Ocean Friendly Whale Watching Tours
Ocean Friendly Whale Watching Tours
5
Dolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 AM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view

About
Ocean Friendly Tours was rated by Trip Advisor as one of The Top 10 Wildlife Tours in the World - the only whale watching tour operator in the world to be included on that list and recently rated as the #1 Outdoor Activity in Puerto Vallarta and the #1 Boat & Water Sports Activity in Puerto Vallarta. Ocean Friendly Tours is a new concept in responsible tour operation in Puerto Vallarta with a unique visual and acoustic approach to the marine world of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. At Ocean Friendly Tours we provide a specialized and personalized service that blends professional knowledge of the marine environment and safety with love and care for nature. Ocean Friendly Tours have become a respectful and sophisticated way to approach the marine life and landscapes in Vallarta. Visit our website to learn more about responsible whale watching tours and the research programs conducted through our non-profit foundation called Deep Blue Conservancy. Thanks to all of our customers that make the effort to leave such beautiful reviews of their experiences. Special departure times for cruise ship guests!
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,084 reviews
Excellent
1,039
Very good
22
Average
12
Poor
3
Terrible
8
khobama
Charlotte, NC42 contributions
Dec 2024 • Couples
This was my second tour with Oscar and his crew at Ocean Friendly. Not only is Oscar extremely knowledgeable about the whales but he really lives up to his name of "ocean friendly." He would tell us how he was navigating with the whales as to not cause them distress. Oftentimes we would see other tours crowd around the whales which could cause problems for them. I went on my first tour in 2022 and had to come back and bring my partner. The whale watching is a great experience but also the professionalism of the crew. I felt safe the entire time and the snacks and lunch were top-notch! If you want an intimate experience with the whales that is safe for everyone involved, book with Ocean Friendly!
Written January 6, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JonyDawg
12 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
Ocean Friendly, Oscar and his crew are the absolute most knowledgeable whale watching cruise in Puerto Vallarta! We were able to see several dolphins and whales in our four hour cruise.
Most impressive were a sleeping pregnant whale, whale songs (who Oscar predicted perfectly when and where the whale would surface based on that song) and of course whales breaching. We booked this cruise because of their approach to conservation and would book again because of our experience. Bravo!
Most impressive were a sleeping pregnant whale, whale songs (who Oscar predicted perfectly when and where the whale would surface based on that song) and of course whales breaching. We booked this cruise because of their approach to conservation and would book again because of our experience. Bravo!
Written February 3, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim68
West Bend, Wisconsin65 contributions
Dec 2021
Our experience with Ocean Friendly was perfect. It started with a very easy and clear process to register for the tour via the website. We immediately received a confirmation with all the instructions and information we needed for the tour.
My wife and I took a morning tour. We arrived to the pier as instructed a little early and right on time, Oscar Frey, the tour leader arrived. It soon became clear that we were the newbies. Nearly all the other tour participants had been out with Ocean Friendly before. Most of them multiple times. That speaks volumes about the quality and friendliness of Oscar and his team. After a short presentation on the bay habitat and the whales themselves, we headed to the boat and loaded up. Our group consisted of 14 people and 3 crew. The boat was comfortable, and all the seats were either shaded by the canopy or mostly shaded. We took our tour on the first day of official whale watching season and Oscar was very clear with us that it probably would start off a little slow. Whales were just arriving and had not necessarily "podded up" yet. The bay is very large, but Oscar has spotters that relay information on sightings to him. We saw some whales off in the distance but had trouble getting close enough. Oscar then took out an underwater microphone and we all were able to listen to the whales calling back and forth to each other. Based on what he heard, Oscar sent us off in a direction and within 15 minutes we had a pod of whales surfacing near the boat. We got some awesome pictures! Oscar was able to follow the pod for quite a while, providing us with many encounters. I don't know how many whales we saw altogether, let's just say it was exciting and amazing.
Breakfast was provided and was some excellent granola bars. Water was available to anyone who needed/wanted it. Lunch was also provided, and each was individually packaged. Great turkey and cheese paninis, an orange, and soda.
