Category Cancun Whale Shark Tours

Whale sharks gather offshore in the summer season, and boats rotate swimmers through short water entries. Smaller groups usually mean less waiting between turns.

Cancun · CANCUN WHALE SHARK TOURS

The 15 Best Cancun Whale Shark Tours

18 ways to explore

Whale Shark Adventure in Isla Mujeres and Cancun

Whale Shark Adventure in Isla Mujeres and Cancun - Getting to the Black Pearl dock (and how pickup works)

1.Whale Shark Adventure in Isla Mujeres and Cancun

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 951 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $155Our pick

Small-group Isla Mujeres snorkeling to swim with whale sharks in the Caribbean, with gear, snacks, and lunch included. May to September.

“The opportunity to see and swim with whale sharks was a once in a lifetime experience. They were pretty amazing to see when they came up near the surface and they were massive.I am nervous about swimming with big fish but our guide Filipe was so helpful in making me feel safe and comfortable by guiding me in the right direction. It is definitely worth doing but people should be aware of a couple things to ensure your expectations will be met. It is a long boat ride (1 hours and a half to 2 hours) to get to the location where the whale sharks are and about the same…”

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Whale Shark Tour from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Riviera Maya

Whale Shark Tour from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Riviera Maya - Isla Contoy National Park Stop: Reef Snorkel and Spotting More Than Sharks

2.Whale Shark Tour from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 929 reviews · 6 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $199

Small-group whale shark snorkeling from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Riviera Maya with early pickup, reef snorkel, and Playa Norte lunch. Reef fee extra.

“Wonderful, knowledgeable tour guide-Rueben. Was friendly and so helpful! Wonderful ship’s captain and crew… made sure our experience was exceptional. Can’t wait to see videos! The whale sharks are such beautiful, peaceful creatures! Highly recommend!”

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Whale Shark Swimming and Isla Mujeres Beach Tour

Whale Shark Swimming and Isla Mujeres Beach Tour - Getting to Punta Sam: pickup, marina check-in, and breakfast

3.Whale Shark Swimming and Isla Mujeres Beach Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 399 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $210

Swim with whale sharks near Cancun, then unwind at Isla Mujeres’ Playa Norte. Pickup, gear, breakfast, and ceviche included.

“The whale sharks did not disappoint and neither did our crew. Nice facility in Punta Juarez and friendly crew. The day was awful though and we had thunderstorms and showers and a few got seasick and it was a miserable 1 hr journey out to the whale sharks. Once there, our guys handled like pros and we all got in for great videos and pics with the big creatures and it was a flurry of sprint swimming to keep up. Glad we did it, but really wish it would have been on another day with better weather.”

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Cancun Whale Shark Encounter

Cancun Whale Shark Encounter - The snorkeling swim: what you should expect in the water

4.Cancun Whale Shark Encounter

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 172 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $210

Shared half-day snorkeling near Cancun with a whale shark swim, hotel pickup, breakfast, ceviche, and a Playa Norte beach stop.

“The swim itself was amazing. Geovanny our guide helped us get close to the whale sharks and take good photos and videos with his gopro. He was very patient with those not so able swimmers on our boat - you need to be able to swim to keep up with the fast moving animals. Miguel, the captain was very skilful at getting us to the right spot for each dive and the boat ride was enjoyable too. We were served delicious fish ceviche and sandwiches and taken to a beautiful beach in Isla Mujeres before heading back.”

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Swim with Whale Shark from Isla Mujeres and Cancun

Swim with Whale Shark from Isla Mujeres and Cancun - Check-in at Av Juárez and that morning breakfast boost

5.Swim with Whale Shark from Isla Mujeres and Cancun

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 52 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $161

Swim with whale sharks from Isla Mujeres with a small-group boat day, snacks and drinks onboard, coral-reef snorkeling, and North Beach ceviche.

“My wife and I booked this while on vacation for our anniversary, and couldn’t recommend it more! It was so special to swim right next to a whale shark together. The actual experience was a few rounds of diving in two at a time and swimming for a few minutes next to the shark. Everything else was just added benefit which made the overall experience absolutely incredible.”

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Whale Shark Adventure from Isla Mujeres

Whale Shark Adventure from Isla Mujeres - Why May to September Is the Big Deal Here

6.Whale Shark Adventure from Isla Mujeres

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · 6 hours · from $176

6-hour whale shark snorkeling from Isla Mujeres with a small group, dock fees included, gear, sandwiches and ceviche, and close encounters.

“Treffpunkt ist bei Dock 3, nehmt vorher etwas gegen Seekrankheit auch wenn ihr damit normalerweise keine Probleme habt und lange Ärmel helfen gegen Sonnenbrand”

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Private Whale shark Ecofriendly tour from Cancun

Private Whale shark Ecofriendly tour from Cancun - The whale shark search in the Caribbean reserve

7.Private Whale shark Ecofriendly tour from Cancun

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $895

Private whale shark snorkeling from Cancun. Biologist-led briefing, gear and lunch included, round-trip pickup, ecofriendly care, and a flexible day at sea.

