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Whale Shark Swimming in Isla Mujeres and Cancun: Experience Wildlife in their Natural Habitat
4.8
956 Ratings
Isla Mujeres
Swim with whale sharks in their natural habitat in Isla Mujeres and Cancun. Experience the adventure of a lifetime from May to September. Transportation, guide, gear, lunch, and drinks included!
Swim with whale sharks in their natural habitat in Isla Mujeres and Cancun. Experience the adventure of a lifetime from May to September. Transportation, guide, gear, lunch, and drinks included!
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Pemex - Experience swimming alongside the largest fish on the planet on a whale shark snorkeling adventure, explore the caribbean sea in the search for whale sharks in their own habitat while spotting dolphins, manta rays and flying fish jumping and thriving along the way.
From June to September hundreds of whale sharks congregate north side ofâŠ
-
Pemex - Experience swimming alongside the largest fish on the planet on a whale shark snorkeling adventure, explore the caribbean sea in the search for whale sharks in their own habitat while spotting dolphins, manta rays and flying fish jumping and thriving along the way.
From June to September hundreds of whale sharks congregate north side of Isla Mujeres forming the largest whale shark congregation in the world!. On this trip, you will have the chance to experience swimming alongside of whale sharks⊠the thrill that comes from snorkeling so close of the largest fish in the sea is just something you will never forget!
After a 50 minutes boat ride aprox we will get to the area, once you reach the whale shark area you will snorkeling and swimming with the whale sharks; 2 people per turn accompanied by a certified guide at all times, Our idea is that you enter the water 2 times, however, it all depends on the sea conditions, how many sharks there are and your own swimming skills. Theyâre not trained or caged and you go to visit their home. You also donât feed them so thereâs no way to guarantee that we will find the whale sharks out there, even though we have a high success rate.
Join us
What's Included
- Carbonated beverages
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Snacks
- All Fees and Taxes
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Carbonated beverages
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Snacks
- All Fees and Taxes
- Use of snorkeling equipment
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic beverages
- GoPro files (available to purchase)
- Transportation On Isla Mujeres
- Alcoholic beverages
- GoPro files (available to purchase)
- Transportation On Isla Mujeres
Additional Information
This splendid adventure, which only takes place between May and September, offers a genuinely unforgettable experience as you swim alongside whale sharks - a truly once in a lifetime journey.
Our 32-foot boat is built to ensure a calm and comfortable ride, even in rough seas.
The package includes transportation, an English-speaking guide, snorkelingâŠ
This splendid adventure, which only takes place between May and September, offers a genuinely unforgettable experience as you swim alongside whale sharks - a truly once in a lifetime journey.
Our 32-foot boat is built to ensure a calm and comfortable ride, even in rough seas.
The package includes transportation, an English-speaking guide, snorkeling equipment, a light meal, and refreshments.
The primary aim of our expedition is to locate and swim with the whale sharks. While our team puts in their maximum effort to accomplish this, do keep in mind that this takes place in the creaturesâ natural surroundings, not a controlled park. They are not domesticated or confined, and we are guests in their home. We do not feed them either, so thereâs no certainty that we will encounter the whale sharks, even though our success rate is high.
- Not recommended for people who get seasick easily
- Sunscreen use is not allowed in the whale shark area; we recommend wearing a long-sleeve shirtâ
Location
Black pearl
Abasolo
From Isla Mujeres: Black Pearl dock in downtown, behind Perla Negra Store.
From Cancun: Punta Sam Ferry terminal
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(956 Ratings)
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F3587hgbethl
Oct 10, 2025
Once in a lifetime experience! - Pluses: Team was amazing, this was a whole day experience, swimming with the whale sharks, then off to snorkel at a different spot, then a delicious ceviche lunch ( made by the captain. The experience in the water with the whale sharks was an incredible experience. The guide and captain ensured we got a great view and experience . The guide documented the activity and then sold us the video at the end of the trip. So glad I did this once in a lifetime experience. We got two opportunities in the water. There were 10 of us on the boat. Small snacks, water and beer were provided. The crew was very personable and we were given good information about the whale sharks and safety information on the way to the site. Worth the cost
Delta's: (Changes) : Of course you cannot be guaranteed to see the whale sharks, luckily we ended up seeing many in one spot, but there were soooo many boats converged on the same spot. It takes about 90 minutes plus to get out into the open ocean where the whale sharks are. Once the sharks are spotted , it's GO time, everything goes very quickly and it felt very rushed , a lot to remember, you are jumping several feet off the boat into the water a bit nerve wracking.
Remember to take your own snacks if you have dietary restrictions, it's a long day. Take Dramamine if you have motion sickness it's a long day on the water to be uncomfortable. Take as little on the boat as you can , space is at a premium. It is not a big boat and NO bathroom. Just do it, don't overthink it, you will have an amazing experience !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Danan881
Sep 29, 2025
Awesome Experience! - I have always wanted to see the whale sharks and this did not disappoint! The boat ride out takes a little bit of time and it can get bumpy, so prepare if you tend to get sea sick!
