Whale Shark Snorkel Tour: Swim with Gentle Giants

Embark on a thrilling whale shark tour from Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. Swim with the world’s largest fish and experience an intimate, eco-conscious adventure that emphasizes conservation.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Punta Sam - We start the pickup at your hotel, then we transfer you to Punta Sam and start the tour into the surrounding areas of Isla Contoy.
    Where the whale sharks arrive in huge amounts every year from May to September, a great opportunity to swim beside this harmless sharks.
    Once the activity is done you will visit “Playa Norte” at Isla Mujeres…
What's Included
  • Snorkeling gear
  • Lunch
  • Snacks
  • Water and soft drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (not included in without transportation option)
  • Bilingual Guide
What's Not Included
  • Port & Protected Whale Shark Area Fees ($20 USD per person, cash payment at the port on your day)
  • Without transportation option does not include the pick-up and drop-off hotel
Additional Information

Taking part in the whale shark snorkel tour in Cancun, Mexico offers a unique chance to swim alongside the world’s largest fish. Our knowledgeable guides deliver a close-up, environmental-friendly experience, stressing the significance of preservation. As we only conduct the tour with small groups, participants get a privileged opportunity to watch and…

Location
Punta Sam
IMPORTANT: the port fee & whale shark natural protected area entrance are not included, you must pay per person at our stand in cash, there is no ATM in the port. **For the meeting point(no transportation) time is 7:30 AM at Punta Sam port.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.6
(75 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Quest634846
Aug 12, 2024
Fenomenal - Excellent spectacular unmatched we enjoyed it to the fullest we would make it again fully recommended for everyone
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nancy
Jun 16, 2024
Fantastic experience and Awesome tour 👍👍😊😊 - Awesome experience!!! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and professional. The captain was very polite and kind. They did everything he can to make sure you get to swim with the WhaleShark. I feel very safe with the tour. Great job Carlos!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nancy_g
Jun 16, 2024
Great experience, the guide tour and the boat captain - Great experience!!! Our tour guide was very professional and knowledgeable. He was very attentive to everyone in the group. I can see that he genuinely wanted us to see and get an incredible experience from the trip. Also, he is very careful and put our safety first. I strongly recommend this tour. Oh great boat and great captain too. He was also kind and generous.
Review provided by Viator
Anna_f
Jun 25, 2023
Fantastic experience. The... - Fantastic experience. The crew was amazing and so was the experience! I went by myself and still felt very safe and had a blast! We saw about 15 whale sharks. It’s a once in a life time experience!
Review provided by Viator
Lyndsey_c
Jun 14, 2023
Amazing! The crew were... - Amazing! The crew were wonderful I would most definitely recommend taking motion sickness medication before going..
Review provided by Viator
Eliseisrad
Jan 30, 2023
Best experience of my life - This is why I came to Cancun, and why I came in sweltering August! In the summer, the whale sharks come to the waters of Isla Mujeres, about a 2-hour boat ride from Cancun. We had to go without sunscreen, even if it was reef safe, because the whale sharks feed on the surface and can ingest the slick of chemicals. So, I got a sunburn, but it was the least I could do for these glorious creatures. It was a gorgeous day out on the water. We had to get up really early to beat the other boats there. When we got to the spot there was a wide circle of boats, and plenty of whale sharks to go around. They were everywhere! At one point one came right to the corner of the boat where a guide and I were sitting, and I swear it was the size of a VW bug! We looked at each other agog, and I assume he has seen a lot of whale sharks.. Everyone is paired up, and you get two chances in the water. We were sitting on the edge of the boat, and as soon as a whale shark got close ,they yelled, “Go! Go! Go!” I didn’t notice at the time, but in the video you can see that the guide pushed me in! As the bubbles cleared, I found myself face to face with a whale shark that was probably 5 feet wide. If its mouth was open I might have met Jonah. But I had swam with whale sharks in the Georgia Aquarium and was familiar with their behavior. So I opened my arms and legs wide and let my whole body float on top of the water. As expected, the shark gracefully slid beneath me. I floated there as its entire body glided beneath mine, blotting out the rest of the sea. All I could see was the beautiful gray spotted leviathon, maybe 2 feet away. In that moment I felt that I fully understood the majesty of nature. The guide yelled, “Swim! Swim!” He wanted me to follow it to get video, which I guess had been impossible with the whale shark completely between us. The other guide was excited as I was. He said, “When I saw you were going over, I swam beneath him! I decided that nothing could ever match that experience and immediately got out of the water. As I stepped onto the boat I announced, “I have found my god!!” My second turn in the water, their videographer got some good footage of me with another whale shark. They kept wanting me to chase the sharks to get more video, but I kind of felt like the whale sharks had given me my religious moment and I was done. We went to the Isla Mujeres and hung out in the harbor with a bunch of other boats. Lots of people were swimming, and the guides made us a ceviche lunch from fish they had just caught. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J2454uylisam
Sep 12, 2022
Best snorkeling trip I've had! - We had a great time and saw so much! The stuff on the boat was extremely nice and helpful. We saw a bunch of dolphins, see turtles and whale sharks twice. Swimming with the whale sharks was an incredible experience. For lunch we went to a small island. Also really pretty and the food they provided was really nice. They even pick you up from the hotel and drive you back. Would definitely recommend this trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Reneevisserman
Sep 12, 2022
Amazing experience - We had an amazing day and even though it took a while to fine the whale sharks we got to see and to swim with them from Cancun and had a great lunch on Isla Contoy. Carlos was an awesome guide. We would totally recommend this toue.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melhunter51vegan
Sep 15, 2024
Good experience - I went on this tour at the end of the whale shark season knowing I might not see any whale sharks. The guide said they saw 2 the day before but I'd heard from others that none had been seen for a few days and they weren't running the trips, so I was skeptical whether this was a lie just to get our money. Regardless, Carlos was great, and the whole crew really tried to find us some cool things to see. We were lucky to come across a massive devil ray which they approached with care and caution and were sure to respect the wildlife. This definitely made up for the amount I spent on the trip without seeing a whale shark. No catering for vegans after giving notice the day before, sadly. Luckily I had my own lunch. Overall a very good experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R488zxfelipel
Jun 4, 2024
Amazing experience with the sharks, not so much with the guide. - The experience of swimming with the sharks was amazing, such a beautiful animal. The tour went smoothly from beginning to ending, but there are a few points I'd like to adress: 1 - They didn't have pills for nausea available for the boat ride, in other trips the crew used to have it available. 2 - No photographer. Cindy, our guide, had a camera and took many pictures of us, but when we asked if we could get them, and of course we'd have paid, she was very rude with my wife. 3 - Still about Cindy, she was impatient and a little kinda mocking with the people that asked questions about the tour. The crew of the boat was very attentive and nice and the lunch they prepared was delicious.
Review provided by Tripadvisor