Half of the attraction of a vacation to the tropics is life under the sea. Whether it’s snorkeling or scuba diving, checking out reefs, or swimming with the sharks, there’s a ton to see and do beneath the waves.

Cancun is one of our favorite destinations with a ton of undersea adventures, one of the best of which is swimming with the whale sharks. If you’ve done any digging into Cancun as a destination, you’ve probably seen these aquatic experiences mentioned, and maybe it piqued your interest.

If that’s the case, read on as we guide you through everything you need to know to swim with the whale sharks in Cancun.

What Does Snorkeling with the Whale Sharks Involve?

If you’re looking to swim with the whale sharks, you’re in luck, because it has become something of an industry in Cancun. Swimming with the gentle giants of the sea can be an incredible experience.

You may be a bit apprehensive about the name “shark,” as so many people are. The truth is, most sharks aren’t vicious or violent towards anything other than their prey, and most “shark attacks” are the result of the simple fact that sharks don’t have hands. The only way a shark can check something out and figure out what it is is by giving it a little chomp. Unfortunately, people don’t tend to enjoy that.

Even so, whale sharks are barely sharks at all, at least in that sense. They’re filter feeders with broad, flat heads and wide mouths. They do have teeth, but barely, and they aren’t dangerous. You would be hard-pressed to be injured by a whale shark, and it would probably be more traumatic for the shark!

That’s not to say that a whale shark tour is completely safe, though. We’ll get to that in a bit.

What does a whale shark excursion involve?

Booking a Tour

The first step of the process is actually booking your tour, and trust us: you want to book in advance, if possible. Laws surrounding the oceanic national parks limit the number of people who can be in the water around the sharks at any given time, and since the sharks aren’t always guaranteed to be there, it can be a frenetic experience.

Figure that you’ll probably be spending somewhere in the range of $150 to $250 for your tour per person. If you’re feeling spendy, you can book a private tour for a group of up to 10 people, which will likely be closer to $1,500.

Tours on the cheaper end start at the marina. More expensive tours may involve a guide picking you up from your hotel and driving you to the marina to save you the trouble.

There’s also an additional fee, due at the marina, for park access and conservation. It’s usually only about $15, but more than a few tourists feel blindsided by it, even though it’s well-mentioned in your tour documentation.

Getting to the Sharks

We’re glossing over a lot here – like getting to Cancun in the first place – but that’s not the point of today’s post, is it? You’re here to learn about the sharks!

On the day of your tour, you’ll get to the marina for your tour guide, and you’ll be given a rundown and guided to a boat. Depending on who you’re taking a tour with, you may have breakfast at the marina.

The actual ride out to the sharks can vary a lot. The tour boats are fairly small, meant to hold only around 10 people at a time. They’re speedboats, basically. The trip out to where the sharks are can vary; sometimes, the sharks are further away, and sometimes, they’re closer. Sometimes, the water is calm, and other times, it’s fairly choppy.

Expect anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours on the way out to see the sharks. Make sure you’re prepared for potentially rough seas and the sun overhead. Know the rules about sunscreen! Some areas prohibit all sunscreens, even reef-safe sunscreens, so you’ll want long sleeves and a hat for your trip.

Do be aware that if the water is very rough or the weather is bad, they might cancel your tour. It’s disappointing, yes, but it’s better than a miserable experience, the risk of a boat sinking in high waves, all to maybe not even see the sharks in stirred-up water.

Getting Your Swim On

What is the actual experience of swimming with the sharks like?

First of all, it’s snorkeling only. There is no scuba diving here; it’s against the law in Cancun and many other places with whale sharks around the world. If you aren’t used to snorkeling, well, consider taking some lessons before you get to Cancun.

Generally, the area where the sharks are hanging out will have anywhere from 3-4 sharks up to 100+. It’s unpredictable how many will be in a given area, so it just comes down to what the day holds.

Similarly, there might be 2-3 other boats there or 50+ other boats. The busiest times can be absolute chaos, so keep that in mind if you’re there over spring break.

You’ll be given a number, and when your guide calls your number, it’s your turn to jump in. You’ll swim with the guide, who will bring you close to the sharks and help you follow their path. If you’re bringing a camera along, you can ask your guide to take photos or carry a GoPro to record videos of you swimming with the sharks. No selfie sticks, though!

Most of the time, individual swims only last 2-3 minutes. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re gazing at the gentle giants, time seems to pass more slowly than you might think.

Don’t worry, though; you’re not spending two hours on a boat for two minutes in the water. Generally, your guide will rotate through your group, and everyone will get several chances to swim, usually alternating for several turns. It can depend on a lot of factors, including how many sharks and how many tours are out.

