Whale Sharks where to find them

[diverdiana]

Forgive me, I am new to the board. I posted this question a couple of days ago and now I cannot find my question nor any potential responses so I'm trying again.

I want to encounter whale sharks. Any feedback on where to go

[RickyF]

Utila Honduras

[mrsrobinson27]

Holbox island or Isla Mujeres island in Mexico are famous for whale sharks. The official season is June 1st - September 15th. You can organize your trip directly with an operation on those islands (their websites are pretty user-friendly with a ton of helpful suggestions). Or if you also want to include some diving in your trip, Cozumel is relatively close and then some operators there can take you to see whale sharks. In fact, here's an announcement from Dive Cooperative on Cozumel, they are organizing a pretty interesting dive trip at the end of August - Mission “Dream Extreme” « Dive Cooperative.

[DeputyDan]

In North/South America

Southern Belize April-May
Utila, Honduras March-April
Holbox, Mexico July-August.

You need to do research for specifics.

There are areas of the Phillipines and Australia that have regular opportunities as well as the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

[DeputyDan]

You should also know that some locales allow only snorkeling.

[Kat]

I snorkeled with them off of Isla Mujeres, which is a small island near Cancun. It was amazing! My BF & I got to go in the water 3 times with them. They are beautiful gentle giants.

[DandyDon]

Here is your other thread in Central America: Whale Shark diving/snorkeling

Holbox island or Isla Mujeres island in Mexico are famous for whale sharks. The official season is June 1st - September 15th. You can organize your trip directly with an operation on those islands (their websites are pretty user-friendly with a ton of helpful suggestions). Or if you also want to include some diving in your trip, Cozumel is relatively close and then some operators there can take you to see whale sharks. In fact, here's an announcement from Dive Cooperative on Cozumel, they are organizing a pretty interesting dive trip at the end of August - Mission “Dream Extreme” « Dive Cooperative.

You're more likely to see them in that area than anywhere in Central America, but timing is everything. You can get to Cancun a lot easier & cheaper too.

[bug catcher]

I went to Lapaz Mx in Oct 07, saw and snorkled with 4 to 6 whale sharks the most they ever had on 1 trip. Viz was poor with all the plankton so could not get a good pic under water. We stayed with and dove with club Cantimar although other resorts looked a lot better than Cantimar. Cantimar's boats filled up w divers from other resorts everyday but Cantimar boats were slow so maybe now they are faster or new resorts have better boats. Also they had a great sea lion dive at Los Isolotos and a blue water dive for hammer heads but we only saw 1 H.H. as they have been almost fished out of the Sea of Cortez. Club Cantimar was clean but isolated and food not great. We cabed to town for most meals, also no entertainment but that was in '07 so maybe bettter now. It is also located across from large shipping port so noisey trucks.

[Kenr]

How about Donsol Philippines.

[MC]

I snorkeled with them off of Isla Mujeres, which is a small island near Cancun. It was amazing! My BF & I got to go in the water 3 times with them. They are beautiful gentle giants.

we just got back from that area and did that snorkle trip. We saw probably 50 of them. We booked it thru Scorpio divers.