Swim with whale sharks at Isla Holbox

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Latest update: 12 May 2023

“Jump!!! Go, go, go go!” I jump into the water as quickly as possible. And emerge wholly disoriented while the guide pushes me forward. Anyone who thinks swimming with whale sharks at Isla Holbox is easy, breezy, and relaxing is VERY wrong.

Whale shark season in Mexico

From mid-June to mid-September, Isla Holbox in Mexico offers swimming tours with whale sharks. That’s the season when you’re most likely to see one, especially in July and August. The whale sharks are then in the region to eat plankton. They mainly come up in the morning to eat and then descend for tens of kilometers into the deep ocean. So you’ve been warned: you have to get up early to see these gigantic fish.

What is a whale shark?

The name whale shark does inspire a bit of fear. However, that is unnecessary because they are not interested in people. Swimming with a whale shark is pretty safe. The insanely large whale sharks can grow up to 15 meters in length and get up to 70 to 100 years old. They have flat heads with giant mouths. Their mouth contains no less than 3000 (!!) teeth. I repeat: they do not eat people, don’t worry.

Searching for whale sharks…

And yet, there I am… early in the morning on a boat, with my mother, and with stress (yes, taking your own advice is difficult). Today we’ll be swimming with whale sharks, and we both find it quite exciting. My strategy is not to talk about it and ignore it as long as possible; my mother keeps mentioning how scary it is. That only makes my anxiety worse! So mom has to shut up. For three hours, because the whale sharks are hiding today. We leave by boat just after seven to spot the whale sharks well after ten. We already see dolphins and manta rays on the way: enough entertainment!

About seven boats float and circle around ‘our’ whale sharks. Then, in pairs, we can enter the water with the guide. It’s all pretty fast-paced because everyone has to get their turn, and the whale sharks don’t wait. As soon as we get the signal, we jump off the boat’s edge, adjust our snorkel mask (oh my, I love those snorkel masks!), swim like idiots toward the guide, and track down the whale shark.

Swimming with whale sharks at Isla Holbox: wow!

My first swim is more panic than admiration. But, I get a second chance, and because my mother thinks once was enough, I have the full attention of the guide who ensures that I end up at exactly the right place next to the whale shark. Wooooowwwwwww….

This. Is. Really. Amazing.

The whale shark is so close, and he (or she?) is so calm. The white-yellowish dots on the dark gray reflect beautifully in the clear blue water. I see stripes on his body, which are as unique as a fingerprint to us. I can’t keep up with the whale shark, so it continues to swim while I hoist myself back on board. Very impressed with the whale shark and very proud of myself. Check out this video I made:

Is it ok to swim with whale sharks?

The whale shark is a protected species. It mainly means that you can’t hunt or eat them, but you can also ask yourself whether tours to swim with whale sharks are such a good idea. I did some reading beforehand and concluded that swimming with whale sharks is not bad or irresponsible. Provided that the tour is well organized. Always check what measures are being taken on your tour. It is not okay if you are allowed to touch the whale sharks or if they are fed for your pleasure.

At Isla Holbox, it is also forbidden to be in the water with more than three people (including a guide), not to distress the whale sharks. No matter how many boats there are. The guides and captains coordinate their turns. Adhere to this and follow the instructions immediately. This way, everyone gets the chance to enjoy the beautiful whale sharks. You are also required to wear a life jacket. This is to prevent people from swimming under the whale sharks.

Another small effort: make sure you don’t use sunscreen, or use reef-friendly sunscreen. That’s a good idea anyway if you go into the sea.

Whale shark tours on Isla Holbox

Basically, you can book a whale shark tour when you arrive on the island. You can almost always go the next day. I’ve asked around a bit with different providers, but that makes no difference in price. In September 2019, it was 2000 pesos everywhere and 2200 with one. That is about € 95. In 2022 I find much higher prices online (here at Viator, for example). I don’t know if that’s a regular price now. Before you book, don’t forget to check what’s included in your tour, whether the tour company takes its responsibility towards the whale sharks seriously, and whether the guide speaks English (if the latter is important to you).

I booked with GamaExtreme Tours. They have an office on the beach, where the tours also depart in the morning. The tour includes a simple sandwich, bottled water, and fresh ceviche. After visiting the whale sharks, we find a snorkeling spot. I am back on board quickly because the visibility is horrible. Then we go to a beach to eat ceviche that the guide prepared on board. You’ll find a toilet on the beach, and if you want, you can buy something to eat or drink. On the way back, we sail along the coast, the reggae music blasts from the speakers, and we see flamingos. We return around three o’clock. This is very late; most tours return between one and two o’clock. It just depends on how quickly you can find the whale sharks.

I’ve also heard about tours that would refund you if you don’t find whale sharks, but I haven’t seen any on Isla Holbox. You can also look for whale sharks in Mexico from Cancún or Playa del Carmen. I don’t know if you have to book it in advance. You can for sure do that at GetYourGuide if you wish, but it may also be possible to arrange it locally. Again, remember that you should only do tours that treat the whale sharks with respect!

First published: November 2019. The article has been updated since.