November through March · Mazatlán, Sinaloa
Whales of Mazatlán
Every winter, hundreds of humpback whales come to Mazatlán’s warm waters to mate, give birth and raise their calves. Come see them, then meet them up close at Mexico’s National Whale Museum.
Whale watching
season
Mazatlán sits where the Pacific turns tropical, which makes it one of the leading humpback breeding grounds on Mexico’s west coast. Local researchers see whales arrive around November, with numbers peaking every January and dropping off sharply in March.
Watch them
the right way
- Choose a licensed operator.
Whale watching in Mexico should only be done with authorized guides. Onca Explorations was the first whale-watching company in Mazatlán and Sinaloa. - Look for education, not just a boat ride.
The best tours pair sightings with real science on whale behavior and conservation, so visitors leave as protectors of the ocean. - Remember that more whales is not the same as safe whales.
Warmer water seems to be drawing more humpbacks to Mazatlán, and more calves are being born here each year. That also brings them closer to boats, nets and other threats.
Open since July 23, 2024 · World Whale and Dolphin Day
MUNBA
National Whale Museum
Museo Nacional de la Ballena
Perched at the top of Observatorio 1873 park on Cerro del Vigía, about 75 meters above the sea, MUNBA is Mexico’s national museum dedicated to whales, dolphins and porpoises. Its mission is education for conservation.
Twelve interactive rooms use projections, sound and sensory exhibits to take you into the ocean, from the evolution of whales to their songs and migrations. It also holds one of Latin America’s largest collections of whale and dolphin skeletons.
The building itself, by Mexican architect Alejandro D’Acosta, is made from recycled shipping containers wrapped in bold black and white “dazzle” stripes, the camouflage once painted on ships.
- Where
- Observatorio 1873 park, Cerro del Vigía, Mazatlán
- Hours
- Daily, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
- Getting up
- Ride the park’s funicular for views over the port
- Best pairing
- A whale-watching tour in the morning, the museum in the afternoon
Hours can change, so check munba.mx before you go.
Dec 2
& Dec 5
The Mazatlán Project launch week visits MUNBA on Wednesday, December 2, and heads out on a marine safari on Saturday, December 5, right as the humpbacks start arriving for the season. See the full program.
A world tour of whale conservation
The Whale Projects
People, organizations and museums around the world working to protect whales, including a spotlight on Mazatlán’s National Whale Museum.
Visit thewhaleprojects.org