Gray Whale Watching in San Ignacio lagoon (Baja California Sur, Mexico): everything you need to know

One of the main reasons for our month-long trip to Baja California Sur was them, the gray whales. We knew that its lagoons, such as San Ignacio Lagoon, are the home of the gray whales, where they are born and return every year, and where we lived one of the most incredible experiences of our lives: to meet them up close.

In this guide you will find everything you need to do the gray whale watching activity in San Ignacio lagoon, with practical information about the best season to go, prices, who to do it with, how many days, whale watching rules and even where to stay to make your experience as special as ours was.

Check out our complete guide to Baja California Sur if you are planning a trip to the area.

Basic facts for gray whale watching in San Ignacio Lagoon

How to get there: The closest airport is in Loreto (5h30) although you also have the airports of La Paz (9h30) and Los Cabos (11h30). We recommend you to use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price. More info here

When to go: From December to April (depending on the year). The best time to go is usually between February and March. More info here

How many days: If you want to have more chances to see gray whales in San Ignacio Lagoon, or if you want to enjoy this wonder several times, it is advisable to make several sighting attempts on different days.

Rules: Whale watching is happily regulated in Mexico. In the case of the gray whales of Laguna San Ignacio, the specific Management Program for the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve applies. At Randomtrip we always advocate animal welfare over human entertainment. More info here.

How to do the sighting: In a 2 to 3h boat tour with authorized operators. More info about the tours here.

Who to do the tour with: It is important to choose a responsible company. At Randomtrip we recommend Antonio’s Ecotours, with whom we did the tour. More info here.

Cost: 1225 pesos or 70 USD with Antonio’s Ecotours. More info here.

Weather: The weather during gray whale watching season is usually cool/cold at night and in the early morning, and sunny/hot during the day.

What to bring: Sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, cap/cap…), a windbreaker for the cold at dawn and on the fast boat rides, cameras (smartphone, GoPro, professional camera…), water (preferably in a refillable bottle). More info here.

Where to stay: The ideal is to stay in the town of San Ignacio or in the campsites near the lagoon. More info here.

Language: Most tourists tend to be from the United States, so it is common for both Spanish and English to be spoken.

Currency: MXN ($) Mexican Peso (1 USD equals 20$ MXN approx.). Check the updated exchange rate here. Since most tourists are from the United States, prices are usually also in dollars.

Where is Laguna San Ignacio?

Laguna San Ignacio is located in the north-west of Baja California Sur, Mexico. The most common access point is the town of San Ignacio, 1h40 from the lagoon.

Laguna San Ignacio is located:

• 1h40 from the town of San Ignacio
• 2h45 from Santa Rosalía
• 3h35 from Mulegé
• 5h30 from Loreto (where the nearest airport is located)
• 9h30 from La Paz (where the next closest airport is located)
• 11h30 from Los Cabos (where the next closest airport is located)
• 3h30 from Laguna Ojo de Liebre (Guerrero Negro, where we also saw gray whales, read our experience here).
• 7h30 from Magdalena Bay (where we also saw gray whales, read our experience here, read our experience here).
• 8h15 from Bahía Almejas (Puerto Chale, where we also saw gray whales, read our experience here).

Here you can see a more detailed map with the location of Laguna San Ignacio and other nearby places like San Ignacio, Guerrero Negro, Santa Rosalia, Mulegé or Loreto:

How to get to San Ignacio

The airports in Baja California Sur are the following:

• Loreto Airport, 5h30 from Laguna San Ignacio
• La Paz airport, 9h30 from San Ignacio Lagoon
• Los Cabos Airport, 11h30 from Laguna San Ignacio

Depending on your goal when visiting Baja California Sur (if you are coming for a multi-day trip or if you are coming exclusively to visit Laguna San Ignacio) we recommend you to choose the most suitable airport for you and use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with the dates to get the best possible price.

