Vallarta Adventures

Vallarta Adventures

Vallarta Adventures
4.5
Scuba & Snorkelling4WD, ATV & Off-Road ToursSwim with DolphinsBoat ToursDolphin & Whale Watching
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
About
Vallarta Adventures is Mexico's premier adventure company and leading tour operator in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta. Vallarta Adventure trips and activities are safe learning experiences designed for people of all ages who want to have fun exploring all that culture, wildlife, biodiversity (eco tours) and natural beauty the area has to offer.
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
Meets animal welfare guidelines

Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024

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Tours and Tickets by Vallarta Adventures
Travellers talk about

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles24 357 reviews
Excellent
20 357
Very good
2 188
Average
757
Poor
464
Terrible
591

jake m
Ann Arbor, MI26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
We went scuba diving off the Marietas Islands booked through Vallarta Adventures and what a treat we were given! Hugo was our dive master for this trip and seeing as my partner and I were both still newly certified, Hugo was very accommodating and an excellent dive master. While the visibility underwater wasn't ideal, we all still got a great experience to observe the natural habitats of some unique aquatic wildlife at this nature preserve. We rented equipment there for an additional 25USD but it was well worth it. Wetsuits were provided and our gear was setup by the time we got ready for our dive. All in all the dive, the site we dove at, and the crew we dove with was all excellent and well worth what we paid. That doesn't even include the full experience on the Vallarta Adventures catamaran. We started off on our 45-70min boat ride out to the island whale watching and did we get lucky! The captain and crew were able to spot a mother and calf shortly after we left port and we all got the honor of observing them up close. Then as we were getting closer to Marietas Island the crew spotted a scrimmage of male humpback whales fighting for a nearby female. All in all we saw about 15 whales total and were even lucky enough to see 2 breach! I had no idea we were going to be given this experience on our way to our dive site. We were provided orange juice or coffee as well as fruit in the morning as we departed, then a well portioned lunch of a turkey club, potato salad and pasta salad midway through. Those with dietary restrictions may be limited for the lunch portion unless specified pre-booking. This again exceeded my expectations of the "light snack" that was mentioned on the booking website. Once our dives were complete, we met back up with the main catamaran to embark on the 45min boat ride home. At that time we were treated with an open bar and a show the crew put on that kept it very lively and fun for all. Again, another experience that I was not expecting when I booked the dive. This was an excellent way to spend half the day at Puerto Vallarta at such a competitive deal. I was blown away by the service both the dive crew and the crew helming the main catamaran provided for us at a price that can't be beat. If I were to ever book anything type of excursion put of Puerto Vallarta, I would absolutely check the experiences Vallarta Adventures has to offer as my top priority. With the services provided and the price you pay, they are the best in the area.
Written 13 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola Jake, Thank you for taking the time to share your incredible experience with Vallarta Adventures! We're delighted to hear that you had a fantastic scuba diving adventure off the Marietas Islands with Hugo as your dive master. It's wonderful to know that Hugo's expertise made your dive enjoyable, especially considering that you and your partner are newly certified. We appreciate your positive feedback on the equipment rental and the well-organized setup, contributing to a seamless diving experience. It's fantastic that you had the opportunity to witness the captivating underwater habitats and unique aquatic wildlife despite less-than-ideal visibility. Your recount of the catamaran journey adds another layer of excitement to your adventure, from whale watching to a lively crew show. We're thrilled to have exceeded your expectations with our services, making your half-day in Puerto Vallarta memorable. Thank you for considering Vallarta Adventures as your top priority for future excursions. We look forward to hosting you again and providing more unforgettable experiences. Best regards,
Written 14 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Joshua F
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Family
My family and I had the best time going zip lining with this group. Piña, Daniel, Pancho and Lance were extremely helpful with everyone on the tour and handling the different experience levels within our group. Would definitely want to go again the next time we travel here. Can’t take cameras or phones on the main art of the tour but the professional photographer did a great job and the photo package is well worth the expense.
Written 6 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

1jordanbb2
Saskatoon, Canada5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Couples
Love love love Vallarta adventures!! We booked three excursions with them - luxury snorkelling, outdoor adventure, and sunset sailing!

