6 Puerto Vallarta Island Hopping Tours Worth Booking

1.Boat and Snorkel Tour to 5 Islands of Los Arcos

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,176 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48Our pick

Meet in Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romántica, ride a public bus to Mismaloya, then take a small boat around Los Arcos’ five islands. Guide names may include Bruno, Andrés, Guillermo, Diego, or Sebastián. Expect about 30 minutes of snorkeling, cave visits, bird spotting, and free time at the beach. Snorkel gear, permits, bus fare, and a life vest are included.

“Incredible snorkeling experience. Got to see many colorful schools of fishes that really do swim right up to you. Definitely go in the morning, which is what our guide recommended for the best snorkeling. After snorkeling, we had a rest point at the beach, which was very beautiful and great for swimming. Enjoyed spicy aguachile and margaritas at the beautiful beach after snorkeling, which wasn’t included but still reasonably priced and flavorful. Super grateful to our guide Andrés for this fun and informative tour, would absolutely book a tour with him again. In fact, I hope he’s on the next tour I book in Puerto Vallarta.”

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2.Los Arcos Islands Boat Tour and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 317 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

Travel by public bus from central Puerto Vallarta to Mismaloya, then take a small boat around Los Arcos National Marine Park. Your English- or Spanish-speaking guide, such as Armando, Andrés, Bruno, or Sebastián, explains the islands, birds, and sea life before about 40 minutes of snorkeling. The three-hour outing costs $47 and leaves time for the beach.

“Our guide Andreas was great! He had a nice sense of humor and was knowledgeable about Los Arcos. He made sure we were safe getting on the boat and warned us of a current in the water. He also told us not to snorkel through the arc because it was too wavy. Very good tour!”

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3.Los Arcos 5 islands Snorkeling Cliff Jumping and Hidden Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 295 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $49Top rated

This three-hour Puerto Vallarta outing takes you from Zona Romántica to Mismaloya for optional cliff jumping, snorkeling at Los Arcos, and a short stop at a boat-access beach. Guides such as Alfonso, Diego, Arnold, and Max have led the trip. Expect a lively, active tour with drinks, snacks, and changing sea conditions.

“A thrilling boat ride, a myriad of different fish and bird species, and a spectacular sightseeing tour from start to finish.”

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4.Snorkeling at Los Arcos 5 islands Hidden Beach and Cliff Jumping

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · from $44

Join Mismaloya Xtreme for a small-group boat trip from Puerto Vallarta to Mismaloya, Los Arcos, and a secluded beach. You can make a 15-foot rock jump, snorkel with tropical fish, and swim from shore. Guides such as Ivan, Kevin, Brian, and Sebastian lead the outing, with drinks, equipment, and return transport included.

“Great experience with our group of kids (ages 7-12) and adults. The guides let us stay at each area for as long as we liked and we even got to see a momma and baby whale playing on our way back to the port.”

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5.Whale Watching and Los Arcos 5 Islands Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $79

This 4 to 5 hour Puerto Vallarta outing combines whale watching in Banderas Bay with snorkeling at Los Arcos. An English-speaking local guide leads a group of no more than 15 people from Playa Mismaloya. Water, soda, beer, snacks, and snorkeling gear are included.

“We saw whales and dolphins. The dolphins were jumping out of the water and a whale breached right in front of us.”

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6.Los Arcos Snorkeling & 5 Island Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $39Best value

Meet at Mismaloya Beach for a roughly two-hour boat trip around Los Arcos Marine Sanctuary. Guide Alfonso leads the snorkeling stop, while Alfonso and Chito focus on safety. Expect sea caves, fish, drinks, equipment, transport, and free time at Mismaloya Beach after the tour.

“Alfonso was very attentive, kind, patient, and had excellent attention to detail. He made the tour special and showed us off-the-beaten-track spots. Chito is helpful too and make our trip safe. They focuses more on the safety of travellers. Thank you both! definitely will come back. The place is amazing with amazing friendly staff.”

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