Once in Baja California Sur, the easiest way to get around is by car (owned or rented), so you can have the freedom to move around at your own pace and avoid wasting a lot of time getting around. In our case, we rented a car at the Los Cabos airport, where we landed, for our month-long trip through Baja California Sur.

The other options are private transportation, or public transportation, although the times are longer and the combinations are worse. In this case, Autobuses Aguila connects the main cities of the peninsula between Los Cabos and Tijuana.

After arriving in San Ignacio, you should know that getting to Laguna San Ignacio involves around 40 km of paved road, and about 15 km of dirt road. It can be done in a small car when it has not rained (it takes about 1h40), if it has rained it is more complicated, but usually operators offer transportation from San Ignacio for an extra.

Also, be careful, it is not recommended to follow Google Maps directions with the car, but to follow the signs of Antonio’s Ecotours (with whom we did the tour) or Kuyima.

Best time to see gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio

The best time is usually between February and March, although it is possible to see gray whales from December to April, depending on the year (remember that we are talking about wild animals in their habitat). Here we explain why.

Gray whale season in San Ignacio Lagoon

The “official” season runs from December to April, but it is important to understand that we are talking about a free-ranging migratory species. Gray whales start arriving in Laguna San Ignacio usually at the end of December and begin to leave back to the cold Arctic waters at the end of March.

During all this time it is possible to see gray whales, although the “peak” (when there are more whales) is usually in February/March.

This can vary from year to year, so there is no way to predict it exactly, but it is best to avoid the shoulders of the season (December and April) to have a better chance of seeing them.

In our case, with the main goal of whale watching, we visited Baja California Sur from February 7 to March 7 and managed to see whales at all the points in Baja California Sur where we went whale watching.

Best time of the day to see gray whales in San Ignacio Lagoon

Based on data and statistics, there is no best or worst time of day for gray whale watching in Laguna San Ignacio: it is possible to see them at any time of the day.

Whether we can see them, whether they are closer or farther away, more curious or less curious, whether they come closer to the boat, depends on a multitude of factors: the whales themselves, luck, the state of the sea, the weather, etc.

In gray whale watching what stands out the most is when they come very close to the boats, more than any other type of whale, so luck in this case is not measured by how many whales you see, but by having the opportunity to see one or some of them come close to your boat. We would even say that it is better to see only one gray whale near the boat than 10 or 20 in the distance! Although just seeing them, near or far, is a thrill and a privilege.

If you get seasick on the boat, ideally you should take a pill before, and choose the tours that leave earlier, since the sea is usually calmer, although as everything depends on the day.

RandomTip: An important thing to keep in mind before you go whale watching is to adjust your expectations! Remember that just the fact of being able to see them is a gift of nature (it is the wonder of seeing wild animals in the wild, the feeling that you won the lottery) and it is always the whales that choose whether to get closer to the boat or not (and never the other way around).

How many gray whales are in Laguna San Ignacio?

The number of gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio varies by week and year.

In 2024, this was the number of whales according to the official census, published on Gray Whale Research Mexico’s Instagram account:

Date	Whales (total)	Whales with calves	Whales alone
18/01/2024	14	2	10
24/01/2024	15	2	11
29/01/2024	23	3	17
03/02/2024	50	4	42
08/02/2024	79	5	69
13/02/2024	123	4	115
20/02/2024	119	3	113
25/02/2024	219	9	201
01/03/2024	98	4	90
07/03/2024	85	12	61
14/03/2024	67	15	37
20/03/2024	9	2	5
Date	Whales (total)	Whales with calves	Whales alone

In the previous season (2022-2023) the maximum peak was 224 whales (15 with calves, 194 alone). Source

Information and curiosities about the gray whales

Here are some facts about gray whales. You can see more in our complete guide to gray whale watching in Baja California Sur, which we will publish shortly:

• Gray whales are a migratory species, with one of the longest known migratory routes among all mammals, traveling between 16,000 and 22,000 kilometers in total.
• They were hunted almost to extinction in the same lagoons of Mexico where today we can see them very closely. Fortunately, whaling was banned in the 80’s, since then the gray whale population has been growing and is not in danger of extinction.
• They are called gray whales precisely because of their characteristic gray color. In addition, especially adult whales, usually carry “complements” or the marks left by these complements. These complements are called “barnacles” and are crustaceans (you may have seen them in the shells of mussels) that cling to the whales when they go down to the bottom of the sea to feed.
• Adult gray whales measure between 11 and 15 meters, and can weigh up to 45 tons. Newborn gray whale calves measure between 4.6 and 4.9 meters, and weigh between 680 and 920 kg.
• Gray whales come to the lagoons of Baja California Sur from December to April, to mate, give birth and teach their calves. Their gestation process lasts one year, and they can have a calf every 2 years.
• Gray whales are believed to live approximately 40 years.
• Gray whales feed mainly on krill (a type of crustacean) and other small organisms such as small fish and plankton. To feed, they go to the sandy bottoms where they crawl sideways and obtain food by filtering the sand thanks to their baleen. Yes, gray whales have baleen and not teeth.
• In the past, gray whales were known as “devil fish” because during the time when they were hunted, the mothers defended themselves very strongly and attacked the boats to protect their calves. Today, however, they are not dangerous and come very close to boats.
• Killer whales are the largest predator of gray whales. The other threats to gray whales are people (unfortunately illegal hunting persists), and to a lesser extent, polar bears and sharks.

You can learn more about gray whales, as well as other cetaceans and other wildlife in the area, at the Whale Museum in La Paz, since you will surely include the capital of Baja California Sur in your trip or, if you are going to see gray whales in Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, also part of the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, at the Whale Museum in Guerrero Negro, from Mario’s Tours, with whom we did the experience.

About El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve and San Ignacio Lagoon

The El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, created in 1988, is one of the largest nature reserves in the world (and the largest in Mexico), with more than 2 million hectares.

In addition, El Vizcaino Whale Sanctuary has been a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 1993.

Gray whale watching rules in San Ignacio Lagoon

Mexico is a country that, fortunately, has a strong regulation and protection of whales, so whale watching activities must follow certain rules and the boats must have the corresponding official permit.

In the case of gray whale watching in Laguna San Ignacio, the applicable rule is NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010 (if you are curious, you can read it here) but some of the rules are modified because the lagoon is part of the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, included in the Reserve’s Management Program (which you can read here). Here is a summary of the rules:

• The vessel/captain must have official authorization and carry the flag (distinctive) visible on the vessel.
• In the presence of whales, the maximum speed is 5 knots (9km/h), decreasing to 2 knots (4km/h) when entering the observation zone. The boat should always go at a slower speed than the slowest whale and avoid accelerating or decelerating abruptly.
• Maximum 2 boats with each whale or group of whales. If other boats wish to observe the same whale or group of whales, they must wait at a distance of 80 meters.
• The maximum distance the vessel may approach the whale is 30 meters, except if the whale or group of whales approaches the vessel.
• The approach to the whale or group of whales must be made diagonally, from the rear side, and the vessel must sail parallel to the whale or group.
• If the whale or group of whales stop, the vessel must remain with the engine running and in neutral position. It is at this time that the gray whales may decide, voluntarily, to approach the vessel.
• Maximum of 16 boats in the observation area at the same time, and maximum of 1h30 per boat.
• If the whale or pod exhibits evasive behavior, the vessel(s) should immediately move away.
• During whale watching it is forbidden to:
  • Harass (“Act of persecution that interferes with the behavior of the whale, as well as forcing physical contact that results in mistreatment.”) or harm the whale.
  • Dispersing whales
  • Interfering between mother and calf, or approaching whales that are mating or calving
  • Engage in other activities such as fishing, diving, swimming, etc…. (i.e. it is strictly forbidden to jump into the water in the presence of whales).
  • Use other boats (jet skis, kayaks, etc.).
  • Throwing waste into the sea
  • Catching or collecting wildlife, as well as bringing it in.
  • Bringing pets on board (except for guide dogs).
  • Feeding whales
  • Towing objects or dragging ropes, nets, hooks, etc.