Luxury snorkeling was a fun experience being on a big fancy boat and going through the bay. I was expecting to do more snorkelling at different locations though. We went to a small little cove and it was hard to see the fish because the water was a bit murky. While we were snorkelling, there were other boats almost on top of us which was very uncomfortable. After we snorkelled for about 20 minutes, you go to a secluded beach that is definitely pretty but I was expecting more snorkelling. We spent about 40 minutes on the beach and it was quite chilly in the morning. They had no towels or blankets on the beach for us, which made it not too fun. The crew was very kind and could see we were not enjoying our time so we left early to do some whale watching. This was the highlight of the snorkelling. If you’re looking to do more snorkelling, book a different tour.

Now to the outdoor adventures! OH MY GOODNESS! I would highly recommend this tour to everyone coming to PV! You start by taking a boat across the bay, jump in a truck to drive up into the jungle. We got geared up, took mules up the mountain, then started our tour! The crew working was incredible (Kut, Leo, Díaz, Antonio, Xahut, and sorry if I missed anyone)! I felt safe the entire time while zip lining (I’m typically scared of heights)! I think the highlight was doing a rappel down a waterfall! It was absolutely beautiful! I would do this the next time I am here! Worth the money!!

Finally, we finished our trip off with sunset sailing. We got on a beautiful sail boat, headed out into the bay, put up our sails and then we were able to enjoy music, great company and the beautiful ocean. This was a romantic sailing experience and one I would do again. For those that want to get on the water to watch the sunset, this is the tour for you!

Thanks Vallarta Adventures for offering such a diverse set of excursions and having wonderful crews of people to run them!
Written 23 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and telling us that our team was able to offer the best of themselves to make your experience super top! We really appreciate you recommending us and hope to see you again soon!
Written 26 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Natalie E
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Family
We booked a 20 minute "dolphin adventure." It states small group but we were 4 so we thought it would just be us like all of their pictures of the experience but they put us with another family of 4. So, the 20 minute experience we booked is now shared which really means about 12 minutes since they push you off on the side for each family to rotate through getting pictures. I would rather have spent more time with the dolphin and learning about all of the marks, wounds, scratches, noises they make, etc than posing for the pics.

They took lots of pictures. We had 159 and the cost for those 159 pictures is $169USD. There are also videos and other add-ons. Let me remind you we are in Mexico and $169USD in the States would be insane for something like this an is absolutely insane after you do the peso conversion.

What's worse is we were warned and told the price would be $110 at the time of booking and they would not honor that.

So, if you go be prepared for an insane photo cost if you want them or book a longer tour to make it worth it. This was the only option we could do with our child.

FYI, they do not allow you to bring your own camera or cell phone. There are observation decks but the view from there is more like a waiting area.
Written 5 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola Natalie, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear your dolphin experience didn’t meet your expectations. Our photography service is designed to capture the best moments, ensuring that every detail of your interaction with the dolphins is preserved in high-quality photos. The price reflects this service, which includes a collection of images and videos to remember your adventure, but we understand it can feel like a significant investment. If you're looking for a more exclusive experience, we also offer private sessions to ensure you have the full attention of the dolphins without distractions. Please don't hesitate to reach out for assistance in booking or further inquiries. We appreciate your understanding and hope to welcome you back for a more personalized experience next time! Warm regards,
Written 11 November 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ash H
8 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Couples
We started by meeting the sealions which is great fun. We all got into the pool with them and they would swim past while you stroke them. You then one at a time come out and have your cuddle and kiss with the sealion followed by some more group and couple poses for the camera.
We then got onto a boat and headed over to Las Caletas for the other activities. Only when we arrived did our guide choose to inform everyone that the parasailing isn't working today. We then started the water activities which were a zipline into the ocean, 2 water slides, a ride on a banana boat and snorkeling. Advertised on the tour was also Step Up (high ropes) and a spinner boat neither of which we were given the opportunity to do, adding to parasailing on the list of things we were sold and couldn't do. After the water activities there is lunch but with no changing rooms or showers you sit in your wet sea water clothes in a bar overlooking a construction site. Finally we were shown our photos from the day and were told it would be $130 USD for the digital photos or $60 each which I truly believe is of the level of extortion. A real horrible scam to end the day that truly ruined the experience and put us in a bad mood.
To resolve the parasailing issue that they had missold everyone we were offered to either rebook or we could spend 3 hours at the Las Caletas Beach. We decided to rebook as we were going to Las Caletas in a few days anyway. We were made to fill out an incident report explaining that we were going to rebook the parasailing and had been offered something else. Spoiler alert. We never got to do parasailing. Just a total scam.
In summary I really enjoyed the trip towards the beginning, especially the sealions but I wouldn't do it again if I had the chance. The day was seriously ruined by a few small but very impactful decisions by Valartta Adventures. I would advise people to go and swim with sealions but do it with a different company. This company will take your money, do everything they can to get more of it and deliver as little as possible in return.

