Swimming with Whale Sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Last Updated on April 4, 2024

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Out of all the great adventures I’ve had so far, swimming with Whale Sharks in Mexico was one of my all time favorite experiences. It’s been on my bucket list for a while and it was the main reason I returned to Isla Mujeres just 5 months after spending a week on the island. While you can swim with the whale sharks in several parts of the world, Mexico is the best place to do it, for more than one reason. Not only it’s where in season you can see the largest concentration of them, but unlike in other places, it’s a highly regulated activity, to protect both you and the animals. Mexican government established a lot of rules and regulations to protect and preserve the endangered whale sharks.

Even though it can be a bit intimidating at first, swimming alongside these beautiful animals is an amazing experience. They’re huge, but completely harmless, way more interested in scooping up plankton and tiny fish into their huge mouth, than you. If you even remotely enjoy snorkeling and seeing the underwater world, the whale shark encounter should definitely be on your bucket list.

About Whale Sharks

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world, can weigh several tons and grow up to be 46 feet long. Even though they resemble whales in size, they are in the shark family. They move rather slow, which makes it possible to swim with them, but know, that you won’t be able to keep up with them for too long. Sadly, whale sharks are endangered, falling victim to pollution and commercial fishing.

Here are some more fun facts about whale sharks.

• each of the whale sharks has unique markings, similar to our fingerprints.
• its skin is up to 4 inches thick
• they have about 3,000 tiny teeth, but as filter feeders they don’t use them for eating.
• whale sharks can filter up to 6000 liters of water daily.
• they have a pretty long life span and can live more than 100 years.

Is it safe to swim with Whale Sharks?

Probably the most common question when you mention swimming with whale sharks is, Isn’t is dangerous? The short answer is No, it’s generally pretty safe activity. As long as you can swim, are not afraid of open deep water, keep a safe distance and follow basic safety rules, you will be fine.

The shark part of their name is what gives people the wrong idea about these huge animals and I get how the size of them can intimidate, but whale sharks really are gentle giants and pose no immediate threat to people. They are filter feeders, so they are way more interested in eating plankton and small fish, than you. If you keep the recommended distance and stay to the side, you will be absolutely fine. I found it amazing, how unbothered they were with people around.

Where to swim with Whale Sharks in Mexico

Whale sharks love warm water, that’s why you can find them in the tropical ocean. Even though they are slow swimmers, they can migrate thousands of miles in search for food. Mexico is one of the best places to swim with them for several reasons. Not only there’s a huge concentration of them in the waters near Cancun, but they are also highly protected. Mexican government imposes lots of rules and regulations, that ensures whale sharks’ safety and preservation.

You can swim with whale sharks in several parts in the Yucatán Peninsula. Cancún, Isla Holbox, Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres are all great spots, as all of them are relatively close to the area where the whale sharks can be spotted. Even though you’ll be going to the same area from all of these spots, Isla Mujeres is the best choice, in my opinion. It’s the closest starting point to the whale sharks, which means the often bumpy boat ride will only be 1 hour. Also, the island itself is beautiful and it’s definitely worth spending a few days exploring it.

Baja California, on the west side of Mexico, is another place where you can swim with whale sharks, although at different times of the year.

Best time to go

Generally the season for swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres runs from mid May through mid September, with the high season being July and August. This is when hundreds of whale sharks arrive in the waters near Isla Mujeres to feed on plankton. But keep in mind, that this is wildlife in their natural environment, so there’s never a 100% guarantee you will see a lot of them. Although if you schedule your trip in the high season chances are pretty high.

To further better your chances for many whale shark sightings, book your trip around the full moon. Right before and right after full moon, there’s more plankton on the surface, which draws even more whale sharks to the area. You can use this website to check the lunar calendar for Isla Mujeres and schedule your trip around that time.

