Whale Watching in Mexico: Where and When to See Whales

Key takeaways

• Humpbacks: Banderas Bay and Los Cabos in winter. The official 2025-26 season in Banderas Bay ran from December 8 to March 23.

• Gray whales: the Pacific lagoons of Baja California Sur, from mid-December or January to April 30.

• Blue whales: Loreto Bay National Park on the Sea of Cortez, from January 1 to April 30.

• Whale sharks: La Paz in the cooler months, and Holbox and Isla Mujeres from mid-May to mid-September.

• Permits: only operators authorized by Mexico's environment ministry can run whale tours, and boats have to keep their distance.

Whale season in Mexico, by area

Mexico's environment ministry, SEMARNAT, sets the viewing season for each area every year under the federal standard NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010. The dates below come from the 2025-26 notice. The 2026-27 notice hadn't been published as of October 2026, so treat these as a guide to the usual window.

Official whale-watching seasons, 2025-26

• Banderas Bay (Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita): Humpback; Dec 8 to Mar 23

• Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo: Humpback; Dec 15 to Apr 30

• Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio lagoons: Gray; Dec 15 to Apr 30

• Magdalena Bay: Gray; Jan 1 to Apr 30

• Loreto Bay National Park: Blue; Jan 1 to Apr 30

Where to go whale watching in Mexico

Banderas Bay: Humpback whales come to the bay to breed and give birth, and you'll often see mothers with calves. To protect mothers and calves, the notice bars whale watching within 1.5 km of the Islas Marietas and in a 2 km strip of coast from Punta Mita to the mouth of the Ameca River. Our guide to things to do in Punta Mita in December covers the start of the season.

Baja's gray whale lagoons: Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio, inside the El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, are the main breeding and calving grounds of the eastern Pacific gray whale. UNESCO listed them as the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaíno in 1993. Magdalena Bay, further south, opens on January 1.

Loreto: The national park around Loreto Bay is the place to look for blue whales, with viewing allowed from January to April.

Whale sharks: Whale sharks are fish, and they're often included in whale-watching trips. In La Paz the season usually runs through the cooler months, and swimming has been paused in years when few sharks arrive. Off Holbox and Isla Mujeres, permitted tours run from May 15 to mid-September.

Whale-watching rules in Mexico

Whale tours in Mexico need SEMARNAT authorization, so it's worth asking an operator to show its permit before booking. Under the national standard, NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010, boats can stay with a whale or group for 30 minutes at most and must keep at least 60 meters away (80 meters for larger boats), while boats waiting their turn stay 240 meters off. Hunting whales is prohibited.

Frequently asked questions

When is whale season in Puerto Vallarta?

Humpbacks are in Banderas Bay in winter. The official 2025-26 season ran from December 8 to March 23.

Where is the best place to see gray whales in Mexico?

The Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio lagoons in Baja California Sur, which UNESCO lists as the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaíno, plus Magdalena Bay further south.

Can you see blue whales in Mexico?

Yes. Loreto Bay National Park on the Sea of Cortez has a viewing season from January 1 to April 30.

How close can boats get to whales in Mexico?

Under Mexico's national whale-watching standard, boats must keep at least 60 meters away (80 meters for larger boats) and can spend 30 minutes at most with a whale or group.