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Whale of a Good Time

by Rhea Heggaton | published: 12/16/2008

From December through March, Banderas Bay serves as a preferred winter vacation spot for humpback whales of the North Pacific.

These magnificent creatures come to the bay to breed and calve.

To get here they travel thousands of miles from their feeding grounds along the Alaskan Coast to British Columbia. Here, in the second largest bay in North America, they breed, calve, and nurse their young. With no natural predators in the bay the whales are in a safe environment giving their calves a chance to grow before migrating north again in the summer.

Humpback whales are active, acrobatic, and highly inquisitive. While out on the bay you may witness many behaviors including breaching, tail lobbing, or waving their flippers (which can be up to 15 feet wide).


Up Close and Personal

Observe whales breeching when you go on a whale watching tour.

You can get a closer look at these fascinating marine mammals on one of Vallarta's many whale watching tours. There are many tours to choose from, but all legitimate operators must have a permit from the Secretary of Tourism to conduct expeditions.

Combine whale watching with a relaxing day at the seaside paradise, Las Caletas, with Vallarta Adventure. Spend time on a well appointed catamaran watching whales, and then retreat to Las Caletas for snorkeling, yoga, swimming, sunning, a delicious buffet lunch, and an open bar. This is an ideal tour for families.

Get up close to a humpback whale.

For the die-hard whale-watcher Eco Tours offers a truly unique experience. Enjoy a continental breakfast before boarding a small boat (no more than ten people in a boat) to watch whales along the north coast. Participants can also listen, with a hydrophone, to whales singing. There is also the opportunity to go snorkeling. After the expedition you will return to a beach-side restaurant in Punta Mita for lunch before heading back to Vallarta.


Responsible Whale Watching

On all tours, operators and participants must observe a few rules to ensure the continued health and safety of the whales including:

  • Do not disrupt the whale's normal behavior, separate the whale pod, or feed the whales.
  • Do not throw garbage into the water and make sure trash is put in its place so it does not inadvertently blow overboard.
  • The boat must approach whales from behind at a 45 degree angle, no faster than the slowest whale.
  • No more than two boats can observe the same pod at the same time. After 30 minutes of observing a whale or pod a boat must move away, allowing other boats the opportunity to observe.
  • Boats must keep a distance of 90 feet (30 meters) for smaller boats and 180 feet (60 meters) for larger crafts between the whales.


What to Bring

Don't forget to bring a light jacket, camera, binoculars, hat, and sunglasses. Do not forget your sunscreen and if you tend to get seasick, take a non-prescription medication at least 30 minutes prior to boarding. Enjoy your trip!

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