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Los Arcos Tour: Explore Marine Sanctuary
4.9
261 Ratings
Puerto Vallarta
Dive into adventure at Los Arcos with snorkeling, cliff jumping, and hidden beaches. Discover marine wonders and local stories in an intimate setting.
Dive into adventure at Los Arcos with snorkeling, cliff jumping, and hidden beaches. Discover marine wonders and local stories in an intimate setting.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Playa Mismaloya - The journey begins at the meeting point in Zona Romantica, Puerto Vallarta, where the transportation vehicle will pick up the group. A short 15-minute drive south along the coastal highway brings everyone to Mismaloya Beach, a charming spot filled with quaint shops, delightful restaurants, bars, and more. Once aboard the tour…
- Playa Mismaloya - The journey begins at the meeting point in Zona Romantica, Puerto Vallarta, where the transportation vehicle will pick up the group. A short 15-minute drive south along the coastal highway brings everyone to Mismaloya Beach, a charming spot filled with quaint shops, delightful restaurants, bars, and more. Once aboard the tour boat, the guide will share the fascinating history of Mismaloya Beach and offer an optional cliff-jumping experience near the ruins of an old, abandoned movie set from “The Night of the Iguana.” The tour then continues to Los Arcos of Mismaloya.
- Los Arcos de Mismaloya - The tour proceeds to one of the premier cliff-jumping locations in the area. Participants can choose a 15-foot jump for a quick thrill or opt for a more daring leap. For those who prefer not to jump, the spectacle can be enjoyed from the boat, or they can swim in the crystal-clear waters below. Following the jump, the pace slows with an incredible snorkeling session, where participants can explore the vibrant underwater world, swimming alongside colorful fish and possibly even an eagle ray. The tour also includes a cruise through the iconic arches and caves, offering a close-up view of this remarkable marine sanctuary.
After the excitement, the tour visits a secluded beach accessible only by boat. Here, guests can relax on the golden sands, swim in the turquoise waters, or explore the rocky coastline. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind and appreciate the natural beauty of Puerto Vallarta’s coastline.
- Playa Mismaloya - Following an exhilarating boat tour with Mismaloya Xtreme, guests can enjoy relaxing in the charming bay of Mismaloya at their own pace. Whether they desire a delicious meal, a soothing massage, or simply some quiet time by the water, this little paradise offers it all.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Alcoholic beverages
- Carbonated beverages
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- Private transportation
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Alcoholic beverages
- Carbonated beverages
- Bottled water
- Snacks
What's Not Included
- On-board WiFi
- On-board WiFi
Additional Information
Our tour offers more than just an adventure—it’s an exploration of one of Mismaloya’s most cherished marine sanctuaries, culture, and history. Here’s what makes our tour unique:
Our guides are more than just tour leaders—they are enthusiastic locals who are intimately familiar with Los Arcos. They will share captivating stories about the area’s rich…
Our tour offers more than just an adventure—it’s an exploration of one of Mismaloya’s most cherished marine sanctuaries, culture, and history. Here’s what makes our tour unique:
Our guides are more than just tour leaders—they are enthusiastic locals who are intimately familiar with Los Arcos. They will share captivating stories about the area’s rich history, distinctive geology, and vibrant marine life.
As Los Arcos is a designated Marine Geological Sanctuary, we are dedicated to preserving this natural marvel.
Whether you’re snorkeling among tropical fish, swimming on a secluded beach, or diving from a stunning cliff, this tour provides excitement for every type of adventurer. Rest assured—our guides prioritize safety and offer all the support you need.
We keep our groups small to ensure an intimate and personalized experience. This allows for more time to explore, ask questions, and fully immerse yourself in the beauty of Los Arcos.
Location
Gasolinera Pemex Puerto Vallarta
Carretera Costera a Barra de Navidad
Our accredited driver will meet you outside the oxxo that's at the gas station listed as the meeting point.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(261 Ratings)
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I7304dcpatricial
Jan 7, 2026
It was wonderful Alexis gave a wo derdukl tour - The tour was wonderful
A magical experience. Everyone should experience. The water wasn't too cold and the light rain was nice after a hot day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Max_s
Jan 2, 2026
Diego and Panchito are... - Diego and Panchito are excellent and engaging crew. Cliff jumping, snorkeling at Los Arcos and a stop at a hidden beach — all as advertised, with refreshments on board. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Barbie_f
Jan 1, 2026
1st time snorkeling 🙌🏽 - It felt authentic… like locals loved their job and were very honest in their knowledge and always kept it safe 💗
Review provided by Viator
Ryan_g
Jan 4, 2026
Fun Activity, Slightly Off-Putting Leader - It was a fun activity! We went cliff jumping, snorkeling, and spent some time at a hidden beach. Our host leader was knowledgeable, but slightly aggressive at the beginning of the activity. He kept referencing that this was not a private tour, and that if we wanted more time for the activity, that we should have hired a private tour guide or booked a day-long experience.
