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If you’re looking for a bucket list experience in Cancun, I can’t think of anything better than swimming with whale sharks!
The tropical waters around the Riviera Maya area of Mexico are home to an abundance of whale sharks, making Cancun the perfect place to safely observe and swim with these majestic creatures. We are lucky to have done this a few times now and can’t recommend it enough!
To swim with whale sharks here, you’ll need to take a tour, and there is no shortage of options available – but not all whale shark tours are created equal. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to the best whale shark tours in Cancun so that you don’t waste your time or money!
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Tour
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our personal FAVORITE tour is this small group whale shark snorkeling tour which includes all the equipment, an expert captain, and a scrumptious lunch on the beach to round out your trip. You can check out the hundreds of 5-star reviews and book your spot here!
Tips: This is a popular tour during whale shark season from May to September. We advise securing your spot online in advance so you don’t miss out!
The Best Whale Shark Tours in Cancun
1. Budget Whale Shark Tour with Biologist
We love that this eco-friendly, small group tour is limited to 20 people, so you get a more personalized experience with plenty of space to swim and observe the whale sharks!
This full-day tour starts in Cancun where you will jump on a boat and head out to sea in search of the whale sharks. One of my favorite things about this tour is that it has a biologist on board, they know exactly where to go to find the whale sharks and will teach you all about these magnificent creatures.
You’ll get at least two jumps from the boat, and possibly more if time allows. Even though this tour doesn’t guarantee a whale shark sighting, multiple jumps really increase your chances of swimming next to these gentle giants!
This highly rated tour (check out the great reviews here!) is one of the most affordable whale shark tours at only $175 USD without transportation and $189 USD for transportation from your Cancun hotel. This price includes a delicious lunch which will either be served up on a beach on Isla Mujeres or on the boat, depending on the weather and how you’re doing for time. Also, make sure you budget an extra $20 USD cash per person for the environmental fee which must be paid on the day of your tour.
Make sure to bring your swimwear, biodegradable sunscreen, and seasick medication (if needed) for this full day of fun in the sun!
Don’t miss out, book your spot on this popular tour here before it sells out!
Related Read: If you are staying in Tulum, there are also some whale shark tours that depart from Tulum, too!
2. All-Inclusive Whale Shark Tour from Cancun
This whale shark tour is available from May to September and includes a picnic breakfast on the pier, snacks, soft drinks, and delicious ceviche lunch on the beach at Isla Mujeres. It’s truly an all-inclusive experience where you don’t have to worry about a thing!
We did this tour the last time we were in Cancun and we can’t recommend it enough. Our day started with delicious coffee and a light breakfast before heading out on the boat. After about an hour, our guide spotted the first whale shark! We jumped in the water and swam next to it for around 15 minutes. Whale sharks swim quite slowly so it was easy to keep up and swim alongside it – talk about a majestic experience!
Then it was back on the boat and onto the next spot in search of more whale sharks. We spent around 3 hours in the water in total during this tour, and we saw multiple whale sharks, dolphins, colorful fish, and even a manta ray. And with a maximum of only 10 people on the tour, the boat never felt crowded and we didn’t have to snorkel through crowds of people which was a huge bonus!
This tour costs $209 USD per person, plus an extra $15 USD in natural reserve fees which are payable in cash on the day. Hotel pickup and drop-off from Cancun is $10 USD extra, and you can select this option when booking the tour. Also, be sure to bring some extra cash to purchase professional photos at the end if you wish!
Read all of the 5-star reviews and check availability here!
3. Private Eco-friendly Whale shark Tour
Don’t get me wrong, we love group tours, but sometimes it’s nice to go off on your own for more of a VIP experience. When swimming with whale sharks, there is nothing worse than having to swim around other tourists, especially since large numbers of people could potentially scare the whale sharks away. This is why we love this private tour option!
This full-day tour will take your group out on a completely personalized adventure to swim with the whale sharks. You’ll be guided by a biologist who will give you a brief introduction to whale sharks, their habitats, and their behavior. And since it’s only your group on board, you will have more time in the water with the whale sharks, which is a huge bonus!
This tour is more expensive than the other tours on this list, but we think it’s worth it for the experience that you get. Prices vary depending on your group size (maximum 10 people) but start as low as $219 USD per person. This price includes round-trip hotel transportation, your knowledgeable guide, lunch, and snorkeling equipment – which we think is a pretty great deal for a private tour!
Check the availability for this private whale shark tour here!
4. Swim with Whale Sharks and Isla Mujeres Beach Tour
This fantastic whale shark tour offers premium snorkeling equipment, breakfast and lunch, and a visit to Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, which is generally considered to be the island’s best beach – does it get any better than that?
Our friends did this tour recently and had only great things to say about the experience (check out all of the reviews here)! They had such a fun captain who knew exactly where to go to find the whale sharks, and they ended up seeing close to 20 whale sharks from the boat and in the water!
