Whale Watching Loreto Mexico

Loreto Centro is a small town on the Baja Peninsula of Mexico, with a lot to offer. Known for its whale watching, it is located on the Sea of Cortez. It affords breathtaking views of the Sierra de la Giganta Mountains as well as offshore islands. Here you will find a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Loreto Bay National Park (Bahía de Loreto National Park) as of 2005. It includes five islands – Coronado, Carmen, Danzante, Montserrat, and Santa Catalina.

The Malecón de Loreto is a shoreline path that runs between the oasis estuary to a busy hub with a lighthouse and small marina. Various boat tours come and go from the marina daily. Each morning numerous panga boats depart with enthusiastic tourists to enjoy an array of on ocean activities. Whale watching is one of the most popular tours with spotting blue whales at the top of most peoples’ list. The waters just off Loreto Centro however are frequently visited by a diverse array of other whales as well. In addition to this gorgeous seaside area, Loreto Centro has a main center called Plaza Juárez. See link below to find out more about Loreto Centro.

Whale Watching in Loreto Mexico

Loreto Blue Whale Watching — *Blue Whale Tail captured on a Guaycura Adventures Blue Whale Watching Tour; photo by Richard Bilow*

People come to Loreto for various reasons. My husband and I wanted to see whales…lots of them and we sure did. During January through March, it’s all about the whales. In fact, Loreto has an annual Festival de la Ballena Azul to celebrate the return of the blue whales. While all the whales seek a safe place in Loreto to have their calves and dine on krill, they arrive from different areas. The massive blue whales come from places like San Diego, California and the Pacific Northwest. Once they “settle in” in the waters off Loreto, they are easily found and observed. Gray whales are also found near Loreto at the exact same time of year. However, they congregate on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula, so you need a longer tour to see them. The gray whales journey from Alaska.

Blue Whales

We visited Loreto in February/March which was the perfect time to see both blue whales and gray whales. Let’s start with the blue whale. We did a tour with Guaycura Adventures. See review link below. It was truly amazing. See the ETG instagram for videos. These gentle giants were simply glorious. Our guide would yell out every time a whale spouted. Then he would maneuvered the boat for better visibility. The boats were quite comfortable as well.

Guaycura Adventures

A family-owned company Guaycura Adventures took us out. We had a fantastic time. The tours provided by this company were so fantastic that we went for a second tour to Coronado Island. We saw stunning birds on the way and also on the island. Both trips were exceptional. You can find out more about Guaycura Adventures in my reviews. See below for links reviewing the two tours provided by Guaycura Adventures https://www.guaycura-adventures.com

Gray Whales

While there are many companies that cross the Baja Peninsula to see the gray whales, we went out with Land & Sea, and yes we did see some whales. And while other boats did get very close, we did not. Gray whale populations are struggling. Due to a lack of amphipods in Alaska, it seems the whales arrive in Mexico are malnourished.

After a long van drive from Loreto Centro to Puerto Adolfo Lopez Matteos, in Magdalena Bay, we hopped on a small boat. The pangas in this area are slightly different than the ones in Loreto. Unfortunately the seats in our boat were really uncomfortable. With wooden benches and no backs, my feet dangled. When I saw a child fall, I realized how unstable this actually was.

Just as our guide had predicted, the majority of whales were congregated outside the bay in choppy water were getting close would be difficult. Fortunately, there were a few whales closer in. However, I found the chaos of everyone moving from one side of our tiny boat to the other to catch a glimpse was frustrating. But it really depends on your priorities, and the possibility of catching a view whale of a whale can be truly special. Just be aware that the National Geographic experience you might be expecting is more likely to be found in San Ignacio Lagoon. This is generally not a place you would go for a day trip.

ETG TIP

Prior to booking, call to confirm what is most important for you. If you do your research and ask the right questions, most tour companies will tell you the truth. It seems they just do not go out of their way to tell you things that will turn you away. Another well-known tour company is Wild Loreto – we met a couple that loved this one. https://www.wildloreto.com

Things to do in Loreto

Besides whale watching, Loreto also offers an amazing array of water activities such as snorkeling, diving, fishing and kayaking. Many of the companies mentioned here can assist you with booking those tours. For us, bird watching turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Loreto. We saw so many phenomenal birds, pelicans, egrets, frigates, ospreys, and of course the blue footed booby (see pix above).

Keep reading our coverage of Loreto for more pictures and details of the birds. Some great experience do not require booking a tour of course. Another excellent excursion we enjoyed was our visit to the Marina Puerto Escondido (about 25 minutes from Loreto Centro by taxi.) We reviewed its newest beachside restaurant – La Bocana Beach Club. See below for link. Plus, Loreto provides lots of land-based fun. You can shop, play golf or tennis, go on hikes to see cave paintings or just visit to the surrounding areas.

Fishing in Loreto

Rich Bilow with some of the day’s catch of yellowtail (left) and sea bass (right)

My husband is a fisherman and often treks down from LA to San Diego to chase the Bluefin Tuna, Yellowtail, and other gamefish. So, he could’t resist taking an early morning fishing trip. He ended up going with a friend, and it just happened to be the beginning of yellowtail season. We returned home with a large cooler of fish as a result. Guaycura Adventures also offers sportfishing tour, so visit their website at https://www.guaycura-adventures.com

Loreto has something for everyone. So take a trip and join the fun. Embrace the mellow authentic vibes of this Pueblo Magico. With its international airport, it welcomes tourists from all over the world. For you Los Angeles residents, it’s only a two-hour flight. It makes for a great weekend getaway as well as a 1-2 week hiatus from life.

Read the ETG Loreto Mexico Pueblo Magico article; Check out the ETG Guaycura Adventures Blue Whale Tour, or their Coronado Island Tour. Read the ETG Review of Bocana Beach Club; Additional links mentioned above – https://www.toursloreto.com/ ; https://www.wildloreto.com ; https://www.facebook.com/PepeginasRestaurant