One other note, due to the change in COVID testing requirements, we needed to move our tour to an earlier day. A simple call to the Ocean Friendly office was all it took. They were very understanding and got us in.
While they are one of the more expensive tours, the small group size, success at finding the whales, and the fact that the fees not only support the boat, crew, and naturalist, but also supports the research throughout the year, makes it more than worth it.
My wife and I took a morning tour. We arrived to the pier as instructed a little early and right on time, Oscar Frey, the tour leader arrived. It soon became clear that we were the newbies. Nearly all the other tour participants had been out with Ocean Friendly before. Most of them multiple times. That speaks volumes about the quality and friendliness of Oscar and his team. After a short presentation on the bay habitat and the whales themselves, we headed to the boat and loaded up. Our group consisted of 14 people and 3 crew. The boat was comfortable, and all the seats were either shaded by the canopy or mostly shaded. We took our tour on the first day of official whale watching season and Oscar was very clear with us that it probably would start off a little slow. Whales were just arriving and had not necessarily "podded up" yet. The bay is very large, but Oscar has spotters that relay information on sightings to him. We saw some whales off in the distance but had trouble getting close enough. Oscar then took out an underwater microphone and we all were able to listen to the whales calling back and forth to each other. Based on what he heard, Oscar sent us off in a direction and within 15 minutes we had a pod of whales surfacing near the boat. We got some awesome pictures! Oscar was able to follow the pod for quite a while, providing us with many encounters. I don't know how many whales we saw altogether, let's just say it was exciting and amazing.
Breakfast was provided and was some excellent granola bars. Water was available to anyone who needed/wanted it. Lunch was also provided, and each was individually packaged. Great turkey and cheese paninis, an orange, and soda.
One other note, due to the change in COVID testing requirements, we needed to move our tour to an earlier day. A simple call to the Ocean Friendly office was all it took. They were very understanding and got us in.
While they are one of the more expensive tours, the small group size, success at finding the whales, and the fact that the fees not only support the boat, crew, and naturalist, but also supports the research throughout the year, makes it more than worth it.
Written December 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LyAnne H
Milwaukee, WI2 contributions
Feb 2023
We saw so many whales (babies, mothers, groups and males vying for females). Isabel and Tony were fabulous hosts. Tony maneuvered the boat following the required guidelines to keep whales safe avoiding jet skis which were not allowed. Isabel had such a fun and dynamic personality and shared such interesting information to educate us on whales. I was referred to Ocean Friendly Tours by a friend and I have been sharing as well. Thank you so much for the time of our lives. LyAnne and Mary
Written February 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
myrna b
Akumal, Mexico12 contributions
Mar 2023
Amazing, stunning, unforgettable..........Oscar shares his knowledge, passion and connectivity with the whales. Each is identified with the unique markings on their tails with fascinating photography. Their echo songs vibrate loud and far. The Captain and First Mate equally knowledgeable know exactly where they are. I learned so much about these majestic creatures. I brought back the fabulous CD that Oscar produced, with their Echomania songs blended with instrumental music......very peaceful and soothing to listen to. I will go back for sure..........This tour made out trip extra special! Thank you for being the caretakers of these vulnerable creatures.
Written March 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
magda n
1 contribution
Mar 2023
I cannot stress enough that this is an absolutely Must Do when visiting this area. We have gone on probably 10 different tours with Ocean's Friendly (every single time we visit this area we book a tour) and we have never, not once, been disappointed. Oscar and his team are extremely knowledgeable, not just about the whales, but also the birds, the dolphins, rays, turtles. We have never asked a question that they haven't been able to answer. As well, they are personable and really great with kids. My teenage son has grown up doing these tours and looks forward to spending the day with Oscar and the team every single time.
We recognize that humpbacks have opinions on our presence and that we may not see anything, however, that's never happened to us, in part I believe it's due to the inordinate amount of respect OF pays to the whales. There's no chasing or no hassling of them. Many of the whales recognize them and are comfortable with them. We had occasions where the whales have moved away from the big whale tour boats and put us in between them, peeking one eye up at us as if to say "Don't you dare move!", one occasion where a mother left her little one with us to "babysit", and on this trip we had a mother, juvenile and their male escort fully comfortable swimming right beside the boat as we idled in one spot. In fact, the juvenile kept jumping up to check us out and, children being what they are, he accidentally bumped us as he popped up! This is how close he came to the boat; this little group felt confident that we were not a threat.
