There are more than a hundred Puerto Vallarta tours for sale between the airport and your hotel pool, and about a third of them are the same six trips with different logos on the van. We live here, we have done all of them more times than we would like to admit, and this is the honest ranking: the fifteen tours that are worth your vacation hours, in order, with what they cost, how long they take and who they are for.
How we ranked the best tours in Puerto Vallarta
Four things, weighted in this order: would we send our own family on it, value for money against the concierge price, how much of the real Puerto Vallarta you actually see (versus a bus window), and how well it works for mixed groups. We did not count Instagram potential, though number one wins that too. Prices are the direct-booking rates on this site as of September 2026 and can change with fuel and season; we note the hotel-desk price where the difference is worth knowing.
The 15 best Puerto Vallarta tours
1. Marietas Islands boat tour — the best all-round tour in Puerto Vallarta
A full day on the water to a UNESCO biosphere reserve an hour north of the bay. You snorkel with parrotfish and eagle rays around volcanic islets, watch blue-footed boobies nesting on the cliffs and, if you booked early enough to get a permit, swim through a tunnel into the Hidden Beach — a crater open to the sky with a beach at the bottom. Lunch, snacks and an open bar are on board; dolphins usually show up on the crossing and, in winter, so do whales.
- Duration: 8 hours, daily from 8:30 am · From: US$89 (concierge: $119)
- Best for: first-timers, couples, teens, anyone with one day to spend on the water
- Book: Puerto Vallarta boat tours
2. Whale watching tour (December–March)
Banderas Bay is a humpback whale nursery. From early December to late March mothers, calves and competitive groups of males cruise within sight of the Malecón, and a three-hour whale watching tour puts you at the legal distance from breaches, tail slaps and, on a quiet morning, whale song through the hull. If your trip falls in the season, this outranks everything else on the list. Small boats with a marine biologist beat the big catamarans for sightings; the photography tour is the one with time to wait for the breach.
- Duration: 3–4 hours · From: US$69
- Best for: everyone from 5 to 95; the sunset whale watch is the couples' pick
3. El Eden ATV tour
The classic Puerto Vallarta jungle ride: 30 minutes of asphalt, then two hours of dirt road, river crossings and mud into the El Eden canyon, where the Predator movie set has become a swimming hole with a restaurant. Automatic ATVs, a training loop before you leave and guides at the front and back. You will come home filthy and grinning. Prefer a roll cage and a seat belt? The same trail runs on side-by-sides — read our ATV vs jungle buggy comparison before you choose.
- Duration: 4 hours, mornings and afternoons · From: US$89
- Best for: anyone 16+ who wants to drive; couples on a double ATV
- Book: ATV tours in Puerto Vallarta · jungle buggy tours
4. Sunset sailing tour
Puerto Vallarta faces west, and the bay turns orange every evening whether you are watching or not. The best seat is a sailboat with a dozen people, the engine off and a glass of wine — not the 100-person party boat (that is a different, louder kind of fun, and it is number 11). Boarding is about an hour before sunset from the Marina or Los Muertos pier and you are back thirty minutes after dark.
- Duration: 2.5–3 hours · From: US$65
- Best for: couples, honeymoons, the last night of the trip
- Book: sunset cruises in Puerto Vallarta · sailing tours
5. Los Arcos snorkel & sail
The half-day version of number one. Los Arcos is a marine park fifteen minutes south of town: granite arches rising out of the water, walls dropping to 20 m and thousands of fish that have never been fished. You snorkel the arches, then sail on to Las Ánimas beach for lunch on the sand. Calm water, short travel time and a beach club make it the best snorkeling tour in Puerto Vallarta for families and nervous swimmers.
- Duration: 5 hours · From: US$59–69
- Best for: families with kids 6+, cruise passengers, anyone short on time
6. El Jorullo zipline (canopy) tour
The longest zipline in Mexico — a superman-position cable more than a kilometre long over the Sierra Madre foothills — plus a circuit of shorter lines, a suspension bridge and a mule or ATV ride up to the first platform. Closed shoes are mandatory, the braking is firm and the view from the top platform is the whole bay. There is a family canopy with lower lines for kids from about six.
