Cancún · WHALE SHARK SWIMS
The season runs roughly mid-May to mid-September and the boats need a permit — outside those months nothing here runs. These 15 are compared on group size, how many swims you get, the ninety-minute crossing, and what happens if the animals do not show.
Small-group whale shark snorkeling from Isla Mujeres. $155. May to Sept. Gear, snacks and lunch included, with certified guides and real wildlife.
“Aidan and Charlie were incredible. The captain put us on the whale shark and the guide got us in position to view it. They gave very clear instructions on what to expect and what to do in the water. It resulted in an epic experience for all.”
Swim with whale sharks on a small-group morning trip from Cancun, Isla Mujeres, and the Riviera Maya, with lunch and hotel pickup.
“Swimming alongside a whale shark is incredible. It’s such a big and beautiful animal! This tour company is very communicative. I received a reminder the night before the tour and a message the morning of. I have dietary needs, and they were very responsive before the tour, through the app, letting me know food options. There was a hiccup in that 2 of us needed a veggie option, though I’m unsure if the other participant had let them know ahead of time. There was one veggie sandwich (cucumbers, lettuce on wheat bread) and one pasta salad (light flavored - I don’t remember what was in it.) the other passenger didn’t…”
Swim with whale sharks off the Yucatan on a small-group 8-hour tour from Cancun or Riviera Maya, with hotel pickup and lunch.
“You have a lot of fun but you are only swimming with the whale sharks for a short time. Be sure to kick your feet as fast as you can to keep pace with the shark!”
Swim with whale sharks near Cancun, then relax at Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres with ceviche, snacks, and hotel pickup.
“The whale sharks did not disappoint and neither did our crew. Nice facility in Punta Juarez and friendly crew. The day was awful though and we had thunderstorms and showers and a few got seasick and it was a miserable 1 hr journey out to the whale sharks. Once there, our guys handled like pros and we all got in for great videos and pics with the big creatures and it was a flurry of sprint swimming to keep up. Glad we did it, but really wish it would have been on another day with better weather.”
Cancun whale shark snorkel with EcoColors Tours. Small groups, naturalist guides, Isla Contoy reserve, plus Isla Mujeres swimming and ceviche lunch.
“Staff were amazing, Naara very helpful, organised and in control all day ensuring everything ran smoothly . The guide who came in the water with me was fabulous I saw some amazing views of the whale sharks which was down to him. I had waited 30 years to do this trip as I was too scared to take an opportunity on my honeymoon in the Maldives .I have always regretted not having the courage to do it, so this was a big tick off my bucket list💕 Advice -you defo need to take anti sickness medication it is a very rough trip, avoid breakfast. 4 passengers ill on our boat.…”
Half-day Cancun whale shark snorkeling with responsible viewing, hotel pickup, Playa Norte time in Isla Mujeres, and ceviche.
“This is nature, and there is no guarantee. I went on the whale shark tour on Monday, but we did not succeed in getting a chance to swim with the sharks. We got close, but nature was not cooperating. At least we got to have lunch at a beautiful beach with warm, turquoise water. Contoy and Viator helped me rebook the tour for another try to see these amazing creatures, and I was not disappointed. I really appreciated that Contoy stuck to the rules set up to protect these whale sharks (limits on sunscreen use, only two swimmers allowed in the water with the guide at a time, only short…”
Swim with whale sharks from Isla Mujeres, then snorkel a coral reef and end with ceviche and beer at North Beach on a small boat.
“Had a great experience with this crew. Put us right on the whale sharks, and manta rays. There were so many in the area it made finding them easy. At the end of the trip we anchored off N. beach, swam and had fresh made ceviche. The trip was a 10/10 for me.”
Swim with whale sharks near Cancún, enjoy gear and a safety briefing, then relax with lunch on Isla Mujeres in a small group.
“Décevant le guide n’a fait aucun effort d’écoute et de compréhension vis à vis de nos différents demandes aux cours de la journée. La visite avec les requins baleines s’effectue pas groupe de deux personnes ce qui laisse peu de possibilités de savourer le moment. Le repas servis sur place dans le bateau et totalement irrespectueux vis à vis du prix que nous avons laissé ( servi dans un petit pots avec 3 chips et un véhicule) je déconseille fortement”
Private whale shark snorkeling from Cancun with a biologist guide, round-trip Hotel Zone pickup, included gear and lunch, and a clean, ecofriendly approach.
“Fantastic trip! We were lucky enough to swim twice with a magnificent whale shark; although we did jump in a third time, but I didn’t see the whale shark. :)”
Snorkel with whale sharks off Isla Mujeres on a 6-hour small-group outing. Dock fees, gear, and food included, May to Sept.
“Treffpunkt ist bei Dock 3, nehmt vorher etwas gegen Seekrankheit auch wenn ihr damit normalerweise keine Probleme habt und lange Ärmel helfen gegen Sonnenbrand”
Small-group Isla Mujeres whale shark and manta ray snorkeling with guided rotations, ceviche lunch, and a 10-person boat in May-Sept.
“The overall experience was wonderful. The ocean was gorgeous and the captain and tour guide were both very helpful. I'm an anxious person by nature though, and this sort of this was too much for me. I swallowed a lot of sea water and panicked when I got in the water at first. I more or less paid for the boat ride out and a tummy ache. Smarter people than I would probably know better than to try swimming with whale sharks with extreme anxiety. I'm still glad I did it.”
Snorkel with whale sharks near Cancun on a max-10 tour with breakfast, Isla Mujeres food, and included photos and video moments.
“This was an AMAZING experience!!! I highly recommend Kay Tours especially Cedric and Nester were awesome guides and boat operators. They made my 10-year old daughter feel comfortable and gave the rest of us (3 adults) a great experience. It was a great day and we saw many whale sharks.”
Whale shark snorkel near Isla Contoy from Cancun with small-group swims, reef time by Isla Mujeres, and a Playa Norte beach stop plus transport.
“Our captain and guide were amazing the whole day. They took us out we swam with the beautiful whale sharks and enjoyed the day to its fullest.”
Isla Mujeres whale shark tour for up to 10: 8am swim, ceviche and guacamole lunch, and North Beach or El Farrito snorkeling.
“Great Company. Loved Capt. Angel’s ability to get us close in and lived Walters’s ceviche and photos! The boat ride out to the area CAN BE ROUGH, so be sure to take their advice and take Dramamine the night BEFORE your trip.”
Private whale shark snorkeling from Cancun with your own boat, snorkel gear included, and a relaxed Isla Mujeres lunch.
“This was a wonderful experience for our family. We each got in the water with the whale sharks multiple times. The extra cost of the private tour was well worth the price. If we had been in a much larger group, we would only have been able to get in the water twice at most and may not have been able to see the animals nearly as well. We got some cool video of the experience as well! Captain Pablo and Guide Carlos were informative and attentive. We accidentally left our shoes on the boat, and Pablo personally delivered them to our hotel after the tour. It was great, and…”
On the water, under it, inland, or after dark.
