Q: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
A "BAY CRUISE" AND A "SNORKELING TOUR"?
A: Our snorkeling tours are
purely for snorkeling. You'll snorkel at the best spots, with
the most amount of time in the water. They are on smaller
boats with less people than the bay cruises, and are the best option
if you really want to snorkel, and don't care so much about partying
on the boat or being on the beach. A Bay Cruise is primarily a cruise, that also
takes you snorkeling, as well as to great beaches, and often include
lunch, open bar and on-board entertainment, just not as much focus
on snorkeling as these snorkeling tours.
Q: WHAT IS
THE WATER TEMPERATURE IN PUERTO VALLARTA?
A: During the summer and autumn
months, the water is bathtub warm, approaching 85°F. During
the winter and spring months, it cools down significantly, to about
75°F, and in colder years, you sometimes find temperatures dipping
into the mid-to-high 60s. The water temps at areas like the
Marietas Islands is normally a few degrees cooler than areas further
inland like Majahuitas. See Puerto
Vallarta Water Temperatures for more details.
Q: WHAT IS
THE VISIBILITY LIKE?
A: The best visibility is found
during the summer months, when visibility can reach 100-130 feet.
During the winter months, you'll find it to be about 15-60 feet.
Q: ARE THERE
FISH?
A: Yes, there are a lot of
brightly colored tropical fish
to be seen, especially at Los Arcos and the Marietas Islands.
Q: I'VE ONLY BEEN SNORKELING IN
THE CARIBBEAN. IS PUERTO VALLARTA SIMILAR?
A: Well, no. The Caribbean
is a very special place with living soft coral reefs and dazzlingly
blue water with incredible visibility, made that much brighter by
the white sand underneath reflecting the sunlight. Puerto
Vallarta has no coral reefs, and the water is greenish instead of
blue. The visibility is affected at certain times of the year
by runoff and plankton blooms, and the sand is golden rather than
white. That said, there is a lot of marine life to see here,
and it is different species than the Caribbean. Along with
lots of brightly colored tropical fish, you may see manta rays,
eagle rays, moray eels, seahorses, puffer fish, starfish, and if
you're really lucky maybe even dolphins, seabirds, sea turtles, or
whales.
Q: WHICH TOUR
OFFERS THE BEST SNORKELING?
A: The Marietas Islands and Los
Arcos are probably a little better for fish life, while Colomitos
and Majahuitas offer different species, eels, and spotted eagle
rays.
Q: WILL I
GET SEASICK?
A: The water on the bay is generally
very smooth and wonderful. However, if it is windy (not likely, but...),
then you never know. If you're worried about this, we recommend
taking a seasickness prevention such as Bonine or 24-hour Less-drowsy
Dramamine one hour before you go. That should do the trick.
Q: DO THESE
TOURS STOP ON A BEACH?
A: The Colomitos and Yelapa trips
do.
For more beach options, check out our Bay Cruises.
Q: ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?
A: On rare occasions, it may be
necessary for your tour operator to switch snorkeling locations at the
last minute due to issues with visibility, jellyfish or water conditions.
All tour operators in Puerto Vallarta reserve this right. It is
in the interest of providing you with the best and safest snorkeling
experience given the conditions of the day.