- Duration: 5 hours with hotel pickup · From: US$89
- Best for: teens, adrenaline seekers, groups of friends
- Book: zipline and canopy tours in Puerto Vallarta
7. Yelapa & Las Ánimas beach day by water-taxi
Technically not a tour, and that is the point. From Boca de Tomatlán, a 20-minute water-taxi drops you at beaches with no road, no cars and no schedule. Las Ánimas is the easy one (restaurants, calm water, a pier the kids jump off); Yelapa is the wilder one (a village, a waterfall walk and the best pie you will eat in Mexico, sold from a bucket). Our guided beach tours handle the water-taxis and reserve a palapa, which on a busy day is worth the small premium. More options in our hidden beaches guide.
- Duration: half or full day · From: US$35
- Best for: anyone who wants a day of doing nothing, on a budget
8. Private yacht charter
If you are six or more people, stop reading the per-person prices. A private yacht charter in Puerto Vallarta is priced per boat — a 38 ft sport yacht for eight, a 50 ft catamaran for twenty — with crew, snorkel gear, a bar and whatever route you want: Los Arcos, Majahuitas, Yelapa or the Marietas on a full day. Split among a group it is often cheaper than eight tickets on the party catamaran, and you choose the music. Nuevo Vallarta departures are covered in our private boat charter guide.
- Duration: 4-hour minimum · From: per boat, ask for a quote
- Best for: groups, bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthdays, families of 8+
9. Sportfishing charter
Banderas Bay sits next to some of the best billfish water on the Pacific. A half-day inshore charter (four to five hours) chases roosterfish, jacks and snapper and is fine for beginners and kids; the full day runs 20–30 miles out to El Banco and Corbeteña for marlin, sailfish and yellowfin tuna. Licenses, tackle, bait and ice are included; the crew will clean your catch and any restaurant in the Marina will cook it. Season details in our fishing charters page.
- Duration: 4–8+ hours from 6 am · From: US$199 per angler
- Best for: anglers, groups of four to six splitting a private boat
10. San Sebastián del Oeste day trip
Ninety minutes up the mountain to a 17th-century silver-mining town at 1,500 m: cobblestones, a coffee hacienda, cool air, a raicilla distillery and, on a clear day, the Cerro de la Bufa viewpoint over the whole coast. It is the best sightseeing tour from Puerto Vallarta for people who like small towns more than beaches, and the reason a lot of expats moved here in the first place.
- Duration: 8 hours · From: US$79
- Best for: couples, seniors, photographers, rainy-season days
11. Pirate ship sunset cruise
A full-size replica galleon, a crew in costume, sword fights, fireworks and a buffet dinner. Adults get the open bar; kids get a story they retell for months. It is the most fun any family will have on the bay after dark and it sells out days ahead in high season. Book it through sunset cruises.
- Duration: 3.5 hours · From: US$95 adults, less for kids
- Best for: families, multi-generational groups, birthdays
12. Horseback ride to a jungle waterfall
Two to three hours on a calm ranch horse up a river trail to a swimming hole and waterfall in the Sierra Madre foothills, with a stop for a snack and a swim. Most riders have never been on a horse and it does not matter; the guides ride with you and the pace is a walk. The sunset beach version at Destiladeras is the couples' pick. See horseback riding tours in Puerto Vallarta.
- Duration: 3–4 hours · From: US$65
- Best for: kids 6+, couples, people who want the jungle without the engine noise
13. Discover scuba at Los Arcos
No certification, no problem: a shallow-water briefing with a PADI instructor and then a guided dive to about 12 m at Los Arcos, through tunnels full of fish, in water that hits 30 °C in late summer. Winter dives (November–May) have the best visibility and, sometimes, whale song in the background. Certified divers go for the two-tank Marietas trip. All on the scuba diving in Puerto Vallarta page.
- Duration: half day · From: US$99
- Best for: curious swimmers 10+, certified divers on the Marietas trip
14. Dolphin encounter or swim
The easiest wildlife tour for very young kids: a shallow-water encounter (touch, feed, get a kiss) from about four years old, or a deep-water swim with dorsal tows from eight. Wild dolphins live in the bay too and show up on most boat tours, but they do not take bookings. Details on swim with dolphins in Puerto Vallarta.
- Duration: 1 hour in the water, half a day with transport · From: US$89
- Best for: families with kids 4–12
15. Sea turtle release at sunset (August–December)
From late summer to early winter, olive ridley hatchlings are released on the beaches of Banderas Bay at dusk, and for a small donation you get to carry one to the surf. It is short, cheap, wildly popular with children and one of the few tours that leaves the place better than it found it. The turtle camps are part of our eco tours in Puerto Vallarta, alongside the botanical garden and the mangrove kayak.
