Ocean Friendly Whale Watching Tours
Ocean Friendly Whale Watching Tours
5
Dolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 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
1,078 reviews
Excellent
1,033
Very good
22
Average
12
Poor
3
Terrible
8
joanz359
Philadelphia, Pa 351 contributions
Jan 2020
This is the second time I have gone with this tour. It is a small but comfortable boat with shade, a bathroom and they serve you lunch if you are on the longer tour. . There were three crew the captain, an experienced guide The boat was frequently followed by larger whale watching tours. The crew really love the whales. On this trip, we saw a great deal of tail flapping, and one whale was really close to the boat. The last time I went we saw a mother and her new calf and my friend went last year and saw a whale just jump out of the water like an ad. But it is unpredictable. So you have to be prepared for that since you cannot make the whales perform. We also saw sea birds and ancestral dolphins. Oscar, our guide, is a marine biologist and is involved in tracking the whales, they identify then by their tail markings. The crew would follow the whale's blow and try to reach a site at the same time the whales do, There are people who come on this tour every year but as I said you cannot be guaranteed a whale sighting, No one can do this for you but they make every effort for you to get close to the whales and work at following the whales to give you a great experience, When you are not finding a whale they provide a great deal of insight into whale behavior, their migration patterns and other educational information. They have a foundation that sells products on the boat but you do not feel any pressure to buy. I would highly recommend booking a tour and if they cancel due to weather conditions they do try to get you on the next available booking
Written February 8, 2020
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.
kpnorman
Los Angeles, CA14 contributions
Dec 2019
Oscar and his team are excellent, and I'd highly recommend choosing Ocean Friendly if you're planning to go whale-watching in PV. We choose a morning 4 hour tour, saw dozens of whales throughout the bay, and thoroughly enjoyed Oscar's explanations and expertise. Ocean Friendly is clearly very committed to eco-tourism and to ensuring that the whales are able to come back to Banderas year after year.
Written January 6, 2020
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.
Wayne S
7 contributions
Feb 2020
I've been on many whale watching trips with Ocean Friendly before, they never fail to deliver. Oscar has an incredible knowledge of humpback whales with over 25 years of research and following them up and down the west american coast, he knows some of them up close and personal, with proof in his catalogue of tail flukes (or finger prints). On my latest trips I saw a breaching 2 month old, a pod of 5 males, singers, turtles, dolphins, manta rays, brown and blue footed boobie birds and many, many more whale sightings. Truly always an incredible experience, and I cant recommend this more, Oscar, Isabelle, Tony and George are the most eco friendly team, with a really comfortable, fast boat, equipped with lifevests (which most other tours don't offer), a delightful lunch on board and the experience of the team in their skill in spotting whales, they will take you to see the most graceful ocean giants in the most wonderful Banderas Bay. You will not be disappointed!!
Written February 26, 2020
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.
Lori
Tulsa, OK2 contributions
Jan 2020
I don't even know if I can describe how amazing this tour was. We did meet Oscar, but he took another crew out, so we went with guide Isabella and captain Chewey. Both were extremely knowledgeable and explained everything we needed to know at a basic level. I have been SCUBA diving over the years, but had never been whale watching. I was hoping we would see 2-3 whales. OMG - we lost count of the number of whales we saw, and at one time saw FIVE whales together. Chewey was an ace at figuring out where the whales were. The other passengers were delightful, and we felt like family by the end of our tour. We saw dolphins dancing and playing together; we saw sea turtles, and we saw blue and brown footed boobies. All in all, my favorite day in PV. I recommend this operation because they share their information with other groups logging whale activity and promote ecological responsibility for aquatic life. Honestly can not recommend enough!! Lori Cain, Tulsa Oklahoma
P.S. I am sharing a photo, but we soon discovered it was easier to catch more in video. And after a few hours, we agreed to put away the cameras and phones and just enjoy the activity - keep the memories in our hearts!
P.S. I am sharing a photo, but we soon discovered it was easier to catch more in video. And after a few hours, we agreed to put away the cameras and phones and just enjoy the activity - keep the memories in our hearts!