Since I was going back to Isla Mujeres specifically to swim with whale sharks, I wanted to make sure to have the best experience possible and scheduled my tour on the second day after the full moon. It was the right move, because according to the guides, just days before, there weren’t many sightings, even though July is supposed to be high season. This is wildlife, and you cannot predict how many whale sharks there’ll be in the water on the particular day. So if you are traveling to Mexico just to see the whale sharks and are flexible in your travel dates, I highly recommend planning your trip around the full moon.

Booking a swimming with Whale Sharks tour

Choosing a swimming with Whale Sharks Tour

There’s no shortage of companies that offer whale shark tours, but be careful who you choose. Not all of them are licensed and care only about making money, with disregard to yours and animals’ safety. In Mexico, swimming with Whale Sharks is a strictly regulated activity to ensure, that the encounter is the least disturbing to them as possible. This is especially important, as swimming with whale sharks became a booming business in recent years.

Boats need to be a certain size, they need to keep a distance from the whale sharks, can’t carry more than 10 people and only two people are allowed in the water at a time. Diving is not allowed and life jackets are mandatory. These are some of the rules put in place to protect the whale sharks and minimize disruption to the animals. Make sure to choose a boat tour operator, that follows all of them and feel free to ask for the license before booking.

I went with Isla Fun Tours, which is one of the best and top-rated tour companies on the island, not only for the whale shark excursion, but others as well. On my first trip to Isla Mujeres, I took a day trip to Isla Contoy with them and loved the experience. That’s why when I knew I wanted to return to the island for the whale shark season, I had no doubts, that Isla Fun Tours would be my choice again. And I was not disappointed.

The entire experience, from start to finish, was amazing. From the safety precautions to the actual whale shark encounters, it was exactly what I hoped it would be.

Book your Swimming with Whale Sharks Tour here.

How early should you book?

I’d say, book as soon as you have your travel dates in order. Especially if you’d like to do it around the full moon and have a specific day in mind.

What is the cost?

The price of the tour is pretty consistent, starts at $125 and up. Some companies offer a discount if you book early. Besides the tour, the price includes snorkeling equipment ( if you don’t have your own ), sandwiches, fresh ceviche and drinks at the end of the tour. Some guides will also take pictures and make videos of you when you’re in the water and you can purchase the footage for an additional fee. The price might vary, with Isla Fun Tours it was $60 USD per couple.

What to avoid

Definitely avoid booking the tour with a company, that is not licensed. If you’re not sure, ask a lot of questions: about the size of the boat, number of people allowed and even to see the actual license. If someone offers you a tour for really cheap or promises whale sharks sightings before the actual season, that’s a red flag. The swimming dates are set by the government and the licensed boats are not allowed to operate until the government releases the permissions to go out each year.

Swimming with the Whale Sharks – what to expect

The tour starts early in the morning, usually around 8-8.30 am. From Isla Mujeres, it’s about 1 hour boat ride to the area where the whale sharks are. It does gets bumpy as you get out in the open water, so if you’re prone to seasickness, take Bonine or Dramamine an hour before. You know you’re getting close when you start seeing other boats and fins of whale sharks sticking out of the water.

Once you get to the spot, people on the boat are divided into groups of 2 and take their turn in the water, together with a guide. The captain positions the boat and communicates with other captains about the animals’ whereabouts, while you sit on the side of the boat with your snorkel gear on and wait for him to say Go. It’s important to be ready and jump in immediately when you hear that. Don’t linger or wait too long or you might miss your chance. Even though the whale sharks move rather slow, you still need to swim pretty fast to keep up with them. The guides are really good about timing to make sure you’re in the water just at the right time when the whale shark approaches.

Once in the water, and the water bubbles clear, you should be close to a whale shark. Swim as fast as you can to keep up with them. Your time in the water depends on how long you’re able to do that. Once the whale sharks swims away, you return to the boat and wait for your next turn. You go in 2 or 3 times, depending on the company, number of people on the boat and whale sharks in the water.

Even though Isla Fun Tours promises 2 trips in the water, our group was able to go in for the 3rd time.

After everyone was done taking their turns in the water, the boat made its way back to Isla Mujeres and anchored near Playa Norte. We got some time to enjoy the beautiful water, while the crew prepared fresh ceviche.

