Marc and his crew (Chuie, Herman, Bill and Captain Emiliano) were excellent communicators and…read moreexperts in Los Arcos scuba diving. Marc is a lanky Brit who has lived in PV for 17 years and has learned fluent Spanish. He has put together a wonderful business and has a great respect for all people and nature. I was part of an inaugural diving trip for Queer and Trans divers hosted by Narwhal Divers (https://www.narwhaldivers.com/). The founder of Narwhal, Niko, has been diving with Marc for many years. (Marc had a number of repeat customers on every dive/snorkel excursion.) Marc and the crew were respectful to us all. They were precise with correct pronoun usage and helped everyone feel welcome. While Marc comes across as a jokester on land, as a dive master he was calm, patient, organized, and safety-focused. He made efficient decisions and clear instructions. The visibility in the water varied dive to dive and a few of us got separated from the group at various times. As Marc had done a safety briefing on the boat, each of us knew what to do and all remained well. When I got separated, I didn't panic, started my ascent, and Mark located me during my safety stop. (Other dive boats in the area had helped him locate me by my air bubble stream. Clearly a community that all looks out for others!) Marc and I returned to the group and the dive continued without issue. We even saw a massive turtle on our final dive!!! [Even with marginal visibility, other sightings included many octopuses, a baby jellyfish, sea urchins, sea snakes, sting rays, sea cucumber, eel, nudibranchs, lobster, starfish, fresh coral and soooooooo many fish. Marc clearly knew the seascape well and was able to guide us to incredible underwater moments!] I look forward to diving with Marc and his team in the future!

Did 4 dives over two days with PV Ocean Tours. Crew was laid back, yet super professional and safe…read more All 4 dives were fun. Saw a shark, octopus, turtles, sea horse, manta and more! Highly recommend Marc and his team.

This was such a fun activity during our cruise port call in Puerto Vallarta. In December we took a…read moreMexican cruise to celebrate my 70th birthday and this was our favorite activity off the ship. I'm a little late posting this review!! I appreciated having the crew explain how to operate the ATV, safety advice, and how they followed along with the riders making sure we were all OK and taking photos & videos. The ATVs were well-maintained and in good working order. We had no breakdowns or operational issues among our tour group. We enjoyed the views and the stops along the way where we got to try making tortillas, and having a snack by the cool creek. We also stopped for a tequila tasting, which was informative and fun. The tour started at the Estigo facility in town and we were escorted out of town by the Estigo guides. It's a bit bumpy riding in town on cobblestone roads, but as soon as we were out of town it was smooth riding. We did a morning tour, so I struggled with sunlight in my eyes, which proved to be a bit concerning when rounding corners as we headed up the hills leaving town. I admit to white-knuckling the early part of the ride. Once we were in the foothills, I was able to relax and enjoy the surroundings. I booked this tour on my own through the Estigo website, which made it a much better value than one of the cruise ship excursions. We also had a smaller group and just took a cab from the cruise port to Estigo's faculty. I definitely recommend Estigo if you are looking for a fun activity when visiting Puerto Vallarta!

Great communication through email and phone for reservations. They accommodated our big group of 21…read morepeople. They took many pictures and videos for us for free and we had a great time!

This tour was super fun. Every staff member was so kind! Sexy David was really funny, and Gaby took…read moresome great pics of us. We loved the open bar both on the boat and on the island. The breakfast on the way there was an assortment of fruit and mini muffins. The lunch was fajitas which we really enjoyed. I loved that everyone had to wear a life jacket for the first 10 minutes of the ride as I was initially nervous about the ride. After the 10 minutes are up, we had the option of continuing to wear the life jacket or take it off. All the instructions they gave were in both English and Spanish. One of the highlights on the way there was the whale watching. We saw a couple of them and it was so cool because it's the very end of the season, so we won't be seeing them again for a few months. Once we got the the island, we had some really good chips and guacamole. There were a few different excursion options for an additional cost. such as hiking to the waterfall, going horseback riding, or driving ATVs. Not sure what the cost for those were. We enjoyed snorkeling in the ocean and swimming in the shallow pool with a bar attached for easy access. I highly recommend this tour. We definitely got our money's worth and more!

