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Whale Sharks Small-Group Tour in Cancun and Riviera Maya

Cancun, Mexico

Swim with Whale Sharks in Cancun Small Group Snorkeling Tour

From $175.00

per person

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

7 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Snorkel with whale sharks on a full-day tour off the Yucatan coast from Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum, or Riviera Maya hotels. Under the direction of a biologist guide, swim with the world’s largest fish. Immerse yourself in the marine magnificence of Mexico’s waters on this spectacular small-group adventure. Your day includes lunch on the boat and transfers from many hotels, but reef tax is payable in cash.

Whale shark snorkeling adventure off the coast of Cancun
Comprehensive narration from a professional guide
Eat lunch on the boat off a beautiful beach in Isla Mujeres
Complimentary pickup and drop-off from most Cancun and Riviera Maya hotels

What's Included

Bilingual biologist/naturalist guide
Lunch
Water and soft drinks
Air-conditioned vehicle
Use of snorkeling equipment (life jacket, visor, fins, snorkel)

Gratuities
Alcoholic Beverages
Personal expenses
ENVIRONMENTAL TAX AND DOCK USE $20.00 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

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

-. AIRBNB STAYS .- We fully accept tours with Airbnb reservations, the pick-up will take place in a nearby public place or a more central meeting point in order to speed up the arrival times to the tours. Tour departs from major hotels around Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, and from the Super Aki Supermarket in Tulum. Tour returns to the original point of departure

Meeting point

Carretera a Punta Sam
Carr. a Punta Sam Supermanzana 84, Cancún, Q.R., Mexico
Carretera Puerto Juárez, Carr. a Punta Sam Supermanzana 84, 77500 Cancún, Q.R. "Marina Xtabay"

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.

View tour option

What To Expect

Don your swimwear, pack your biodegradable sunscreen and your water bottle, and depart from your Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum, or Riviera Maya hotel to begin your aquatic adventure with gentle marine giants. Pay your dock tax in cash, then board a comfortable vessel and set sail with your small group to explore.

Your onboard biologist observes the calm waters for whale sharks and provides information about their behaviors and how to safely interact. Once they’ve spotted one don your snorkeling gear and plunge into the iridescent water to snorkel alongside the fascinating fish.

Glide beside the incredible creatures, watching them feast upon microscopic plankton while enjoying the tropical temperatures of the Yucatan’s water.

Return to the boat and relax as you cruise towards the sands of Isla Mujeres and anchor off a blissful beach known as Playa Norte to enjoy a delicious lunch.

The small number limit of 10 participants ensures an intimate and enjoyable experience on this Mexican whale shark snorkel adventure.

Please be aware that sightings are not 100% guaranteed and conditions may not always allow for snorkeling.

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
Minimum age is 8 years
This tour requires a minimum number of passengers to operate. There is a possibility that the tour may be canceled after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be provided the option to take the tour on an alternative date or be refunded in full.
It is not recommended for pregnant women and people with heart and back problems.
We only permit biodegradable sunscreen and we invite you to use it when you are in your Hotel before your trip because we care about your health and marine life.

We recommended to ask your doctor if you can take seasickness pills before your tour.
Environmental tax and dock use excludes ($20.00 usd in cash per person payable the day of your tour)
You can bring your own bottle of water (glass or recyclable)
Whale Shark ‘No Sighting’ Guarantee: Unfortunately, we can never 100% guarantee a wildlife sighting. But we can guarantee to do everything we can on the day to maximise your chances of swimming with a whale shark.
We use mouth covers all the time
We use gel antibacterial
We wash our hands every 30 minutes
We do not touch our face, noise and mount
We say “Hello” with 1.5 mts of distance
We take the temperature to our employees every day
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Brett_M

Awesome experience! Very kind and friendly staff, who guide you through everything perfectly. They know the spots, they know the procedures, they know it all and you can trust them to show you the best time possible. The Whale Sharks are incredible, and so cooperative with all of us side swimmers. Pretty surreal. I was also celebrating a birthday and they made sure to acknowledge it and even gifted me a piece of merch for the occasion. All around amazing experience. Would highly recommend.

