Whale Shark Adventure in Isla Mujeres and Cancun
Recommended by 96% of travelers
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Isla Mujeres, Mexico
- 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get up close and personal with the world’s largest congregation of whale sharks during this small-group snorkeling excursion, available only from May until September. Travel comfortably on a well-equipped boat into the Caribbean Sea, with snorkeling masks and gear included. Hotel pickup is included for added convenience. Let staff guide you to the whale sharks’ meeting points, then hop into the water for a unique immersion.
- A small-group, swimming and snorkeling whale shark tour
- Enjoy a unique wildlife encounter in the world’s largest migration of whale sharks
- Get a chance to spot manta rays, tropical fish, and other marine life
- Hotel pickup included for a hassle-free start
What's Included
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Snacks
- Lunch
- Bottled water
- Soda/Pop
- Alcoholic Beverages
- GoPro files (available to purchase)
- Transportation On Isla Mujeres
- Environmental tax and dock use: $10.00 USD in cash per person, payable the day of your tour
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Not recommended for people who get seasick easily
- Sunscreen use is not allowed in the whale shark area; we recommend wearing a long-sleeve shirt"
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
It was great ! The tour operator was one hour late but it didn’t matter , the experience was awesome ! I took Bonnibe ( anti motion sickness ) and it saved me . Others were puking right and left I happened to have anti nausea meds on hand so I could help ease the suffering but it was t a cure . The captain and Joshua were awesome . The maneuver tech boat right in front of the whale sharks mouth . It was awesome ! Then a great ceviche lunch !
Reviews
4.9
based on 1,193 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Went as a buck list. They were amazing. You do have to boat about 1 hrs to 1.5 hrs out to find the whale sharks. If you get seasick, take something!!! Then they take you to a island . They made us homemade guacamole on the boat and something else like salsa and white fish. That was to die for!!!!!!
The absolute best experience and crew. Our captain/diver were absolutely amazing! It couldn’t have been more special
We loved. All worked as we desired. The boat, crew and all was great.
We recommend this trip, but watch the ocean conditions since is far away.
We were very lucky with the weather.
This was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. Felipe and Captain Lolo were incredible. They were so informative throughout the whole experience. You know exactly what to expect before you arrived. Felipe was right by your side the whole time in the water leading to the whale sharks. There were so many whale sharks and at least a dozen Manta rays. It was definitely a bucket list item! I would recommend Dramamine for anyone who needs it. The boat ride out and back are easy but bobbing while waiting for turns can be a ride. I would do this excursion every year!.
Absolutely amazing tour.
Small, had 10 people in our group.
Went Into the sea 2 at a time so was really personal and the footage and photos were fab.
We had havier as our guide and he was great.
Highly recommend
A fantastic must do experience. This trip is well organized and well run by knowledgeable local guides with clear expertise. The small group (10 guests) ensures 2 chances to see the incredible whale sharks. Its over an hour boat ride to the viewing location but well worth it! Boat is clean and the ceviche and guacamole lunch was incredible! Highly recommend this company and this excursion when in Isla!
This was the highlight of our trip, Ricky and Fernando were not only great and amazing but you could tell they genuinely like what they do and the whale sharks. I was happily suprised how they all follow best procedures around the sharks and ensure everyone respects and doesn't stress them. The videos and pictures were amazing and totally worth it, we had our camera but honestly I am glad they filmed because when we were up close to them we were so distracted that we didn't record properly. After we also saw dolphins and a massive turtle! It was a fantastic day! Lunch was also really good and the transportation comfortable and quick
This was definitely a bucket list experience for our family of 4. We had our 11 and 13 year old with us; both are great swimmers. Mom was a non-swimmer. However, our guide Javier was very knowledgeable and patient. Each pair had 2 jumps and were able to see many whale sharks around us. The cerviche, guacamole, mini-sandwich and pineapple lunch was delicious. Our captain, Joseph got us to the whale shark site, reef, beach and back to dock safely. It was a bumpy ride there so take anti-seasick medicine. We also bought the photo video package; $65 for couple and $120 for our family. We highly recommend this experience.
This was so fun. Exceeded my expectations by far!! We had a blast and had plenty of time in the water with the whale sharks. There was plenty of shade on the boat to relax. Our guide Javier was amazing and gave very clear instructions for us to follow and made everything super easy. Joseph who operated the boat was super nice and helpful as well!! We enjoyed snorkeling close to isla mujeres and still had half a day at the resort when we finished.
