Cancun Whale Shark Snorkeling Tour

Are you looking for the best whale shark tours in Cancun? Look no further! Our Cancun Whale Shark Snorkeling Tour offers a unique experience for advanced swimmers (swim with no life vest) and families (certified staff and top boats). Swim face-to-face with the whale shark, the largest fish on Earth, in crystal-clear water. Plus, an amazing beach stop with a delicious tropical meal. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to create unforgettable memories with your family!

Avoid crowds & Unlock Mexico’s hidden gems with our safe and reliable tours, join the thousands of satisfied customers and book your whale shark tour today!

*All photos are from Captain Whale Shark

When?

Daily tours: 08:00 am
7 hours approx.

Where?

Captain Whale Shark Cancun, Puerto Juarez.
Map here.

Transportation

Optional Pickup & Drop-off
Or Free Private Parking

Why Us?

  • Certified crew, boats and equipment. We are committed to make this experience unique and stress-free.
  • 5.0/5.0 rating on Trip advisor. We are proudly the highest rated whale shark tour.
  • Swim with NO life vest (optional for advanced swimmers). Neoprene Wetsuit is mandatory if you swim with no life vest, we’ll provide them with no extra cost!
  • Avoid crowds! Max 10 people per boat to guarantee individual attention.
  • No experience needed! Family-friendly tour, kids and beginners are welcome!

Pickup at your hotel lobby (optional). We’ll pick you up at your hotel lobby 30 to 60 minutes before the tour starts, depending on your hotels location. The driver will get off the van and call you by your name.

Safety Brief and coffee Check-in while enjoying some coffee, juice, and pastries. Safety briefing and neoprene wetsuit fitting.

Boarding time and boat ride to the Whale Sharks Area (30 to 60 miles North East Cancun).

*Our boats are equipped with double engine to make the ride faster, less bumpy and more comfortable, excellent for families.

*Stay alert, we have big chances to see dolphins, mantas, and sea turtles.

Time to snorkel with the whale shark! We’ll take turns: 2 people at a time, always with a guide in the water, with no time limit.

* Bring your camera!

Tropical Power lunch with fresh ceviche. Delicious power lunch to recover energy on the way back. There’s veggie and vegan options (please note in the comments)

Time to go back. We are back in the marina. Bathrooms and freshwater showers are available.

If you booked transportation, we’ll drop you off right at the exact point we picked you up.

Emily
Swimming with Whale Sharks - Amazing
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This was the highlight of an overall amazing trip. We got closer than I thought we would to the whale sharks and loved seeing the manta rays as well. There were 10 passengers total on the boat and it never felt crowded or chaotic. Both my kids (11 and 14) enjoyed their three swims as well and always felt safe. It was over an hour to get out to the location so if you are prone to seasickness, take dramamine first. Also apply lots of sunscreen before leaving. We opted to not use the life preservers but just the wet suits and it was great. We purchased the photos and videos of our swims which were a great momento but others on the boat had a go-pro which also worked great. Stopping at the beach for lunch was a great way to cool off and relax at the end of the day.
Christelle F
Chance of a lifetime
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Incredible experience for me, my husband, and sixteen year old. We were fortunate to only have seven people on the boat so were able to have four turns each with the whale sharks. Captain Noe and his son were friendly, professional, and kept us safe. The stop at Isla Mujeres is a nice lunch break with a swim in crystal clear water while the captain prepares ceviche for lunch. Only hiccup was a last minute pick up change which turned into a 40 minute delay, but we were able to contact the company through the WhatsApp to get an update of when to expect the boat at the pier. They have a 4k video purchase option which captures every moment in the water, and completely worth it. They air dropped the videos to our iPhones while on the boat so we left with our high quality videos. Highly recommend.
CSuds
Great Trip
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This was a great trip and an amazing experience. Captain Whale Shark had great communication, a nice boat, and a fantastic crew!
Debbie M
Best Adventurous swim + snorkel activity!!!
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Amazing captain, so friendly and fun and knowledgeable. Excellent videography offer so beautiful 🤩 and great lunch was served of fresh ceviche… such a bucket list thing to do!!!! We absolutely loved it all.
Tia R
Great Experience
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We had such and amazing adventure with Captain Pablo and Fernando! They got us to the whale sharks before most of the other boats and Pablo did a great job with dropping us in the perfect spot. Fernando and Pinoche took amazing video for us. After a wonderful experience with the whale sharks they made us delicious ceviche right on the boat and we spent an hour playing in the water at Isla Mujeres. I highly recommend Captain Whale Shark. Ask for Captain Pablo!
Justin Rieger
Can't go wrong
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I’m a seasoned traveler and was impressed with this operation from start to finish. Professional, responsive, and educated guides.
James
Captin Whale Shark is the best!!!
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This was the best experience of our lives!!! My girlfriend and I absolutely loved this tour. We got to see so many whale sharks and we swam so close to them!! They captured great footage of my girlfriend and I swimming with the whale sharks. Our guides were so amazing and made the whole experience very enjoyable and so fun! We would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone and everyone! I would totally do this again!!!
Felix B
Just do it
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Incredible experience & worth the money 100% we did 3 dives with the whale sharks and enjoyed all of them a lot. The Guides did their best to make it happen to everyones satisfaction. Factors like the amount of sharks you can find on a certain day surely influence the experience, but from May to August it is basically guaranteed to see some. Beyond that the crew was really nice and also had a more pleasurable behaviour on and in the water compared to other groups we met, where people got rushed in and out of the water and there was a lot of clamoring&pushing going on. We had such a great time and are thankful for the experience!
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Bring sunglasses, bathing suite,hat, towel, an extra change of clothes, and of course your camera!

