Whale sharks descend on the Mexican Caribbean around the coasts of Cancun and Playa Del
Carmen between June 1st and September 15th. They congregate especially around Isla Holbox
and Isla Mujeres which are the best place to see whale sharks. At Holbox they come to eat Krill
and Plankton. At Mujeres they like to eat bonito eggs.
Whale Sharks are the largest shark and the largest fish on the planet. They grow to 40 feet or
more, the length of a school bus, and they can weigh 20 tonnes. It’s hard to believe they
maintain this massive size by eating mostly plankton. A juvenile Whale Shark devours 46
pounds of plankton per day.
Whale sharks are Gentle Giants and do not bite or hurt humans. In fact they do not even bite or
chew. They are filter feeders. They just cruise along, vacuuming up water and filtering all the
plankton from it into their belly for digestion. It’s very safe for you to get close to a Whale Shark
without fear of being attacked or injured.
Whale Sharks ascend up to the surface to eat the plankton and this is when you can have a
Whale Shark experience and snorkel beside them. All interactions between Human and Whale
Shark are done on the surface. You are not allowed to scuba dive with the Whale Sharks.
When swimming with Whale sharks you must act respectfully. Whale Sharks do not want to be
poked or prodded by tourists, and they don’t like people swimming under them. When swimming
with Whale Sharks you will wear a life jacket that keeps you at the surface and you will maintain
a distance of 2-3 metres. The Peaceful Whale Shark is happy if you swim alongside them, but
does not want to be hit in its face by your scuba fin, or crept up on from below.
Swimming with the Majestic Whale Shark is a beautiful communion and therefore a very popular
tourist activity during Whale Shark season. The good news is there are many Whale Sharks that
love to come to Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres so you have an excellent chance of seeing one in
Mexico. In fact, Cancun and Playa Del Carmen are among the best destinations in the world for
swimming with Whale Sharks. If you are in Mexico during Whale Shark season do not miss your
chance to swim with these prehistoric gentle giants of the ocean.