Sailed on the Jasmine with a wonderful funny attentive captain and crew. Have great memories of swimming with the world's largest fish and have photo and video to prove it.. I heartily recommend this trip to anyone with an adventurous soul.
Felipe and Lolo were amazing! They were extremely detailed in their instruction to ensure we had a great time. We saw whale sharks and stingrays. Really awesome experience! Would definitely recommend!
This is my second time doing this tour. It’s extremely fun and fulfilling but you need to know, this is an adventure, it’s not a tour. The boats need to haul to get there, and it’s open ocean. There can be waves and some minor knocking around. You have to jump off a bobbing boat into the water, and then there’s a 35+ foot animal you have to swim strategically with/around to keep them at a distances per animal welfare rules and common decency. It’s a physical day with a lot of adrenaline. If you’re looking for a life-changing adventure that gets your heart pumping, this is it. If you’re looking for sea world and don’t think you can pull yourself onto a ladder with waves, probably not the best idea. The guides are so helpful, and really want you to be safe and satisfied. One of the best experiences of my life.
It was great! It's a very long trip out about an hour and 45 minutes, but you were able to almost touch the whale sharks because of how close you were dropped off to them. Would 100% recommend getting a wetsuit rather than a life vest just to make the sewing easier but it was a great trip of would do it again.
OMG what an amazing day we had! The whale sharks are so majestic and yes we saw many! We each got two turns jumping in the water with our guide and we all saw whale sharks, even in the boat and not when in the water! If you are prone to getting sea sick take some meds before! I got sick and was horrified, but our captain and tour guide were so kind and wanted everyone to get a chance to see the whale sharks. We had Francisco as our guide and Adan as the captain! Both amazing people! Adan was so kind when I got sick and wanted to make sure I was ok and had me get in the water to feel better, offered me Gatorade and even let me have my turn to see a whale shark the second time since I skipped my turn when I got sick. And boy it was worth it, I saw a whale shark with his mouth wide open and I was so close! Francisco was also determined that I see one. We got to eat ceviche made by Adan, which was fresh, plenty of water, Gatorade for everyone. We enjoyed the beautiful water at Isla Mujeres for about 45 minutes. It was just amazing. We also got videos from the GoPro Francisco was wearing, which was only 50 dollars for four of us and that is priceless to have for an experience of a lifetime!!! All I can say is Go for it and just DO IT!!!! It is worth the money!!!
This was a once in a lifetime experience made even more special by our guide Ricky and captain, Francisco! Ricky was amazing, jumping in with every couple who got into the water and making sure he got the perfect videos of us swimming with the sharks. Afterwards we had fresh guacamole and ceviche made on board. This was the best guacamole I have ever had. Cannot recommend this tour enough!!!!!
Absolutely amazing. Got to do this if in Isla during the season. Don’t miss out on this adventure I would go again
I would start by saying that everyone we encountered was nice and they took us to the area where the whale sharks were.
The boat we went out on was too small to enjoy this experience as we were tossed around at an extreme nature! Both myself and my son were sea sick. Overall the location was beautiful, but we couldn’t enjoy due to being sea sick. My son took bonine, and it didn’t work. For anyone doing this adventure make sure to take Dramamine and or consider a company with a bigger boat!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad to hear that everyone you encountered was nice and that you enjoyed the beauty of the location and the whale shark encounter.
We completely understand how seasickness can affect the experience, especially in open water, where conditions can sometimes make people feel sick even on comfortable and stable boats. Regarding the boat size, we would like to clarify that, according to official regulations, all vessels operating this activity have a maximum permitted length of 33 feet. There are boats that are 28 or 29 feet, while our boats are 33 feet, allowing us to provide as much comfort and stability as possible while fully complying with regulations.
We’re sorry that you and your son experienced seasickness and that it prevented you from fully enjoying the excursion. Unfortunately, seasickness is an individual reaction to being on open water and is something outside of our control, even when preventive medication is taken.
We appreciate your kind words about our team and the location, as well as your recommendation regarding taking medication for seasickness. We hope that, on a future visit, you’ll be able to enjoy the experience to the fullest.
