You'll spend a full day on a catamaran across Bahía de Banderas to the Marietas Islands, scanning for dolphins, turtles and seasonal whales from deck. Guided snorkelling runs in clear Pacific water when park access and sea conditions allow. Lunch is a beach barbecue at boat-only Majahuitas, with time to swim, relax or try kayaks and paddle boards when the crew opens them.
After check-in at your assigned pier or office, you board the catamaran, stow your bag and listen to a safety briefing before lines are released into the bay. The morning leg mixes wildlife watching with commentary on park rules and responsible viewing, then the crew sets up snorkel time when swell and ranger access allow. Kayaking and paddle boarding may open near the boat or at Majahuitas depending on conditions and the mix of guests on deck.
Lunch is a beach barbecue at Majahuitas with non-alcoholic drinks during the meal stop, followed by free time on the sand before the return sail toward your departure point. Hosts adjust the order of wildlife viewing, snorkel stops and beach time when park rangers or swell change the plan, and you stay with the same bilingual crew from boarding through the final approach to port.
The Marietas Islands rise offshore in Bahía de Banderas, where warm Pacific water meets protected volcanic rock formations, bird colonies and reef fish that show well on snorkel stops when visibility is good. Departures run from the Puerto Vallarta cruise pier on H. Escuela Naval Militar or the Nuevo Vallarta check-in desk on Paseo de las Palmas, then follow the coast toward the national park zone.
After time around the islands you continue to Majahuitas, a sheltered cove with shallow sand and calm corners that suit families who want to swim near shore or try paddle craft in gentle water. The setting mixes open-ocean views on the sail with a quieter beach for lunch and relaxed time ashore before the catamaran heads back across the bay.
No prior snorkelling experience is required, and guests of all ages are welcome with adult supervision for young children. You should be comfortable wearing a life jacket on a moving boat and able to enter the water for optional snorkelling or swimming, though non-swimmers can still enjoy wildlife viewing and lunch ashore.
We recommend a comfortable level of general fitness for short swims, ladder entries and optional paddle sports when the crew opens them. Bring swimwear, a towel, hat and reef-safe sunscreen, plus dry clothes for the return leg and cash in Mexican pesos for local port and conservation fees at check-in.
Our PADI five-star boat teams have spent more than twenty years reading swell, wildlife and park rules on Bahía de Banderas before the catamaran leaves the pier. Bilingual hosts keep wildlife watching and snorkel time relaxed for mixed ages on the same deck, with clear briefings for first-time snorkellers and confident swimmers alike.
Equipment checks and route choices happen every morning based on real conditions, not a fixed script. That local rhythm shows when Marietas access shifts or when families want extra time in the water versus on the sand, and the same crew stays with you from boarding through the return sail.
Primary departures use Muelle de Cruceros Puerto Vallarta at H. Escuela Naval Militar.
Alternate check-in is available at Paseo de las Palmas 39, Las Jarretaderas, Nuevo Vallarta. Arrive early with photo ID; pay any local fees in pesos at the desk.
Swimwear, shorts, sun hat, towel, reef-safe sunscreen, dry clothes and cash for fees and souvenirs.
Most Marietas days board at Muelle de Cruceros Puerto Vallarta on H. Escuela Naval Militar. Some departures check in at Paseo de las Palmas 39 in Nuevo Vallarta instead, and staff at the desk confirm which pier applies when you arrive with photo ID.
Harbour security at the cruise terminal can add a few minutes at peak hours, so allow a buffer before the published check-in time. High-season traffic around marinas is slower than a hotel-zone taxi ride, especially on weekend mornings.
Make your own way by taxi or ride app to the cruise pier or Nuevo Vallarta office shown at check-in. Collection from hotels is not part of this catamaran day unless staff confirm a pickup for your hotel that morning.
Transport to and from the meeting point is your responsibility. Parking near the naval marina fills early, so a drop-off at the terminal entrance is often simpler than hunting for a space.
Port and Marieta Islands conservation fees are collected in Mexican pesos at check-in. Keep cash handy for the desk because those local charges sit outside the online fare and support harbour and park upkeep.
Optional photos, souvenirs and crew gratuities are extra. Amounts vary by season, so ask the desk for the peso total before you walk to the gangway.
No prior snorkelling is required. Guides fit masks and vests, brief entries from the boat or beach, and stay in the water with mixed-ability groups when park access and swell allow a stop at the islands.
Non-swimmers can still enjoy wildlife watching from deck and lunch ashore at Majahuitas. If you prefer to stay dry, tell the crew at the briefing so they can keep you on the catamaran or sand during the snorkel window.
Yes. A beach barbecue at Majahuitas is part of the day, with non-alcoholic drinks during the meal stop. You eat on the sand after the island snorkel window, then have free time before the return sail.
Alcoholic drinks are not part of the standard meal. If you want something extra at the cove, bring pesos for extras the beach team may offer after lunch.
Guests of all ages are welcome on this catamaran day with adult supervision for young children. Life jackets are fitted before lines are released, and the crew keep families together on deck during the bay crossing.
Kayaks and paddle boards open only when conditions allow, so smaller children may stay on the beach or boat during that window. Bring a rash vest and hat, because shade on the sand is limited at midday.
Humpback whales use Bahía de Banderas in winter, typically from around December through March, and the crew pause for responsible viewing when animals appear near the route. Sightings are never guaranteed because wildlife moves with the day.
Dolphins and turtles show in other months as well. The morning leg mixes commentary on park rules with scanning from deck, so keep a light layer handy even in warm weather if you want to stay outside for longer watches.
The captain needs reasonable swell and park access to run the Marietas snorkel stop. If wind or sea state makes the islands unsafe, the crew may shorten that window, stay longer at Majahuitas, or shift the order of wildlife watching and beach time.
Ask at check-in on the morning of departure if a tropical system is nearby. Staff explain which segments can still run and whether the catamaran will wait in harbour before leaving the pier.
This departure is a snorkel and barbecue cruise, not a scuba dive. You stay on snorkel kit in park water when access allows, then continue to Majahuitas for lunch and swim time.
Certified divers who want tanks and a reef briefing should choose a dedicated dive day instead. Mixing scuba into this catamaran schedule is not offered on board.
Wear reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a light cover-up between snorkel and lunch blocks. The bay reflects strongly around midday, and time on the sand at Majahuitas adds extra exposure after the island stop.
Drink water throughout the sail and pack a towel plus dry clothes for the return. A long-sleeve rash vest is useful if you snorkel more than once, and biodegradable sunscreen is kinder to the park reef.
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About the centre
Puerto Vallarta
For more than twenty years, teams on the Bahía de Banderas have been running boat days, jungle routes, and ocean activities for visitors who want more than a beach afternoon. Trips leave from the Puerto Vallarta area toward islands, hidden coves, and forest canopy lines, with bilingual guides handling safety briefings and the pace of the day.
You'll find PADI dive instructors, sailing crews, and adventure guides under one roof, which makes it easier to mix snorkelling mornings with ATV or zipline afternoons without juggling separate operators. Equipment checks, transport to launch points, and meal stops on longer tours are organised as part of the experience rather than left for you to arrange alone.
Operated by Vallarta Adventure, a partner of adventuro.
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