We booked 3 Vallarta adventures trips through TUI and after telling them about our experience and a lot of complaining they agreed to cancel our final trip for river of the night (we had no interest in spending another 3 hours on that boat) and agreed (eventually) to refund us £200 of our initial £580 spent. Very disappointed in TUI for associating themselves with master con artists Vallarta adventures.
Written 11 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Climber771684
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
Do not go to this place. I would give them 0 stars if I could. It was windy and raining the night before and morning of our parasailing trip. We called 30-40 minutes prior to our scheduled trip to ask if it was still happening. They assured us that it will continue as scheduled. We paid 300 pesos Uber to get to the location and they told us it was canceled due to weather conditions. I understand the weather conditions could make it not safe, but they should text or email beforehand that there’s a POSSIBILITY it’ll be canceled. We had a half hour argument with them to get our money back which would take another 20-30 days to process on top of another 200-300 Uber ride
Written 16 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola Climber, We deeply apologize for the inconvenience you experienced during your parasailing trip. Our utmost priority is the safety of our customers, and we understand your frustration with the last-minute cancellation. We acknowledge the need for better communication regarding weather-related cancellations. One of our representatives will be reaching out to you directly to address your concerns and ensure a smoother experience in the future. We appreciate your feedback and thank you for bringing this to our attention. Warm regards,
Written 17 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Courtney M
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Every moment with the sea lion is spent setting up individual and group poses for the photographer. We had 6 people. The sea lion has to do the same tricks (smile, clap, kiss, etc) over and over. I bought the very cheapest photo package, 2 digital photos for $60.

My 10-year-old was really disappointed we were not allowed to swim with them at all, not even across the small pool. (We heard the dolphin encounter folks did get to swim with dolphins.)

BOTH of the sea lions, Jenny (in the opposite end of pool with another group) and Marina, each had one eye swollen shut. (Which makes me wonder about the condition of the sea lions they DON’T select to interact with customers.) I asked what was wrong, the handler said “Sea lions do that to protect their eyes, they can see fine with one eye.” It sounded like a lie, I googled it later, total lie.

I posed a few (gentle, polite) questions about their welfare, and he told us they often take the sea lions out into the bay, in open water, to frolic. It’s possible I guess, but I don’t believe it. If they can’t even spare $ for proper vet care for their eyes, I doubt they’re spending $ allowing them to frolic in the ocean.

There were multiple cages (without water) lining the pool with confined sea lions. It looked uncomfortable. The guide said they breed them in captivity (obv. for the purpose of selling photos).

