Private Tour
Punta Mita Whale Watching
Two hours, a boat that’s yours alone, and the humpback whales that come to Banderas Bay every winter.
Check availability- Season
- December 10 to March 22
- Departures
- Every hour, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Duration
- 2 hours on a private boat
- Capacity
- Up to 13 people per boat
- Crew
- Captain experienced in whale behavior
Price is per boat, not per person. Groups over 13: message us and we’ll book two boats.
See price table by group size
| People | Total price (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1–4 | $334 |
| 5 | $374 |
| 6 | $414 |
| 7 | $454 |
| 8 | $494 |
| 9 | $534 |
| 10 | $574 |
| 11 | $614 |
| 12 | $654 |
| 13 | $694 |
Tour essentials
Punta Mita Experience’s private whale watching tour departs from Marina Punta Mita, at the northern tip of Banderas Bay in Nayarit, Mexico, and lasts 2 hours. It runs from December 10 to March 22, with departures every hour between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. The boat is exclusive to your group, up to 13 people, with a captain experienced in whale behavior. Each winter about 6,000 humpback whales reach Mexico’s Pacific coast to mate and give birth, according to the Faculty of Sciences at UNAM, Mexico’s National Autonomous University. Whales are observed from the distance set by Mexican standard NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010 for small vessels: 60 meters (about 200 feet). We have seen whales on 100% of our trips to date; if it ever doesn’t happen, you repeat the tour at no cost.
Humpback whales in Banderas Bay
What’s included
- 2 hours on a private boat. Enough time to find whales and watch without rushing. The captain picks the search area each day based on recent activity.
- A captain experienced in whale behavior. One crew member: the person steering the boat is the person explaining what you’re looking at.
- Water and cold drinks on board.
- Certified life jackets in every size, children’s included.
- Sighting guarantee. We have seen whales on 100% of our departures so far. If yours comes up empty, you go again at no cost.
How we watch
We operate under NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010, the Mexican federal rule governing whale watching. In practice it means:
- 60 m
- minimum distance between boat and whale, about 200 feet
- 30 min
- maximum watching time with the same group
- 4
- boats at most around one group of whales
We don’t chase. If a whale decides to come closer, that’s the whale’s call.
Meeting point: Punta de Mita Marina
Northern end of Banderas Bay, Nayarit. Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time.
Free cancellation
Full refund when you cancel 24 hours ahead.
Sightings so far
We have seen whales on every departure. If one day we don’t, you go again free.
Legal watching distance
Set by NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010 for small boats. About 200 feet.
One of the longest migrations of any mammal
Every winter, around 6,000 humpback whales travel up to 5,000 miles from the feeding grounds off Alaska and California to the Mexican Pacific. They come to mate and give birth in warm, sheltered water, and through those months they barely feed at all: they live off the fat they built up over the summer.
Breaching
An animal of up to 40 tons throwing itself clear of the water. Science still isn’t sure why they do it. The theories run from shaking off parasites to plain play.
Mothers and calves
Calves arrive after 11 months of gestation, around 13 to 16 feet long, and nurse for up to a year. They swim tucked against the mother, who often touches them with her pectoral fins.
The fluke as a fingerprint
The tail spans up to 18 feet, and its pattern of markings is unique to each animal. Researchers photograph flukes to identify and follow the same whale across years.
Some populations swim as far as 5,000 miles between tropical breeding grounds and the colder waters where they feed.
Figure from NOAA Fisheries on the humpback whale
The humpback whale in numbers
Source: NOAA Fisheries. The 6,000 figure: Gaceta UNAM, School of Sciences.
Punta Mita Whale Watching | Private Tour
$334.00
Private 2-hour humpback whale watching tour in Banderas Bay, departing from Punta de Mita Marina. Season runs December 10 to March 22, with flexible departures between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Exclusive boat for your group (up to 13 people), with a captain experienced in whale behavior. If we don’t find whales, you repeat the tour at no cost.
How the tour goes
The route and the search area shift day to day, based on where the captain has seen recent activity.
01Arrival and safety briefing
We meet you at Punta de Mita Marina. The captain runs through safety on board and how the boat behaves near whales: how far back we stay, when we cut the engine, and why.
02Heading out and searching
We head into Banderas Bay. The captain reads the signs that give a whale away before you ever see it: the blow as it breathes, a tail slap, a breach on the horizon. This is where you learn to read the water.
03Watching from 60 metres
Once we find a group, we hold at the legal distance and stop. From there you see natural behaviour: a mother with her calf, males competing, breaching. This is the part for your camera, and for staying quiet.
04Back to the marina
The run back to Punta de Mita Marina. Time to have a drink, go through your photos, and ask the captain whatever you didn’t get to.
Frequently asked questions
When is whale watching season in Punta Mita?
Our private whale watching tour in Punta Mita runs from December 10 to March 22, with departures every hour between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. That window is shorter than other Banderas Bay operators advertise, and it’s deliberate: we only sail during the weeks when humpback whales are reliably in the bay.
How much does the private tour cost for my group?
The price is per boat, not per person. The base rate covers 1 to 4 people and each additional person adds a fixed amount, up to 13 per boat. The full table sits next to the quote card at the top of this page, in the currency you’re viewing. Groups over 13 book two separate boats.
How many people fit on the boat?
Up to 13 people per boat, with certified life jackets in every size, children’s included. Larger groups book two boats that sail together. Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll set it up.
What if we don’t see any whales?
We have seen whales on 100% of our departures so far. They’re still wild animals, so if none turn up on your tour, you go again at no cost. We can offer that because we keep the season tight around the dates when the bay is busiest.
How close do you get to the whales?
No closer than 60 metres, about 200 feet, the minimum set by Mexico’s NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010 for small boats like ours. The same rule caps watching one group at 30 minutes and allows a maximum of four boats at a time. We don’t chase: if a whale decides to come closer to the boat, that’s the whale’s call.
Can you swim with the whales?
No. NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010 prohibits swimming, diving or snorkelling with whales in Mexican waters, and no operator following the rule offers it. Watching happens from the boat, which is also the safest way to see a 40-ton animal breach.
How long is the tour and where does it leave from?
It runs 2 hours and leaves from Punta de Mita Marina, at the northern end of Banderas Bay, Nayarit. Please arrive 15 minutes before your departure time for check-in and the safety briefing.
Is it suitable for kids and older adults?
Yes, there’s no minimum age. Because the tour is private, the captain runs at your group’s pace, and the boat carries certified life jackets for all ages. If you’re travelling with a baby or with someone who needs help getting aboard, tell us when you book.
What should we bring on board?
Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat that won’t blow off, sunglasses, and a camera with a zoom: at 200 feet a phone catches the breach but not the detail. In December and January a light windbreaker helps on the way back. Water and cold drinks are included.
Can I cancel my booking?
Yes. Cancel 24 hours ahead and you get a full refund.
What people say after going out
5.0 on GoogleEduardo took us right to the whales. We even saw a calf less than a week old. Truly an excellent trip!
Season runs December 10 to March 22
Book your boat
Up to 13 people, an expert captain, and two hours out in Banderas Bay. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.