Swimming with whale sharks, courtesy Viator.com
If you want to swim with whale sharks, now is the time to do it. Cancun’s whale shark season is typically June through September; 2019 dates are June 1 through September 15.
The swimming/viewing area lies between the islands of Holbox and Isla Mujeres which is northeast of Cancun’s Hotel Zone. If you are staying in the Riviera Maya you will have a greater distance to travel to get there which translates to a VERY early morning start. Resorts/hotels/condos located on Isla Mujeres, Holbox (there are no all-inclusive resorts on Holbox), or in Cancun’s Hotel Zone are best suited given early morning tour pickup times. Various tour operators typically pick up paying guests at their hotel/resort/condo and take them to different marina departure points (depending on where in Cancun/Riviera Maya you are staying).
There are a few items to know about whale sharks and rules to follow when swimming with these behemoths:
- whale sharks are not dangerous. While these creatures have approximately 3,000 teeth, they aren’t aggressive towards humans because they cannot eat them–their esophagus is the size of a quarter. They only eat micro-organisms/plankton in great amounts.
- touching whale sharks is prohibited. You must stay a minimum of six feet from the head and 12 feet from the tail when swimming with them.
- whale sharks can grow up to 65 feet in length and weigh more than 12 tons. They are considered to be an endangered species–please respect them.
- you can pay extra for a wetsuit rental for your tour (around $50 USD), but most guests just use the flotation vests which are included in the tour price. Also included are long fins.
Below is an informative video about swimming with whale sharks. While my posting of it is not an endorsement of the particular tour company mentioned in the video, it has some great info on this one-of-a-kind Cancun excursion. Have you done this activity, or would you do it?