Written January 28, 2020
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.
Yolanda P
4 contributions
Feb 2020
This is not a tour..it is a life experience that sears deep into the "awe structures" of the brain. Can such perfection, peace and beauty truly exist in this tumultuous world? This is by far the best whale watching tour I have experienced in North America!! Oscar and Isabell who lead these tours are trained marine biologists and have been working in the Bay of Banderas for 25 years. Ocean Friendly participates in the official whale tracking program which photographs, identifies and tracks the Humpback Whale population that migrates along the western coasts of Canada, USA and Mexico. They really know the whales and it is not unusual for Oscar to identify an individual whale by its tail as it lifts to dive deep. In fact, Oscar knows whale behaviour so well that from the slick they leave behind when they dive he can judge the size of the whale and the direction it is heading in. His boats remain a respectful distance from the whales and often arrive at the whales' new destination at the same time or even ahead on occasion. Isabell and Oscar have an in-depth knowledge not only of the whales, but of the dolphins, birds and even the geological structures and history of the Bay. I have learned an incredible amount from them. I am not the only one who knows these are amazing experts. There is usually a trail of other tour company whale watching boats tagging along behind the Ocean Friendly boats. Today's trip however, was beyond what I have ever experienced before, even with Oscar and Isabell. We saw over 50 whales! It was crazy. We hardly knew where to look or which whales to follow there were so many of them. This is mating season and from what we could see there should be many new calves next spring!! This tour sells out quickly so book as far ahead as you can. Each boat takes only 10 people. If you take the Safari tour, lunch is served as well which is a lovely way to learn more and connect with others visitors. Ocean Friendly also has a foundation Deep Blue Conservancy a 501 (c) 3 that raises funds for research, protection and education which is doing great work. This is a life highlight not just a holiday highlight and tops my list of amazing Puerta Vallarta experiences!!
Written February 4, 2020
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.
Heidi A Patterson
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico16 contributions
Dec 2020
Our family of 5 booked a private Whale watching trip with Oscar on December 9, 2020. It was incredible! We saw at least 4 groupings of whales, and possibly 27 different Humpbacks. Oscar’s knowledge and love of whales and Oceanography made the trip even more enjoyable - he tells some great personal stories about his many years of study of this part of the ocean.
We strongly recommend Ocean Friendly for small boat Whale Watching.
We strongly recommend Ocean Friendly for small boat Whale Watching.
Written December 11, 2020
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.
Gabriel Vaca
Mexico City, Mexico1 contribution
Jan 2021
I travelled to Puerto Vallarta with my family on vacation. I had no plan for a whale watching tour. But, when some tour companies offered me their tours, I started to reserach by Internet available alternatives. I decided that, if hiring a tour, this had to be the best option because my older daughter wants to be a Marine Biologist spcialized on whales (and I also love whales too). Hiring a mediocre, unexperienced company would be catastrophic because it could impact on my daughter plans if the experience wasn't perfect. When I found Ocean Friendly led by Oscar Frey (Oceanologist), I instantly realized it was the right option.
Oscar and his crew had lots of experience and knowledge and are very kind people. Oscar was very generous by sharing all his knowledge that let us better understand the importance of whale conservancy and its positive impact in the environment. The respect Ocen Friendly crew has to the whales,ocean and theenvironment is truly admirable.
The views we had to the whales were just amazing and supplemented by the vast and rich information provided by Oscar, made it an unforgettable exprience. To me and my family, this wasn't a tour. It was a learning experience because you are immersed in the research that Oscar is developing during the journey. And with the cost you pay, you are supporting this research to continue in favor of the whales. And the latter point is very important: you are not paying just for an ordinary tour, you are supporting whale research and conservation and the plus, is the whale watching.
If you think holistically, you will realize that this is the best option you can find in Puerto Vallarta.
And guest what? My daughter came out totally enthusiastic and convinced that this is the professional path she wants to follow. Thank you Oscar for that!