Review provided by Viator
Wonkywave
Jan 3, 2026
Good afternoon experience! - As advertised. Excellent service. No problems. Our guide Max was professional, knowledgeable, and overall a great host. He took care of our group like a pro! Gave it 4/5 because the “private” beach was small, crowded and overall underwhelming. Could have done without that stop. Snorkelling experience was great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J7278picurtism
Dec 31, 2025
Pretty chilled tour with deccent snorkeling. - Good tour guide. The snorkelling was decent. A little busy as it was Christmas holidays. It was the right amount of time. Lots of fish. Snorkelling along the cliffs of the island was the highlight.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Emmanuel_m
Jan 5, 2026
Started out a little fast... - Started out a little fast as soon as we got out of the bay we did the cliff jump. It makes sense they do it first because after the snorkel you do get drinks of your choice so could make judgement a little hard. Alcohol, soda, water However, I wanted to do the jump, but was not offered a life jacket as I am not a great swimmer. Although I asked if that was possible so I could do it I was given one so I didn’t get to do it. Next thing is when we did the snorkel we did not have fins. We were the only company without them. The group was trying to keep up with one another but if you are not a fast swimmer there is nothing that you can do.
Review provided by Viator
Maksim_v
Jan 4, 2026
Long Trip, Short & Crowded Experience - This excursion was disappointing overall. The water was very murky, and while the snorkeling itself was fun with plenty of fish, the visibility was poor and the area was crowded with multiple groups from different tour operators. The snorkeling time felt short and cramped compared to how long the trip took.
The tour advertises a “hidden beach,” but this is misleading. It’s not a secret or secluded beach, but just a small area surrounded by private property. There’s nowhere to walk, no sun, and nowhere to relax or explore.
Snacks are advertised, and some reviews even show pictures of food, but no food or snacks were provided during our trip.
Communication with the organizer was somewhat difficult, which made logistics and expectations less clear than they should have been.
Safety was also a concern. The water ca be wavy, and I would not recommend this tour for older people or families with kids. During our trip, an older family nearly lost two older members: one slipped and fell onto a boat at the start, and another fell at the end, seriously hitting his head on a boat seat. Not sure why they chose this trip and why no one stoped them form going.
That said, Diego was a well-spoken and proactive guide who did his best to manage the group and explain the activities, which helped soften an otherwise negative experience.
Overall, the travel time was much longer than the actual activity, and the experience did not match the advertising. I would not recommend this excursion.
Review provided by Viator
Melissa_h
Jan 5, 2026
Rushed, overcrowded, lack of attention to safety - Let’s start at the beginning. They request that you leave your shoes and most of your belongings in a locker near the dock. There’s no reason for this. They made the request of one bag per family. What defines a family. I was traveling with friends of friends. Why could we not bring all bags. Well I figured this out. The boat was overcrowded. It was a space issue. I will caution anyone about leaving their shoes because you walk through an area with restaurant shops and numerous stray dogs. I would not want to walk barefoot through that area.
Cliff diving: the boat slowed down and we were told anyone interested in doing cliff jumping to jump off of the boat. The current was strong. If you are not a strong swimmer, you might want to forgo this activity. You have to climb up slick rocks and it is unsafe. They rush you to climb up the rocks. The three people in my party that did it all had scratches on them when they returned to the boat. There are no steps or railings. There was a significant current. Literally the attendance were saying hurry hurry hurry in Spanish. They never even dropped anchor.
Snorkeling: no fins were provided contrary to what was stated in the information prior to booking. There were a ton of fish. You are required to wear a life vest. Again we were literally told hurry hurry hurry. We were provided the mask and snorkel and not allowed any time to adjust it. We were told to basically hurry and follow the person in front of you. If you are used to taking a boat snorkeling trip where you’re taken out, anchor is dropped and you snorkel at your leisure for a certain amount of time, that is not the case. The boat was literally moving while people were getting off to go snorkel. The boat was constantly repositioned to avoid dropping the anchor.
Secret beach: there were multiple tour groups dropping passengers off at the secret beach. Again we were rushed off of the boat. There was absolutely nothing to do at the secret beach. There was no restroom, no shops, etc…just people standing around waiting for their boat to come back and pick them up. I was one of the last people to get off of the boat and I asked why are they in such a hurry. I was informed that they had to drop people off then go back out in order to allow room for other boats to come in. The boat went back out repositioned multiple times then came back to pick us up.
If this experience is satisfactory to you then by all means sign up. It did not beat my expectations even for the moderate price.
Review provided by Viator
Donna_s
Jan 1, 2026
The start of the... - The start of the excursion was clear across city from cruise ship. Was told 4 wks prior to cruise that pick up was at the ship. Tried to get to excursion via taxi and was taken to incorrect place. MISSED THE ENTIRE EXCURSION!!! And had to pay cab!!! Never again!
Review provided by Viator
