We had a wonderful day with Ecotours Vallarta visiting Colliminas to go snorkling and then to Yalapa to explore the area and have lunch. Yalapa is a private tour so you pay for the guide and the boat captain and the boat can take around 10 people. There was just the two of us in this trip. Mike was our guide and Raphael was the boat captain. We had been with Mike in an earlier trip and he is a fantastic birder and a super nice person. He also know a lot about whales and marine life. We started out from the marina and within 15 minutes we came upon about 6 humpback whales and watched them for awhile. Raphael was careful to keep a respectable distance. They come here in the winter to have there babies and then migrate back to the west coast of United States in the warmer weather. We then snorkeled at Colliminas for half hour. The water was in the 70s and calm and we saw many types of fish. Then on to Yalapa which is nestled in a beautiful bay and very picturesque. We walked up to a beautiful waterfall that did not have a huge amount of water as it was the dry season The town has lots of restaurants along the beach and lots of things to buy in the way up to the waterfall. We then had lunch at The Marlin. My girlfriend had fish tacos and I had shrimp tacos and we shared guacamole. The food was good but not fantastic. Mike pointed out several sea going birds(turns, pelicans ) and we also spotted grackles and a beautiful Trogon. My girlfriend was delighted to hold an iguana for a photo(100 pesos). We took some nice pictures at the waterfall. We left at 9 am and returned about 3:30. It was a wonderful day to do something different as we have been in Puerto Vallarta for a month, Ecotours does a great job and Mike and captain Rapheal could not have been better. Highly recommended.
H4617KZdanielg
20 Nov 2025
Amazing day out. The guide Fransisco and captain Martin were very knowledgeable. We saw so many fish snorkelling and Fransisco was great at identifying the birds. Martin even found us the rays jumping out of the water. Highly recommend the private boat tour with a small group.
On the way back we went close to downtown and Fransisco knew the history of the area
I booked a private snorkel tour with EcoTours Vallarta for myself and my two young kids (ages 7 and 8), and I honestly can’t say enough good things about the experience. From the very first phone call, the team was accommodating, flexible, and incredibly kind. I explained our situation—first-time snorkelers, not the strongest swimmers, and two easily overwhelmed kids—and they immediately made it clear they could create something safe, manageable, and special for us.
They absolutely delivered.
Our guide, Margarita, was extraordinary. Calm, patient, encouraging, and endlessly kind with my kids (who were… not easy!). They had never snorkeled before, and she handled every little panic, fogged mask, gear adjustment, and mid-ocean meltdown with complete grace and professionalism. She had this amazing ability to make them feel safe and capable without any pressure. She also happens to be a skilled diver, a knowledgeable marine biologist, and just an overall exceptional human being.
We also had an excellent captain, Martín, who navigated smoothly and helped with gear and logistics behind the scenes, making the whole experience feel seamless and safe.
The tour itself was gorgeous—we snorkeled at Los Arcos and saw a wide variety of fish, including pufferfish, a moray eel, and a beautiful spotted ray. The timing was perfect, the spots were uncrowded, and the boat was clean, shaded, and very comfortable.
This trip completely exceeded my expectations. It was easily the highlight of our week in Puerto Vallarta, and I’ll be recommending EcoTours (and especially Margarita and Martín!) to anyone traveling with kids—or anyone who wants a thoughtful, well-run, truly memorable marine experience.