Tours & Activities

Tours & Activities

Boat trips, whale watching, hiking, and more.

✦ All 🤿 Water & Sea 🐋 Whale & Wildlife 🌿 Jungle & Land ⛵ Boat & Sailing 🏛 Cultural 🌮 Food & Drink 🧘 Wellness 🏄 Surf 🎣 Fishing 🍸 Nightlife

What's on · September in Puerto Vallarta

September — quietest month, softest prices, warm rain. Turtle releases nightly; whales a month off.

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Right now in PV: 36°C feels-like · UV 1 · Overcast.

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11 experiences
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Workshop
from $63USD /person
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Workshop
ChocoMuseo
4.9 (394) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
Roast, peel, grind and temper your own chocolate bar from Mexican cacao in a two-hour hands-on workshop in Centro. Take the bars home. Works for kids and non-drinkers, unlike most of the food tours.
⏱ 2h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Centro workshop, sessions through the day
Ages
4+
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Mexican Cooking Class
from $80USD /person
Mexican Cooking Class
Vallarta Eats
4.9 (713) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
3-hour hands-on Mexican cooking class. Visit the local market, cook 4 dishes including mole and ceviche, eat what you make.
⏱ 3h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Mercado Municipal, 9am
Ages
8+
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Butterfly Sanctuary & Museum
from $28USD /person
Butterfly Sanctuary & Museum
Jardín Mariposario
4.9 (460) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
A small enclosed butterfly garden and natural-history museum a short drive from Centro — hundreds of native morphos and swallowtails, shaded paths, and a quick, cheap, kid-proof hour out of the heat.
⏱ 1h 📍 Las Juntas
Details
Meet
Las Juntas — a short taxi from Centro
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family
PV Street Food & Culture Tour
from $49USD /person
PV Street Food & Culture Tour
Vallarta Food Tours
5.0 (3,933) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
3-hour walking food tour through Centro and Zona Romántica. 8–10 tastings including tacos, birria, mariscos, agua fresca.
⏱ 3h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Malecón Boardwalk, Los Arcos amphitheater
Ages
6+
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Vallarta Botanical Gardens
from $22USD /person
Year-round (best Nov–Mar)
Vallarta Botanical Gardens
Vallarta Botanical Gardens
4.8 (135) Viator
Self-guided day at the botanical gardens 30 min south of town. Orchid house, jungle trails, river swimming hole, hacienda restaurant. Bus 'El Tuito' from Centro.
⏱ 4h 📍 Mismaloya
Details
Meet
Carretera 200 sur, km 24
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, family
Sunset Sailing Cruise
from $100USD /person
Sunset Sailing Cruise
Bahía Catamarans
4.6 (448) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
3-hour sunset catamaran cruise along the Bay of Banderas. Open bar, light dinner, live music. Anchored swim stop near Los Arcos.
⏱ 3h 📍 Marina Vallarta
Details
Meet
Marina Vallarta pier, 6pm
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
couple, family, groups
Las Caletas Beach Day
from $155USD /person
Las Caletas Beach Day
Vallarta Adventures
4.5 (844) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
Boat to a jungle-backed private cove reachable only by water. Hammocks, kayaks, paddleboards, snorkel gear, a spa menu, buffet lunch and open bar. A full relaxed day, not a rush-around tour.
⏱ 7h 📍 Marina Vallarta
Details
Meet
Terminal Marítima, 8:30am
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
couple, family, groups
Water
you can stay dry if you want
Swim with Dolphins
from $160USD /person
Swim with Dolphins
Vallarta Adventures
4.7 (724) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
Guided in-water dolphin encounter at Dolphin Adventure — a trainer leads a small group, hands-on, with education about the animals. The single most-booked family experience in PV.
⏱ 2h 📍 Nuevo Vallarta
Details
Meet
Nuevo Vallarta, morning & afternoon slots
Ages
6+
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
couple, family, groups
Water
you will get wet
Whale Watching Tour
from $77USD /person
December–March
Whale Watching Tour
Vallarta Adventures
4.7 (187) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
3-hour guided whale watching in Banderas Bay. Humpbacks December–March. Hydrophone on board to hear whale songs.
⏱ 3h 📍 Marina Vallarta
Details
Meet
Marina Vallarta pier, 8am and 12pm
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Private Boat Charter — Half Day
from $600USD /group
Private Boat Charter — Half Day
Banderas Bay Charters
4.7 (47) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
Private 4-hour boat charter for up to 10. Set your own route — Los Arcos, Las Ánimas, Quimixto. Captain, fuel, snorkel gear, cooler included. Price is per group.
⏱ 4h 📍 Marina Vallarta
Details
Meet
Marina Vallarta or Los Muertos pier
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
couple, family, groups
Water
you can stay dry if you want
Sea Turtle Release
from $35USD /person
August–December
Sea Turtle Release
Eco Tours Vallarta
4.9 (128) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
Sunset release of newly-hatched sea turtles with a marine biologist, on a protected beach. August–December only. Low-key, moving, and a favourite with families.
⏱ 1.5h 📍 Nuevo Vallarta
Details
Meet
Beach location, ~5:30pm
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Marina Vallarta
Off the Malecón

The good stuff is
a boat ride away.

Humpback whales from December, the Marietas Islands, a panga to Yelapa for lunch and a waterfall. Book direct with the operator where you can — more of it stays in town.

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