Cancun Whale Shark Experience with Snorkel & Transportation





Description
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure featuring the majestic whale sharks, world’s biggest fish. Take advantage of this seasonal phenomenon to get as close as possible to the fascinating creatures that migrate to the Cancun coasts every summer. The eco-friendly, small-group tour starts with a convenient hotel pickup available from most hotels. Arrive at Puerto Juarez and enjoy a light breakfast before boarding the speedboat that will take you close to Isla Contoy to admire and swim with the amazing Whale Shark. Get your camera ready as you approach the impressive whale sharks swimming near the surface gracefully. Better yet, prepare your life jacket and snorkel, and jump into the Caribbean waters following your guide. Swim after the stunning whale shark while maintaining safe distance, observing as the giant fish drifts forward. After two hours of sighting and two immersions, make a brief stop at Playa Norte and swim in one of the best beaches in the Mexican Caribbean.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit this paradisiacal island in the Mexican Caribbean, you'll have free time to explore and experience its food, crafts, and local culture, as well as its wonderful, world-renowned beaches.
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure featuring the majestic whale sharks, world’s biggest fish. Swim and snorkel at a safe distance, allowing you to admire the graceful giants from nearby. After your experience, snorkel on the reef close to Isla Mujeres and enjoy a delicious fish or shrimp ceviche. Following a convenient hotel pickup, cruise out to open waters near Isla Contoy. A light breakfast and fresh ceviche are served on the boat. Once the main activity has been completed, make a brief stop at stunning Playa Norte Beach on Isla Mujeres.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please contact us in advance to confirm your exact pickup time and location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Whale shark sightings are highly likely during the season, but as these are wild animals in their natural habitat, sightings cannot be 100% guaranteed.
- For safety and environmental protection, touching the whale sharks or interfering with their natural behavior is strictly prohibited.
- Participants will complete up to two guided whale shark swimming immersions depending on weather and ocean conditions.
- This tour takes place in open ocean waters, so moderate waves and boat movement should be expected. It is highly recommended for guests prone to motion sickness to take precautions before the tour.
- The whale shark encounter is weather-dependent and may be modified or canceled by the harbor master due to unsafe sea conditions.
- Participants must know how to swim comfortably in open water to fully enjoy the snorkeling activity.
- Life jackets are mandatory during all snorkeling and whale shark swimming activities.
- The boat ride to the whale shark area may take approximately 1 hour depending on weather conditions and whale shark location on the day of the tour.
- Marine life visibility and snorkeling conditions may vary depending on weather, currents, and sea conditions on the day of the activity.
Reviews(24)
I think its important to go into this knowing that you may not see any whale sharks and this was the case on my trip. The tour guides can't control nature and how the currents flow that could mess with their eating patterns. This was an all time dream experience of mine, so walking away not seeing any knowing this was an expensive excursion was definitely a disappointment, but again not the fault of the tour operators. Also, it was the very first week of whale season that I went, this probably played a factor. They mentioned seeing 10 the previous day, so I was so hopeful that I'd get to see them. Despite not seeing the whales, it was truly a really beautiful day to enjoy a nice boat ride. Our guide was Lewis, and he was extremely friendly. They prepared snacks and once we got to Isla Mujeres, the caption prepared ceviche and guacamole that was so yummy! It felt that this was more of an ethical excursion, as we were only one boat out with 7 of us. They work with other tour operators to try to locate the whales, so not sure what that experience could have turned out to be. Lewis made sure to tell us how to interact with the whales. Think its important to mention that you don't touch any marine life! It breaks my heart when I watch tourist videos of them completely disrespecting ocean wildlife, corals, etc.
Thank you for your feedback. We truly appreciate your understanding and perspective regarding wildlife sightings. We are glad to hear you still had a beautiful experience and that Lewis made your day enjoyable. We hope to see you again soon. What To Do In Cancun Customer service team
We arrived at the meeting place and were asked which operator we were with. Apparently there isn't one and no matter which listed or platform you book from this is a pool operation and you really have no idea which operator you'll be going out to international waters with. The other people we arrived with (transportation included tickets) were assigned different boats. Likewise on the way back a random couple was shuffled into our van and taken to an additional stop. Additionally, the boat were were assigned to had none of the amenities listed in our booking. The waves were a little choppy, but not bad. Not our first time on the water, especially in Mexico as this was our twelfth trip. The helmsman decided it would be funny to go directly into the wave jumping the speedboat and slamming it repeatedly, laughing at everyone's discomfort. Half of the paid passengers vomiting over the side at some point. We arrived where one whale shark was found and as many other reviews have stated, people were only allowed in the water for roughly a minute or less (confirmed by video I've uploaded to YouTube). No other snorkeling time provided, let alone with any other marine life boasted by the other crewman. An older man on our tour in his fifties fell splitting his leg open and no first aid was given to him. When challenged the crew confessed that they not only lacked the promised antimetics listed on the tour booking, but they had no first aid kit on board at all! The man had to sit there and bleed for hours until we made shore. Once we eventually (finally) returned to shore, they had the gall to ask for tips. We have had a lot of charters and marine experiences in Mexico, dozens in fact, but this is the sole one we absolutely cannot recommend. Please save your money for something else.