We had a great time on the Yelapa Falls tour with Chica Locca Tours -- overall a really fun,…read morewell-run excursion with an awesome crew. The staff is incredibly attentive and welcoming from the start. Fair warning: the drinks start flowing around 9am, so pace yourself and bring lots of sunscreen -- the sun + cocktails add up quickly. The booze selection is pretty generic, but plentiful, and the snacks along the way are appreciated. The fajita lunch was solid and hit the spot after a morning on the water. Shoutout to Ricky Ricardo, truly the hostess with the mostest -- high energy, fun, and kept the vibe going all day. Luis was also fantastic, constantly checking in and somehow remembering everyone's names, which made the experience feel very personal and welcoming. They even slowed the boat down so we could watch whales, which was a highlight, and having a photographer on board was a nice touch to capture the day. The music on the ride home was a little outdated, but honestly... it just turned into a dance party anyway -- especially once the tequila shots started making the rounds. All in all, a great excursion with a fun crowd, attentive staff, and memorable moments. Easy 4 stars and a solid choice if you're looking for a lively day trip while in Puerto Vallarta.

We really loved the individual attention we received from this tour company. They are small but…read moremighty. They were so knowledgeable and took the time to help us understand the sea animals. I love the small group. You really felt important and it was nice to get to know the other the other travelors. Our tour was swimming with the dolphins and snorkeling. We got close to a lot of dolphins but they didn't get to close to us. It was find though as we enjoyed the opportunity to share the bay with them and as most wild animals it is not guartantee, but we left happy nonetheless. Thank you Ecotours!

This is an excellent company to do snorkeling with. Our guide Maggie is a professional zoologist…read more She is incredibly knowledgeable about the islands we went to. She took us to a hidden beach, recently opened to the public after being closed to the public. And we we incredibly lucky to see spotted dolphins and humpback whales next to our boat. It was an amazing experience, and this company has knowledgeable and environmentally conscious staff

Twin Dolphins (TD) is an AMAZING operation. Unlike some other dive boat charters who focus on…read moretaking your money and tossing you in the water, TD really care about diver safety. Yes, we paid maybe 10% more than with other shops, but their focus on quality diving and their commitment to our safety, plus the inclusion of all the extras (gear and marine park fees and harbor fees and surface interval snacks/sandwiches ... which others tack on as extra charges) more than justify the small extra cost. Not to mention, their staff are top notch, full of knowledge, and very entertaining. TD is all about substance, not flash. Next time we come to PV, we'll happily put our lives in their hands.

Can't begin to say how great this operation is. From our initial conversations with Giovanni who…read morewas always very very quick to answer.( much quicker than any of the other four dive shops we sent messages out to at the same time) I explained to him that I would need some extra help in getting in and out of the dive boat with gear. The dive crew were absolutely all you can ever ask for they were very thorough and checking gear they were very thorough and explaining what our dive was going to be, profile, things to see, all the rules and asked for concerns. Even reviewed dive hand signals that we might need to have, explained how if someone was separated, it's been a long time since I have had a crew be so thorough and so safety oriented. As for the help I asked for I got all I could ever want and then some. Kudos to this dive operation. BTW I saw some of the other dive operations that were going out And their ratios of divers to staff did not even come near to what Twin Dolphin. Can't tell you the last time I recommended a company as highly as this!

Highly recommend NOT to snorkel here, it's not worth it. Water is extremely dirty and you can…read morebarely see any fishes. So many boats go back and forth polluting the area. The rock is cool, take some pics from the boat. Highly recommend NOT to do any excursions with Beach Cruise as they are a complete rip off. Breakfast was juice and ONE piece of bread. Then lunch was at a terrible spot. Note that you have to choose between 3 activities: hiking, beach, or horseback riding which was not mentioned when the ticket was bought. You have to pay to get to another area to go horseback riding and pay a restaurant for a drink after hiking. Wish I went hiking instead of the beach because you also had to pay for beach chairs!!! We also bought appetizers because lunch wasn't until 2:30, considering the ridiculous breakfast we ate. The staff was amazing but 50$ was not worth it for their excursion.

