- Year-round
- 3.5 hours
Explore the best of three islands — Yalahua lagoon, Isla Pájaros, and Isla Pasión — from unique bird species to mangroves and natural springs.
Quick Details
Final checkout will be in Mexican pesos. USD prices are approximate
SWIM WITH WHALE SHARKS — THE BIGGEST FISH IN THE OCEAN —IN MEXICO
Each year, the whale sharks come to the Yum Balam ecological reserve near Holbox Island and Isla Mujeres to feed and mate in the months of May through October. Holbox Travel offers you a unique and unforgettable chance to coexist and swim with these magnificent creatures, our friends the whale sharks in Holbox!
Whale sharks are very docile creatures, and when approached by snorkelers or divers, they hardly notice the visit. Our boats leave the beach every morning from June to the end of September and are back after a little over five hours. During our Holbox whale shark tours, you see dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, and an assorted variety of fish and bird species that live in the surroundings of Holbox Island and Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
It is important that you know that to conduct the Holbox whale shark tours, Holbox Travel uses its own boats, equipment, and thoroughly trained guides. We guarantee the best service in Holbox Island at the best price. Many years of experience and the many people who have enjoyed our Holbox whale shark tours speak for themselves. Rest assured that you’re about to have an unforgettable time with Holbox Travel.
*Exact return time might vary depending on weather conditions.
*This tour is for people staying in a hotel on Holbox island. If you are not staying in Holbox Island but wish to swim with the whale sharks, we also organize the tour from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Tulum, and Isla Mujeres. The price with pick-ups from these places is $195 USD per person with round-trip transportation from your hotel and food. Please contact us if you need more information.
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The whale shark is the largest fish in the ocean today; they can grow to be up to 50 feet (15 m) in length. The whale shark prefers waters of warm surface temperature, in areas where there are upwellings of nutrient-rich colder water — these conditions favor blooms of plankton on which the sharks feed. These precise conditions are found year after year, every summer in the waters of Holbox Island and Isla Mujeres. This protein-rich habitat is equally ideal for schools of jacks, manta rays, and dolphins.
The whale shark is a shark, not a whale. Its name refers to the whale shark’s impressive size and unique feeding habits. It normally feeds on or just below the surface by filtering small planktonic organisms out of the water through its baleen (a built-in hair-like structure replacing teeth).
Whale sharks are viviparous animals, and babies are often seen with their mothers.