Once we got to the area, it was a bit crazy with all the other boats, but the crew told us exactly what to do and what to expect! Once we were in the water, seeing these magnificent creatures is a memory you will never forget! We got to make 2 trips into the water and got great views both times!
Once we loaded back up, we got some great home made ceviche and it was so fresh!
Thanks for a lifelong memory!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Danielleru5015mc
Sep 16, 2025
Once in a lifetime - I absolutely loved this experience!! I had such a great time with the whale sharks! They were so cool! Definitely one of the best experiences I've ever had! Really hoping I get the videos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Craigj212
Sep 14, 2025
Chance of a life time! Bucket list item â
- What an amazing day.
Start with a small negative, there are more boats in the area of the sharks than a Walmart car park, itâs a popular spot for sure, that means there are more bodies in the water and you may find yourself being kicked or someone swims directly in front of you and you see a land whale not a whale shark.
That said, itâs all positive from here in. Tranfers, staff, tours guide, boat captain and skipper were/are amazing. Very diligent, patient and grateful from start to finish, faultless. Diana is an amazing guide.
The bus journey there wasnât too long, we did have a couple collections/drop offs. The bus was cool with the AC and we could help ourselves to water and snacks.
Cancun harbour was lovely, mash potato sand, as the wife calls it and there is a gift / snack / clothes shop there that has everything you need.
The boat journey takes about an hour but youâre busy panning the horizon looking for everything and nothing, it can be choppy mind.
The sharks were majestic, we came pretty close too down to 5ft in places, the manta were equally as amazing too, they were even closer. We paid for a GoPro to record the footage, didnât want to damage my phone (even with the water case one) you get to keep the micro SD card.
Isla Mujeres is like paradise! A good little place to stop with authentic buffet food and a few nick nack shops.
I highly recommend this, even if you are thalassophobic (scared of the ocean) you are in for 10 minutes at thee most and never more than a few meters away from any vessel in case of an emergency.
A very very good day out
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ilijam89
Sep 13, 2025
Amazing Whale Shark adventures - It was amazing. Lolo and Felipe did great job. Also they prepared delicious food for the lunch. They are the best. They provide transfer to marina and then back to the hotel. If you want good experience and want to feel good during the tour choose these agency. Thank you one more time for amazing experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aidan
Sep 12, 2025
Great! - We had a great time, it is an hour and a half on the boat then you are at a hotspot for the whale sharks. I guess we saw in total 8 or 10 whale sharks and in the water we saw maybe 4. The guides (Felipe and Lolo) were very friendly and they want to make sure you see the whale sharks. We also saw a Manta ray! If you are in doubt, just do it, it is worth overcoming the fear!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Inspiration632875
Sep 12, 2025
Best Tour Ever! - Our whale shark tour with Isla Fun Tours was amazing! Felipe and Lola were fun, excellent in their safety briefing, and did a fantastic job finding these beautiful animals and giving each of us time in the water with them. This was a bucket list item for us and it was a great birthday gift to my husband. Thank you so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Arturohm9401pd
Sep 9, 2025
Unforgettable - It was an unforgettable experience swimming with the whale shark! We managed to do this with up to two different sharks and with the guidance of the instructor it was very easy to swim one meter away from these majestic creatures. The stop at North Beach was also very pleasant.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H3021qvthomasw
Sep 7, 2025
Dreamlike - Incredibly beautiful experience swimming with the whale sharks. With a little luck, you can get very close to these gigantic animals. The time you are with the animals is unfortunately very limited, but understandable as many boats are with the animals at the same time and everyone wants to have a look.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifer_m
Sep 9, 2025
Once in a lifetime experience - The opportunity to see and swim with whale sharks was a once in a lifetime experience. They were pretty amazing to see when they came up near the surface and they were massive.I am nervous about swimming with big fish but our guide Filipe was so helpful in making me feel safe and comfortable by guiding me in the right direction. It is definitely worth doing but people should be aware of a couple things to ensure your expectations will be met. It is a long boat ride (1 hours and a half to 2 hours) to get to the location where the whale sharks are and about the same to return plus a snorkeling and cerveche stop. There is not a lot of time comparatively spent swimming with the whale sharks. Each person is allowed to swim a maximum of 2 times and only for a couple of minutes each time. You should be aware there is no toilet on the boat and no place to go for about 6 hours. Make sure you go before you board. It was a little confusing at the end of our tour as the driver and guide left somewhere when we stopped in CancĂșn to drop off other passengers. We ended up switching boats and accidentally left a hotel towel behind. The next day a representative of Isla Fun Tours dropped it off to me at the hotel I was staying at which I thought was above and beyond service.
Review provided by Viator