On the other hand, the lagoon is zoned, establishing only one observation zone, leaving the rest of the lagoon exclusively for whales.

Can gray whales be touched or kissed?

This is a rather controversial topic: if you have searched for some information on gray whale watching in Laguna San Ignacio (in Baja California Sur, Mexico) or in other areas of Baja California Sur, you have probably already seen images or videos (either on social networks or on the websites of service providers) in which people are seen touching, petting or even kissing a gray whale.

If you read the norms that regulate the activity and that we summarized in the previous point (NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010 and the Management Program of the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve) you will see that there is no explicit reference to touching gray whales, and therefore, probably unintentionally, it is not prohibited by law to touch gray whales. Obviously, just because it is not prohibited does not mean that it should be done, and in our opinion, this type of interaction should not be allowed, at least not the way it is currently done.

After talking and asking questions during our trip to different people with knowledge on the subject (mostly biologists that we have met during our month in Baja California Sur), they all agreed that physical contact with the gray whale should not be allowed and that it should be prohibited, because besides being ethically questionable, it can also be dangerous, for the following reasons:

• Whales, like other species, have maternal instincts. Gray whales come to Laguna San Ignacio to mate and give birth, so it is common for them to be with their calves. Any approach, well-intentioned or not, can be perceived as a threat and generate violent behavior on the part of the mother.
• Touching them can expose the person to diseases (some of those associated with marine mammals are brucellosis, tuberculosis and leptospirosis), and vice versa.
• Whales have lice, which we saw at the Whale Museum in La Paz, that can cause diseases to people, as there have already been cases.

Although we could affirm that the contact is initiated by the whale, and that this behavior of the gray whale in these Mexican lagoons is unique in the world, the impact that this interaction may be having on them is unknown. The companies and people involved defend that there is no evidence that touching them is harmful to them, but the rules do state the following:

Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development states: “In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation“.

On the other hand, even if there was certainty that touching them does not have a negative impact on the gray whales, the popularity that the activity is reaching means that, based on our experience, more than 95% of the people who come to do the activity have the objective of touching/kissing a whale. During the different 6 tours we did (in Magdalena Bay, Almejas Bay, San Ignacio Lagoon and Ojo de Liebre Lagoon) we were able to observe behaviors caused by the desire to touch the whale that were detrimental to the whale:

• On one of the tours, a person from another boat fell into the sea while trying to touch a whale, which clearly was not close enough to the boat and did not seem to be interested in being touched. The person was not wearing a life jacket.
• On another tour, a person who came on our boat wanted to kiss a whale. When she had the opportunity (which lasted a few seconds) the person ran to where the whale was, jumped over me, and pounced on the whale to kiss it, dropping her cap on top of the whale, which she quickly picked up roughly. The whale left immediately afterwards.
• On another tour, the whales that day were not particularly friendly: we were seeing many but they were not approaching the boat. One of the people on our boat was also expressing her goal of touching one. As soon as a whale came close enough to the boat, he ran over to touch it and take a picture, which caused the whale to change its behavior and leave.

These 3 cases, in our opinion, do qualify as harassment, and therefore illegal under the rules established in NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010. The problem with allowing whale touching without educating tourists about it and without surveillance, is that as tourism increases in the area, the cases that we know are harmful will also increase, generating a tourism that is neither sustainable nor respectful of these majestic animals. As tourism increases, if the number of “friendly whales” does not increase, the pressure on captains and on the whales increases, due to the intention and objective of the people who come here to touch one.

We understand that for many people it is a dream to be able to touch a whale, but if you are reading this, we urge you to reconsider: just seeing them up close is incredible enough and you will be contributing to a more responsible and sustainable activity.

Are gray whale watching rules adhered to in Laguna San Ignacio?

