Whale sharks like the pictures show

[jonhall]

Recently was in La Paz, MX to snorkel with the whale sharks. The water was murky and when in the water, you had to be right on one to see it. Very similar my experience snorkeling with manatees in Crystal River, FL (until we got to shallower water - then it was pretty good.)

I know Cancun is a place to go during the right time of year to see whale sharks, but I'm wanting to go where the water is clear, like the pictures all the websites show.

Where and when is a good place to see whale sharks with good visibility?

 

[tridacna]

Oslob, Cebu Philippines. OK, further than Mexico but WOW!

 

[Ghost Diver #]

You can always do dive at the Georgia aquarium, it's not the same thing as seeing them in the wild but the marine life is fantastic and of course the water is clear!

Swim with Whale Sharks | Experience | Georgia Aquarium

 

[jonhall]

You can always do dive at the Georgia aquarium, it's not the same thing as seeing them in the wild but the marine life is fantastic and of course the water is clear!

Swim with Whale Sharks | Experience | Georgia Aquarium

Yep, that's the visibility I want when snorkeling with the whale sharks! But it's not the price I want to pay for ½ hour in the water with them. Definitely want to get to that aquarium though!

 

[Wingy]

Whale Sharks Exmouth | Ningaloo Reef Dive Exmouth

Snorkelling with Humpbacks is also now available....just a bit further than the Phillipines or Cenderwasih Bay.

 

[diversteve]

Utila for snorkeling in early Spring.(March-April)or Gladden Spit (Southern Belize) for diving with them right after the Cubera Snapper spawn (around the full moon May-June) Both have really clear water all the time.

Some links
Utila Official Site - Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras - Tropical Island Paradise
Best time for Whale Shark Season around Utila in Honduras 2018 & Map
Whale Shark Dive Trips | Splash Dive Center | Placencia Belize

We snorkeled with 8 over 3 days a few years ago in Utila. Saw one vertically feeding and one seemed to like the attention and made multiple passes around us. My buddies were able to dive with them on every Splash trip they took there during a week of diving.

 

[Manuel Sam]

Off of the Yucatan Peninsula, there are two known hotspots for whalesharks: Holbox and Isla Mujeres. I've never been to Holbox, but I've seen pictures, and the water tends to be peasoup green, which is to say that when you see the head, you cannot see the tail. I would say that it is a similar experience to La Paz, which I did for one morning in Nov 2016 from the Solmar V liveaboard. But I did Isla Mujeres in 2010, and at least when I went, we typically went out 10-15 miles into blue waters. Isla Mujeres is just off Cancun by ferry. It is here that an annual aggregation of over 200 whalesharks spread over let's say a one-mile diameter occurs, usually between June and maybe late August, coinciding with the spawning of little tunny or bonito (I think). The only detriment to visibility is the presence of a lot of fish eggs, which is what brings the whaleshaks to this area in the first place. If this is of interest to you, shoot me a private message.

 

[ibj40]

We did the Isla Mujeres trip about three years ago, and did the La Paz trip this past November.

In my opinion, it was a night and day comparison. Mujeres was dozens of sharks, and good visibility; La Paz was one shark and it almost swam into me because I couldn't see it until it was right on me.

If we were ever to be so inclined again, it's hands down, Mujeres.

 

[Dan]

Here is a video I took last July in Isla Mujeres:

 

[Dan]

There would be tons of them in the blue water of Isla Mujeres during summer time (July-September). Check out these drone pictures of the sites during the heyday, below. The white specs are boats. They are as big as the boats. They are cruising on the surface to filter snapper eggs.