Conducting Responsible Whale Watching Tours, Research & Conservation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

“The most responsible whale watching tour operator in Puerto Vallarta.”
~ The Puerto Vallarta Whale Watching Forum

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Responsible Humpback Whale Watching Tours
in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Join us with respectful encounters with the Humpback whales, dolphins and other pelagic marine species that call Banderas Bay home through a set of unique tours led by a marine scientist and specialized bilingual crew. We offer several different types of tours which are described below.

The official whale watching season runs from December 8th through March 23rd. Please remember that by booking with Ocean Friendly Tours your participation contributes to important research projects related to the protection and survival of the Humpback whale, The Fluke Identification Program and the Kite Aerial Photography Research Project. We thank you in advance for your support of this important work.

Discover the marvels of the whale world on board our customized fiberglass boats and listen to their tonal songs with our hydrophone and speaker system.

Schedule: Our tours depart at 9:00am and we meet at the pier at 8:30am for a complete tour briefing before departure. Depending on the tour you choose, the trips last from 4 to 5 hours and we generally back to Puerto Vallarta between 1:30pm to 2:30pm.

Our After Booking Information page will give you more information and instructions about what to expect on the day of your tour. We urge you to please review our Terms & Conditions page before booking your whale watching adventure.

All of Our Tours Include:

• Oceanologist & Naturalist Assistants as your specialized bilingual guides
• Illustrated field guides and didactic materials
• Complete briefing of Banderas Bay and morphological overview of the Humpback whale and its migration, mating and birthing activities
• Narrated natural and scientific details throughout the entire voyage
• State of the art hydrophone and speaker system to listen to whale & dolphin vocalizations underwater
• Government certified boat(s) captain(s) and crew members
• Comfortable West Marine auto-inflating life vests for adults and additional life vests specifically designed to ensure the safety of younger children
• Bushnell “H2O” 8x25 Binoculars available to guests at no additional cost
• VHF radio communication systems
• Complete array of safety and first aid equipment
• Restroom facilities (on the 30-foot boat)
• Dry bags for camera equipment and clothing protection
• Meal service offered on board on morning departures only, includes: homemade pannini sandwiches, condiments, fruit, snacks, bottled purified water and soft drinks. Afternoon departures include: fruit, snacks, bottled purified water and soft drinks. Please advise us if you require a vegetarian lunch when making your booking.
• On board gift shop with caps, tee-shirts, etc. (Please bring cash as we do not accept credit cards on board the boat.)
• Private charters are completely customized to your specific requests as available. Contact us directly for more information about private charters.

Booking Instructions: Please e-mail us for availability of your preferred tour date prior to purchasing your tour. This is very important. Your e-mail will be responded to within one business day.

You will book and pay for your trip via PayPal’s secure shopping cart system. Your information will remain private and secure and will never be shared with others. PayPal will provide you with a receipt that will serve as your boarding ticket. If you are unable to print the receipt you can bring a copy of it on any mobile device. Nevertheless, once you receive a confirmation email your name will be noted on the passenger list as confirmed and paid.

After choosing your month and date of travel, simply click on one of the  buttons below to activate your shopping cart. You will be able to change the number of adult participants and update your cart.

If you need to add children to the booking just click on CONTINUE SHOPPING to be returned to this page to add the additional child tour participants. If there is more than one child, change the number and click UPDATE. You will then be able to check out and pay for your booking(s). Please review our Terms & Conditions page, especially as it relates to cancellations, before making your reservation. Please provide a local Puerto Vallarta phone number when making your PayPal payment so that we can inform you of any schedule changes should they occur.

Cruise Ship Passenger Information: We offer special departure times for cruise ship passengers and groups. E-mail us directly for special arrangements for your group. Keep in mind that “ship's time” may be different than local Puerto Vallarta time. Check with your cruise ship company and ship's Purser for exact local time here in Puerto Vallarta.

Respectful & Responsible Whale Watching Expedition

This tour represents four hours of pure whale watching delight! We will depart the pier and immediately begin looking for Humpback whale encounters and encounters with other pelagic species that call Banderas Bay home during this time of the year.

This tour provides perfect opportunities to observe a variety of open water species such as Bottlenose Dolphins, Spotted dolphins, Rough toothed dolphins, Bryde's whales, Humpback whales (from November through mid April), Giant mantas, sea turtles, and occasionally Spinner dolphins, False killer whales and even Orcas.

Available Tour Dates: Daily Departures

...Please Do Not Make Payment Before Requesting Tour Availability...

Please contact us prior to purchasing your tour. Your e-mail will be responded to within one business day and you will be free to make your payment online at this web page. NOTE: Office hours are 10:00am to 6:00pm daily (Central Time). Requests received after hours will be processed the next business day.

Purchase Adult Ticket (8+ Years Old)
$95.00

Purchase Child Ticket (2 - 8 Years Old - Minimum Age 2)
$75.00

Oceanographical & Whale Watching Discovery Expedition

Our specialized Oceanographical Discovery Expedition is similar to our regular whale watching adventure but further focuses on providing a description of the oceanographical features of Banderas Bay that affects whales, dolphins and other open water species. This is a unique 5-hour journey that we conduct only during the winter and early spring months.