In our experience, most of them do comply, and it is clear that the people involved (most of them are captains who fish the rest of the year) have respect for the animals and good intentions. In the area where we did the tour in the lagoon there are only a few authorized companies, and at no time did we see or detect that any of the rules were broken, although we know that pressure from tourists can lead captains to break them.

That is why it is important to hire tours with authorized operators, with good reputation and that you can verify that they comply with the rules. It is also very important that you read the rules, and give a warning and/or report to the authorities in case of non-compliance, and even share them with other people on the same boat, who may not know what the rules are.

In addition, in the specific case of the San Ignacio Lagoon, there is a time limit, a number of simultaneous boats limit and a control of both things: there can only be 16 boats simultaneously in the observation area, and when trying to access the lagoon, there is a control boat, which will indicate if there are already 16 boats and it is time to wait or if there are fewer and you can pass. This control boat also communicates directly with the boats to warn them when the 90-minute time limit per boat in the observation zone is running out.

In our opinion, it should be mandatory to have a guide on board (a biologist) to ensure that the rules are followed, explain to the people who are doing the tour what they see, and call attention in case someone does something wrong or tries to pressure the captain.

How is the gray whale watching tour in Laguna San Ignacio?

Since these are wild animals in their habitat, there is no way to know for sure if you will see the whales or not, in which area they are or anything like that, so it is important that you adjust your expectations.

In the San Ignacio Lagoon tours, the boats go out to the area where whale watching is allowed, and they sail in search of a sign of a whale (usually the blow), an event that can take minutes or hours (you have to be patient). There is also communication between captains to let them know when they see some.

Once a whale or group of whales is detected, the boat sails towards them up to the maximum distance allowed. Once close, if the whale is moving, the boat can accompany it in parallel from a maximum distance allowed, and if it stops or approaches the boat the boat must stop and leave the engine in neutral position.

It is at this moment when the magic can happen: the gray whale or group of whales approaching the boat. It is important to understand that this does not happen every day, nor on every tour. At Randomtrip we had more “lucky” approaches on other tours (where we had up to 6 gray whales very close to our boat for more than an hour) but this one was equally exciting. On our San Ignacio Lagoon tour the whales were more shy in terms of approaching but very curious, giving us several spyhoping shows and up to three breachings (jumps), something that is not so easy to see in gray whales! So adjust your expectations, you never know what nature has in store for the day.

RandomTip: Always adjust your expectations but according to what we were told, if you go from January 15 to March 15, you are guaranteed to see them (but you don’t know how far away since the approach depends on them). As always, this was our experience and the dates may even vary from year to year (and even more so with the acceleration of climate change).

If you are lucky enough to have the gray whale come close to the boat and stay, you will be able to enjoy seeing it up close. Normally the gray whales pass under the boat, they “rub” or scratch against the boat (you will notice how they move it! some gray whales are bigger than the boat), come out to breathe very close to the boat, stick their heads out, etc. At Randomtrip we had the opportunity to see them up close as you can see in the pictures, and even record them underwater with our GoPro from the boat. It is a spectacle of nature and a privilege to be able to attend this kind of encounters.

How long that encounter lasts and what happens during it will depend exclusively on the whales. It is said that if you splash your hands in the water when they are close and/or if you talk to them, it is possible to encourage them to come closer, although there is no scientific evidence in this regard. During this type of encounter, the boat must remain with the engine on and in neutral, without moving, and can stay there until the gray whale or group of gray whales decides to move away (always up to a maximum of 90 minutes in total in the observation area).

Keep in mind that even if you are lucky enough to have one of these magical encounters happen, it may only last a few minutes, so you will most likely spend most of the tour seeing gray whales farther away, so once again, adjust your expectations!