Thank you for sharing such a detailed review of your experience. We are very sorry to hear that it did not meet your expectations and that there were serious concerns during your excursion. We want to clarify that the activity you described is operated as a shared pool service, which is why different platforms and bookings may be combined into different boats. However, the issues you mentioned regarding the lack of amenities, safety equipment, and crew behavior are unacceptable. Safety is always the top priority, and the absence of a first aid kit or proper assistance for an injured guest is a matter we take extremely seriously. Your feedback will be escalated to the operating partner so that these failures are addressed immediately. We also appreciate your comments about the snorkeling duration and sea conditions — transparency and accurate descriptions are essential, and we will review the product details to ensure expectations are clearer for future guests. We sincerely regret the negative impression this left on your trip, especially given your many previous experiences in Mexico. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention — it helps us work on improvements with our partners to prevent this from happening again. What To Do In Cancun C Customer service Team
This was a top bucket list item for me! August is a hot time to be in Mexico but this made it so worth it! We saw approx 10 whale sharks. Our guide, Nano, was kind, knowledgeable, and patient. Our captain, Chalo, was an expert at navigating around the whale sharks to get us right up close. Book with them immediately!
Thank you for sharing your amazing experience! We’re thrilled this was a top bucket list item and that Nano and Chalo made it unforgettable. Seeing around 10 whale sharks sounds incredible! We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon. What To Do In Cancun Customer Service Team
100% worth the early wake up time. Very experienced guides with lots of local information and a once in a lifetime experience swimming within arms reach of massive whale sharks. Truly an unforgettable day. Cannot recommend enough!!
Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled you had an unforgettable experience swimming near the whale sharks and appreciated the knowledgeable guides. We can’t wait to welcome you back for more amazing adventures! What To Do In Cancun Customer Service Team
Truly such an amazing experience!! We saw so many whale sharks and our guides were awesome! We felt super safe the whole time and the civiche and guac was great. Perfect day overall!
Thank you for your fantastic feedback! We’re thrilled you had an amazing experience spotting whale sharks and that our guides made you feel safe and well cared for. We’re glad you enjoyed the ceviche and guacamole too. We hope to welcome you back for another perfect day soon! What To Do In Cancun Customer Service Team
We were really looking forward to this Whale Shark Experience, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to what was promised. The description said we’d snorkel on a reef in Isla Mujeres, but that never happened. We did get to play around in the water for a while just off of the beach though. It also mentioned motion sickness remedies like ginger tea and pressure bracelets—neither of which were offered. I ended up horribly sick, vomiting three times, and the crew didn’t offer any help at all. Thankfully, other passengers stepped in to assist me. The food was also different than advertised—we were told to expect shrimp or fish ceviche with guacamole, but were given conch ceviche (which was delicious) but no guacamole. To be fair, the choppy water and trouble finding whale sharks isn’t the company’s fault, but if you’re even slightly prone to motion sickness, I’d strongly recommend skipping this tour. The guide wasn’t very friendly or engaging, which was disappointing compared to all our other amazing Cancun experiences. The one bright spot was the captain—he was fantastic. Warm, knowledgeable, and full of great stories about Isla Mujeres. All in all, it was an experience to remember, but not one we’d want to repeat.
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re very sorry to hear that your Whale Shark Experience did not meet your expectations. We understand how disappointing it can be when the tour doesn’t align with what was advertised, especially when it comes to promised activities and amenities. Your comments about the lack of motion sickness remedies, the food differences, and the guide’s attitude are important to us, and we will address them with our team. We’re glad to hear the captain made a positive impact on your day, and we will make sure to pass along your kind words to him. We appreciate your honesty and will use this feedback to work on improving the experience for future guests. What To Do In Cancun Customer Service Team
Today we were very lucky, we found o er 50 Mantras and 3 Whale Sharks, to swim with such amazing fish was very special. From start to finish our guides couldnt have been more amazing. SO PROFESSIONALLY.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear you had the chance to swim with mantras and whale sharks. It’s wonderful that our guides provided such amazing service throughout your trip. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for more incredible adventures! Customer Service Team What To Do In Cancun
Amazing experience!!! Highly recommended this company. Excellent service. They give you a little lunch and finally a ceviche. Very nice and Pro crew. Of the best experiences of my life!
¡Gracias por tu increíble comentario! Nos alegra saber que tu experiencia fue tan positiva y que disfrutaste de la atención y el ceviche al final. Es genial que consideres nuestra tripulación como agradable y profesional. Apreciamos tu recomendación y esperamos verte nuevamente para más aventuras. Customer Service Team What To Do In Cancun
Excellent! Very good experience to do! The guides was very good and we cooked good little Mexican dishes. Do it again!
Merci pour votre retour ! Nous sommes ravis d'apprendre que vous avez eu une excellente expérience et que nos guides ont su vous régaler avec de délicieux plats mexicains. Nous serions heureux de vous accueillir à nouveau pour d'autres aventures ! Customer Service Team What To Do In Cancun
An unforgettable experience, from moment 0 is amazing and make you feel great. Luis, Emiliano and Noa are excellent crew and instructors who make the process much more special.
¡Nos alegra saber que tu experiencia fue inolvidable! Luis, Emiliano y Noa suenan como un gran equipo que realmente se preocupa por hacer que el proceso sea especial. Agradecemos tu comentario y esperamos verte de nuevo pronto. Customer Service Team What To Do In Cancun