We love that this tour allows you to jump in the water 2-3 times throughout the day, which really increases your chances of swimming with whale sharks (and some other great marine life too if you’re lucky!). At the end of the tour, you’ll get to relax on one of the Yucatan’s nicest beaches while enjoying a ceviche lunch.
Group size is limited to 20 people per boat, making sure things aren’t too crowded. Prices start at $210 USD per person if you meet at the marina in Cancun, or you can choose hotel pick-up for an additional fee. Also, make sure to bring $20 USD cash per person for the dock fee, payable on the day of your tour.
See if this tour is available and secure your spot here!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
About Whale Sharks
Whale sharks are gentle giants, and they can’t bite – they’re actually very large filter-feeder fish that swim slowly and peacefully at around 3 miles (5 kilometers) per hour. This means that it’s super safe and easy to swim alongside them. They also have remarkably long lives, living up to 150 years!
On average, whale sharks grow to be between 5.5-10 meters (18 – 33 feet) long and weigh around 18 metric tonnes, making them the world’s largest fish. Their backs are covered in a mosaic pattern of white spots and stripes, which are unique to each individual – kind of like a fingerprint!
Whale sharks can process up to 6,000 liters of water per hour through their gills. To eat, they draw in large gulps of water, trapping plankton and other small creatures in the filter pads inside their wide mouths.
Whale sharks are also sadly endangered, with a global population that’s thought to be between 200,000-240,000. It’s important to protect them by choosing an environmentally-friendly tour operator (such as the ones we listed above) and respecting the rules when you’re in the water.
How far in advance should you book a Whale Shark tour?
Cancun gets pretty busy during the summer months which is when whale shark season is from May to September. During this time, swimming with whale sharks is a very popular activity, so we highly recommend booking at least a few days in advance to ensure you get a spot on one of the great tours we listed above.
The great thing about booking through Viator is that you can change your booking up to 24 hours before most tours, so if your plans do change, you can always select another date. You can also cancel and get a full refund!
Related Read: While in the area, check out the best restaurants in Cancun!
15. Is swimming with whale sharks in Cancun worth it?
Yes, totally!
Whale sharks are amazing, beautiful creatures and the chance to swim alongside them is really too good to pass up while you’re in Cancun. A whale shark tour is also a great way to explore the Caribbean Sea and visit the beautiful Isla Mujeres.
So if you’re looking for a unique experience while you’re in Cancun, swimming with whale sharks should be at the top of your list of things to do!
Learn more about our favorite whale shark tour in Cancun and check availability here!
Other Activities to do While You’re in Cancun
Don’t let swimming with whale sharks be the only adventure you take in Cancun! I’ve been coming to Cancun since I was a kid and I never get tired of visiting. There are so many fun things to do in Cancun, that will make for an amazing vacay. So if you’re looking for even more activities, check out some of my favorites below!
- Hit the beach – I know it goes without saying that you’ll be spending a few days at some of Cancun’s best beaches! Make sure to vary it up and try a few different beaches while you’re here. Playa Chacmool is a hidden gem in the heart of the Cancun Hotel Zone I love and the sunsets at Playa Gaviota Azul are unreal.
- Tour an underwater museum – Whether you’re snorkeling or scuba diving in Cancun, a visit to MUSA (Underwater Museum of Art) is a must. There are hundreds of sculptures down here and it feels like visiting the Lost City of Atlantis! This snorkeling tour takes you to MUSA along with visits to a shipwreck and a cenote!
- See Mayan ruins – Right in Cancun you can step back in time with visits to El Meco Ruins or the San Miguelito Ruins. Of course, to see some of the most famous Mayan ruins in Mexico, you’ll want to visit Chichen Itza from Cancun. We took this tour of the ruins that included a guide, a stop at a cenote, and lunch!
- Cancun Scenic Tower – As if Cancun wasn’t scenic enough, there’s another way to enjoy the views here! The Cancun Scenic Tower gives you amazing views of the Caribbean! The entire viewing deck lifts up, so you won’t even need to climb any stairs to get this view.
- Eat, eat eat! – Calories don’t count on vacation right? The restaurants in Cancun deliver on amazing food – especially the Mexican restaurants of course. Mextreme has the best tacos and I always order the Aztec soup! If you want to try a bunch of different dishes in an evening – this taco and beer food tour will take you to five popular spots for a fun night you’ll want to arrive hungry for!
Thanks for reading!
Hopefully, this blog has helped you find the right whale shark tour for you and has helped you prepare for what surely will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life!
We have a ton of other blogs about Mexico to help plan your trip including a couple related reads below:
Guide to Visiting Chichen Itza
12 Things to KNOW Before Going Scuba Diving in Cancun