450 Children, 23 Whales and Thousands of Smiles

While most visitors to the Puerto Vallarta area have heard of Vallarta Adventures, the majority never know that one of the tour company’s main objectives besides giving back to the ambient world around them is to continually work directly with local social programs and services for the less fortunate.

On Sunday, January 31^st, Vallarta Adventures invited 450 children from Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay and Tepic, Nayarit to join them on a Humpback Whale Watching Adventure. The young guests came from various backgrounds; children’s homes, boarding schools, assisted living homes and children’s shelters, many with physical or emotional challenges.

In the morning you could feel the energy as the children from Tepic arrived on the buses that Vallarta Adventures arranged to transport them to their adventure. Many of the children had never been on a boat before let alone had the enormous pleasure of going out on the ocean to see observe the Humpback Whales, dolphins and other marine life.

The children excitedly boarded the catamarans and their voyage began with the staff presenting an educational program about the visiting whales and the importance of the protection and conservation of the inhabitants of the bay. The children participated by asking questions, intently listening and expressing amazing interest about the marine life and environment. As they toured the bay, they enjoyed lunch and juice as they were greeted by many whales and their offspring, dolphins, sea turtles and birds.

The children all expressed they had an unforgettable day and the true testament at the end of their adventure was the giant smiles that adorned their beautiful faces.

Participating Organizations:

Refugio Infantil “Santa Esperanza”

“Manos de Amor por Bahía”

“Arturo y los Hijos de Dios”

Casa Hogar “Agape”

“New Life Mexico”

“Children of the Dump”

“Pitillal busca un Amigo”

Asociación “Down”

Grupo CANICA (Centro de Atención de Niños con Cáncer)

DIF Bahía de Banderas

DIF Nayarit

Casa Infantil “Mojoneras”

Casa de Niños “Frank González”, Tepic, Nayarit

Casa “Nana”, Tepic, Nayarit

Internado “Juan Escutia”, Tepic, Nayarit

Posted in Vallarta Tours Whale Watching : activities adventure Bahia de Banderas Bay of Banderas bottlenose dolphins Dolphins eco-friendly excursions humpback whale manta ray puerto vallarta things to do in Puerto Vallarta tours vallarta adventures | 2 comments

Get to Know A Guide

Featured Guide: Ricardo Santos
Adventure: Trainor- Cabo Dolphins
How long with Cabo Dolphins: 4 Years
Where are you from: Mexico City

What is your favorite part of your job?
When the people finish their program and you see the smile on their faces

Do you have a “crazy” skill that you use with your job?
Training courses for marine mammals and other species,  First Aid, Biological courses, Emergency First Response skills

What is the funniest or craziest thing that you did/seen/experienced?
One time a did a Rocket with two dolphins and my shorts came down in front of the audience

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew -up?
Airplane pilot

What is your favorite(s) food(s)?
All Mexican food and pizza

Would you eat a grasshopper?
I am allergic to fish and grasshoppers!

What do you like to do on your day off?
Walk on the beach, watching movies, or going out with some friends

Would you rather be an eagle or a dolphin?
Dolphin

What do you do to help conserve or protect our planet?
I recycle and separate my garbage and I do not use bug repellant or sprays to help reduce their possible negative impact on nature.

What is your favorite Cabo Adventures Tour?
The Outdoor Adventure, Dolphins and 4X4 Desert Safari

If you were given 200 Pesos right now, what would you do with it?
Save it!

Any advice for  future adventurers that will go on your tour?
Never give up! And have fun- the dolphins are amazing!

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Featured Adventurer!

Featured Adventurers: Hayley and Danny Newbury
From: Liverpool, UK
Featured Adventure: Dolphin Swim
October 2009

How many times have you been to Cabo San Lucas?
Hayley and Danny: We have only been once but will definitely be coming back!

Where did you stay?
Hayley and Danny: We were staying on the Mariner of the Seas Cruise Ship that took us into three different ports in Mexico.