My husband and I had such a fantastic time! This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! It exceeded all of our expectations. We specifically came to Cancun this time of year to be able to swim with whale sharks, and that's exactly what we were able to do. There were probably at least 30 or 40 whale sharks at the site when we arrived, and the system they have in place where 2 people at a time swim with the whale sharks works really well. Roberto, the guide, was excellent. He was extremely clear in his directions and a great guide out there in the water with us, helping us safely see the whale sharks and the manta rays that swim around as well. And Carlos, the captain, was also just as excellent. He knew how to spot the sharks and maneuver the boat so we could all see them. He also made a great ceviche and guacamole for us to enjoy. And on the way back, we got lucky and were able to see dolphins! It was a perfect day! Transportation to and from our hotel was also really easy and well organized. We cannot thank Roberto and Carlos enough for such a fantastic experience!
Great experience and loved that there was a go pro video of our experience for a small extra charge.
Experience was great from start to finish and
exactly as described.
Javier and Joseph were an amazing team .
We were in the water for two sessions and swam closely with whale sharks -all captured by Javi on GoPro (well worth the reasonable additional cost)
Included was a leisurely snorkel over a beautiful reef followed by a refreshing light lunch anchored by Isla Mujeres beach.
Highly recommended!
What an experience, Ricky our guide and Fransico the captain where great took about an hour by boat to get there and then wow so many whale sharks! We got to jump in twice and Ricky took some amazing pics and videos, they made a lovely lunch on the way back so fresh would 100 % recommend this tour
Absolutely the most amazing experience I’ve done in Cancun! I’ve been coming here for over 20 years and have never been here during whale shark season. If you are here June-sept DO IT. Magical is the only way to describe the experience. Our captain, Angel, and guide Walter were knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend this tour.
Great experience, but the ride to the location is choppy. Beware if you have motion sickness. Relaxed at Isle Mujeras.
Amazing trip! The crew was excellent and there were no shortage of whale sharks! It took about an hour to get to the site - bring a bag if you get seasick. They took great videos and we also got to see manta rays. On the boat ride back, we saw sea turtles and dolphins.
Amazing views of whale sharks both from the boat and while snorkelling! We saw so many whale sharks, manta rays and different fish
Top 10 experience. There were whale sharks everywhere. They were huge and beautiful. We also saw some big manta rays. If you have the chance, you must go.
Felipe and his capt i believe his name was roro were awesome very detail explanation about our whale shark encounter highly recommend them
A great experience, you can swim really close to the whale sharks and I felt very safe with the guide. The food was delicious and I really enjoyed the stop at Playa Norte.
Julian and Carlos were the best guides! There are no words to truly describe this experience. You cannot fathom these creatures until you see them in person. The quick stop at Playa Norte for ceviche and guacamole was the cherry on top!
This was an amazing experience. Felipe and Lolo, did a great job to get us the most value of the outing. It was a truly unforgettable experience to share the water with such large and beautiful creatures.
A couple of points:
-Transportation to and from our hotel in playa mujeres was provided.
-a brief restroom break was offered prior to the boat’s departure
- The trip takes an 1-1.5 hour boat ride north past Isla mujeres against the current. Out in open ocean where you can’t see land and certainly can’t see the bottom. Can be a bit choppy weather depending. I would recommend taking medication for seasickness if you’re prone to it.
-you can wear biodegradable sunscreen but you can only apply it at the dock or at the beginning of the boat ride, not near the snorkel sight
-life jackets are required the whole time, snorkel and flippers are provided
-once at the snorkel site only 2 people plus the guide are in the water at a time,
-the captain positions the boat for the best possible experience
-you are told when to jump in
-the faster/better you can swim, the greater time you have with the whale shark. My wife and I are not that great at swimming in ocean so in total we were only able to get about 5 minutes in the water with the whale sharks. Others were in longer because they could keep up with them better.
-to maximize everyone’s time in the water if the whale shark gets too far from you the guide will call you back to the boat so that it can get into position for the next swimmers.
-our guide had a GoPro camera and took pictures and videos. You can pay for them at the end of the tour. Ours asked for email addresses, which helped to not feel hounded to buy the pictures and videos.
- the snorkel site has lots of boats doing the same thing, the water is choppy and the boat is at idle speed. Multiple people got seasick.
-each person was given a chance for 2 jumps. The jumps can not be transferred to someone else to jump 2+.
-the boat ride back is smoother than the way out
-for the provided lunch we stopped at the north end of Isla mujeres in a popular shallow spot
- the tourist swim while the guide and captain clean the boat and make the lunch, we had ceviche.
-then back to the docs.
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$147.25
per personWas $155.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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