Day Trips 7 Bays of Huatulco Tour
schedule 13 hours
$2500 MXN
/ person
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Tours
Whale watching
Bahia principal, Puerto Escondido
Duration
3 hours
Departs
7:00 AM
Returns
10:00 AM
Location
Bahia principal
From
$895 MXN
Trusted by travelers from around the world
Gallery — 17 photos
Every winter, humpback whales travel thousands of kilometres from Arctic feeding grounds to the warm Pacific waters off Oaxaca, and Puerto Escondido sits directly in their path. This seasonal whale watching tour offers an intimate, small-boat encounter with some of the largest creatures on the planet — plus the chance to snorkel with dolphins and spot sea turtles, mobula rays, and other marine life along the way.
Your experience
What to Expect
We pick you up at 7:00 AM from your hotel or Airbnb in Puerto Escondido and take you to the main harbour at Bahía Principal. There you board a comfortable boat equipped with seating, shaded areas, and life jackets, with a maximum of 10 passengers for a personal experience.
Your captain — a local fisherman who has spent a lifetime reading the Pacific — already knows where the whales were spotted the day before. Once offshore, the experience is primal: the Pacific stretches in every direction, and then it happens — a distant spray of mist, the dark curve of a back breaking the surface, and suddenly a humpback whale is right there, enormous and impossibly graceful.
Between whale encounters, you have the opportunity to snorkel with dolphins using the provided equipment — an unforgettable experience. On the return, watch for sea turtles and mobula rays in the nearshore waters. You are back at your hotel by approximately 10:00 AM.
Hour by hour
Detailed Itinerary
7:00 AM
Pickup from Your Hotel
Your driver picks you up from your hotel or Airbnb in Puerto Escondido and takes you to Bahía Principal harbour.
7:30 AM
Boat Departure
Board the boat, receive a safety briefing covering boat procedures, whale-watching etiquette, and snorkeling instructions. Then head offshore toward deeper waters where whales feed and socialise.
8:00 AM
9:30 AM — Whale Encounters and Snorkeling
The heart of the tour. Your captain positions the boat near active whale pods, cutting the engine to drift quietly. Expect multiple sightings — breaches, tail slaps, spy-hopping, and the unforgettable moment when a whale surfaces close enough to see the barnacles on its skin. Between whale encounters, snorkel with playful dolphins using the provided gear.
9:30 AM
Coastal Wildlife on the Return
On the way back, watch for dolphins, sea turtles, and mobula rays in the nearshore waters. The morning light on the cliffs is especially photogenic.
10:00 AM
Hotel Drop-off
Return to Bahía Principal and your driver takes you back to your accommodation.
What makes it special
Highlights
Humpback whale encountersWitness 40-ton animals breaching, tail-slapping, and surfacing near the boat (December–March)
Gray whale sightingsKnown for friendly, close-to-shore behaviour (January–March)
Snorkel with dolphinsSwim alongside playful dolphins with provided snorkeling equipment
Mother and calf pairsThe warm Oaxacan waters are a calving ground; young whales are particularly curious
Mobula ray leapsStunning acrobatic jumps from these graceful rays
Small-boat intimacyMaximum 10 passengers for a personal experience
All set
What's Included
Round-trip transportation from your hotel or Airbnb to Bahía Principal
Personal guide and licensed captain with deep knowledge of local whale behaviour
3-hour boat tour with comfortable seating and shaded areas
Snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins) for swimming with dolphins
Life jackets
Pack light
What to Bring
Swimsuit and towel — you will have the chance to snorkel with dolphins
Sunscreen and a hat — reef-safe sunscreen is preferred
Water bottle and snacks — drinks and food are not provided
Warm layer for the early morning — it is cooler on the water than you expect
Camera with zoom lens or phone with good optical zoom for whale photos
Binoculars if you have them
Before you book
Good to Know
Transportation is included;
we pick you up at 7:00 AM and drop you back by 10:00 AM — door to door from anywhere in Puerto Escondido.
Whale watching season:
December to March; peak sightings are in January and February. Humpback whales are most common, with gray whales appearing January through March. Sighting success rates during peak season exceed 90%.
Swimming with whales is not allowed;
Mexican regulations require boats to maintain a safe distance from whales. However, you can snorkel with dolphins — equipment is provided and no prior experience is needed.
Maximum 10 passengers per boat;
this ensures a personal, uncrowded experience. No minimum number of participants is required.
Drinks and food are not included;
bring your own water bottle and snacks for the 3-hour trip.
Motion sickness warning;
the open Pacific can have significant swell. Take motion-sickness medication before boarding if you are sensitive to boat movement.
This is a seasonal tour;
whale watching operates December through March only. Outside this season, consider our dolphin watching or fishing tours for marine life encounters.
The tour follows Mexican whale-watching regulations;
minimum approach distances are maintained to protect the animals. Your captain knows how to position the boat for the best views while respecting the whales.
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From
$895 MXN