Rules for swimming with the Whale Sharks

Wear a life jacket – no matter how good of a swimmer you are, you are obligated to wear a life jacket while in the water. This also prevents people from trying to swim under the whale sharks.

10 people max allowed on the boat – there’s a limit of 10 people on the boat, plus the crew, which is the captain and the guide, who will be jumping in the water with you.

Only two people in the water at a time – to ensure the most ethical way of swimming with whale sharks, with least disturbance to the animals, only two people are allowed in the water at a time ( plus the guide ).

Don’t touch the whale sharks – this should go without saying, but you’d be surprised how many people need a reminder, that you cannot touch wildlife!!

Keep a proper distance – when you are in the water swimming with the whale sharks, you are asked to stay 5 meters to the side. If you do get too close, the whale shark will not hurt or eat you, but will go to the bottom of the water. And there goes your chance to swim alongside them.

Diving is not allowed – whale sharks stay near the surface, because that’s where the plankton is, that they feed on. That’s why you’ll be able to get up and close to them when you snorkel, there’s no need to dive. And diving below the whale sharks is not allowed anyway.

Don’t use sunscreen – until you’re done being in the water. Since whale sharks feed on the surface, they can ingest toxic ingredients found in sunscreen. Bring a long sleeve shirt and a hat instead to protect yourself from the sun.

Swimming with Whale sharks Tips

Book on your first day on the island – the best time to see whale sharks also happens to be the rainy season in the Yucatán Peninsula, where Isla Mujeres is located. This doesn’t mean, that it will pour every day, but rain is very common, so are thunderstorms. They are usually short lived, followed by sunshine, but if seas are rough due to inclement weather, the boats are not allowed to go out. For that reason, try to book your swimming with whale sharks tour on the front end of your trip. If it gets cancelled due to weather conditions, you can rebook for another day.

Take a seasick medicine – it’s about 1 hour boat ride from Isla Mujeres to the area where whale sharks gather and once the boat hits the open water, it can get rough. A lot people get sick, so taking motion sickness medicine is highly recommended. I usually don’t get sick on boats, but followed the advice, as I really didn’t want to take any chances of ruining this amazing experience by being sick. I personally prefer Bonine over Dramamine, as it makes you way less drowsy.

Bring your own snorkeling gear – even though the tour includes all the gear for you to use, I recommend bringing your own, if you own it. This way you know your mask and fins fit perfectly.

Bring an underwater camera – if you have a GoPro or another underwater camera, bring it!! If you don’t own one, there are a couple of spots on the island, where you can rent it. Many tour operators will also make videos as you swim with the whale sharks, and you can later purchase it for an extra fee.

Tip the crew! – bring extra money to tip the crew at the end of the tour. They really work hard to give you the best experience possible. Wildlife is unpredictable, but they are highly skilled at spotting the whale sharks and timing your jumps, while keeping you and the whale sharks safe!

Things to bring with you

• Snorkeling gear
• Dry bag – this bag will keep your phone and other belongings completely dry during the bumpy and wet boat ride.
• Go Pro
• Rash guard – since sunscreen is not allowed until you done being in the water, you might want to bring a long sleeve shirt or a rash guard to protect your skin from the sun.
• Reef safe sunscreen – to use AFTER you’re done swimming with whale sharks
• Quick dry towel

Swimming with Whale Sharks – is it worth it?

100% YES!! If you love snorkeling and seeing wildlife in their natural environment, this is something not to be missed. Being right next to these beautiful animals, even if just for a short minute, is an amazing and quite a surreal experience. If you have the opportunity to do it, go for it! I promise you won’t regret it! It’s definitely one of the best experiences to have in Mexico.

READ MORE:

• The Ultimate Guide to Isla Mujeres, Mexico
• Renting a golf cart in Isla Mujeres, Mexico
• Swimming with turtles in Akumal, Mexico
• 18 Amazing Things to do in Puerto Escondido, Mexico

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