Cancun Whale Shark Recommendations?

[Kharon]

I am thinking about going to Cancun for a week to snorkel with whale sharks. Any recommendations (for or against) operators and time of year to go would be appreciated. This trip would be specifically for the whale shark experience. Any diving or other activities would be secondary.

 

[Diverspoint]

Whaleshark snorkeling season officially runs from mid-May until mid-September. We have a shop in Puerto Morelos, and we sell these tours.

We never sell in May and September, and in June we will only start selling until we have confirmation they have been seen 3 days in a row. After mid August we stop selling the tour the first day they we not seen.

In May and September there is NO guarantee you will see them, so try to come from June until August. The chance is just better then, and after being disappointed by not seeing them, then not getting your money back is double disappointment.

Some operators allow alcohol on the boats after the snorkeling, others do not. As far as I know all provide lunch, some better then others

The trips also run from Holbox, but that boatride is much longer, and the total time for the trip is much lunger, as they all go to the same area north-east from Cancun. And if there are whalesharks close to Holbox the water is very brown (gulf), as opposed to closer to Cancun (Caribbean).

Not sure if there will be any changes in rules for the coming season yet, it is too early for that.

 

[Kharon]

Thanks for your reply. Looks like I should plan for summer 2017. Too early to do anything definite now because airline reservations can't be made more than 11 months out. Once I get a reservation I will contact you and book.

 

[A Biondo]

Hi there,

I've been going to the area for many years now and run tours.
This year we have two weeks in July (9-16 and 16-23). It's a package that includes all your transfers, accommodations, the whale shark encounters and some meals.

Check it out if you're interested in making it happen this year!
You can read all about it here: Whale Sharks | PangeaSeed Co.

 

[mmmbelows]

I am thinking about going to Cancun for a week to snorkel with whale sharks. Any recommendations (for or against) operators and time of year to go would be appreciated. This trip would be specifically for the whale shark experience. Any diving or other activities would be secondary.

One tip is watch the weather, don't book for the 1st couple of days after a storm or bad weather, the rainy bad weather disperses the whale sharks food on the surface, takes a few days of sunny days to get the food back on the surface and for the whale sharks to come back up to eat it. Sometimes it seems like lack of whale sharks equals more mantas, and vice versa.

 

[Reidkon]

I recommend doing the whale shark trip from Isla Mujeres. If you've never been you may enjoy it for a few days. It is quiet, laid back and their are some nice beaches on the north end. The basic mode of transportation is the golf cart. The diving is not bad either, although definitely not comparable to Cozumel.
We did the whale shark trip with Captain Tony and were not disappointed. After snorkeling with the sharks he took us back to Isla Contoy for a barbecue and more snorkeling. On the way back to Isla Mujeres he asked if any of us were interested in doing some more snorkeling and my wife and I eagerly agreed. He took us to another shallow reef, some distance from shore where we saw huge plate corals and schools of fish. We did not stay too long because my wife and I were the only ones who wanted to snorkel and we felt bad about leaving the rest of the group bobbing about on the boat.

We have been to Isla Mujeres twice and plan on going back some day, not so much for the diving, but for the whale sharks and the atmosphere. There are lots of Americans and Canadians who call it home now.

 

[JFS]

We do whale shark tours starting July 1 - Sept 15 every year. If you are in Cozumel, Playa Del Carmen or Cancun , no problem.
Cozumel Scuba and Whale Shark Tour Experts - Blue H2o Cozumel

 

[Big Animal Diver]

Hi Kharon,
Lots of good advice on this thread already from other operators. Here are a couple more things to consider:

Its wise to base yourself on Isla Mujeres so that you are as close to the whale shark aggregation as possible. Literally hundreds of boats show up from Cancun each day so it is important to get to the whale shark grounds early! We go with the first handful of boats that leave the island around 7:30am or as soon as our group has had breakfast. Once we find the sharks, we usually have an hour or two with the big aggregation before the 'armada' starts to arrive from Cancun.
Fortunately, the day boats don't stay very long. By noon or so, the boats start thinning out again and by 1:30 or 2pm our boats are often the last ones still enjoying the sharks. That gives our guests lots of freedom and lots of opportunities to get great images, watch natural behaviours, etc.

Its hard to predict which days will have the most whale sharks. As previously mentioned, the weather plays a part but in summer most days are sunny and calm. And, you can't really schedule a vacation around the weather anyway. Many operators swear by the full moon. This makes sense because the tuna that lay the eggs that the whale sharks feed on, tend to spawn on the full moon. Whale sharks can be plentiful all month long but it doesn't hurt to play the odds.

Finally, be wary of boats that pack on single day tourists from the mainland. I think its great that everyone gets to swim with the sharks but the single-day tourists usually all wear compulsory life jackets in the water which leads to a lot of splashing and dive masters literally dragging them along to keep up with the sharks. They also are more likely to get seasick and ask the boat to return to shore early. Not a good boat for avid whale shark snorkelers!

To find out lots more info on snorkelling with whale sharks please visit our site: Whale Shark diving at Isla Mujeres, Cancun, Mexico. Whaleshark snorkeling

 

[Kharon]

Thank you everyone. The information is really helpful.

 

[mmmbelows]

Its wise to base yourself on Isla Mujeres so that you are as close to the whale shark aggregation as possible. Literally hundreds of boats show up from Cancun each day so it is important to get to the whale shark grounds early! We go with the first handful of boats that leave the island around 7:30am or as soon as our group has had breakfast. Once we find the sharks, we usually have an hour or two with the big aggregation before the 'armada' starts to arrive from Cancun.
Fortunately, the day boats don't stay very long. By noon or so, the boats start thinning out again and by 1:30 or 2pm our boats are often the last ones still enjoying the sharks. That gives our guests lots of freedom and lots of opportunities to get great images, watch natural behaviours, etc.

Are up comparing a $2000 whale shark trip versus a $150 one????