From Sayulita, Budget Fare

Banderas Bay Boat Whale Watching Tour From Sayulita runs through Sebastian Briones.

Overview

This five-hour whale watching trip starts in Sayulita and is run by Sebastian Briones, with a local guide and boat transport built into the price. You meet at the Oceano Adventures Sayulita store on the highway, Carretera Punta de Mita #15 Loc. 5. If you ticked the option for transportation on the booking form, you are asked to arrive at that meeting point half an hour before the activity begins.

From there the outing moves to the water, where the boat spends its time looking for whales. Reviewers of this exact trip describe close encounters with multiple pods, including mothers and calves, and one group reported following a pod of at least six whales and then coming across a large group of dolphins. Another reviewer described watching a calf breach several times.

Taxes, fees, bottled water and the guide are covered. Gratuities and souvenir photos are not. The trip suits most travellers, according to the listing, and caps bookings at seven people. It is not wheelchair accessible, and the whole experience depends on decent weather and a minimum number of participants running.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet in SayulitaCheck in at the Oceano Adventures Sayulita store on the highway, Carretera Punta de Mita #15 Loc. 5. If you requested transportation, arrive 30 minutes before the activity start.
2. Transfer to the departure areaOne reviewer reported being driven by van to a departure point away from Sayulita beach before boarding. The listing does not describe this leg, so confirm arrangements with the operator at check-in.
3. Board the boatYou board the boat with a local guide and set out in search of whales.
4. Whale watching on the waterThe crew looks for whale pods, and reviewers report sightings of mothers with calves, breaching and dolphins during the outing.
5. ReturnThe trip ends back at the same meeting point in Sayulita, according to the listing.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you plan this outing, drawn from the listing and from what travellers have written after taking it.

• Getting there. One reviewer said it took some time to find the operator, so allow a margin and use the meeting-point address given in the listing.
• Group size. The listing caps each booking and each departure at a maximum of 7 travellers. One reviewer described their trip as a private experience, though the listing does not guarantee exclusivity.
• What to bring. Bottled water is included, but food is not mentioned, so bring anything else you want to eat or drink. The listing does not provide a packing list, so plan for a five-hour outing accordingly.
• Pace and fitness. The listing states that most travellers can participate, with no special fitness requirement mentioned.
• Photos. Souvenir photos are available to purchase but not included, so bring your own camera or phone. Reviewers reported breaching whales and dolphins close to the boat, which rewards having a camera ready.
• Weather dependence. The listing says the experience requires good weather and a minimum number of travellers. If it is called off for either reason, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

Common issues. One reviewer was surprised that the boat does not leave from Sayulita beach, and instead the group was driven roughly 45 minutes away by van, with taxis called for the ride back at the end of the trip; that reviewer also questioned whether the return leg was fully covered. Another said the meeting point took some effort to find. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and cancellations for poor weather or low participant numbers are both possible, with an alternative date or refund offered when they happen. Gratuities and souvenir photos cost extra.

Common Questions