Whale Shark Excursions

[Mattjcurry]

Hi there,

Was wondering if anyone can recommend a Whale Shark tour operator. I would love if we could dive with them, but I know there is no diving in the reserve area where the whale sharks usually are.

I was hoping folks would have some recommendations. We will be in Cozumel the first week of August which I think is the end of Whale Shark season.

Thank you

 

[Shawn C]

Whale Sharks aren't in the vicinity of Cozumel. You'd need to go to Cancun or Isla Mujeres to do the trip. Since most (if not all) of the boats leave around 8am, there's no way you'd be able to make it from Cozumel without spending a night in either Cancun or Isla. The Whale Shark season runs from June 1 to Sept 15 but the odds to see them are much lower at the start and at the end of the season. Usually they say from early July to mid Aug is best.

 

[NDL_Diver]

While what Shawn said is mostly correct, Blue H2O runs a tour out of Cozumel at 0630 and back by ~6:30PM(5 or 6 pm ferry).
From their webpage
" Our Blue H2o guide meets you at 630am and leaves with you on the 7am ferry. We have a shuttle reserved in Playa Del Carmen which transports us to Cancun. We depart from the port in Cancun around 930am to go see the whale sharks. It takes around 1 hr 20 min for the boat to arrive where the whale sharks area. We normally will be on the 5 or 6pm ferry for the return back to Cozumel."

#1 Whale Shark Tours Cozumel,Playa Del Carmen,Cancun-Blue H2o Cozumel

Amazing Swim with Whale Sharks Mexico. Tours from Cozumel, Playa Del Carmen and Cancun. Guaranteed and best price. Tours start June 1 to Sept 17. Plan and book early.

www.blueh2ocozumel.com

 

[Shawn C]

So, possible then. But only if they have enough people (10?) or you are willing to spend a bundle for a private tour. Your boat will be one of the last ones to join the swarm of other boats around the sharks. Perhaps it might not be so bad if many of them leave while your boat is still there.

 

[Brodydog]

It’s been 10 years ago for us but we used scorpiodivers.com and they did a good job. We flew into Cancun, spent the night, did our whale shark tour the next morning and then ferried over to Cozumel later that afternoon to get our week of diving in. It worked out very well for us that way rather than transiting back and forth from Cozumel to Cancun.

 

[springsboy]

We did a snorkel with the whale sharks in Aug of 2022 and we, as a family, agree to not talk about it. From Cozumel you will take a 45min ferry to Isla Mujeres, a 90min bus ride to Cancun, and then many hours to where the whale sharks might be. We were on the boat for 8 hours. Then another bus and ferry ride back. We never saw a whale shark and even if we did it still wasn't worth it to us. It was a horrible experience and very expensive.

 

[Shawn C]

From Cozumel you will take a 45min ferry to Isla Mujeres, a 90min bus ride to Cancun, and then many hours to where the whale sharks might be.

From Cozumel you'll take a ferry to Playa del Carmen, a 90min bus ride to Cancun, and then many hours to where the whale sharks might be.

Fixed it for you. And sorry about your experience!

 

[MAVDZNR]

Take a look at Dressel, I’m planning the same for July, if you get the 7am ferry from CZM then you should be able to do it in time for pickup at Snr Froggs in playa….Prodive also do it and have later Departures on specific days for those coming from Cozumel so they can get to Playa in time for pickup. So far it seems that the 2 ferry operators alternate the days when they run there earlier 7am departure from CZM so there seems to be. 7am ferry every week day

 

[ggunn]

We were on the boat for 8 hours.

I have been on a fishing boat for eight hours without seeing a fish.

 

[Mattjcurry]

If we did our full last day in Cancun or playa del Carmen, does that change things? Is there an operator that would do diving + whale sharks in one trip?