Swimming with Whale Sharks in Mexico

Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Recommended by Brodi of Our Offbeat Life

How do I know it’s ethical?

Snorkeling with whale sharks is one of the more ethical ways to engage with wild animals because if they don’t want to be there, then they can simply swim away. In Isla Mujeres, the Mexican government takes extra precautions to help protect the whale sharks.

Some of these extra protections include: 

• The area where whale sharks tend to congregate has been an aquatic national park since 2000. 
• Park rangers patrol the area in boats to ensure that neither tourists nor tour operators are close to the whale sharks. 
• If the rangers find any illegal or inappropriate behaviors, the entire tour boat and its passengers are removed from the park and their tour is canceled.
• Sunscreen and other chemicals are not permitted in the national park. Tour operators tell you this on arrival at the boat docks and don’t allow passengers to apply sunscreen on the boats. 
• Each visitor is only allowed to snorkel with the whale sharks twice. In addition, snorkelers are only permitted to swim in pairs, in addition to the tour guide. This limits the number of people in the water at any given time, so the whale sharks are not overly stressed. 

Description of the Experience

A typical whale shark snorkeling tour includes breakfast at the dock before you depart, two rounds of pairs swimming with the whale sharks, and a stop at Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres for fresh ceviche and some swimming. 

Take sunscreen to apply to your face after leaving the whale sharks, so you don’t get sunburned at the beach! It is not in the national park, so reef-safe sunscreen is permitted. 

Snorkeling with whale sharks is exhilarating. To maximize your day, make sure to follow the rules set by the tour operator. They are for your protection as well as that of the whale sharks. They are gentle giants, but if you get too close to the tail then you might get injured as they swim.

Some other travel tips for whale shark snorkeling productively include:

• Invest in long sleeve rash guards instead of sneaking sunscreen onto your skin before you arrive at the boat dock. 
• Check the cancellation policy before you book. Some companies don’t offer refunds if you go out and don’t see any whale sharks. 
• Read their reviews. Make sure they haven’t gotten bad reviews for not enforcing the national park rules for their passengers. 
• While staying on Isla Mujeres is easier, you can also find reliable companies to pick up passengers in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or even Tulum.

For many people, a whale shark snorkeling excursion is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t book the cheapest company for an outing like this. Do your research and find an ethical company with a good reputation. The last thing you want is for your tour to be canceled without a refund due to unethical practices by the boat crew or your fellow passengers. 

Company/ Cost: 

Company: Eco Tours Adventure

Cost: $199 for anyone over age 5. Discounts are usually offered to people who book the first or last few weeks of the whale shark snorkeling season.

Save This Post For Later

This is one post on a series of ethical animal tourism posts by travel content creators. The experiences cover all seven continents and a variety of animals. Ensure that your animal experience is an ethical one.

Discover more experiences