It is a smaller boat than the giant whaling tours that you see with multiple decks and loud music, so the facilities are basic. Carry anti-nausea tablets for just in case (we have never had any issues because of the expert captain, but you never know). My teenage son has been doing these tours since he was about 6 years old and he looks forward to Jorges's lunches! But, if travelling with teens, pack extra snacks because the food is simple. Don't get me wrong it's delicious and fresh, but it's not a restaurant so there's no extras; we pack granola bars, pastries, etc. and it's totally fine.
We recognize that humpbacks have opinions on our presence and that we may not see anything, however, that's never happened to us, in part I believe it's due to the inordinate amount of respect OF pays to the whales. There's no chasing or no hassling of them. Many of the whales recognize them and are comfortable with them. We had occasions where the whales have moved away from the big whale tour boats and put us in between them, peeking one eye up at us as if to say "Don't you dare move!", one occasion where a mother left her little one with us to "babysit", and on this trip we had a mother, juvenile and their male escort fully comfortable swimming right beside the boat as we idled in one spot. In fact, the juvenile kept jumping up to check us out and, children being what they are, he accidentally bumped us as he popped up! This is how close he came to the boat; this little group felt confident that we were not a threat.
It is a smaller boat than the giant whaling tours that you see with multiple decks and loud music, so the facilities are basic. Carry anti-nausea tablets for just in case (we have never had any issues because of the expert captain, but you never know). My teenage son has been doing these tours since he was about 6 years old and he looks forward to Jorges's lunches! But, if travelling with teens, pack extra snacks because the food is simple. Don't get me wrong it's delicious and fresh, but it's not a restaurant so there's no extras; we pack granola bars, pastries, etc. and it's totally fine.
Written March 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
45shas
Sheffield, UK42 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
This is one of the best trips we have ever been on .From start to finish Oscar was so informative and show great passion for what he does and clearly for the existence of the humpback. We even listened to the whales communicating below. If you visit Puero Vallarta between December and March this trip needs to be on your itinerary
Written February 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandrine O
1 contribution
Jan 2023 • Family
Ocean Friendly is by far the best whale watching in Puerto Vallarta and area. Oscar is an oceanographer who has been studying whale behaviour for nearly 30 years. He is knowledgeable, professional, and passionate about it. Going whale watching with him is an educational experience. He teaches/explains all sorts of things about whales while watching them. He is also respectful of the safety of the whales (noise and distance), and the passengers (all are provided w life vests). The lunch provided is from local sustainable food, served in glass Tupperware, all very clean and tasty. I first did a tour w Ocean Friendly in 2018 when i was last here, rand automatically looked for him again;) I highly recommend if you want a positive, educational, and fun experience!!
Today we saw approximately 30 whales and some dolphins and a turtle.
Today we saw approximately 30 whales and some dolphins and a turtle.
Written January 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Akumal2u
7 contributions
Mar 2023
We had the most amazing experience with Oscar and crew! Oscar is an expert on whales! We learned so much with him, and appreciate his dedication and love for the whales and his promotion and education of responsible whale watching. We also loved that he contributes to whale research and conservation. His photography is not only beautiful, it helps to identify whales and add them to a data base with GPS locations.
We saw multiple sightings, congregations of whale, watched their interactions and listened to their communications.
I highly recommend taking this tour, you will be blown away! We also had delicious fresh made sandwiches with quality ingredients and fresh baked granola bars to whet our appetites! Thank you Oscar and crew!
We saw multiple sightings, congregations of whale, watched their interactions and listened to their communications.
I highly recommend taking this tour, you will be blown away! We also had delicious fresh made sandwiches with quality ingredients and fresh baked granola bars to whet our appetites! Thank you Oscar and crew!
