10 Places to Swim With Whale Sharks

I WAS SNORKELING off the Pacific Coast of Mexico with my friend and former dive instructor, Ceci, when I saw what looked like a spiny tetherball with a beak spiraling from the depths towards the surface. I lifted my mask and Ceci lifted hers, preempting my question.

“It’s a blowfish,” she said, matter-of-factly. Then, “All fish are weird.”

To wit: the whale shark. Not a whale at all, and only technically a shark (with a cartilaginous skeleton, gill slits, and pectoral fins it belongs to the shark family of fish), the whale shark has an enormous mouth with up to 350 rows of tiny teeth and 10 filter pads. Like baleen whales, they’re filter-feeders and eat by straining algae, plankton, and krill from the seawater, but their name more likely derives from the fact that at sizes of up to 40 feet long and 47,000 pounds, they are the largest fish on the planet, and can live for up to 80 years. Weird, right?

Whale sharks live in all tropical and warm temperate seas, so the regions where you can swim with them — they’re known to be gentle with divers — are numerous. Whale shark numbers, however, are dwindling; the animal is on the endangered species list.

The migration patterns of whale sharks aren’t fully understood, but there are ways to increase your chances of a sighting. Where you catch up with the whale sharks will depend on the time of year and the region you’re in.

Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador
When: May - October; best month is July
Skill: Depends on the dive but strong currents make this region unsuitable for beginners
Do it: Aqua-Firma, Academy Bay Diving, Galextur, Scuba Galapagos

Ari and Baa Atolls, Maldives
When: May - December on the western side; December - April on the eastern side
Skill: Beginner to experienced; no SCUBA required
Do it: Maldives Dive Travel

Isla Mujeres, Mexico
When: May - September; the annual Whale Shark Festival typically takes place in mid-June
Skill: Beginner to experienced. SCUBA not permitted; snorkels only
Do it: Enrique’s Unique Dives, Searious Diving, Ceviche Tours

Ningaloo Reef, Australia
When: April - July
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Three Islands Whale Shark Dive, Ningaloo Dreaming, Ningaloo Blue Dive

Belize Barrier Reef, Belize
When: March - June
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Splash Dive Center, Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Seahorse Dive Shop

Tofo, Mozambique
When: November - April
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: SCUBA Mozambique, Diversity SCUBA

Donsol Bay, Philippines
When: February - April
Skill: Beginner to experienced. SCUBA not permitted in the bay; snorkels only
Do it: Donsol EcoTour

Mahe, Seychelles
When: August - October
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Aqua-Firma, Dive Seychelles, Big Blue Divers

Richelieu Rock, Thailand
When: Feb - May
Skill: Intermediate to experienced
Do it: Blue Guru Diving, Sunrise Divers, Sharkey Scuba

Utila Bay, Honduras
When: Year round, but Utila Dive Lodge and the Whale Shark and Oceanic Center partner each year to offer "Whale Shark Weeks," during which divers can participate in whale shark research, photo ID, DNA sampling, and tagging (pictured).
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Utila Dive Lodge, Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center

10 Places to Swim With Whale Sharks

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