Heading Home

The trip home is similar to the trip out, but you’ll be tired, basking in the glow from your experience, and hopefully happy with your day. Some tours swing by an island for lunch or have catering when you get back, while others don’t.

Some more elaborate tours might bring you to different areas to see other sharks or see other underwater sights, but the basic whale shark tours are a there-and-back experience. It’s up to you what you want to book!

Don’t forget to tip your guides! A nice cash tip helps round out the whole experience for everyone.

Is Swimming with Whale Sharks Dangerous?

It would be wrong of us to say that swimming with whale sharks isn’t dangerous at all. But the dangers aren’t where you think they are.

Danger 1: the sun. On a boat ride out on the tropical sea, the sun is bearing down on you with all of its ultraviolet might. It’s very easy to get very unpleasantly burned, especially if the tour you’re on prohibits sunscreen. Dress appropriately!

Danger 2: the waves. If you’re at all prone to seasickness, you’re going to feel it on these small tour boats. Make sure to take Dramamine and any other precautions as necessary.

Danger 3: the sea. Any time you’re swimming, there’s always the risk of drowning. Accidents happen! This is a big part of why you’re going to be one-on-one or two-on-one with your tour guide: they’ll be able to see and react to anything very quickly and can make sure you’re as safe as possible. Still, the ocean is the ocean, and it has no mercy on us land-lubbers.

Danger 4: the sharks. While whale sharks aren’t capable of biting us, they are still huge animals, and they have a lot of power behind them. You’re not allowed to get too close to them, both to avoid bothering the creatures and because they use their whole bodies to swim, and their tails can deliver a pretty powerful whack.

Whale sharks have never attacked humans, and when they do intentionally interact with people – an extremely rare occurrence – it’s pretty much harmless. All you are to them is a big fish getting in the way of their filter-feeding, and as long as you aren’t bothering them, they really don’t care that you’re there at all.

Danger 5: the disappointment. Try as we might, there’s always that slim chance that you’ll have choppy waters, few sharks, and a crowded tour leading to a disappointing experience. There’s really nothing anyone can do about that. Sometimes, the stars don’t align.

There’s a balancing act here. You can try to avoid the biggest crowds of tourists by booking near the edges of the season (June or September), or you can try to get the biggest chance of seeing more sharks (July and August) at the expense of more tourists. It’s up to you and which disappointment would sting more.

If you don’t actually see sharks on your tour – a rare but occasional hazard – your tour company likely has a refund policy.

Frequently Asked Questions about Whale Shark Excursions

To round things out, here are some of the common questions we see that we didn’t cover above.

Is swimming with the whale sharks ethical?

Most of the time, the answer is yes, at least as much as any form of ecotourism can be. Sure, there can be some questions about the exploitation of nature or of the pollution caused by boat traffic that isn’t strictly necessary, but all of that is relatively minor.

The biggest issue, ethically speaking, is whether diving with the sharks causes any problems for the sharks. If shark tours were stressing out the animals, ruining their habitats, or disrupting their lives enough to hurt the species as a whole, then it would certainly be something we’d recommend avoiding.

Thankfully, authorities in Cancun are well aware of the ethical concerns and have taken plenty of steps to protect the sharks. It’s not entirely altruistic, of course – the sharks are a big money-maker – but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

So, generally speaking, any swim with whale sharks is going to be strictly regulated. You can’t bring selfie sticks, you can’t get too close to the sharks, and they take pains to avoid overcrowding the sharks.

Do you need a tour to swim with the whale sharks?

For the reasons outlined above, generally speaking, yes. In Cancun, especially, the whale sharks are well-protected, so guides are there to ensure the rules are followed, and unscrupulous tourists don’t ruin it for everyone.

In fact, snorkeling with whale sharks is the only way to enjoy their presence, at least in Cancun. There’s no scuba diving allowed for both your safety and for the sake of the animals. Your guide will do just that: guide you, usually for a few minutes at a time, where you can get fairly close to the sharks.

Are there restrictions on your swim?

A few. We’ve already mentioned the sunscreen and selfie stick rules, but there are a few others, too, all aimed at making sure the sharks are respected.

You aren’t allowed to get too close to the sharks, though if they choose to swim at you, there’s not much you can do about it. Be respectful, and generally keep to the sides or behind them so you don’t risk coming into contact with their mouths and disrupting them.

Flash photography is also prohibited, both because it can startle and disorient the sharks and because it’s not really that useful and is more likely to give you a bunch of murky pictures.

Your tour group will have its own rules, and you’ll need to make sure you read and follow them. These rules are very strict because if a tour is found to be breaking them, the company can lose its rights to access the sharks.

Are you going to have a great time swimming with the whale sharks?

Of course! Once you’re back, be sure to come tell us how your tour went!