Observable behaviors of gray whales

These are the most common behaviors of gray whales on the surface that you will see during the tour:

• Blowing: when they come out to breathe, they emit a blowing sound that can reach several meters high and be seen from far away.
• Breaching: they take a large part of their body out of the water vertically and fall on their back, generating a large splash. This is not as common in gray whales, and if they do it is usually farther away from boats.
• Spyhopping: they only stick their heads vertically out of the water, observing their surroundings. Although we saw this behavior on almost every tour, it was on the San Ignacio tour that we saw the most and it is one of our favorites, we love it when they do it!
• Slapping: they hit the water with their fin or tail, generating a splash.
• Interaction with the boat: rubbing against the bottom of the panga or its sides, approaching, sticking their heads out nearby… this is the behavior that everyone who goes on the tour wants to see.
• Fluking: usually indicates that the gray whale is going for a dee dive, so if we see the tail it means that the whale is leaving and it will take a few minutes to resurface.

Anatomy of a breaching (Photos by Randomtrip. All rights reserved).

How long does the gray whale watching tour last?

The tours of Antonio’s Ecotours, with whom we did the activity, last 2 hours (15 minutes to reach the observation area and another 15 minutes to return), being that the maximum time allowed in the observation area is 90 minutes (departures are at 11:00 am but you have to be there at 10:30 am).

How many people go on the boat?

It depends on the tour, the company and the price: there will always be a captain and the number of tourists that corresponds to the maximum number of places that the boat has. Of course, the ideal is that you are not many people per boat but, in our opinion, we do not believe that there should be private tours because the more private tours, the more boats in the water and / or fewer people can do the activity.

In the tour we did with Antonio’s Ecotours the boat (a classic panga) had capacity for 12 people and the captain, and the day we went there were 8 tourists. Although in our case we had no problem to see and enjoy the show, the rows are for 3 people each, so whoever stays in the middle is a little more conditioned to the people on the sides to make it easier for them to see/approach the water. In our case, there were 8 of us and nobody stayed in the middle seats.

In addition to the time limit for whale watching, there is also a limit of boats and people in the San Ignacio lagoon. In this case, a maximum of 16 boats are allowed in the lagoon at the same time. Before arriving at the whale watching area, the captain must wait for authorization to enter.

How much does the gray whale watching tour in Laguna San Ignacio cost?

The price depends on the company you go with, the duration, the type of boat used, the number of people, etc. …. In the case of Antonio’s Ecotours, with whom we did the tour, each 2-hour shared tour costs 1225 pesos or 70 USD (50 USD for children under 10 years old and free for children under 4 years old).

In addition, at Antonio’s Ecotours you can stay for lunch if you want, for 12 USD/person. They also have packs to stay overnight at the lagoon and do several tours (350 MXN per person for a pack of 1 night, 2 tours, and 3 meals). More information about these packs here

On the other hand, if you don’t want to drive (the last 15 km are a dirt road, it is fine in a small car but if it rains it may not be possible), they offer a shared transport option from San Ignacio, although you will need other people to split the price. It costs 3500 pesos to divide between people (maximum 12 people), round trip.

Since it is an activity with wild animals in their habitat where the main goal is that they are respected and that it is done under the current regulations, we recommend that you do not look for the cheapest operator, and that you do some research on who you are going to do it with and their position regarding the welfare of these animals.

Recommended company for responsible gray whale watching

Based on what we have indicated, fortunately the activity is regulated and you can only do the tour with authorized boats. Given that even then there may be boats that do not comply with the rules, the most important thing is that you choose well with whom you are going to do the tour, and that you express when the tour starts your intentions to make a responsible sighting and following the rules.

In our case we did it with Antonio’s Ecotours and we definitely recommend them.

Our gray whale watching experience with Antonio’s Ecotours

Antonio’s Ecotours tours leave at 11:00h but we were told that we had to be at the meeting point at 10:30h so we left San Ignacio, where we slept the previous night, at 8:00h in the morning and it took us about 1:40h to get to Laguna San Ignacio. We were sent directions by email and, as we were warned that the last kilometers were a dirt road, we preferred to leave with enough time.

To get to Antonio’s Ecotours you have to do about 40km of paved road from San Ignacio, and about 15 km of dirt road. In fact, we were warned that when it rains it cannot be done in a small car, although it was not our case. Also, be careful, it is not recommended to follow the directions on Google Maps with the car, but to follow the signs of “Antonio’s Ecotours” or Kuyima.