Written March 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carlos Sierra
Snoqualmie, WA94 contributions
Mar 2022
Responsible Humpback Whale watching was an item on my wife's bucket list. We found Oscar Frey's tour "Ocean Friendly", and after a phone conversation with Oscar, we signed for two of his tours the same week. After all, on every tour you get to see different things!
We were delighted with Oscar. He is very knowledgeable and explains very clearly many things about these beautiful animals. We had tons of questions, and we were very pleased with what we learned.
We got to see many whales, dolphins and some turtles.
I would recommend this tour for people passionate with nature, wanting a family-oriented small-group tour, where safety for both passengers and marine life is a priority.
We were delighted with Oscar. He is very knowledgeable and explains very clearly many things about these beautiful animals. We had tons of questions, and we were very pleased with what we learned.
We got to see many whales, dolphins and some turtles.
I would recommend this tour for people passionate with nature, wanting a family-oriented small-group tour, where safety for both passengers and marine life is a priority.
Written March 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are staying at the hotel riu jalisco where do you get picked for the whale watching tour thanks
Written January 11, 2020
no pick-up; they are a small business, cab or Uber;
Written January 12, 2020
HI, did you pre-book your whale tour before you got to PV or book it after you were in PV? thanks.
Cheryl
Written November 8, 2019
Hello, thank you for your inquiry. To ensure your spaces on our tours, we strongly recommend to book in advance. Our tours are designed for small groups only and we get fully booked pretty fast, our boats are customized for 10, 14 or 40 guests, depending on the vessel. We invite you to visit our site for details of our tours, you will find a caendar on each tour with the availabel dates and available spaces. Thank you for your preference and receive our warmest tropical regards.
Written November 10, 2019
Hi there, I arrive in Grand Fiesta American on the 29th of August. Are there tour avaialble at that time? is it s a good time to go and what is the cost per adult?
Waht is included and what should you bring?
My wife and me are excited about this
Written August 2, 2019
Hello, thank you for contacting Ocean Friendly Tours we are always glad to attend your requests. The Whale Watching season in Banderas Bay is open from December 8th through March 23rd even though usually the first whales arrive in early November and the last ones leave by mid April. All our tours are highly educational and are designed to provide an intimate respectful experience with the whales in the ocean realm. I recommend to visit our site for details on our tours and check the after booking information section where you will find the answers to most of your inquiries.
Thank you for your preference, we look forward to share our passion for the whales and knowledge of the ocean with you and your wife in a near future.
My warmest tropical reagrds, Oscar Frey, CEO.
Written August 7, 2019
Hello, than you for submitting your inquiry. We recommended to dress up in layers. Bring comfortable shoes or sandals, shorts, a comfortable shirt and an extra layer such as fleece and a waterproof windbreaker. It chills in the morning as we start the tour and run the boat or it gets windy we could get sprayed. Also, please bring sunglasses, sunblock lotion, a hat or a cap, a towel and a camera to capture special moments of the day.
Written February 28, 2019
We arrive in PV on 17 th March, will we be able to see whales?
Written February 17, 2019
You will be close to the end of the season, so book for close to the day you arrive. You book on line now with credit card.
Written February 17, 2019
Hello, thank you for your inquiry. Yes, there are restroom facilities on board. It is to consider it is a 31 feet long boat, so the facilities are small, it is real clean and has an electric flush.
Written November 16, 2018
We will be there the 28th of November thru December 3rd... will whale watching be an option for us?
Written October 14, 2018
Hello, thank you for your inquiry. We open the Whale Watching season on December 8th for the fat that the whales are locating each other for gathering and socializing purposes. To do so the boats should not be around them so that they can hear each other and find each other. Prior to December 8th we offer our Banderas Bay Ocean Safari that focuses on describing the marine environments within the bay and its natural history and the relationship between 5e marine life we find and the environment. For more information on this tour go to our website. Thank you for your preference, we look forward to host you on board and share our passion for 5e Ocean with you!
Written October 16, 2018
We will be in PV December 22-29, staying at Hotel Mousai. Do you offer private Whale Watching Tours for 2 and pick up? Thank you
Written October 14, 2018
Hi,We took a cab and it didn't cost very much.You will love the huge iguanas that wander around there.
Written November 2, 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.