This is some of the worst snorkeling I've ever done, but the rocks themselves are pretty cool and…read moreit's worth a short boat ride if you're staying in Puerto Vallarta. Just don't get your hopes up if you're expecting to see big fish or a lot of fish. You might get lucky and see a whale like me, but this isn't exactly Hanauma Bay.

We had a great experience with Puerto Vallarta Surf and Dive. Both Leo and Daniel were excellent…read moreguides. My husband and I are experienced divers. We felt that we were in more than capable hands at all times, but enjoyed the freedom of not being micromanaged. Both dive guides struck the perfect balance between laid-back and professional. Very enjoyable experience all around. We highly recommend Puerto Vallarta Surf and Dive.

Daniel and his crew were awesome. We had originally planned for a day of surfing and a day of…read moreScuba for a family of 4. Due to an ankle injury and colds all around we had to cancel part of the adventure. They were very flexible in changing schedules and trying to get us out there. My older son and I were able to surf one day with him and it was awesome. Very easy going but also very instructional. My son caught his first wave and the day was a huge success. Thank you much Daniel.

We went on a Monday, and the boat and the crew were amazing. Most of the boat spoke Spanish, but…read more my spouse and I speak English. The crew was very nice and would give instructions for snorkeling and the excursions in English and Spanish! This was a great experience

The tour guide was a marine biologist and was very informed about the marine life…read moreWe saw

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! They sold us on kayaks and an island tour…read more Instead, we waited for 2hrs to even board the ship. Then it was more waiting to actually take off. Free alcohol (if you dared) on this awful ship. Some random chicken wings were served to some. Paid extra for a bag of chips. The tour took you to two different snorkeling places, with zero time to actually snorkel. Then you were dropped off at Las Animas Beach where lunch was served. The food was probably the worst we've had on the entire trip. We tried to swim, at your own risk, with boats zooming right past your heads. Unbelievable. We loaded back onto the boat for it to take us back to the marina at 5:30pm. Over 3hrs later, we arrived. What an absolute waste of a day!!!

Avoid "The Beach Boys" Tours in Vallarta - Unsafe, Dishonest, and a Total Scam…read more I recently visited Puerto Vallarta with my family, including my mom and little sister, and what was supposed to be a fun beach-hopping tour turned into one of the worst travel experiences I've ever had. We booked a tour with The Beach Boys, which promised visits to Los Arcos, Colomitos, and Playa Esmeralda. Instead, it became a dangerous scam that ruined the rest of our trip. Things started off okay--we departed from the Marina around noon and picked up more passengers at Playa Los Muertos (which is where we were actually staying). We were never given the option to be picked up there, but they promised to drop us off. That never happened. At Los Arcos, we got a few nice family photos before everything went downhill. We were told snorkeling was included, but they handed out dirty, worn-out equipment and demanded our IDs as a deposit. If you wanted clean gear, you had to pay extra. As soon as we entered the water, nearly everyone--over 30 people--started feeling sharp stings all over our bodies. Turns out, the area was full of sea fleas. The guides knew and didn't warn us. Instead of being honest, they let us jump in knowing we would get bitten. When we scrambled back to the boat in pain, they casually handed out one tiny packet of cream for the entire group to share. The water was murky, the equipment was gross, and the pain from the bites was unbearable. Then came the second wave of the scam. Once we returned to the boat and gave the equipment back, the guides claimed they didn't see my little sister return hers--which she absolutely did. They refused to give me back my ID unless I paid an additional $600 pesos. It was clear they were looking for any excuse to squeeze more money out of us. Next, we were taken to Playa Esmeralda. It was not scenic, not relaxing, and honestly felt like a waste of time. We were pushed toward more paid excursions and the restaurant was disgusting. Walking past the kitchen was enough to make you lose your appetite. The bathroom was hidden in the back and in horrible condition. The food was tasteless, and we didn't dare eat it. We were stuck there until sunset, and once back on the boat, the requests for more money continued--tips, fees, whatever they could get. We ended up spending over $6,000 pesos on this nightmare. They never took us back to Playa Los Muertos as promised, making us miss dinner reservations that we had already rescheduled twice. The worst part? The sea flea bites turned into painful, infected welts. It's been a week and they've only gotten worse--requiring medication and doctor visits with no real progress. This entire experience has cost me time, money, and a piece of my peace. Look--I get that you cannot control nature. But what is in their control is honesty, safety, and basic professionalism. Instead, they prioritized profit over people, offered unsanitary equipment, refused accountability, and ran a full-on tourist trap. Do not waste your time, money, or health on The Beach Boys tour. There may be more ethical operators out there, but this was nothing short of a scam with long-term consequences.

