“Simply wonderful private family tour booked just a few hrs prior! They were so accommodating, informative, wonderful! Muchas gracias a Maggie para una aventura de snorkel Excelente!.”
5 months ago
Los Arcos Tour: A Paradise Between Sea and Land
Private 4-hour snorkel tour to Los Arcos' granite arches with a biologist guide, plus time to relax at Colomitos beach.
Some places are simply visited. Others are experienced differently when you explore them with someone who knows and understands the natural environment. Los Arcos is one of Puerto Vallarta's most iconic natural landmarks. Rising dramatically from the ocean just south of the city, these impressive granite formations are shaped by natural tunnels, arches, and small caves that provide shelter for a remarkable variety of marine life and seabirds. On this 4-hour private experience, we cruise along the coast to Los Arcos, where you'll snorkel and discover the life beneath the surface with a biologist or naturalist guide, then continue to the beautiful little beach of Colomitos to swim and relax before heading back. Los Arcos consists of five granite islets, some rising between 15 and 150 feet above the ocean, shaped over thousands of years by the power of the sea into distinctive arches, tunnels, and passages. The surrounding ecosystem is home to brown pelicans, magnificent frigatebirds, gulls, and herons, plus marine life such as Moorish idols, king angelfish, giant damselfish, pufferfish, corals, sponges, rays and, with a little luck, resting sea turtles. Wildlife sightings and snorkeling conditions vary with the weather, sea conditions, and time of year. Your group has the boat exclusively for yourselves — snorkel, swim, paddle board, watch for wildlife, or simply enjoy the coastal scenery at your own pace. The boat is equipped with an onboard restroom for a comfortable ride. As a company dedicated to nature-based tourism, we work to minimize our impact on the ecosystems we visit. We ask guests to enjoy Los Arcos without touching corals or wildlife, without feeding animals, and to take any waste back with them.
Private Tour
1–5 passengers$415 USD
6–10 passengers$450 USD
11–15 passengers$500 USD
You are welcome to bring your own food and drinks, or we can help you arrange them for an additional charge.
Highlights
- Fully private tour
- Biologist or naturalist guide
- Comfortable boat with onboard restroom
- Groups of up to 15 guests
- Time to snorkel and explore the marine environment
- Paddle board available
- Bird and marine wildlife observation
- A different perspective of Puerto Vallarta from the sea
Includes
- Private boat for 4 hours
- Biologist/naturalist guide
- Snorkeling gear (fins, mask, snorkel, life jacket)
- Paddle board
- Cooler with ice, refillable drinking water
- Liability insurance
Not Included
- Port fee ($80 MXN per person)
- Food
- Alcoholic beverages
- Crew gratuities
Itinerary
- 8:30 a.m. or 1:00 p.m.: meet your guide at Marina Vallarta for a brief overview of the activity and gear (afternoon departure subject to boat availability during whale season)
- Cruise along the coast to Los Arcos for time to snorkel and explore the rock formations with your guide
- Continue to Colomitos to swim, relax, or explore the beach
- Return to Marina Vallarta, completing approximately 4 hours on the water
Know Before You Book
- Pregnant guests cannot participate
- Not recommended for guests with back, neck, heart, or knee problems
- Guests must be able to board and disembark the boat using a ladder
- Guests participating in snorkeling must be able to swim independently
- Maximum weight per person: 230 lbs
- Not wheelchair accessible
What to Bring
- Swimsuit, towel, sandals or water shoes
- Biodegradable sunscreen (available in our shop)
- Hat or cap, sunglasses
- Camera
- Cash for gratuities and personal expenses
Cancellation Policies
- Cancellations 36 hrs in advance, 100% refund
- Cancellations 24 hrs in advance, 50% refund
- Same-day cancellations, no-shows, or late arrivals, no refund
- Activities and itinerary may be modified due to weather and sea conditions
Pickup Notes
All departures are from Marina Vallarta, Proa S/N Local 20, Condominio Marina del Rey, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Pickup at the Playa Los Muertos pier in downtown Puerto Vallarta can be arranged, subject to availability.
Gallery
Reviews
“The tour was so fun! We went snorkeling at Los Arcos and Majahuitas and it didn't disappoint. On the way there we saw dolphins and whales which was amazing. Snorkeling itself was fun and our guides were very patient and knowledgeable. All of the boat crew were so nice and welcoming. Definitely recommend touring with them!”
