Ultimate Guide to Swim with Whale Sharks in Cancun

Swimming and snorkeling with the Whale Sharks in Cancun and Isla Mujeres is one of the best tours available in the summer in Cancun and Riviera Maya.

By booking directly with us, you guarantee your spot directly with the operator, not a travel agency. We own and operate all of our whale shark boats.

Top things to Know about Cancun Whale Shark Tours

When is the whale shark season in cancun?

The official whale shark season in Cancun runs from June to September, being July and August the best time to swim with whale sharks. Experience one of the biggest whale shark migrations in the world!

Where Is the Whale Shark Snorkel Area?

The Whale Shark snorkel tour that we offer is inside the Federal Protected Area Known as Reserva De La Biosfera Del Tiburon Ballena, to get the permits to work in this area all of our crew have to take several courses and exams and all of our boats have to have double off-board engines and be in perfect conditions to get the certification for this activity in order to keep up the standards for you. We prepare this from a couple of months before your arrival in order to give you the best Whale Shark experience.

Why are the Whale Sharks in Cancun in this season?

Whale Sharks visit the Caribbean every year following the black tuna migration, once you get to the Whale Shark Snorkeling Area you will be able to see some kind of oil on the surface, this is the best sign to know that we are entering the Whale Shark Area. Caribbean waters have the perfect conditions during summer to gather one of the biggest whale shark migrations in the world, in a regular day you will be able to see more than 100 Whale sharks in the area, on a good day this number can go up to 400!

Do we have to stay in Isla Mujeres for the Whale Shark Snorkel tour?

Not at all, but we can pick you up from Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres on our way out!

Is the whale shark area too crowded?

The truth is that there are more than 300 boats with permits for this activity, so yes, It can get crowded on peak times, we recommend you search for an operator that can go early in the morning so you can be with the whale sharks before the all the boats arrive.

Can you swim with whale sharks without a life jacket?

TThe whale shark area requires a flotation device, which can be a life jacket or a wetsuit. However, in order to use a wetsuit, the operator might require you to have scuba diving or free diving certification. For example, in Solo Buceo Cancun Whale Shark Tours, they only let you use wetsuit if you book a private charter trip, since the rule states that to use a wetsuit instead of 2 in the water at the time it can only be one snorkeler, and this has to be done outside of the main area (where all the boats are).

Does weather affect the Whale Sharks?

This is not an easy question, weather might affect where the food for the whale shark is located, which means that the whale shark will move following the water that contains the nutrients. However is very likely that we find whale sharks in the area during the season.

Some aditional advice:

If you have a group or have a chance to book a private trip, do it, this is totally worth it. Imagine that those additional spots you are paying is extra time that you get in the water with the whale sharks, since you will not be switching with the whole rest of the passengers (up to 10) in a regular trip.
Be careful who you book with, there are A LOT of travel agencies and websites that promote whale shark tours in Cancun, however, they will resell these spots to the operators, and normally they will book you with the cheapest one so they can get a commission. On the other hand, if you book directly with the operator, you will be sure that you will get exactly what you are paying for.
Always take a seasickness pill so you can enjoy the trip.