sonar to echo-locate prey while hunting fish. We keep our tour groups small on these expeditions in order to maintain more personalized service. You are free to pick the brains of our expert marine biologist guides about the local marine life and aquatic environment. You won’t feel lost amongst a throng of tourists as you would on a typical overcrowded cruise from Puerto Vallarta; our Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Combo cruise is limited to twelve passengers per boat.

After the wild dolphin watching adventure, we’ll head over to Los Arcos, a group of towering granite islands in the south of Banderas Bay. The federally-protected marine sanctuary of Los Arcos is home to a splendid variety of marine bird species, including one of the rare nesting sites of the endangered blue-footed booby. The main attraction of Los arcos is below the crystal-clear water’s surface, where you can view a dazzling array of undersea life, including sea turtles, manta rays, and a kaleidoscope of tropical fish while snorkeling. This combination adventure on Banderas Bay is a great way to experience the natural marvels near Puerto Vallarta.