Whale shark season goes from the 15th of May to the 15th of September.
July and August hold the highest 99% sighting success rate while June and September 75% rate and in May you really have to be lucky as there is 50% rate
Through the years we have gathered GPS coordinates of ridges where whale sharks like to feed due to a massive fish spawning event that brings whale sharks from all corners of the Atlantic every year, and where there is fish eggs and plankton to be eaten, there will be lots of Whale Sharks and Mantarays.
Boat ride from Isla Mujeres to the whalesharks area will take aproximately 1hr and can extend to 1hr more if we need to do and extensive search mostly in May, June or end September.
No, you are not. Every visitor in the marine reserve must wear a marine reserve bracelet which prooves a contribution has been made to their conservation. We follow strict goverment regulations for that.
To them, humans in the water will appear as other creatures of the sea and as long as you give them their space, we can all enjoy each other’s company!
No, Whale sharks are not harmful to humans and can get very close tempting you to touch them but we dont allow it as it could potentially irritate them scaring them away, interfering when they are peacefully feeding on plankton is something we dont want. Therefore nobody is allowed to harm, touch, ride, hug or get in the way of the sharks.
Diving with whale sharks in the protected area is no longer permitted as biologist say bubbles will make them think they are full if they filter them interfering with their nutrition on the long run. since 2015 only snorkeling is allowed and it suits better for the encounter as whale sharks are normally in the surface feeding from floating snapper eggs.
Yes, its mandatory, everybody will be asked to wear a life jacket with the name of the boat for safety and precautions however if you carry a "skin diver" licence (not free diver license) you can swim using only a wetsuit to a maximum depth of 3 meters
Of course! Any personal gear for the water can be brought, as long as it does not take up other people's space on the boat like a lawnmower or something but if it is on a private tour that you booked then you can bring even your pony :) no problem!! :)
We do not sell/give any medication during the tour. We do advise though that if you feel prone to seasick or would simply like to prevent it, then consult your doctor and bring some prescribed medicine along with you. Take med (advised by your doctor...ehem! Dramamine) 20 minutes before boarding the boat to increase effectivity.
We cannot control nature and therefore Whale Shark Adventures does NOT guarantee snorkeling with the whale sharks nor the sightings. The whale sharks come to the waters near Isla Mujeres to feed on plankton, however when there is no/few food (plankton) there simply are no/not many whale sharks. We offer the Whale Shark Tour in Isla Mujeres from mid-May to Mid-September, but we strongly recommend to make your reservation between mid-June to August since there is a higher 99% possibility to see whale sharks.
*End of September has currently a 75% success chance to encounter whale sharks
Over 30 years working in the caribbean sea trough any weather condition you can imagine gave the experience to the crew to resolve any situations may it arise, our personalized attention and comfortable/ fast transportation with your safety in mind is just what you need if you want to go deep in the sea.
If you would like to contribute to the research and protection of this incredible animals, there are various local NGOs in Mexico. For more information please contact us at info@whalesharkadventures.com