Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

VIP Whale Shark Expedition

Incredible Whale Shark Encounters

Whale-Shark-Snorkeling_AndyMurch

Photo © Andy Murch

A Migration of Giants

In July and August, hundreds of whale sharks migrate to the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and form the largest whale shark aggregation in the world. On this trip, you will have the chance to experience them first hand by swimming alongside these gentle giants.
Snorkeling within touching distance of the largest fish in the sea is an experience you will never forget.

Leave Your Dive Gear at Home

Because the whale sharks spend much of their time feeding at the surface, there is no need for us to use scuba which creates too much drag to keep up with the sharks. This encounter requires nothing more than a mask, snorkel and fins so anyone (regardless of their experience level) can participate.

THE ENCOUNTER

Snorkeling with whale sharks and manta rays
REQUEST MORE INFO

2024

DATE
July 19-24 FULL

PRICE (USD)
$2,495 per person double occupancy


$3,395 single occupancy

LEADERS
Jennifer Idol
Julian Gunther

Snorkeling with a feeding Whale Shark.

2025

DATE
August 8-13 8 SPOTS AVAILABLE

PRICE (USD)
$2,495 per person double occupancy


$3,395 single occupancy

LEADERS
Jennifer Idol

World class snorkeling with whale sharks

2026

DATE
TBA 8 SPOTS AVAILABLE

PRICE (USD)
$TBA per person double occupancy


$TBA single occupancy

LEADERS
TBA

Whale sharks swimming

DETAILS

ACCOMMODATION
Oceanfront Hotel, Isla Mujeres

EXPERIENCE LEVEL
Snorkeling experience only

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • 5 nights accommodation in a beachfront hotel
  • All room taxes
  • Full breakfast
  • Pack lunch and refreshments while at sea
  • Four days of whale shark snorkeling and transfers from Cancun Airport

NOT INCLUDED

  • Snorkeling equipment
  • Flights
  • Dinners
  • Gratuities

Photo © Andy Murch

Photo © Andy Murch

Photo © Andy Murch

Photo © Andy Murch

Photo © Andy Murch

Photographing whale sharks while snorkeling.
 
Whale Shark feeding on tuna eggs.
 
Whale Shark snorkeling trip to Mexico.
 
A snorkeler with a huge whale shark.
 
Whale Sharks, Mantas, Mobulas and More!

The area where the whale sharks gather attract other large animals too. Although we’re never sure exactly what we’ll see, its quite common for us to run into large schools of manta rays. Some years, we see them in their hundreds!

You may also see schooling cownose rays, mobula rays (they look like baby mantas), turtles and even a sailfish or dorado.

It’s your vacation and we want you to enjoy it

From the moment you arrive at Cancun Airport, you’re in our care. We will personally escort you to Isla Mujeres; the perfect staging point for visiting the whale sharks. Once you arrive at the hotel, simply relax and enjoy your time on the island until it is time to go snorkeling with the whale sharks. Its that simple.

Why come with Big Fish Expeditions?

We consistently provide our guests with longer, better and more intimate encounters with the whale sharks.

There are many operators that offer whale shark encounters. But, if you head out on a regular trip you’ll get two or three jumps with the sharks that may only last a few minutes and then you’ll be heading back to shore. If you’d rather spend hours out in the whale shark grounds and then sail directly back to your beachfront hotel, then join us for the whale shark encounter of a lifetime!

Snorkeling with whale sharks and mantas
THE BIG FISH EXPEDITIONS DIFFERENCE
  • We take a maximum of eight guests on our boat so you will be comfortable and feel uncrowded.
  • You will board at the beach directly in front of the hotel so there is no time wasted with transfers to a crowded public dock each day.
  • You will arrive at the whale shark grounds hours before most of the other boats.
  • If you don’t want to bring your own gear, we provide short wetsuits for all guests and low profile life jackets.
  • We provide lunch snacks and unlimited drinks to keep you hydrated and fed so that you can concentrate on the amazing encounters.
  • We stay out with the sharks for as long as everyone wants – generally long after the other boats have returned to shore.
  • We provide shuttles to bring you to your hotel on Isla Mujeres from Cancun Airport – a lengthy process that would otherwise involve you haggling for taxis, finding the right ferry to get you to the island and then more taxis once you get to Isla Mujeres. Let us take all the work out of your trip so that you can concentrate on having an amazing adventure with the sharks!
World class snorkeling with whale sharks
Snorkeling with lots of mantas in Mexico

ITINERARY

A DAY AT SEA WITH BIG FISH EXPEDITIONS

While the other boats are still fueling up, our boat will be waiting just off shore for us to finish breakfast and then take us immediately in search of whale sharks. Once we find the sharks we will stay with them so if you’re looking for a quick swim with a whale shark and then time on the beach, this probably isn’t the trip for you because we are consistently the last boat in the ‘afuera’ – the outer ocean where the whale sharks feed.

By mid-morning more boats usually arrive from Cancun to see the whale sharks. By noon they start trickling back to port. Just the hardcore boats remain but even these don’t last much longer.

We will make the most of the encounters in the early morning before any other boats show up. Then we usually stay near the edge of the aggregation of sharks where there are fewer boats. By 11:30 ish after all that swimming everyone starts getting hungry so we break for a quick lunch of sandwiches, chips and fruit. Then, once the boats have thinned out, we head back into the middle of the action and stay there for as long as everyone wants or for as long as we can find sharks.

We won’t force you to keep snorkeling with massive whale sharks but if you have the energy, we’re happy to stay out until the park officially closes at 2pm; returning you back to the hotel around 3:30pm; with  plenty of time to relax on the beach or at the bar before dinner. That is the Big Fish difference.

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    Whale shark diving in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

    Delivering world-class wildlife encounters since 2010

    Big Fish Expeditions Founder Andy Murch has spent the last three decades chasing big animals all over the world. Few people have Andy’s knowledge and organizational skills necessary to put together a professional expedition. Have a look through some of the comments from our guests: testimonials.

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