What was the highlight of your trip?
Hayley and Danny: The highlight of our trip was swimming with the dolphins! It was the best thing we have ever done. It was an unforgettable experience.

What was your favorite part of the tour(s) you took with us?
Hayley and Danny: The dorsal ride with the dolphin was our favorite part of the trip. It was so exciting being able to ride with the dolphin, he was very gentle and as all dolphins are, highly intelligent. When we held onto the dorsal of the dolphin and he began swimming, it was the best feeling ever. We have wanted to swim with dolphins for a long time and now we have done it we want to do it again! It was fantastic!

What other tours would you go on if you had the chance?
Hayley and Danny: We would love to go on the “Trainer for a Day” program most of all. We would also like to go on the sunset cruise and the jeep safari – they look a lot of fun!

What did you think of our crew? Our guides?
Hayley and Danny: The crew were fantastic, very helpful and friendly. They made sure that everybody got one-on-one time with the dolphin and they made the instructions very clear. Because they were so friendly and professional, it made everyone feel at ease including some of the children who were in our group who were a bit nervous. The nerves soon went away!

Any advice for future travelers to Cabo?
Hayley and Danny: Our advice would be if there is one thing that you need to visit when in Cabo – go and swim with the dolphins!

Have you traveled to other parts of Mexico? Where?
Hayley and Danny: We have been to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan but only to the ports.

What are some of your hobbies? Do you play sports?
Hayley and Danny: Danny is a scuba diver and also likes to play football, go to the gym and swim. We both love to travel  and experience new adventures.

If you were to describe your vacation with the title of a song, what would that song be?
Hayley and Danny: Here, There and Everywhere by The Beatles

Favorite Spanish word(s) or phrase?
Hayley and Danny: Vamos a tener otra aventura!

What best describes you? The chips?  Or the salsa?
Hayley and Danny: The salsa!

Posted in Cabo Tours Dolphins : activities adventure Baja bottlenose dolphins Cabo san Lucas delfines dolphin encounter dolphin facts dolphin swim Dolphins excursions nado con delfines swim with dolphins swim with the dolphins things to do in cabo | 6 comments

Dolphin Assisted Therapy

Silvia Tencer, journalist, actress and documentary producer has an affinity for dolphins and their roles in assisting special needs children.

Through intense research and studies, she found that not only did dolphins evoke feelings of joy in the people that came into contact with them but that special needs children often experienced positive changes in personality, emotions, sleep and verbal skills through Dolphin Assistance Therapy (DAT). She believes the curative swim sessions and non invasive therapy has improved conditions such as: clinical depression, cerebral palsy, autism, Down Syndrome, among others.

In 1991, Silvia Tencer founded the non-profit organization; Cultural Education Production Association (CEPA) which provides educational programming for special needs Latino children and their low income families in the Chicago area. The primary focus of this organization is to enhance diversity, increase cultural awareness and offer dolphin therapy assistance programs to families who under normal circumstances could not meet the expense of such programs.

Throughout the year, CEPA holds benefits and fundraiser to raise money to pay for all travel, accommodations, meals and other expenses plus the dolphin assistance sessions for the children.

Earlier this week, Silvia Tencer brought her group of nine special needs children and their families from Chicago, Illinois to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Fundraising by CEPA and charitable donations from many people and companies made this a dream come true for everyone involved.

When I met Silvia here at our Dolphin Center, she especially wanted to thank Dreams Villamagna in Nuevo Vallarta for their generous donations of accommodations and commend Vallarta Adventures for donating 100% of their dolphin assistance program sessions and experienced staff for the entire trip.

Since all of the families that participated have roots in Mexico, this was an amazing experience for everyone. A chance for them to reconnect with their Mexican heritage and explore their culture, a special time to bond as a family, a place to escape, relax and get away from their often extremely stressful daily lives and for the children to have specific dolphin assistance sessions.

If you are interested in learning more about the dolphin assistance programs we provide please click here and to learn more about Silvia Tencer and CEPA, please visit her website.

