We added swimming with whale sharks to our “bucketlist” a few years ago, but I always thought the only way to experience it was to fly to Southeast Asia. So when we found out that you can also go swimming with whale sharks in Mexico – just a short flight away from the USA, and very close to where we have been living (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) for the past year – we were so excited! And swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres far exceeded our expectations.
What are whale sharks? The whale shark isn’t actually a whale, it’s a shark (an extremely gentle shark) and the biggest fish in the world. Swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico was actually one of our all-time favorite experiences that is definitely worth the trip!
Through our travels, Em and I have tried to experience new things along the way. We’ve loved getting to swim with manatees, dolphins, sharks, and beluga whales, but by far our favorite experience has been swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres. So here are our tips for how to swim with whale sharks in Mexico!
Where to Swim with Whale Sharks in Mexico
There are actually whale sharks off both the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico’s east coast) and off the Baja Peninsula (Mexico’s west coast) at different times of the year. But this post is specifically about our experience and tips for the Isla Mujeres whale shark season.
The Yucatan Peninsula is world famous for its whale sharks that come in the summer months (May-September) to feed on plankton and fish eggs. We heard that the Cancun / Isla Holbox / Isla Mujeres whale sharks are one of the largest concentrations of whale sharks in the world!
Is it best to swim with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox, or Cancun?
Before you throw on your swimsuit and jump on the next plane to Cancun, the first thing to do is decide on the best way to swim with whale sharks in Cancun. When we were researching before our tour, we had a hard time understanding which was the best area to swim with whale sharks in Mexico. So here are some tips!
There are three main areas that east coast Mexico whale shark tours leave from: mainland Cancun, Isla Mujeres (a 20-minute ferry from Cancun), and Isla Holbox (a 3-hour drive from Cancun and then a ferry). And (spoiler alert!!!) the interesting thing we heard is that no matter if you want to swim with whale sharks in Cancun, Isla Mujeres, or Isla Holbox – there’s a good possibility you will see the exact same whale sharks! ;) All three locations generally go to the same area, but we heard that Isla Holbox whale shark tours sometimes see a couple whale sharks on their way to this spot and will stop in greenish, not as clear of water.
So after doing some research, we chose to swim with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres because:
- It is a beautiful island
- It is a very accessible island
- It is often the closest starting location to the whale sharks
The Best Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours
After you decide to swim with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, the next thing is to choose one of the many companies that have Isla Mujeres whale shark tours!
We’ve only gone swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres once, but we can’t recommend the company Sea Hawk enough. Not only were they some of the nicest people (the business is family-owned and we got to meet Ariel, Bonnie, and Leira), but also the whole experience was absolutely incredible. Ariel started the business 30 years ago after diving off Isla Mujeres for years, and he chose an amazing location.
Sea Hawk is an extremely short walk from one of the best beaches we have ever been to! It was awesome getting to walk to the beach, shower, eat, and go right back to the beach! Sea Hawk also has accommodations on location so we spent the weekend at the Sea Hawk Suites. They even include beach chairs for their guests.
On the day of the Isla Mujeres whale shark dive you can just wake up, have some breakfast right there, and start getting your gear. I would definitely suggest bringing along a GoPro or some sort of underwater camera, but if you don’t have one, you can rent one from them for $20 (just remember to bring your own micro SD card).
What is it like to swim with whale sharks in Mexico?
Then there was the actual experience of swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres! We hoped we’d see even just one whale shark, but ended up seeing close to 50! It’s hard to picture just how big the whale sharks are until you are in the water right next to them! It can seem a little intimidating swimming so close to such a massive animal, but they are actually just gentle giants. (Their mouths are huge, but we were told that their esophagus are small so there is no way that you will accidentally end up like Jonah in the Bible =)
On the day we went, we were completely surrounded by whale sharks. We didn’t really even have to swim – one would swim by us and before we knew it there would be two more! Tyto, our guide, did an incredible job of letting us know where to look for the next whale sharks swimming by (and answering our million questions about whale sharks – he was really knowledgeable). It was amazing to see these animals swimming around in their natural habitat, and we were even fortunate enough to have a few stop and pose for us vertically! On the way back, Sea Hawk provided drinks, sandwiches, and freshly made ceviche on the boat – and we also stopped at a reef for some snorkeling before heading back to the island! It was an awesome day and one of our all-time favorite experiences.
What to Expect for an Isla Mujeres Whale Sharks Swim
Prior to snorkeling with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, Em and I didn’t want to get our hopes up. We would have been happy if we even saw just one whale shark. Through traveling, we’ve learned that setting accurate expectations is the best way to enjoy an experience. So here are some helpful things to keep in mind before you swim with Isla Mujeres whale sharks!
No matter which one of the Isla Mujeres whale shark tours you choose and which area you leave from, even if you plan everything perfectly, the entire experience is dependent on wild animals and weather (two very unpredictable factors). Every day is a different experience, so it is best to set your expectations low and be amazed.
How many whale sharks will you see?
Our guide Tyto told us that some days the Isla Mujeres whale shark tours don’t see much of anything, and on their best day they saw more than 400 whale sharks! Generally, the Isla Mujeres whale sharks season is best in July and August, so try to can time your travels around if you can!
Then, there is the weather. If it is too windy, none of the tour companies are allowed to leave the harbor and all the tours on the island are cancelled. This happened to us the first two days that we tried to go. In a way, it’s a blessing they cancel for bad weather because you are usually out about 20 miles at sea and I would not want to be out there in a storm! But I would suggest to book your Isla Mujeres whale shark tour early in your trip just in case there is bad weather and it gets pushed to another day. The boat can be sitting in the same place for more than two hours in the rocking waves, and we’ve heard that even some people who grew up on boats still got sick on choppy days. I highly recommend taking some dramamine and praying for a clear, sunny day (haha I don’t do the best on rocking boats, but on the day that we went it was as smooth as glass)!
How much time will you get to swim with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres?
Fortunately, in this area the whale sharks are protected and tours are regulated. This ensures the safety of the whale sharks and keeps them coming back. Tour companies are only allowed to have two people (plus the guide) in the water at a time.
This wasn’t a problem at all for us because Sea Hawk takes a maximum of only 10 customers on board the boat, and there were so many whale sharks, but we were glad we knew that in advance. The amount of time you actually get to swim with the whale sharks depends on the size of your group and the number of whale sharks there are that day. Again, the Isla Mujeres whale sharks season goes from May-September, but if you are there in July or August you will likely see more whale sharks!
Also, as of 2019, the government mandated that every customer must wear life jackets in the water. This helps protect the whale sharks from being bombarded by diving tourists. But it also means that you can’t dive down to get a different perspective. (But if your guide is as cool as ours, than you might be able to ask him to dive down and take some picts for you! ;)
Final Tips for Swimming with Whale Sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico
So to sum up this post:
- One of the most incredible, must-do experiences
- Set low expectations and take sea sickness pills
- Go in July or August if you can, and schedule your dive early in your trip (in case it gets postponed due to bad weather)
- Bring an underwater camera
- Have fun!
If you end up swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres after reading our post, reach out and let us know! And check out our other Mexico travel guides if you want more tips for the best things to do in Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, day trips from Playa del Carmen, and the rest of the Yucatan Peninsula!
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