Whale Shark Encounter: Swim and Snorkel with Giants and Sea Lions in La Paz

Imagine yourself swimming alongside the world’s largest fish (the whale shark) in their natural environment, gaining insights into their biology, and experiencing an unforgettable adventure.
Moreover, you’ll have the opportunity to swim with amicable sea lions and explore Balandra, one of Mexico’s top beaches.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Miguel L. de Legaspy SN-S THE DOCK CAFE - Snorkel with the biggest fish in the ocean, the whale shark! We will also take you snorkeling with the friendly sea lions in San Rafaelito, where you will also get to witness a beautiful coral reef full of colorful fish. End this amazing half-day tour with a visit to one of Mexico’s best beaches: Balandra,…
What's Included
  • Underwater pics and videos
  • Snacks
  • Lunch
  • Use of snorkeling equipment
  • Wetsuit
  • Soft drinks and beer
  • All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Location
Marina de La Paz
*Please show up at least 15 minutes prior to departure time! *The location is on the corner of Topete and Legaspi street, go through the blue gate with the big "Marina de La Paz" sign and we will be waiting for you at the "Tour Meeting Point" area, just a few steps ahead by the boat ramp.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(54 Ratings)
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J9549mskellyb
Dec 29, 2024
Whale sharks and sea lions - Marco and Chrissy were very knowledgeable and patient, especially with our kids. No hidden fees and everything was included including underwater photography and lunch. The boat was clean and they even recommended additional activities for us to do later in the day. This excursion was well worth the price.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explore45378570596
Dec 26, 2024
Snorkeling fun! - The ponga staff was awesome, very informative, and attentive to everyone's questions and needs. Lunch was relaxing with plenty of food and beverages. Water was a bit cloudy during the Whale Shark excursions but clear and with lots to see during the sea lion snorkeling. It was a fun relaxing day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ratchanonp698
Dec 23, 2024
Amazing day with whale sharks and sea lions. - We had a great experience! It was super fun! Our guide, Christian, was super friendly and helpful throughout the trip. They clearly explained everything and why we were not able to do certain things like touching the fish or doing deep diving etc, so we don't get in trouble. Even the lunch they brought to have at the beach was amazing. The process is super streamlined, and we felt safe throughout the day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Flipboltz
Dec 13, 2024
Best Whaleshark and Sealion Tour - What an amazing once-in-lifetime experience! The whale sharks in La Paz are well known to be among the best in the world, and Tuna Tuna Tours was an amazing way to experience them. The guide - Estephanie - was knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and welcoming to everyone in the boat. She made sure that everyone had a great time, regardless of skill level. Her and the boat capitán were so skilled at spotting marine life, that in addition to several whale sharks and sea lions, we saw a baby humpback and many (many!) fish. They also emphasized the importance of keeping the oceans clean and made sure to talk about the conservation efforts in the area, which is appreciated! The boat was basically a panga (which worried my often-seasick wife) but they knew how to navigate to keep the motion to a minimum. Booking was easy and great with help from Juan Carlos. The whole experience was memorable and worth every penny. As full-time travelers, we don’t often splurge on tourist activities like this, but this one was well worth it!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K3715kredr
Dec 8, 2024
Bucket list, adventure nailed. Snorkeling with whale sharks and sea lions on the combo tour - This was on the top of our bucket list and it did not disappoint one bit. The tuna, tuna tours team did a fantastic job. We got in the water three different times with the whale sharks. It was super exciting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janak1201
Dec 1, 2024
The most professional and courteous tour operator in La Paz - 1. Overall: Tuna Tuna has the fastest service of all the tour companies that we reached out to. We were very impressed by their professionalism, their attention to detail, their pricing and payment process. Juan Carlos is a seasoned operator with great communication and provides all the information with utmost clarity. 1. We booked the 5 hour tour to swim with the whale sharks and the sea lions. It was the Thanksgiving weekend and the 10 slots on their boat were filled 3 weeks in advance. Juan Carlos promptly informed us about a cancellation 2 days prior and accommodated us on the tour with amazing efficiency. All the communication is via email and WhatsApp. 2. We reached on time and the payment process was very simple at the Marina itself. 2. Swimming with the Whale Sharks: This is a once in a lifetime activity and at Tuna Tuna Tours, they take your experience very seriously. Our tour guide Carlos was very fluent in English and Spanish. He was warm and explained all the aspects of the excursion very well. They followed all the legal protocols to the letter and had all the required permissions in order. Once on the boat, they were on lookout for the Whale Sharks during their feeding time (at 7:00AM). After about an hour of looking for them, we saw a huge Manta Ray in the bay and soon after that, we were blessed with two 4-5m female whale sharks. The 10 person tour group was promptly divided into 2 groups of 5 persons and each group got 2 opportunities to swim with the whale sharks. The boat was impeccable and our Captain Marcos knew how to ensure we all had a great time. The snorkelling equipment, fins, life-jackets and the wetsuits were very well maintained and sanitised for our use. 3. Swimming with the Sea Lions: After about 3 hours of chasing and swimming with the whale sharks, Marcos and Carlos took us to swim with the sea lions. Carlos was aware of the entire group and did a fantastic job ensuring that we all had an unforgettable experience with the sun bathing sea lions swimming and playing in the ocean. 4. Lunch at Balandra: This was the most astonishing beach we have been to in Mexico. Balandra consists of 7 virgin beaches protected by the government and the one we went to an exclusive beach accessible only by boat. Carlos and Marcos were well prepared with delicious food - a spread of ceviche, burritos, sodas, beer, salad, salsas, chips and cream wafers. They had Beach umbrellas and a table set up for the group while we enjoyed the clear waters and the mesmerising views of this magical beach. We highly recommend Tuna Tuna Tours for an unforgettable experience at La Paz!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephanie_j
Nov 30, 2024
Christian and Marco were... - Christian and Marco were amazing and took great care of us. They got us so close to the whale sharks, it was unreal! And the homemade lunch they served on a beautiful beach was delicious! Fair warning, the tiny jellyfish in the water can be brutal, so might want to bring a full body wetsuit if you are sensitive to it.
Review provided by Viator
Oldbroncoguy
Nov 28, 2024
FANTASTIC Adventure with a wonderful team! - Absolutely amazing trip with the Tuna Tuna team!! They kept us up to date before the trip to let us know about the draw for times to swim with Whale Sharks. We even had a Humpback Whale putting on a show near us when we were with the Whale Sharks. Swimming with Seal Lions as pretty fun as well. My family had a blast and I highly recommend this adventure while visiting La Paz. You won't be disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
18cathrynr
Nov 26, 2024
Awesome experience - We had an amazing day swimming with whale sharks, sea lions and a beautiful lunch on a spectacular beach. Guide Christian and driver Marko were very professional and friendly. The equipment was high quality and the food excellent. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lotchie_k
Nov 24, 2024
Whaleshark and sea lion colony snorkel, Balandra Beach! - Stephanie really makes this tour top notch. She's a marine biologist and she shares her wealth of information. Her organization skills even more impressive ability to remember names. She is a strong swimmer and determined to assure your swim with the whalesharks. Nice picnic on Balandra Beach. We also viewed the sea lions at the mature colony. (Versus the reproductive colony at Los Isolotes). Well worth it!
Review provided by Viator
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