Use of sunscreen is forbidden. It is very harmful to the whale sharks and it can cause them to leave the area and compromise your experience. Wear a long-sleeve rash-guard, shirt or sun protective clothing.

Bring extra cash for personal expenses such as souvenirs, pictures and tips.

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour.
  • Free reschedule up to 24 hours before the tour subject to availability.
  • Cancellations under 24 hours before the tour will be considered “no show” and no refund will be granted.

As much as we wish we could guarantee sightings of whale sharks, they are wild animals, and their unpredictable migratory patterns and behavior are beyond our control. Our knowledgeable guides leverage their expertise and insights into whale shark behavior to optimize your chances of an encounter

We can’t lock in a specific swim duration because, hey, we’re dealing with Mother Nature. Whale sharks are free spirits in the sea, and we can’t predict their moves and mood (if they feel like a chill float or a full-on swim session).

We can’t promise a specific time, but what we can guarantee is that we won’t rush you. We’re all about a laid-back, no-rush vibe. Your encounter with these gentle giants is as unique as you are, and we won’t call it a day until everyone’s smiling from ear to ear .

As a conservation measure (by law, and applies to all tour operators) every guest has the right to jump only twice into the water, however, when it happens that one of the turns is too short, we do a third one to compensate (No one’s getting cut off until we’re all happy and fulfilled) 😉

If there’s a weather cancellation, we’ll absolutely work with you to reschedule for another suitable time.
In case rescheduling is not possible for you, we offer a full refund. Your comfort and safety are our top priorities!

Absolutely! Whale sharks are incredibly gentle creatures – they are not aggressive as they lack natural predators. Their slow, graceful movements and toothless mouths make them perfectly suited for up-close encounters with humans.
Our expert guides prioritize your safety at all times, ensuring you can enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime adventure with peace of mind. So, if you decide not to choose Captain Whale Shark, just be sure you choose a certified tour provider.

You must never touch a whale shark. Human touch can potentially damage their delicate skin, which serves as protection against parasites and infections. Additionally, touching whale sharks can disrupt their natural behavior and may cause stress or discomfort, probably encouraging the whale shark to swim to the bottom of the sea to never see it again, (ruining the activity for you an the rest). Our priority is to promote respectful, responsible and sustainable interactions without direct contact.

Whale shark season in Cancun is from May,15th to September, 15th, being July the best month to swim with the whale sharks.

We receive juvenile whale sharks that go up to 60 feet long!

20% Off limited time

* Valid only booking online We have very limited capacity, save your spot with $300 MXN (Aprox. $15 USD)
  • Traveler $3580 $2865 MXN
    (Approx. $179 $145 USD)
  • Traveler
    + Transportation
    $3980 $3185 MXN
    (Approx. $199 $159 USD)

* Exchange rate is subject to your bank