“Fantastic trip! We were lucky enough to swim twice with a magnificent whale shark; although we did jump in a third time, but I didn’t see the whale shark. :)”

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Whale Shark & Manta Ray Snorkel -(May-Sept) Only 10pp per Boat

Whale Shark & Manta Ray Snorkel -(May-Sept) Only 10pp per Boat - Price, Time, and What You’re Actually Paying For

Small Group Whale Shark Encounter – 10 years in business

Small Group Whale Shark Encounter - 10 years in business - Small-Group Attention: Why Max 10 Travelers Is the Real Upgrade

9.Small Group Whale Shark Encounter – 10 years in business

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $199

Cancun whale shark snorkeling in a small group of 10, with early pickup, breakfast and snacks, plus included photos and a safe guide.

“Had the most amazing experience swimming with the Whale Sharks. Carlos and Oscar form Kay Tours did a fantastic job. Would do this tour again in a heart beat. From start to finish these guy's made sure every need was dealt with. Two thumbs up to Carlos and Oscar of Kay Tours”

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Cancun Whale Shark Experience with Snorkel & Transportation

Cancun Whale Shark Experience with Snorkel & Transportation - Whale shark snorkel: two swim chances, calm guidance, safe distance

10.Cancun Whale Shark Experience with Snorkel & Transportation

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · from $210

Small-group Cancun whale shark tour to Isla Contoy with hotel pickup, two snorkel swims, breakfast and ceviche, plus Playa Norte beach time.

“Today we were very lucky, we found o er 50 Mantras and 3 Whale Sharks, to swim with such amazing fish was very special. From start to finish our guides couldnt have been more amazing. SO PROFESSIONALLY.”

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Whale Shark Tour Isla Mujeres Max 10Pax Free Lunch


11.Whale Shark Tour Isla Mujeres Max 10Pax Free Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $155

Swim with whale sharks off Isla Mujeres on a small-group 8:00 am tour, with free lunch, and a North Beach or El Farrito swim.

“First of all, let me just say that Kristen from Island Spirit Adventures is a wonderful tour operator. I chose her company based on all of the fantastic reviews and she absolutely lived up to her stellar reputation. We actually had a slight mixup due to us changing the originaRead more”

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Private Whale Shark Tour from Cancun

Private Whale Shark Tour from Cancun - Your Own Boat From Cancun: Space, Comfort, and Less Hassle

12.Private Whale Shark Tour from Cancun

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $1,780

A private whale shark snorkeling day from Cancun with your own boat, included gear, expert guides, and lunch on Isla Mujeres.

“This was a wonderful experience for our family. We each got in the water with the whale sharks multiple times. The extra cost of the private tour was well worth the price. If we had been in a much larger group, we would only have been able to get in the water twice at most and may not have been able to see the animals nearly as well. We got some cool video of the experience as well! Captain Pablo and Guide Carlos were informative and attentive. We accidentally left our shoes on the boat, and Pablo personally delivered them to our hotel after the tour. It was great, and…”

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Whale Shark Swim Adventure SMALL GROUP from Cancun

Whale Shark Swim Adventure SMALL GROUP from Cancun - Getting to the dock: pickup coverage and meeting points

13.Whale Shark Swim Adventure SMALL GROUP from Cancun

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $299

Small-group whale shark swim from Cancun, visiting Isla Mujeres and Holbox, with snorkeling gear, pro guidance, and fresh ceviche.

“Absolutely amazing experience! Only wish we could have more time in water with whale shark... The guide only brings 2 people to water each time, so every 2 people get 2 rounds to see whale shark. We see Mantarays as well, fascinating!! BRING YOUR WETSUIT if you don't want to wear lifejacket in water”

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Full-Day Whale Shark Tour Puerto Morelos with Pickup and Lunch

Full-Day Whale Shark Tour Puerto Morelos with Pickup and Lunch - Isla Contoy stop: where the whale sharks search happens

14.Full-Day Whale Shark Tour Puerto Morelos with Pickup and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $175

See whale sharks near Isla Contoy, then relax with lunch at Isla Mujeres, with pickup from Puerto Morelos and snorkeling gear included.

“The whale shark tour we took was a once in a lifetime experience! Went with the family (kids 7yo & 11yo) and we all loved it. Be prepared for a long boat ride (take Dramamine, sea bands) and have patience…it’s worth the wait! Our guide Carlos was kind, helpful, and informative. You can tell he loves nature and sharing it with others. Highly recommend this experience.”

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Private and Shared Whale Shark Tour from Tulum

Private and Shared Whale Shark Tour from Tulum - The 6am grind: pickup, timing, and boat-day basics

15.Private and Shared Whale Shark Tour from Tulum

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $255

Swim with wild whale sharks on a half-day boat tour from Tulum, with small-group supervision, Isla Mujeres cruising, snorkeling, and ceviche lunch.

“My friends and I found this whale shark tour through 'Inspired by Maps' travel blog, and we are SO happy we did. This tour is not only the best price we found, but we could not imagine a better experience. We were picked up from our airbnb in Tulum for a small extra charge that was communicated to us beforehand, since we were so far from the tour destination in Cancun. When we arrived there was a delicious breakfast and coffee provided after a long and early drive. Our boat driver Pablo took us and 2 other small groups of people on his boat way out past Isla Mujeres to…”

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