How Much Does a Los Arcos Tour from Puerto Vallarta Cost?
5 min read
For most travellers, the best-value choice is the 5 Islands of Los Arcos Boat Tour & Snorkeling: it costs €42.76 per person, lasts 3 hours 30 minutes and concentrates on Los Arcos. Choose the Los Arcos, Ánimas, and Quimixto Boat Tour if a longer south-coast day matters more than the lowest price. A private boat makes financial sense mainly when privacy and a beach lunch matter enough to justify a group price.
Los Arcos prices compared
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Islands of Los Arcos Boat Tour & Snorkeling | 3h 30m | €42.76 per person | 4.7 from 401 reviews | A focused, affordable Los Arcos outing |
| Los Arcos, Ánimas, and Quimixto Boat Tour | 7 hours | €67.31 per person | 4.3 from 8 reviews | A full day with several activities |
| Los Arcos Snorkel & Beach Private Boat Tour | 4 hours | €418.27 per group up to 3 | 5 from 14 reviews | Privacy, extra stops and a beach lunch |
What the lowest price buys
The 3.5-hour trip is not merely the cheapest line in the table. Its description is built around the five Los Arcos islands: a guided boat ride, snorkelling in the bay, caves and fish spotting. That narrow scope is useful if Los Arcos is the reason you are booking. It also has by far the largest review base of these three, so the 4.7 score rests on substantially more guest experiences.
See availability and prices for the 5 Islands of Los Arcos Boat Tour & Snorkeling
The limitation is equally clear: this is not a beach-hopping day and it does not advertise a waterfall visit. Paying less works because you are buying a shorter, more concentrated outing. It is a poor fit if your ideal day includes a long lunch ashore or several different water activities.
What the full-day supplement changes
The 7-hour boat trip adds Playa Las Ánimas and Quimixto to Los Arcos. Its listed activities are snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding and a visit to the Quimixto waterfall. The €27.22 difference from the focused trip therefore buys 3 hours 30 minutes more and a much broader itinerary, not a more elaborate version of the same snorkel stop.
See availability and prices for the Los Arcos, Ánimas, and Quimixto Boat Tour
The trade-off is that Los Arcos shares the day with two coastal destinations. Book it for the combination, not if you want the greatest possible share of your time around the rock formations. Its 4.3 score also comes from only 8 reviews, a much smaller basis than the shorter trip.
When the private price is reasonable
The private option costs €431.26 for a group of up to 3, rather than per person. It pairs the Los Arcos snorkel with other stops and lunch at a beach. Even with three people, it remains far dearer than three places on either shared trip; the premium pays for private use of the boat and control over the social setting, not for a cheaper way to reach the islands.
See availability and prices for the Los Arcos Snorkel & Beach Private Boat Tour
Skip it if your group is happy to share a boat. Consider it for a celebration, for travellers who dislike a shared group, or when the beach component matters as much as snorkelling. The booking page should settle what lunch includes and how the other stops are chosen before you pay.
Our recommendation
Book the 5 Islands of Los Arcos Boat Tour & Snorkeling for the clearest balance of price, time focused on Los Arcos and a deep review record. Upgrade to the 7-hour trip only when Ánimas, Quimixto and the extra activities are part of the appeal; pay for the private boat only when privacy itself is worth the premium.