- Duration: 1–2 hours at sunset · From: US$25
- Best for: families, anyone with a free evening in season
Best Puerto Vallarta tours by type of traveller
| You are… | Book these three |
|---|---|
| A couple on a first visit | Marietas boat tour · El Eden ATV · sunset sail |
| A family with kids under 10 | Los Arcos snorkel & sail · dolphin encounter · pirate ship |
| A group of friends (6–20) | Private yacht charter · buggy tour · rooftop night (see our nightlife guide) |
| Visiting Dec–Mar | Whale watching · Marietas · sunset whale watch |
| Off a cruise ship (8 hours) | Los Arcos snorkel · ATV morning · private city tour — full plan in our shore excursions guide |
| On a budget | Yelapa by water-taxi · turtle release · a beach day at Las Ánimas — more in PV on a budget |
When to book Puerto Vallarta tours
High season (December–April): dry, calm seas, whales, and the Marietas, whale watching and pirate ship selling out a week ahead — book before you fly. Green season (June–October): hot, afternoon storms, half the crowds, lower prices and the best waterfalls and river crossings for ATV and buggy tours; you can usually book the day before. May and November are the sweet spots. Our month-by-month guide goes deeper.
How to avoid paying too much for tours in Puerto Vallarta
- Skip the hotel concierge desk. Same tour, 20–40 % markup, and often a timeshare presentation attached to the "discount".
- Never book from a booth on the Malecón that will not tell you the operator's name.
- Groups: price the private option. Yachts, vans and private tours are per vehicle — six people usually beat six tickets.
- Book direct. Every category on our tours page lists the concierge price next to ours so you can see the difference.
Puerto Vallarta tours: frequently asked questions
What is the number one tour in Puerto Vallarta?
For most visitors it is the Marietas Islands boat tour: a UNESCO biosphere with snorkeling, blue-footed boobies and the famous Hidden Beach, all in one day on the water. In whale season (December–March) a whale watching tour takes the top spot — nowhere else in Mexico do you see humpbacks this close to a city.
How many days do I need for the best Puerto Vallarta tours?
Three tour days cover the essentials: one on the water (boat tour or whale watching), one on land (ATV, buggy or zipline) and one easy day (beach by water-taxi or a sunset sail). Add a fourth for a day trip to San Sebastián del Oeste or Sayulita if you like small towns.
Are Puerto Vallarta tours cheaper if I book direct?
Yes. Hotel concierge desks and cruise ship excursion counters add a commission of roughly 20–40 % to the same tour. Booking direct with the local operator gets you the base price, and on this site every category page shows both numbers side by side.
Which Puerto Vallarta tours are best for families with small children?
Las Ánimas beach day, the Los Arcos snorkel trip, dolphin encounters, the pirate ship sunset cruise, the family canopy and the botanical garden eco tour. All have minimal age limits, shade, bathrooms and short travel times. Skip ATVs, jet skis and offshore fishing until the kids are teenagers.
What should I bring on a tour in Puerto Vallarta?
Reef-safe sunscreen (mandatory at the Marietas), a hat that stays on, a dry bag or zip-lock for your phone, cash in pesos for tips and beach lunches, water shoes for rocky entries and a light long-sleeve for boat rides. Land tours: closed shoes and clothes you do not mind getting muddy.
Do tours in Puerto Vallarta include hotel pickup?
Land tours (ATV, buggy, zipline, horseback, sightseeing) almost always include pickup in an air-conditioned van from hotels in the Hotel Zone, Centro, Zona Romántica and Marina. Boat tours meet at the Marina Vallarta or Los Muertos pier; hotel pickup is available for a small fee or included on the larger catamarans.
Is it safe to take tours in Puerto Vallarta?
Yes. Puerto Vallarta is one of the safest tourist destinations in Mexico and licensed tour operators carry insurance, radios and first-aid gear. The main risks are sunburn, dehydration and seasickness — all avoidable. Book with a licensed operator, not with a stranger on the beach.
Final word
You cannot do all fifteen in a week, and you should not try. Pick the water tour that matches your season, the land tour that matches your nerve and one sunset, and leave the rest of the days for the beach and the tacos. When you are ready, everything above is on one page: Puerto Vallarta tours. Not sure what fits your group? Read how to pick the right tour or just ask us.