The buffet was very good, the bus ride was pleasant.
Written 15 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We regret to hear that your experience was not up to your expectations, We take animal welfare really seriously , our marine mammals’ specialists have a very good understanding about the care that our sealion needs, rest assured that all our marine mammals are treated with the utmost care and respect, in fact Dolphin Adventure is accredited and certified by the American Humane associations, that is a certification that supervise ll international standards of animal welfare. It may happen from time to time that one of our animals closes one eye, it is a normal behavior for the species. The dolphin encounter and the sealion encounter are 2 experiences where you don’t get to swim in the deep area, this is specified in the description of the program, we wonder if this information was given to you at the moment of purchasing the experiences, if not please let us know where you did purchase the experience from , so we can take a corrective action. If you have any concern or you want to know more about the welfare of our marine mammals please feel free to contact us anytime, and also you can check our link https://www.vallarta-adventures.com/en/sustainability-and-conservation of conservation efforts that our company does. Once again we regret to hear that your experience was not satisfactory at this time, however we look forward to be able to welcome you again in the future to provide you with a better experience.
Written 16 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Taylor
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
The company will hold the photos of your memories hostage! I am doing two reviews. One for the excursion, which was great and this one to make people aware of a very bad experience regarding the cost of the photos. On the tour they require you to leave all your belongings, including phones and cameras, so you can't take any personal photos. They have photographers who take pictures of all the activities. At the end they will sell you the photos for a CRAZY amount. They will not sell individual photos, so you can't pick photos from each activity to purchase. You must purchase ALL the photos from each activity, which is silly because you don't need 20 photos of essentially the same thing. They will charge you about $200.00 for EACH activity so if you wanted photos of each experience you are going to be charged $760.00 US dollars. It was $200 for the sea lion encounter, $80.00 for the parasailing, but that is for each couple that goes up, since we are a family of four it was $160.00 for parasailing, $200 for the speedboat video, $200 for flow rider video, and another 200 for the ziplining / other activities. You can purchase only one activity, but it is still an excessive amount of money for the photos and they do not care! You pay up or you leave without any photos. We left without photos because we just couldn't support such price gouging for the photos. I was willing and prepared to be up charged for photos, but I had no idea it would be so ridiculous. My advise is to just bring your phone or camera on the activities. Put it in a waterproof bag and keep it around your neck inside your lifejacket. The only activities it is at risk is on the speedboat, where you will get soaked and on the zipline activity that you drop into the ocean. Otherwise, you could have it available and just take your own pictures and bypass the company's insane price gouging. The experience we had with the photos at the end really put a negative on the entire experience.
Written 19 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Customer, We genuinely appreciate your feedback and are sorry to hear about your experience with our photo pricing. Our intention is to provide memorable moments through our professional photographers while ensuring high-quality images of your adventures. We understand the cost can be a concern, and we strive to balance affordability with the quality of service we offer. Your feedback is crucial in helping us improve, and we hope your overall excursion was enjoyable despite the issues you faced with the photo packages. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Warm regards,
Written 26 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dan C
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Couples
Disappointing. I rarely write reviews but feel it is important to share our experience. Not what is advertised on the website. Mentions seeing whales, dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, colourful fish as possibilities. We did see two sets of humpbacks on our way to Marietas conservation area. Our family of 3 adults snorkelled for the allotted time in the conservation area. We are strong swimmers and experienced at snorkelling. We actively searched and saw a total of about 6 fish of which 2 had some color. Seemed more important for photographers to take pictures of everyone. Others mentioned the lack of observed sea life.
Then went for 1 hour trip by boat across to a beach where we sat for an hour on the beach. Undertow was strong so no kayaks, paddleboards, etc.
It ended up being a booze cruise with drinks flowing. Not our thing.
I must say the staff were energized and tried there best to encourage drinks, music and party-like atmosphere. Enthusiastic staff went above and beyond.
However we paid to see wildlife and sea creatures.
A big disappointment after attending the outdoor adventure tour the day before by Vallarta tours. It was a 10 plus for staff enthusiasm and the activities offered were exceptional.
Written 28 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting us, we regret that you could not enjoy your activity to the fullest. We know that this is because of the weather conditions as there was rain a couple of days ago and this affected the sea currents. Despite the bad weather we always try to make you enjoy the atmosphere on board, we know it was not a good day for you but we are sure that next time it will be. Thank you for your comment and thank you very much for your review.
Written 30 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Shawn K
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Family
English page was full of “lost in translation” bs where when I finally got to my destination I was getting a lot less than what was advertised. Very unsatisfied with the boat ride as the boat showed up 1 hour late which my package included 10 hours on a remote beach but this meant the outrageous ticket price was now being wasted because someone didn’t wear their watch today. I would not recommend this company to anyone that is not fluent in Spanish and can make sure they fully understand what they are getting.
Written 4 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

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