Reviews

4.5

854 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 854 reviews

Dangerous Excursion

Anastasia_G, Oct 2024

This excursion is extremely dangerous with this tour company! Just to highlight some of the dangers we faced: * went out into international waters to chase whale sharks * waters were extremely rough with swells up to 8ft because a storm was rolling in and this operator refused to cancel the excursion * boat broke down in international waters because the captain pushed the boat to hard in rough waters * forced to sit in direct sun with no sun protection for 8 hours - caused massive heat exhaustion and one of the people onboard nearly had heat stroke and some got severely burned with 2nd and 3rd degree burns * everyone on the boat got seasick because the waters were so rough * took a long time to find the whale sharks (waited 2 hours while we roamed the ocean trying to find them) and it pushed us into international waters/far away from land while a storm was rolling in * captain refused to return to shore until we found whale sharks even though the excursion was well over the allotted time * excursion time was supposed to be 7 hrs but because of all the issues stated above it took over 10 hrs * no naturalist on board/no communication with guests

Amazing experience!

Lisa_C, Sep 2024

First we found dolphins and were able to dive in with them. Let me just say I was in awe! I have swam with dolphins many times but this was the most exceptional. Then we finally found a whale shark and were able to dive in with him. The whole experience was magical.

Incredible tour - not to be missed!

Anna_M, Sep 2024

An absolutely incredible day! Santiago went above and beyond! The tour was longer than anticipated as Santiago enabled us to swim with dolphins & snorkel the reef, plus patiently waiting for the opportunity to swim with a whale shark. This was an experience not to be missed! Everything from the pickup to the drop off was perfect - thank you!!!

Great time, worth the potential 2 x 2 min. Swims with whale shsrksmin

Paul_P, Sep 2024

Be prepared for a long day of travelling back and forth and waiting as the boats line up to take turns dropping in snorkeles. Luckily, the line moves quickly.

Amazing

Ryan_S, Sep 2024

The experience was exceptional, the ceviche was amazing and the guide Rauz was very informative and made sure everyone understood what to do and what not to do. Chano has skills in choppy waters and Lalo made the food while bracing the waves, the crew were amazing to say the least and knew right where the whale sharkes were. Highly recommend.

Awesome

Carole_H, Aug 2024

Swimming with the whale sharks was amazing- on my bucket list for years. The crew was on top of everything to make sure we were safe and that we didn’t do anything to disrupt the ecosystem or hurt these beautiful animals.

wild life up close

cdilymom, Aug 2024

experiencing the swim was very memorable. would do again if the opportunity is available. entire family was amazed.

A Million star reside for a Once in a lifetime opportunity

Alexis_M, Aug 2024

**A Million-Star Experience with the Whale Shark Snorkeling Company!** From the moment we stepped onto the boat, it was clear that this was going to be an extraordinary adventure. Our first guide, Santiago, was exceptional—his deep knowledge and evident passion for whale sharks set the tone for an unforgettable experience. Santiago’s enthusiasm for these magnificent creatures was contagious, making the whole trip more engaging and educational. Onboard, we were accompanied by two remarkable Alexanders. One Alex, our in-water guide, was superb in capturing stunning photos and videos while ensuring our safety and comfort. His attentiveness and expertise made us feel completely at ease in the water. The other Alex, the deckhand, was equally impressive. His guidance with our equipment, clear instructions, and assistance with getting us into the water were invaluable. I forget our captains name but he made sure we were closed enough to the sharks to fully enjoy our experience including letting us dive in 3 times! After the experience the captain made a delicious filling seafood lunch and let us swim in the most beautiful shallow water I’ve ever seen!!!! The snorkeling itself was nothing short of magical. We encountered numerous whale sharks, graceful manta rays, and even a few jellyfish. Each moment was more breathtaking than the last, and the entire crew's dedication to providing an amazing experience was evident. If you’re considering a whale shark snorkeling adventure, look no further—this company delivers a five-star experience on every level. Thank you to Santiago, Alex, and Alex for making our trip an unforgettable highlight!

Lovely experience swimming beside gentle giants

lbcnut, Aug 2024

Since we had a rental car, we booked the tour without transportation. There's is a free parking lot across from the marina where we met. We had the option to rent a shorty wetsuit or wear a life jacket. We're strong swimmers and choose not to rent the wetsuit. The boat ride to the whale sharks was pretty smooth and there was a canopy on the boat to keep us in the shade. The first place we went to had about 10 boats and one whale shark, so our captain took us to another location with fewer boats and about eight whale sharks. Much better! As with all the tours, it was two people at a time in the water for only a couple of minutes. The sharks are swimming slowly (for them), but you can cruise beside them for only so long. Everyone got two dives. On the way back to the marina we stopped at Isla Mujeres for a short swim break while the crew made ceviche and guacamole. The also has ham sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and mayo. We enjoyed all the food.

