The 14 Best Whale Shark Tours in Mexico

1.La Paz Whale Shark Snorkeling Tour and Lunch From Los Cabos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,066 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $259Our pick

Review of La Paz whale shark snorkeling from Los Cabos, with transport, wetsuits, fish tacos, costs, weather risks, and booking advice.

“Our experience was way different than most of the reviews you are reading. I am sure it would’ve been much better after being picked up at 5:50 AM at our hotel and not getting back until 5:30 PM if we had seen even one whale shark. The harbor had been closed the last three days because of strong winds and waves… They decided to open today. They should not have. The water was very rough. We sat on a boat driving around for over three hours. Two people got (mild) hypothermia because we never got in the water because there were no whale sharks to be seen. No refunds were…”

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2.Whale Shark Adventure in Isla Mujeres and Cancun

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

Swim with whale sharks near Isla Mujeres on a small-group boat tour with snorkeling, lunch, and practical tips for seasickness and timing.

“Be prepared for being very patient. You're not guaranteed finding the whalesharks right away. The number you come across can vary between zero and one hundred. Also, the guide takes videos and will sell you yours for $30. You may or may not actually receive the video after paying. We did not.”

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

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

Swim with whale sharks from Cancun, enjoy reef snorkeling and Playa Norte, and get practical tips on timing, costs, sea conditions, and what to bring.

“Carlos was amazing!!! He explained every step clearly and helped me when I was falling behind (I’m a slow swimmer lol). Also, we were able to jump 4 times! The last time we saw the whale shark alone (away from the other boats, we were on our way to the snorkeling area) for a long time! The only issue was my husbands snorkeling mask was leaking the entire time and he kept having to come up out of the water to get the water out. He tried everything to get the water out but nothing worked. But overall, great experience!!”

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4.Whale Sharks Small-Group Tour in Cancun and Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 916 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $160

Swim with whale sharks off Cancun on a guided small-group tour, with hotel pickup, lunch, snorkeling gear, and a $20 cash marine tax.

“Naara and her team were amazing! They made sure everyone got to be in the water and got wonderful footage.”

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5.Whale Shark snorkeling tour in a reduced group with local marine biologist

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 594 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $190

Swim with whale sharks in La Paz on a small-group tour led by a marine biologist, with gear, snacks, permits, insurance, and photos included.

“I had never done a whale shark swim and was a little nervous about the experience, but after my outing with Michelle and Danny, I can safely say I will certainly go again and would feel confident going with Mexplore. Very knowledgeable, fun, and savvy tour guide professional marine biologist PhD and experienced captain Danny successfully located three whale sharks for us to swim after a 45 minute boat ride. The group was provided with very thorough instructions and safety guidelines on the ride, so we didn’t lose any time with the sharks. Mexplore also provided very quality clean wet suits, snorkels, and fins. I was very happy not to…”

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6.Whale Shark Encounter Full-Day all inclusive Tour from Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 519 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $170

Swim with whale sharks from Riviera Maya, snorkel near Isla Mujeres, enjoy lunch and hotel pickup, with practical tips on seasickness and costs.

“Ecotours was top notch. Our guide, Larissa was excellent. We swam with the Whale Sharks two times, made a stop at Isla Muhares for ceviche and snorkeling and had a great time. Its a long day, and I highly recomnend you take something for seasickness, because you are sitting on the boat in the waves for a good bit of time, but it is well worth it to see and swim with the whale sharks.”

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7.Whale Shark Swimming and Isla Mujeres Beach Tour

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

Swim beside whale sharks near Cancun, then relax at Playa Norte with ceviche. Read about timing, seasickness, gear, costs, and tour value.

“This was an amazing trip and totally worth the money. If you do one thing while in Mexico this is it. Pros- whales sharks are awesome and are not going to hurt you. Snorkel gear is included. Able to purchase photos and videos from the shore but you are also able to take your own. Everyone gets time in the water which is fair but would be better to have longer. Cons- lunch is provided but they don’t cater well - ham sandwich You have to wear a life jacket or pay $15 to wear a wet suit as they state you need to have some buoyancy. Take sea sickness…”

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8.Intimate Eco-Friendly Whale Shark Encounter – Premium Service

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 392 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $268

Swim beside whale sharks in La Paz on a small-group eco tour with premium gear, snacks, photos, and more time in the water.

“This was a truly amazing experience!! Katya was great to work with. She reached out to us a few days before our tour to let us know there were high winds forecasted and got us rescheduled to a different day. Anna was a wonderful guide, she made sure everyone had a positive experience! She and the captain were very friendly, knowledgeable, and safe. They ensured the whale shark was not disturbed while we enjoyed swimming with it. Anna took great photos and videos that we will treasure! There were 6 people on our tour, and each couple got to swim three times. This was the highlight of our trip to…”

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9.Swim with Whale Sharks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 380 reviews · 7 - 7.5 hours · from $160

Swim with whale sharks from Cancún in a small group, with naturalist guides, lunch, snorkeling gear, and a clear plan for rough seas.

“It was such an amazing experience. I’d highly recommend this activity. Thank you to my guide Omar, he did such a wonderful job throughout the entire tour.”

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10.Whale Shark and Snorkeling Adventure from Isla Holbox

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 214 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $199

Review of Isla Holbox’s whale shark tour, with snorkeling, manta rays, ceviche, practical tips, costs, wildlife concerns, and booking advice.

“Excellent guide (gustavo), guided our daughter of 6 years old perfectly. There where 10 persons on board, and every single one had a perfect experience!”

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11.Cancun Whale Shark Encounter

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

Swim with whale sharks from Cancun, then enjoy Playa Norte, ceviche, hotel pickup, and a responsible small-group sea adventure.

“This experience was absolutely amazing! We saw several whale sharks and was able to swim within 1 foot of them. Our captain was amazing and let us have extra jumps to make the experience even better! 10/10 would recommend. Ended the day with a swim and lunch at Isla Mujeres!”

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12.Whale Shark Swim Adventure in La Paz

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 154 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $110Best value

Swim beside whale sharks in La Paz with a small group, gear, snacks, and expert guides, while allowing extra time for conservation delays.

“Absolute highlight of any adventure. Such a thrill to swim with these enormous sharks. Loved every moment. Well run operation, like clockwork. Kudos to Elise and the captain who were hospitable, friendly and very professional. Other boats around us were not as well equipped. We were grateful for wetsuits and quality mask snorkel and goggles, and on board toilet.”

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13.Private Whale Shark All Inclusive Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 136 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $1,095

Swim with whale sharks, snorkel Isla Mujeres reefs, and enjoy Playa Norte on a private, family-friendly day from Riviera Maya.

“We had an incredible day with Ocean Tours seeing and swimming with whale sharks. We loved every second of it and feel so lucky to have seen so many whale sharks and had 2 dives with them.”

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14.Whale Shark Adventure with a Marine Biologist

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 100 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $170

Swim with whale sharks in La Paz beside a marine biologist, with small groups, gear, snacks, and careful wildlife rules.

“It was so fantastic! The guide was super conscientious and careful and her directions were very clear and helpful. It was a delightful excursion from start to finish.”

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