In the boat (a classic panga) we were 8 tourists distributed in four rows of the panga and our captain. From the pier it takes 15 minutes to get to the observation area and when we arrive, our captain tells us that we have to wait a little while for one of the boats to leave because there are already 16 boats and it is the maximum allowed. We waited about 10 minutes and then we went in.

As soon as we enter the sighting area we start to observe several blowings in the water. After 5 minutes we are greeted by a dolphin and after a while we realize that it is playing with a gray whale, so this tour begins with a dance between species.

After a short time, the captain alerts us to a gray whale breaching. And another one. We can’t believe it! It is not so easy to observe a gray whales breaching (jumping out of the water) so we are very excited.

As time went by, a couple of whales approached, spyhopping, which is when they only stick their heads vertically out of the water, observing their surroundings.

After a while, two other whales approached us to rub up against our boat and we could see them very close. However, contrary to what happened to us in other tours, these two whales stay for a short time and leave after a few minutes. Remember, they are always the ones who have to choose whether they want to stay or not.

Our whale watching tour in Laguna San Ignacio was not the tour where we saw the most whales in close proximity but it was a very exciting tour because of the number of different behaviors we observed .

After an hour and a half of whale watching, we start the 15 minute walk back to the pier. Upon arrival, they ask us if we want to stay for lunch and explain the menu (local fish) and the price (12 USD/person). Unfortunately at Randomtrip we didn’t have time to stay since we would sleep that night in Mulegé and we still wanted to stop, on the way, in Santa Rosalía.

Get inspired by the stories of our gray whale sighting in Laguna San Ignacio

You can see the featured Instagram stories about our visit to Laguna San Ignacio here.

Things to see and do in San Ignacio

Although the main attraction of San Ignacio is its lagoon and being able to see, in the winter months, the gray whales in the Laguna San Ignacio, San Ignacio was a pleasant surprise. We found it very nice and if, like Randomtrip, you spend a few hours here we recommend it:

• Contemplate the carved stone facade of the San Ignacio Mission. This church, founded in the 18th century, besides being one of the most beautiful in the area, became the most important mission of the Baja California peninsula! The interior of this mission hides, besides the main altarpiece of San Ignacio de Loyola, a museum that we will tell you about in the following section.
• Go to the Museo de las Pinturas Rupestres de San Ignacio: to get closer to the life of the first settlers of the region through the exhibition of objects found during research in the San Francisco mountain range, and even the partial recreation of a cave and photomurals of the cave paintings. In addition, the museum is located in an 18th century historic monument known as El Teatro. Admission is free. Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:00h to 17:00h (closed on Sundays).
• Dinner (or lunch) at Rancho Grande restaurant. We liked it very much not only for the food (homemade and at a good price) but also for the atmosphere and the soundtrack of live music at night. In the middle of the town’s public square, staying on the terrace of this restaurant, watching the atmosphere with the beautiful lighting of the restaurant in which the music intermingles with the conversations of those passing by transports us to a somewhat cinematic Mexican atmosphere.

Where to stay in San Ignacio

The truth is that sleeping in San Ignacio is not an easy task because there are not many options but here are the ones we were able to find out that exist:

• La Iguana (from 78$/night): one-bedroom apartment with two double beds in the center of San Ignacio, a few meters from the main square.
• Rancho Espinoza La Casita (from 88$/night): this one-bedroom apartment (sleeps up to 5 people) was recommended to us by Antonio’s Ecotours as the best option in San Ignacio.

If you are looking for something simpler and more economical where you can spend just one night, you also have the rooms of La Posada, owned by a charming family.

If instead of staying in San Ignacio, you prefer to stay directly in San Ignacio Lagoon where the first sight you have in the morning is whale blowing (something like what Randomtrip did in Magdalena Bay), Antonio’s Ecotours has some packages of lodging, meals and 2 tours, or you can also take a look at Baja EcoTours’ Glamping.