Posted in Dolphins Vallarta Tours : autism bottlenose dolphins CEPA dolphin assistance program dolphin therapy Dolphins down syndrom puerto vallarta vallarta adventures | leave a comment

Sailing Charter in Puerto Vallarta

There are so many different things to do in Puerto Vallarta that it is nearly impossible to narrow them all down to just a few tours and activities without wiping yourself out or missing out on some of the coolest activities the area has to offer.

One of our top ten suggestions to achieve this healthy balance of activity and leisure while on holiday is for you to set sail on the beautiful Bay of Banderas.

Our luxury Beneteau sailboats are some of the finest and most award winning sailboats in the world and our crew is the best on the Bay. It doesn’t matter if you are a novice or an expert sailor; the choice is yours if you want to kick back and relax in complete comfort or if you want to take the helm and explore the bay.

Being on the beautiful blue waters of Banderas Bay can be as equally exhilarating as it is tranquil.

In the winter months, from mid-December to mid-March, the humpback whales are in the Bay of Banderas and being on a sailboat offers some of the best opportunities to see these gorgeous creatures without disrupting their natural well being. As well, there are year around opportunities to see sea turtles, manta rays, and of course the hundreds of dolphins that love to frolic in the bay.

Be sure to pack a swim suit. If the weather is permitting, we’ll make a stop off shore at a private cove for a little swimming and snorkeling or you can stay onboard and chill on the over-sized cushions under the tropical rays with a staff to serve you icy drinks, lunch and snacks.

If you want something just as entertaining but extravagantly romantic, be sure to consider our sunset sail.

Posted in Vallarta Sailing Vallarta Tours : Bahia de Banderas Bay of Banderas Beneteau sailbat bottlenose dolphins charter Dolphins eco-friendly excursions sail sailboat sailing suntan things to do in Puerto Vallarta tour tours vallarta adventures Whale Watching yacht | leave a comment

Cute Dolphin Photo

Yeah, I admit I am a sucker for dolphins but especially for dolphins AND cute kids.

Here’s one of my favorite photos taken at our Dolphin Center in Nuevo Vallarta with one of the cutest little girls in the world. No she is not mine so I am not even being biased!

If you have a great photo with one or more of your children taken at our Dolphin Center, send it in to me and I will feature it here.

Our Dolphin Kids program is an excellent choice for children ages 4-8.

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Our Dolphins are Hams

Besides being adorable and mesmerizing, our dolphins also have a sense of humor and a great sense of style.

Great fun for the entire family plus a very informative experience, the Signature Dolphin Swim is one of those magical adventures that create memories to last a lifetime.

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Dolphin Kids

When planning vacation activities, it is often hard to find things to do in Puerto Vallarta for younger children, especially those between ages four to eight years old. Even more difficult is finding activities that the younger and older siblings will enjoy together.

One family activity that is great for almost all ages are one or more of the Dolphin Adventures Programs. We have five different dolphin programs, including being a Trainer for a Day. Each program offers a wide range of enchanting, educational and interactive activities aimed at dolphin lovers of all ages.

Since very few tours or excursions around Puerto Vallarta are suitable for children as young as four years old to over a hundred and four years old, we highly recommend the entire family planning a morning or afternoon at our Dolphin Adventure Center in Nuevo Vallarta.

The younger ones will have a blast participating in the Dolphin Kids Program shown below…

…while the older children will love the Dolphin Encounter or the Dolphin Swim Experience. For Dolphin fans, the Dolphin Signature Swim is the top requested dolphin activity but for true dolphin lovers, no vacation is complete unless you are a Dolphin Trainer For A Day with Vallarta Adventures.

Posted in Dolphins Vallarta Tours : activities adventure Bay of Banderas bottlenose dolphins Dolphins nado con delfines Nuevo Vallarta swim with the dolphins things to do in Puerto Vallarta tour tours vallarta adventures | leave a comment