Mexico is especially well known for its beautiful beaches and historic cities and towns. But it’s also a great place to go whale and wildlife watching, at various times of the year and in various parts of the country. A surprising variety of giant sea creatures visit the waters off the coast of Mexico — including whale sharks, grey whales and humpback whales. And it’s easy to combine some deep-water excitement with a relaxing Mexico beach vacation. So when and where should you go to spot these gigantic creatures of the deep?
Swimming With Whale Sharks Near Cancun
The summer months (especially July and August) are rewarding times to join day trips into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, where thousands of whale sharks — the world’s largest living fish — come to feed. You can actually swim, snorkel and scuba dive with these gentle giants. Among the tour operators that offer the tours are Cancun Whale Shark Tours and Cancun Adventures. A company called Ceviche Tours, meanwhile, also offers excursions to swim with sail fish.
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Whale Watching in Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta
Mexico’s pacific coast is also an important Mexico vacation destination for people looking to view giant aquatic creatures. Mid-December to the end of March is the best time to go to Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit. Vallarta Adventures bills itself as the only Puerto Vallarta tour company with a spotter plane, allowing for close-up views. Their Whale-Watching Photo Safari also might give you a chance to spot and photograph some dolphins as well. Whale Watch Vallarta is another local tour operator; their three-hour Nuevo Vallarta whale watching tour is available from December 1 until March 23 (and priced at $89 for adults and $59 for children), while the more customized (and pricier) option is a private boat whale watching tour, offered November through April and priced at $249 plus $50 per person for a three-hour tour.
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Whale Watching in Baja California
December through April are the best months to go whale watching in Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, where grey whales congregate with their calves. Baja Ecotours offers grey whale watching tours on San Ignacio Lagoon, complete with an eco-lodge called Campo Cortez, which you can use as a base for other activities too, including kayaking and bird watching. Baja Discovery offers whale watching tours on the same lagoon between December and April, with accommodations in a “safari style” tent camp. If prefer more luxurious accommodations, a variety of Los Cabos hotels offer whale watching excursions through their tour affiliates. The Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort, for example, offers a whale watching trip through Cabo Adventures, including roundtrip transportation to Magdalena Bay, the closest whale calving area to Los Cabos.