It's the main beach when you arrive to the romantic zone of Puerto Vallarta. It's a long stretch of…read morewaterfront with hotels and restaurants situated above it. Depending on where you are, it's public so there's people laying out and enjoying the water. There's also lounges that's available for the day. Each section is different as they all have different color lounges, some with umbrellas and some that's part of the hotel. Also, restaurants have seating on the sand which offers full menu of food and drinks. Waiter service. As for what section you're in, you could order food and drinks if you're utilizing the chairs or beds. Vendors walk up and down selling their goods as well as fruit, and seafood trays being offered for purchase. People also lay out in-front of the lounges with their own towels and chair as it's public beach. You can also enjoy water activities from the pier. It's the staple beach for this area so you'll have both locals and visitors all doing the same thing, enjoy the water and sun.

At playas Los Muertos , you can do it all here…read more.. Lounging all day on our hotel's beach chairs for the past three days was the way to go for us. We didn't even use the pool. While soaking in the warm sun (overcast morning til 10a), snoozing, eating, drinking and people watching, I didn't want the day to end. Never got to see our hotel room until later in the evening. Lots of vendors all over the beach, just need to learn to tune them off if not interested and simply say "no thank you." However, good luck, with the persistence ones. We got our foot massage by Alejandro Molina, a couple times one day. He's that guy walking through the Los Muertos beach with all his equipment: black folding seat, large umbrella, yellow towels, massage ball, head and feet cushions, and massage chair if you prefer over hotel lounge chair. We liked our food vendors: you can hear David a mile away selling his oysters, Miguel (clams) wearing "Mexican viagra" t-shirt , Sebastian with his smile and sombrero selling mangos and lastly, Zeke and son "Zeke Ceviche" selling their ceviche tostadas. If you're not staying in a hotel by playas Los Muertos, beach vendors and restaurants on the beach will charge you anywhere from 150 pesos to 450 pesos for their chairs, table and umbrella (depends on your food consumption at their restaurant). The beach can get packed up until sunset with lots of beach goers and passer-bys, locals or non local, the entire beach is lively and busy. Lastly, a must see sunset. Next to Mazatlan and La Paz, Mexico, Puerto Vallarta has one of the best sunsets. At playas Los Muertos , you can do it all here... Lounging all day on our hotel's beach chairs for the past three days was the way to go for us. We didn't even use the pool. While soaking in the warm sun (overcast morning til 10a), snoozing, eating, drinking and people watching, I didn't want the day to end. Never got to see our hotel room until later in the evening. Lots of vendors all over the beach. You just need to learn to tune them off if not interested and simply say "no thank you." However, good luck, with the persistence ones. We got our foot massage by Alejandro Molina, a couple times one day. He's that guy walking through the Los Muertos beach with all his equipment: black folding seat, large umbrella, yellow towels, massage ball, head and feet cushions, and massage chair if you prefer over hotel lounge chair. We liked our food vendors: you can hear David a mile away selling his oysters, Miguel (clams) wearing "Mexican viagra" t-shirt , Sebastian with his smile and sombrero selling mangos and lastly, Zeke and son "Zeke Ceviche" selling their ceviche tostadas. If you're not staying in a hotel by playas Los Muertos, beach vendors and restaurants on the beach will charge you anywhere from 150 pesos to 450 pesos for their chairs, table and umbrella (depends on your food consumption at their restaurant). The beach can get packed up until sunset with lots of beach goers and passer-bys, locals or non local, the entire beach is lively and busy. Lastly, a must see sunset. Next to Mazatlan and La Paz, Mexico, Puerto Vallarta has one of the best sunsets.