This tour also provides perfect opportunities to observe a variety of open water species such as Bottlenose Dolphins, Spotted dolphins, Rough toothed dolphins, Bryde's whales, Humpback whales (from November through mid-April), Giant mantas, sea turtles, and occasionally Spinner dolphins, False killer whales and even Orcas. This tour is a bird watcher's delight!

During the journey, we describe the origin of Banderas Bay and the Marietas Islands and their relationship with Baja California and the Sea of Cortez. We also discuss the major oceanographic and geological features of the bay and observe marine pelagic wildlife such as whales, mantas, dolphins and exotic bird species including the Magnificent Frigate Bird, Tropic Bird, Blue Footed Booby Birds, terns and more.

The Marietas Islands are a bird lovers delight with 18 species of resident birds and 71 species of transient birds. We provide an experienced bird watching expert on board for this tour to further enhance your understanding of this unique ecosystem.

Available Tour Dates:

• December, 2011: 9th, 21st, 24th, 31st
• January, 2012: 6th, 13th, 22nd, 27th
• February, 2012: 1st, 13th, 14th, 23rd, 29th
• March, 2012: 8th, 14th, 21st, 23rd, 28th*
• April, 2012: 4th*

*Tours conducted after March 23rd are not to be considered whale watching adventures.

...Please Do Not Make Payment Before Requesting Tour Availability...

Please e-mail us contact us prior to purchasing your tour. Your e-mail will be responded to within one business day and you will be free to make your payment online at this web page. NOTE: Office hours are 10:00am to 6:00pm daily (Central Time). Requests received after hours will be processed the next business day.

Purchase Ticket (Minimum Age - 2 Years Old)
$115.00

Respectful Whale Watching Expedition
Benefiting Local Charities

This tour represents four hours of pure whale watching delight! We will depart the pier and immediately begin looking for Humpback whale encounters and encounters with other pelagic species that call Banderas Bay home during this time of the year.

This tour provides perfect opportunities to observe a variety of open water species such as Bottlenose Dolphins, Spotted dolphins, Rough toothed dolphins, Bryde's whales, Humpback whales (from November through mid April), Giant mantas, sea turtles, and occasionally Spinner dolphins, False killer whales and even Orcas.

Proceeds from these tours benefit various charities in and around Puerto Vallarta. See our Charity Tours page to learn more about this year’s chosen charities supported by Ocean Friendly Tours.

Available Tour Dates:

• CANICA - February 11, 2012
• Los Mangos - February 18, 2012
• CANICA - March 4, 2012
• CANICA - March 19, 2012

...Please Do Not Make Payment Before Requesting Tour Availability...

Please e-mail us contact us prior to purchasing your tour. Your e-mail will be responded to within one business day and you will be free to make your payment online at this web page. NOTE: Office hours are 10:00am to 6:00pm daily (Central Time). Requests received after hours will be processed the next business day.

Purchase Adult Ticket (8+ Years Old)
$95.00

Purchase Child Ticket (2 - 8 Years Old - Minimum Age 2)
$75.00

Ocean Friendly Tours’ Exclusive Private Charters

Private tours and boat charters are available year round for groups of all sizes. Our private tours are a perfect way for a family or group of friends to  explore the ocean environment of Banderas Bay, observe the flora and fauna of the bay and to visit the incredible Humpback whale up close and in person.

Private charters are a great way to celebrate special occasions and include all the services of our regular tour with the added benefits of total customization and an upgraded meal and beverage plan.

Depending on your interests your private tour can include whale watching (in season), a visit to the Marietas Islands, Los Arcos, bird watching, a geological descriptive tour and/or snorkeling. The choices are yours to make.

Costs of private charters vary by group size and itinerary. Please contact us for a quotation for a customized, private tour that meets your specific interests.

After Booking Information

We’ve created a web page that will give you all the information that you need to know on the day of your tour. Please print out the information page and carefully review it. If you have any questions regarding your whale watching adventure, please e-mail us. Our e-mail address is: ofrey@oceanfriendly.com

Seasickness: Don't let seasickness ruin your adventure. If you're concerned about  seasickness, please consult your physician or pharmacist about  preventatives that might be good for you. We have a limited number of Sea-Bands Wristbands available on board for guest usage.

To help ensure a better experience we urge you to get a good night's sleep and to moderate your alcohol consumption the night before your whale watching adventure.

Terms & Conditions: Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Terms & Conditions governing your tour.

Confirmation & Ticketing: Your PayPal receipt will act as your reservation confirmation and  boarding ticket. Please print a copy of it and bring it along with you  on the day of departure.

For Cash Payments: You should e-mail us to confirm availability and make your reservation. Cash payments are  due immediately upon arrival in Puerto Vallarta and are payable at our  reservations center. Bank transfers are available within Mexico, please  ask for bank information or reservation center information when  requesting your reservation.

Day of Departure Information: After you’ve confirmed your journey, please be sure to print out the  information that you will need regarding your whale watching adventure. Our After Booking Information page will give you all that you need to know about how to prepare for your journey.

Gift Shop Onboard: You will have the opportunity to purchase Ocean Friendly branded merchandise on board the boat. Please bring cash as we do not accept credit cards on the water.

The proceeds of these sales benefit the Kite Aerial Photography Project and other current research projects.

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No images, designs or text can be used for any purpose without the owner's permission.