Disclaimer: I was not paid or compensated in any way for this review. All opinions are my own and based on my personal experience Baja Charters.
While planning our recent trip to Cabo San Lucas, I was thrilled to discover that swimming with whale sharks—a bucket list dream of mine—was possible just a short distance from where we were staying. The chance to get in the water with these gentle giants was something I couldn’t pass up, and I’m excited to share our experience to help you decide if this adventure might be right for you and your family.
What are Whale Sharks?
According to the World Wildlife Fund, whale sharks are the largest of the shark species and the biggest fish in the world. They can be up to 59 feet in length and have been reported to weigh as much as 15 tons. Although they are typically solitary, large numbers of whale sharks gather to feed in areas with huge quantities of plankton. They are not aggressive towards people, which has led to their popularity with snorkelers and divers. And, despite the name, there is no relation to a whale.
Where to Swim with Whale Sharks in Mexico
In Mexico, the Sea of Cortez in the Baja Peninsula is known as one of the best locations to swim with whale sharks. There are also tours in Isla Contoy National Park, off the northern coast of Quintana Roo near Cancun.
If you are staying in the Baja Peninsula, tours can be found in La Paz, where the whale sharks stop to feed on plankton in a shallow bay during their migration. If you are already staying in La Paz, there are many options for tour operators but if you are staying in Cabo San Lucas or another part of the Baja Peninsula, your options are limited unless you have a rental car. We went with Baja Charters, a very well known tour operator in the area.
All whale shark tours in Mexico are regulated by the Mexican government.
When to Swim with Whale Sharks in Mexico
Whale sharks are best seen in the Sea of Cortez from October through April and in Cancun from early June to mid-September.
What to Know Before You Go
There is no guarantee that you will be able to see or swim with whale sharks. As I mentioned, in Mexico, this is a highly regulated activity. In La Paz, time in the whale shark park is limited to three hours in the early morning, or two hours later in the day and a licensed snorkel boat is allowed only one entry per day.
Swimming with whale sharks is not for everyone. If you tend to get sea sick on boats, have never snorkeled before, or are not a very strong swimmer, this may not be the best experience for you. Everyone wears a life jacket when in the water, but even so, there’s quite a bit of swimming to navigate around the whale sharks. On our tour, children under seven were not allowed to swim with the whale sharks. Regardless of age, I would recommend anyone going on these tours should have at least some prior experience with snorkeling so you can focus on the experience and not the technical aspects of the swim.
Our Whale Shark Tour with Baja Charters
We were picked up from our resort by Baja Charter’s van at 6 a.m. The van was already full from other hotel pick ups, so expect to have an early start to your day.
The drive from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz is about two hours. Once our van arrived in La Paz we were taken to the catamaran. The boat was large and comfortable, with space to lie out and enjoy the ride. In total, there were about 20 people on our tour, which was during the peak season over the Christmas holiday.
As our boat started out into the bay, an on-board chef whipped up a delicious breakfast that was much appreciated after our long drive. After breakfast, everyone was fitted with gear. Baja Charters provides life jackets, wetsuits, snorkels, and flippers. After everyone was set and we arrived at the whale shark feeding area, we were divided into smaller groups (there were about 12 in ours), put on a tinder boat, and we headed into the regulated area.
Our first stop was to get permission to access the area. The captain had to take the tinder to an open area where government officials could confirm that we met the entry regulations and that we had the appropriate license. After we were cleared, we entered the feeding zone to start our adventure!
Only four guests and a licensed guide are permitted in the water at any one time. Our guide was a marine biologist and able to provide a great deal of education about whale sharks and local ecology. She also gave us detailed instructions on how to swim with the sharks, and what to do/not do.
Our guide warned us that once we entered the area, it could take up to an hour, and sometimes longer, to find the whale sharks. We were lucky and the captain spotted one almost immediately! It was very exciting to have our first sighting so quickly, but it quickly swam away before anyone could get in the water. We saw several other whale sharks, including a baby, before we finally found one we could swim with.
Only four people were allowed in the water with the guide at a time and our family was the first to jump in the water. It was a little scary in the first moments, but then the excitement of being next to this giant animal took over. Our guide started giving us instructions (via hand signals) and helping us to get close enough to swim alongside the animal. But honestly, with the tide and even just the gentle waves, it was pretty challenging to maneuver. We were overjoyed to spend a few minutes with the whale shark before it left us, and we returned to the boat to wait for our next turn in the water. We had our GoPro to record the adventure, but unfortunately, didn’t get any great footage. Everything happened very fast when it was time to swim with the shark. And with the murky water as well as all of the bubbles churned up by our flippers, getting a clear video was not easy. My advice is to enjoy the moment and take more pictures when you are viewing from the boat!
Overall, we spent about two hours out on the tinder looking for and taking turns swimming with the whale sharks. My family had two opportunities to get in the water with them, which was probably enough. It was quite the workout swimming in open waters and we were exhausted!
After our time was up, we went back to the catamaran for a delicious lunch. There was a huge spread of tacos, chips and salsa, guacamole and an open bar. We enjoyed our meal while the catamaran headed to our second stop at San Rafaelito to snorkel with sea lions.
When we got there, it was hard to find the motivation to put the snorkels on and jump back in. But with these rare opportunities in life, our family suited up and dove in. Only a few other people in the group joined us. Since the sea lions were mainly napping in the sun on a small island, there wasn’t much to see close up, but it was entertaining nonetheless.
After the second stop, it was time to head back to land and the end of our adventure. We got back in the van for the drive home. On the way, we stopped in Todos Santos for a bathroom break at the famed Hotel California. Be sure to take some money with you; there was a person outside the restrooms collecting pesos to use the facilities. We finally arrived back at the hotel about 8 p.m., tired, ready for a shower and some dinner!
Final Thoughts
I’m so glad we chose Baja Charters for our tour—it was an incredible experience from start to finish. Everything was thoughtfully organized, the staff was warm and welcoming, and our guide was not only friendly but impressively knowledgeable. We walked away with so much new insight, especially around conservation, which was a key theme throughout the day.
When traveling, be sure to choose a reputable tour operator that prioritizes ethical practices and environmental protection. It’s essential that we all do our part to ensure wildlife encounters are respectful, sustainable, and responsible—for the animals, the ecosystem, and future travelers.
Dreaming of vacation? Learn my tips on how to plan a family trip to Cabo San Lucas.