Check the prices and the information on what is included before paying, as in Mexico taxes usually have to be added to the initial price you see on the platform.

Recommendations to visit San Ignacio Lagoon and watch gray whales as a responsible tourist

At Randomtrip we always advocate animal welfare over human entertainment so here are our recommendations for this activity, based on our experience:

• Adjust your expectations: If you go during the season we recommend at Randomtrip, you will probably see whales, but there is no guarantee how far away you will see them as it depends 100% on them.
• Increase your patience: In our tour we saw less whales close to us than in others, although we were lucky to see many whales with other behaviors (spy-hopping, breaching…). You never know what nature will give you that day but remember that just being there is a privilege.
• Never ask the captain to get any closer. The captains know the rules by heart, they know the boat and the lagoon like the back of their hand, the changes in the tides and the wind and they have been observing the behavior of the whales for years so listen to them and do not force them to break the rules. If the whale wants to approach your boat, it will and in fact it does many times in this unique place in the world. Unfortunately, even though there are regulations to abide by, sometimes captains, in order to please clients, give in to forcing some rules because of client pressure. Don’t do it and remember to always put the welfare of the animal before your entertainment.
• Do not touch or kiss the whale. No matter how many photos and videos you see on social media touching (or even kissing) the whale, based on everything we have discussed in this guide, it should not be allowed and we ask you to reconsider.
• Be kind to other people: During our tour we were fortunate to share the experience with people who lived this incredible activity with emotion and respect. Unfortunately, in other tours we were acommpanied by others whose main (and maybe only?) priority was a photo touching and even kissing a whale. We were also acommpanied on another tour by a person who played music on the boat during the tour, and to whom we had to call attention and remind them that we were in a natural space. Don’t be that kind of person, please.
• Be responsible with waste and resource management: Remember the unique and special environment you are in, don’t throw absolutely nothing into the sea and bring a reusable water bottle to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.

Checklist: what to bring for gray whale watching in Laguna San Ignacio

Here is the list of products that we believe you should bring for this adventure with gray whales:

• A  reusable water bottle like one of these to carry water with you all the time and void single-use plastic.
• Water proof dry bag like this one, very useful to keep your photographic equipment, cell phone and wallet safe from getting wet on the boat (whales sometimes blow near the boat or even hit the water with their fin or tail near the boat, and water can reach the boat).
• A neck gaiter like this one to protect yourself from wind and cold
• Sun screen: the sun is strong in Baja California Sur so it is a must to take care of your skin. Always look for a Coral Friendly Sunscreen, i.e. one that protects your skin without harming marine ecosystems by avoiding ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are harmful to corals. Nor that it has been tested on animals.
• A hat or a cap (like this one) and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun
• Windbreaker waterproof jacket: like this one. On the boat, depending on the conditions, it can be a bit chilly, so the ideal is to wear a windbreaker to protect you from the cold, the sun, and the water if it splashes.
• A phone lanyard: due to the wind and sometimes the jumps of the boat, it is advisable to have some protection for your smartphone so that you do not drop it (either inside the boat or at sea).
• A floating sunglass strap: as with the smartphone, it is advisable to have something similar for the glasses (we witnessed a couple of cases of people who had their sunglasses “blown” into the water and could not recover them, plus it is plastic that pollutes the sea).
• A good camera to register your adventures. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony ZV-E10 and a Gopro Hero12 Black (for underwater pictures)
• A Power bank: taking so many pictures will drain your batteries, so it’s always a good idea to carry a good powerbank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Anker 20000 mAh and  Anker 10000 mAh), which allow us to charge both our phones and our cameras.
• First aid kit: In our first-aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication (and a probiotic to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics and, of course, travel insurance. If you hire your travel insurance with IATI using this link you will get a 5% discount

---

Do you also want to experience the adventure of getting up close and personal with the majestic gray whales in their Mexican home? We hope this guide has been useful to organize your trip to San Ignacio. If you have any questions, leave them in comments!