Best Time to Visit Puerto Vallarta: Whales in Winter, Turtles in Autumn, and Rain in Between
6 min read
For most people the best window is December to March. It is the cool season, and it is the only time the whales are in the bay. If you cannot go then, the autumn has its own draw in the turtle releases, and the summer is a real trade of rain for quiet. The one trip with no season attached is the boat out to Los Arcos: the 5 Islands boat tour with snorkelling is €42.76 per person, 4.7 stars from 401 reviews, 3.5 hours.
See dates and prices for the 5 Islands boat tour with snorkelling
What follows are the dates we could source and the trips that fit them. We have not found a source for hotel prices by month, so we do not give any.
The calendar in four dates
- Whales: the humpback season is set by the federal environment ministry, SEMARNAT. In 2025–26 it ran from 8 December to 23 March. Dates are set season by season, so check the current ones. January and February are the peak.
- Turtles: nesting and releases in Puerto Vallarta run from 1 July to 31 December.
- Rain: WeatherSpark, which models averages from weather data, puts the wetter season at about 15 June to 9 October, with August the wettest month. These are modelled averages, not forecasts.
- Hurricanes: the US National Hurricane Center says the eastern Pacific season runs from 15 May to 30 November.
The same WeatherSpark page puts the hottest month at July, with an average high of about 32 °C and a low of about 24 °C, and the coolest at January, with a high of about 27 °C and a low of about 17 °C.
December to March: the whales
This is when whale watching makes sense, and our whale guide explains the legal distances and the price ladder. Two trips matter for this season. The 3-hour whale watching and snorkelling trip is €37.50, 3.9 stars from 65 reviews. The more comfortable option is the mega yacht whale watching sunset cruise at €97.60, 4.7 stars from 103 reviews, 3 hours.
One operator’s page for the yacht says whales are in the bay from November to April. That is wider than the official season. If you book either side of 8 December or 23 March, expect fewer or none.
Check availability for the mega yacht whale watching sunset cruise
April to June: before the rains
We have nothing seasonal to sell here, and that is the point. It sits outside the whale window and, mostly, ahead of the wetter season, so the year-round trips fill the days. The best of them: the full-day hike to six hidden beaches, €32.96, 4.8 stars from 498 reviews, 6 hours, and the Los Arcos boat trip above. Hurricane season begins on 15 May, so from then on book what you can cancel; most listings we checked allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
July to November: turtles, rain and the risk
July to December is the turtle half of the year. The baby turtle release in a conservation area is €33.65, 4.9 stars from 140 reviews, 2 hours, and the listing offers a full refund or a reschedule if no turtles hatch on your date. Book it early in the stay, and see our guide to Puerto Vallarta with children for the details.
See dates and prices for the baby turtle release
The rest is a trade. Rain and swell affect water clarity at Los Arcos, so a snorkelling day is more of a gamble in the wet months. Our Yelapa guide notes that the village’s easier waterfall is more of a pool than a cascade in the dry months. The hurricane season runs to 30 November. None of that closes the town, but it is the time to keep your plans flexible, and to ask your insurer or a travel adviser about cover; we are not the source for that.
Which months for which trip
| Trip | Months | From | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whale watching and snorkelling, 3 hours | 8 December to 23 March (2025–26) | €37.50 | 3.9 from 65 reviews |
| Baby turtle release | July to December | €33.65 | 4.9 from 140 reviews |
| 5 Islands boat tour with snorkelling | No season attached; clarity varies with rain and swell | €42.76 | 4.7 from 401 reviews |
| Six hidden beaches hike | No season attached | €32.96 | 4.8 from 498 reviews |
Our recommendation
Come between December and March if you can, and book the whale trip at €38.66, or the yacht at €94.18 if comfort matters more than price. Come in autumn and the turtle release at €34.70 is the one trip the other seasons cannot offer. Come in summer and keep the days flexible. In any month, the 5 Islands boat tour at €42.18 is the safest pick, with the rain and swell caveat above.