Oscar and his crew had lots of experience and knowledge and are very kind people. Oscar was very generous by sharing all his knowledge that let us better understand the importance of whale conservancy and its positive impact in the environment. The respect Ocen Friendly crew has to the whales,ocean and theenvironment is truly admirable.
The views we had to the whales were just amazing and supplemented by the vast and rich information provided by Oscar, made it an unforgettable exprience. To me and my family, this wasn't a tour. It was a learning experience because you are immersed in the research that Oscar is developing during the journey. And with the cost you pay, you are supporting this research to continue in favor of the whales. And the latter point is very important: you are not paying just for an ordinary tour, you are supporting whale research and conservation and the plus, is the whale watching.
If you think holistically, you will realize that this is the best option you can find in Puerto Vallarta.
And guest what? My daughter came out totally enthusiastic and convinced that this is the professional path she wants to follow. Thank you Oscar for that!
Written January 14, 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.
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.
Jennie W
Park Ridge, IL61 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Oscar and Isabel seem so passionate about their life’s work, reflected in their knowledgeable and clear explanations about all things whale...as well as about other animals above and below the water. The crew found several groups of whales during the course of our humpback watching trip. Ocean Friendly makes no compromises. A nice lunch - including beverages - was served in reusable containers.
The website and follow up after we made our reservation were very thorough, leaving nothing to wonder about, including what to bring, where to meet, and what to expect on the trip. The small boat, small passenger count (14), and expert guides made this a great trip. A few of the passengers were repeat customers - easy to see why!
The website and follow up after we made our reservation were very thorough, leaving nothing to wonder about, including what to bring, where to meet, and what to expect on the trip. The small boat, small passenger count (14), and expert guides made this a great trip. A few of the passengers were repeat customers - easy to see why!
Written February 16, 2020
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.
Christie B
Tulsa, OK16 contributions
Jan 2020
The Bahia de Banderas is an active location for humpbacks in the Winter and Ocean Friendly is a great organization to take you around the bay to observe this activity. I took a whale watching tour before on the Atlantic side and this Pacific tour wasn't much different in the activity of the whales. What surprised me about this tour was the size of the boat. It is smaller than what I had experienced previously, and as the group going gathered beforehand I grew concerned with how we were going to fit on this small boat. It turns out that Ocean Friendly has two boats that they use for the tours and then you understand why the boats are named "Delphines Gemelos".
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that the smaller boats, and smaller group on each boat, gave a much more up close and personal experience than I had previously on a bigger boat with more people. Our guide, Isabella, has studied around the world in oceanography and our captain, Chuy, is very good at finding whale activity and safely (for the passengers and the whales) taking the boat for a closer look. While out in the Bahia de Banderas we saw a lot of whale activity, pods of jumping dolphins, sleeping sea turtles, and many low-flying birds-including blue and brown footed boobies. I recommend the 5 hour tour to allow for the time it will take to get in and out of the marina and into the bay where the activity will take you miles up the coastline. Ocean Friendly will provide a light lunch and soft drinks while you are out in the bay on the boat. Bring your sunscreen, a hat, and a good camera. Your smartphone will be difficult to see the screen in the sunshine, and when your battery dies you'll regret some great up close opportunities to record those great tale pics as the whales take a deep dive.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that the smaller boats, and smaller group on each boat, gave a much more up close and personal experience than I had previously on a bigger boat with more people. Our guide, Isabella, has studied around the world in oceanography and our captain, Chuy, is very good at finding whale activity and safely (for the passengers and the whales) taking the boat for a closer look. While out in the Bahia de Banderas we saw a lot of whale activity, pods of jumping dolphins, sleeping sea turtles, and many low-flying birds-including blue and brown footed boobies. I recommend the 5 hour tour to allow for the time it will take to get in and out of the marina and into the bay where the activity will take you miles up the coastline. Ocean Friendly will provide a light lunch and soft drinks while you are out in the bay on the boat. Bring your sunscreen, a hat, and a good camera. Your smartphone will be difficult to see the screen in the sunshine, and when your battery dies you'll regret some great up close opportunities to record those great tale pics as the whales take a deep dive.
Written February 3, 2020
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.