10/10 would recommend

Chris_P, Aug 2024

We were guided into the water and got to see the whales within 6ft of us. There were more than a dozen whales. It was a once in a lifetime experience. If you get the chance, do this.

Worth the experience

David_R, Aug 2024

Rayas was an excellent guide. We were able to see multiple whale sharks. Afterwards we headed to Isla Mujeres and have lunch on the boat + swam around near a sandbank. It was the best part of my trip to Mexico.

Fun

Tiffany_B, Aug 2024

Being able to swim with the whale sharks was definitely an amazing experience. But we bought the videos and they were awful. They were poor quality and very few. There were no pictures of my friend, and I diving in and swimming with the sharks only with our one friend who was with us., and even that was poor quality. If you do this experience save your money and do not buy the videos.

Cool to swim with sharks, but otherwise, underwhelming

Kelly_J, Aug 2024

The only really memorable part of the trip was the brief (2 minutes) of time we spent in the water with the whale sharks. I have wanted to swim with the whale sharks for several years. I finally got my chance. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming. The trip out to the sharks was about 2 hours on a boat with no banos (as far as I know). Only 2 people at a time were allowed in the water. Each person got only 2 "jumps". Each jump was less than 1 minute of swim time. It was a very long day for only getting 2 minutes with the sharks. We stopped just off Isla Mujeres on the way back, where we were allowed to swim in shallow water for about 20-30 minutes. The ceviche lunch was tasty, but the ham and cheese sandwiches were not. How much is 2 minutes swimming with whale sharks worth? Well, I guess I recommend doing it once, but it's hard to say it is worth the cost. We did 3 excursions during our 7 day trip. This was the most expensive and the most underwhelming. I wouldn't do it again.

Don't do this tour with anybody

William_R, Aug 2024

The problem is not with the tour company or boat as they were all great people. Very nice and friendly. The problem is with the experience itself. Regardless of which company you use, you have about 30 boats out there all hunting for whale sharks at the same time and trying to take turns. Here is the day in a nutshell: Get up super early Ride a shuttle to the port Take an incredibly bumpy boat ride in a small boat on the open ocean where everyone feel sea sick (even with dramamine) for about 2 to 2.5 hours Swim with a whale shark for five minutes Take another long bumpy sea sickness inducing boat ride back Eat a sandwich and some guacamole at Isla de Mujeres for a quick break on the way back The entire day, start to finish was 12 hours and we swam with the sharks for literally less than 5 minutes. It just isn't worth it... Do something else.

No Whale Shark Today

Jason_C, Aug 2024

We were unable to swim with the whale sharks, there were too many boats in the water, to make this experience better they need to make it earlier and maybe use a drone to see from above. Disappointed to say the leased.

Go see the whale sharks!

Drew_G, Jul 2024

Swimming with the whale sharks was incredible! They were so peaceful and majestic. The guides Alex (Boca), Hector, and Dany did an amazing job getting us out to the spot to see the whales and explaining everything along the way. It was about 25 miles from the shore, but the hour boat ride flew by. After swimming they made us fresh guac and ceviche which was so good after a long day. Totally worth the money for the unforgettable adventure!

Highly Recommended

Samantha_W, Jul 2024

It was an amazing tour with Boco and Hector! Communication was clear, lots of knowledge shared, great food, and great memories!

Amazing

Robert_A, Jul 2024

Well run tour with Alex. Saw the whale shark as planned. Good ceviche done by the captain Julio. Recommended

Amazing

Melanie_S, Jul 2024

Absolutely loved our experience! The crew went above and beyond to ensure we had an epic time! Thank you!!

Lalo is a Beast Alex black mouth is a comedian Our captain was 20/10

Andriy_N, Jul 2024

Our host was Alex Blackmouth he was so friendly and amazing, he was helpful with litterally anything you would ask him and he was hilarious and the helper lalo, man that guy is absolutely on fire I’m still mind blown on everything he was able to do in literal seconds everywhere I looked he was there and I’d honestly say that if it wasn’t for lalo I would have missed seeing the whale shark all together but 2 seconds in he instantly redirected me in the right direction. Over all the entire trip was definetly one to remember for a long long time.

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