Palapas Ventana
Magdalena Bay friendly gray whales and La Paz whale shark snorkeling, hosted end to end by Palapas Ventana.
Baja expedition
Every winter, gray whales fill Magdalena Bay and whale sharks cruise the Sea of Cortez near La Paz. We keep the focus on those two experiences, with lodging, meals, captains, and transport handled by our team.
Stay at Palapas Ventana on La Ventana Bay and at our Margarita Island outpost in Magdalena Bay. Optional airport pickup and drop-off is available from SJD (Los Cabos) and LAP (La Paz).
Magdalena Bay
Lean over the panga rail and meet a curious gray whale eye to eye. Mothers often bring calves close to the boat. This is Mag Bay at its friendliest.
Our captains know these waters. You stay on Margarita Island, close to the action, with meals at the outpost and boat days built around the whales.
Margarita Island
Our Mag Bay outpost sits on Margarita Island: simple island houses, shared meals, and a front-row seat to whale season.
Come back from the pangas to hot food, a bed, and a quiet island night. This is the base that keeps you close to the whales without giving up a real place to sleep and eat.
La Paz / Sea of Cortez
Slip into clear water with the largest fish in the ocean. Whale sharks filter-feed through the bloom while you snorkel alongside.
We pair Mag Bay gray whale days with a La Paz whale shark session so you get both Pacific and Sea of Cortez giants on one Palapas Ventana itinerary. Lodging on the La Ventana side is at the resort, with captains and transport arranged for you.
What we handle
You come for the whales. We cover the moving parts.
Available trip dates
Trips labeled Whales on our Mag Bay board. Capacity is 16 guests. Inside any open window we can shape 1, 3, 5, or 7 day itineraries.
| Whale window | Booked | Available of 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 24 - 31 | Open | 16 of 16 available |
| Feb 1 - 9 | Open | 16 of 16 available |
| Feb 9 - 16 | 6 guests booked | 10 of 16 available |
| Feb 12 - 19 | 6 guests booked | 10 of 16 available |
| Feb 24 - Mar 3 | Open | 16 of 16 available |
| Mar 3 - 11 | Open | 16 of 16 available |
Feb 9-16 and Feb 12-19 already have 6 guests booked, so 10 of 16 spots remain on those windows. All other Whales windows above are open. Tell us whether you want a 1, 3, 5, or 7 day trip inside your preferred range.
Tell us your preferred window and trip length. We will lock lodging, captains, meals at Margarita Island, transport, and optional SJD or LAP airport transfers.
Request dates Meet the captains
