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Banderas Bay
Bay in the Pacific Ocean off Banderas Bay
The Pacific bay itself, closed by Punta Mita to the north and Cabo Corrientes to the south, with Puerto Vallarta on its shore. Its islands, rocks and dive sites sit in this water.
When to see Banderas Bay
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-footed booby | Seen | Best | Best | Best | Seen | Seen | Marietas Islands | ||||||
| Bottlenose dolphin | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Wild Dolphins of Banderas Bay |
| Humpback whale | Seen | Seen | Seen | Seen | Banderas Bay Whale Grounds, Marietas Islands |
The darker mark is the months the source names as best. Months from doi.org, vallartanatours.com, sidof.segob.gob.mx.
Yachts that sail Banderas Bay
Regions on Banderas Bay
Places in Banderas Bay
- Whale watching
Banderas Bay Whale Grounds
The open water of Banderas Bay, where humpback whales spend the winter, a short run from Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and La Cruz. It is an area, not a spot: the whales move every day, and a sighting is never certain.
- Scuba diving
- Fishing
El Morro
A small rock at the northern edge of Banderas Bay, near the Marieta Islands, dived by experienced divers for the tunnel that runs through it and the manta rays that pass. Fishing boats work the water around it too.
- Scuba diving
El Chimo
A deep dive site on the south side of Banderas Bay, where rock columns and formations rise from the seabed. It is a dive for experienced divers, reached by boat in around an hour or a little more.
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Paddleboarding
- Scuba diving
Los Arcos de Mismaloya
Five granite islets just off Mismaloya, about 12 km south of Puerto Vallarta in Banderas Bay, with arches cut through the larger rocks and reef walls below.
- Scuba diving
Princesa Vallarta Wreck
A sunken boat on the floor of Banderas Bay, a little under 200 metres off the Las Gemelas beaches south of Puerto Vallarta. It is a deep dive for certified divers, about 6 nautical miles by boat from the Puerto Vallarta marinas.
- Scuba diving
Los Anegados
A submerged rock bank in the northern part of Banderas Bay, lying about midway between El Morro and the Marieta Islands. It is a boat dive, best suited to divers with some experience.
Wild Dolphins of Banderas Bay
Wild dolphins share Banderas Bay with the boats that cross it, and a morning spent looking for them is one of the quieter ways to see the bay. It is a search on open water, so a sighting is never certain.
- Surfing
The Cove, Punta de Mita
A surf break at Punta de Mita, on the north-west point of Banderas Bay. Surfers reach it by boat from the Punta de Mita shore or on foot over the rocks.
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Scuba diving
Marietas Islands
Two small islands at the western mouth of Banderas Bay, reached only by boat, with seabirds to watch and water to snorkel and dive.
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