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Playa del Carmen · Quintana Roo · Mexico
Whale Shark Encounter Full Day Tour from Riviera Maya
Starting From
From $195.00 per person
Current Project Expedition rate
Experience inventory, live availability and secure booking provided by
Project Expedition
The Experience
What your day looks like
Unique opportunity to swim and snorkel with the biggest fish in the ocean. A full day adventure – a memory for the lifetime. Ideal for the whole family to spend some quality time together enjoying the ocean, nature and this wonderful, gentle giants of the sea.
At a Glance
The experience, in brief
- Unique opportunity to swim and snorkel with the biggest fish in the ocean
- Ideal for the whole family to spend some quality time together
- Enjoy the ocean, nature and this wonderful, gentle giants of the sea
- Whale shark season runs from June until mid September
Detailed Itinerary
The journey, in full
Note: This tour is available seasonally from early June to mid-September only. We’ll pick you up at the scheduled time in your hotel and head directly to Cancun. During the ride, our guide will brief you about the day plan, whale shark biology, and its habitat. Once we arrive at the marine, you’ll have time to relax, enjoy the tasty breakfast and get ready for the adventure. After breakfast, we’ll depart towards the whale shark area and start our search. If we on the way to the whale shark zone we spot manta rays, the captain will stop the boat and we’ll snorkel with these magnificent animals. Once whale sharks are spotted, we will start with the snorkeling. We ’ll do something called – Snorkeling rounds: 2 guests and one guide. We swim slowly, smoothly, calmly. We are guests at home of the whale shark. Respect, watch and enjoy these amazing creatures. Remember that we are just observant in their world. After the swimming and all the excitement, we ’ll serve sandwiches, fruits, water, soft drinks and on the way back we will stop to do some snorkeling and we will return to Isla Mujeres for a lunch. We’ll have an hour to relax and enjoy the fantastic beach Playa Norte in Islas Mujeres. After the wonderful day, we will return to the marina at about 03:30 PM. During the tour, our guides will give you all the information about the fauna of this beautiful ecosystem; they will also explain security protocols and make sure that you are having a great time.
Your Itinerary
Your day, step by step
Day 1
Playa del Carmen
Whale Watching.
Continued
Playa del Carmen
Swimming.
Continued
Playa del Carmen
Snorkeling.
Continued
Isla Mujeres
Sightseeing.
Before You Go
What to know before booking
Included
Mask, fins, life jackets and a hand you can hold. If you are a comfortable swimmer you can decide to rent a wetsuit/shorty A boat ride can be bumpy. Waves, ocean and speed boat can cause a bit of seasickness. We’ll do everything we can to prevent this from happening to you. Before we start the ride, seasickness pills will be offered Professional PADI guide Round trip transportation (all the means of transportation count with A/C) Anti-dizziness medicine (optional) as well as other natural options Welcome coffee, milk, sweet bread, natural orange juice, sandwich, and fruit Comfortable boat fully equipped, shaded area, first-aid kit, GPS, VHF radio Snorkel equipment and life jacket
Not Included
Marine Park and Harbour Fee 20 USD to be paid on the spot
What to Bring
Hat or cap, sunglasses, shirt, swimsuit, towel, sandals, biodegradable ecologic sunblock, money for souvenirs, extra and tips. Smile and good spirit are a must!
Restrictions
Not permitted for children 5 years old and under. Not permitted for pregnant women. This tour is available seasonally from early June to mid-September only.
Meeting & Pickup
Marina las jaibas - Puerto Juárez, 84, Cancún, Q.R., México, CANCUN,7752. Transportation from and to any hotel from Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, Cancun (Riviera aya). Depending on your location the tour will start at 6:30 AM (Tulum) – 07:30 AM (Playa del Carmen) – 08:30 AM (Cancun).
Languages Offered
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Before Booking
Vegetarian, Vegan, food available on request
Planning Notes
Minimum age: 5 Hotel pickup offered: Yes Confirmation: Automatic
Traveler Impressions
What travelers are saying
2026-07-25
5.00 / 5
Booked this for a client. They said it was great and they really enjoyed seeing the whale sharks! Thank you!
2026-06-27
5.00 / 5
Excellent opportunity to see the Whale Sharks!
2024-06-13
5.00 / 5
This experience was absolutely amazing! Gonzo was an amazing guide, and the team got fantastic videos. Lunch was also great on board!
2024-06-12
5.00 / 5
Had an amazing time. The boat was comfortable, and the staff was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. We found the sharks within about 45 minutes of leaving the dock. Lunch at Isla Mujeres was delicious. Our guide Jane was very friendly and knowledgeable about the sharks. You can tell she has a passion for what she does. Highly recommend.
2023-09-12
5.00 / 5
We had an amazing experience our tour guide Raoul was so knowledgable and personable. We got very up close and personal with the whale shark snorkeling right up close to them as well as spotted a school of dolphins, sea turtles, and a stingray during our boat ride.
2023-09-06
5.00 / 5
Nice crew. Helpful guide. Didn't see a whale shark but still enjoyed our trip
2023-07-28
4.00 / 5
This was a great tour! The guide explained everything to us on the bus ride there. He was careful to lower our expectations, as the last few weeks they had only seen 1 or 2 whale sharks. He told us to send out positive vibes for a good day. We did and there were a total of 12 whale sharks in the area, so all the tour boats could spread out a bit. The captain and crew were great about getting us close to the whales sharks, and lunch was good, too! The only reason it's not a 5 star is because they would not take a credit card for the photos & videos, but didn't say that in the tour description, or when they called to confirm the tour, so we could have enough cash with us. We didn't use our camera because they had someone taking video & photos while swimming with us. We had enough for nice tips, and a little extra, but after paying for the photos in cash, had little to tip the crew.
2021-09-18
5.00 / 5
Great day!
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