38 months ago
“Decided to go with EcoTours Vallarta for a private snorkeling tour with our group of 9 people. They were extremely accommodating and switched things around so we could use one of their larger boats so that our group could be more comfortable. Made two stops to snorkel during our tour. Both were great with tons of fish. The eagle rays were definitely the highlight. Both our guide Micheal and driver Raphael snorkelled alongside us to show us the best spots and point out cool wildlife hiding in the coral. Definitely worthwhile to check these guys out if you're looking for a good snorkelling tour without the 'all you can drink gimmick' that you're already getting at the resort. These guys let you bring your own drinks and snacks and have coolers with ice for you to keep it all in. 10/10 would go with these guys again!”
41 months ago
David HVerified
Calgary, Canada
“Ecotours is totally dependable, low key and high quality. We were a group of 6 and the only people on this tour. Our guide and boat driver were both great spotters -- saw turtles, birds and flying fish (!) from the boat on the way. Went to two snorkelling sites and had a great day. If you are more interested in the wildlife than the alcohol, Ecotours is for you. Guides are especially good; you'll see LOTS more with Ecotours than you would on your own, and they'll be able to tell you about what you're seeing. Great stuff!”
99 months ago
Leon MVerified
“We had a wonderful day with Ecotours Vallarta visiting Colliminas to go snorkling and then to Yalapa to explore the area and have lunch. Yalapa is a private tour so you pay for the guide and the boat captain and the boat can take around 10 people. There was just the two of us in this trip. Mike was our guide and Raphael was the boat captain. We had been with Mike in an earlier trip and he is a fantastic birder and a super nice person. He also know a lot about whales and marine life. We started out from the marina and within 15 minutes we came upon about 6 humpback whales and watched them for awhile. Raphael was careful to keep a respectable distance. They come here in the winter to have there babies and then migrate back to the west coast of United States in the warmer weather. We then snorkeled at Colliminas for half hour. The water was in the 70s and calm and we saw many types of fish. Then on to Yalapa which is nestled in a beautiful bay and very picturesque. We walked up to a beautiful waterfall that did not have a huge amount of water as it was the dry season The town has lots of restaurants along the beach and lots of things to buy in the way up to the waterfall. We then had lunch at The Marlin. My girlfriend had fish tacos and I had shrimp tacos and we shared guacamole. The food was good but not fantastic. Mike pointed out several sea going birds(turns, pelicans ) and we also spotted grackles and a beautiful Trogon. My girlfriend was delighted to hold an iguana for a photo(100 pesos). We took some nice pictures at the waterfall. We left at 9 am and returned about 3:30. It was a wonderful day to do something different as we have been in Puerto Vallarta for a month, Ecotours does a great job and Mike and captain Rapheal could not have been better. Highly recommended.”
7 months ago
“The hiking and snorkeling adventure was so much fun! Francisco was our tour guide and he was so kind and made the experience great! Learned about a ton of birds from him which was awesome!”
4 months ago
“I booked a private snorkel tour with EcoTours Vallarta for myself and my two young kids (ages 7 and 8), and I honestly can't say enough good things about the experience. From the very first phone call, the team was accommodating, flexible, and incredibly kind. I explained our situation—first-time snorkelers, not the strongest swimmers, and two easily overwhelmed kids—and they immediately made it clear they could create something safe, manageable, and special for us. They absolutely delivered. Our guide, Margarita, was extraordinary. Calm, patient, encouraging, and endlessly kind with my kids (who were… not easy!). They had never snorkeled before, and she handled every little panic, fogged mask, gear adjustment, and mid-ocean meltdown with complete grace and professionalism. She had this amazing ability to make them feel safe and capable without any pressure. She also happens to be a skilled diver, a knowledgeable marine biologist, and just an overall exceptional human being. We also had an excellent captain, Martín, who navigated smoothly and helped with gear and logistics behind the scenes, making the whole experience feel seamless and safe. The tour itself was gorgeous—we snorkeled at Los Arcos and saw a wide variety of fish, including pufferfish, a moray eel, and a beautiful spotted ray. The timing was perfect, the spots were uncrowded, and the boat was clean, shaded, and very comfortable. This trip completely exceeded my expectations. It was easily the highlight of our week in Puerto Vallarta, and I'll be recommending EcoTours (and especially Margarita and Martín!) to anyone traveling with kids—or anyone who wants a thoughtful, well-run, truly memorable marine experience.”
16 months ago
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