Absolutely incredible! We were surrounded by whale sharks on all sides. The shuttle service was exceptional, and the guides and boat were very very professional. I would highly recommend this to anyone. read more

Great experience! Once in a lifetime event for me. The guide and boat captain were professional and super cool! It is well worth it.

This review is for the complete experience not just the Whale Shark trip. The captain Luis was a great host along with his first mate. They did a great job trying to find the Whale sharks, we got skunked. I knew the possibility was low this time of year but gave it a shot. No let's get to the logistics of the trip. First we were supposed to be picked up in Plays del Carmen at 7:30 7:45. Had to get up at 6:00 (again I knew all of this) they showed up around 8:20 and the driver drove 120-130 KPH. Sketchy, the van Is at least 10 years old packed with 10 people and he was weaving in and out u ok Durazo e so much. It just was very unsafe. The next issue is the trip is $200 per person (again no issue) when the final charges were done it was $246 per person plus the $10 charge for the eco fee. All of this would not have mattered probably if we had seen a whale shark. I would not suggest this for families it is very rough open ocean. If you get motion sickness at all make sure you take medication 2 of the 10 got sick. Overall I would not suggest doing this excursion unless you are actually staying in the Can Cun area and after June 1. read more

Mexico Whale Shark - Speeding at its finest in the 80 KPH Zone - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Cancún, ROO

What a wonderful expirience. From the moment Julio picked us up from our hotel and gave us the run down of what to expect, it was a great time. My family and I were lucky enough to get on the boat with Toto and Captain Esteban, they got us to the whale shark area earlier than any other boats and we spotted them in just a few minutes. A few minutes later they had us jumping off of the boat and swimming along side an estimated 35 whale sharks or so. We enjoyed them alone for a good 10 to 15 minutes before a few other boats arrived, within an hour there were a lot of boats around, there were so many whale sharks it was not an issue, it was no neat and peaceful to swim along side them, true gentle giants. Esteban and Toto were exceptional, even thoufh they do this on a daily basis in season, there excitement and enjoyment of the sharks and the entire expirience showed their love for what they do and it made it all the more special. Going back to Isla Mujeres and enjoyng a swim and the fresh ceviche and guac was just the cherry on top. I highly recommend this excursion. read more

TAKE MOTION SICKNESS MEDICINE IF YOU GET SICK!!! This was vital for the tour. The ocean waves were really rough. Half of our group and other poeple from other boats were throwing up. I took it but it made me drowsy all day but it was better than being nauseous and throwing up. One of my friend took the meidcine but she still got nauseous and threw up. Her motion sickness was bad. Imagine not taking any medicine. We were really looking forward to seeing a lot of shark whales, but it was underwhelming. It was towards the end of the season so that was understandable. I only got to see 1 whale on top of the water with the fins sticking out and a dark shadow of it deep below the ocean. Our tour from Playa Del Carmen was cancelled due to the port being closed, so we rescheduled for Cancun since we were still in Mexico. We were picked up at 6:00am by their shuttle at our Westin hotel in Cancun. It took about an hour to pick up the rest of the people. We got to the port around 7am and then we ate some breakfast and coffee that was provided by them. Brekafast food was ham/cheese sandwich, sweet bread, and papaya. We had a group of 8 people, but the boat can fit up to 10 people. Only 4 people got to see the whale shark up close. There was only 1-2 sharks when we went the weekend of September 4th. Also me and my husband were the last couple in line to jump in the ocean. The first couple and the 3rd couple got to see the whales up close. So it's not everytime that it's guaranteed that you will see a shark. The police also showed up when it was time for me and my husband to jump into the ocean. There's not enough sharks in the ocean for that many people to be in the ocean. They said there needs to be 5 sharks in order for a lot of people to snorkel. So it was a lot of waiting time. Like 30-1 hour of waiting for enough sharks to show up. By that time, it was getting late already so we had to end the snorkel and head to Isla Mueres for lunch. We got to spend 1 hour there to swim and eat. They provided some delicious conch ceviche with tortilla chips. There's also water, soda, and a little bit of beer provided on the boat. I would suggest going during the peak season and take the motion sickness pills. We only needed to bring cash for tips. We left feeling like it wasn't worth it....wished they got another backup plan in case we didn't see any whale sharks.. read more

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We traveled to Mexico in July despite it being super hot in the hopes of seeing whale sharks! Mexico Whale Shark made it super easy for us by picking us directly from the ferry terminal and taking us to the pier. There they served us light refreshments before we were off. It's never a guarantee of what we'll be able to see (because wildlife), the boat ride itself was an adventure as we had to travel fairly far out to the spot where the current had currently pushed up a lot of food and thus where the whale sharks were likely to hang out. We saw sea turtles along the way! Also completely out of our control is the condition of the waves, the day we went out was choppy. I luckily don't get motion sickness but for others it was tough - highly recommend coming prepared and taking Dramamine BEFORE you start on the boat ride! If you take it after you're sick it's too late! We were lucky - there were about 10 whale sharks! They mentioned the previous day there were around 5. We each had a couple turns going out to swim with the whale sharks, going two at a time together with guide Dara who helped us all navigate in the water. We felt safe and completely taken care of the whole time - even for those who were sick, they were always attentive by offering water and other solutions to make everyone feel better (ie. lying down on the ground or spending some time in the water). On the way back, we were lucky enough to pass through a big group of dolphins - they were riding the waves right next to us! We also stopped by the beach on Isla de las Mujeres and they prepared us some delicious snacks: ceviche and mangos. All in all we had an amazing trip and would highly recommend the Mexico Whale Shark tour for anyone who is interested! Great people and wonderful service. read more

We had such a nice excursion with Isaac and Cindy! We loved our Mexico whale shark adventure The transportation to the boat was friendly, clean, and air conditioned. The paperwork process was easy and reservations ahead of time were also straightforward. The staff was very professional and knowledgeable. We felt very safe. Our guides Isaac and Cindy were absolutely outstanding. They both did such a good job of making sure we were comfortable and safe. They made it really fun. I was also really impressed by how they could answer all of our questions about the sealife we saw and even shared videos of the shark migrations with us. Lunch and snack options were delicious and they had all the gear we needed. Cindy did a great job of helping us navigate around the sharks. We saw several sharks and manta rays, too. The only areas for improvement we found were: 1. We wished there was a photographer diving with us. We had our underwater camera and they had go pros to rent but it was too hard to swim safe and do photos. We would have paid more to have someone who just shot photos. 2. The ride out was HARD and long. We didn't feel like this was explained thoroughly and it was rough. Better padding on the back of the boat seats would help. We also wished the staff would have let us know updates on how long it was going to take. 3. Gift shop options would have been good but not necessary. Just a suggestion. 4. At the end on our way back, we anchored outside Isla De Mujeres for about an hour. The lunch we had was delish, but we really would have skipped this if we could. We were more than ready to get back to our hotel. read more

Mexico Whale Shark - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Cancún, ROO

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Nuestra experiencia fue verdaderamente asombrosa. Desde el inicio, todo estuvo muy bien organizado, pudimos disfrutar al máximo de nuestro día en el mar. La sensación de nadar junto a estos gigantes del océano es algo difícil de describir, es simplemente espectacular. El personal fue muy amable y siempre estuvo pendiente de nuestros. La playa en Isla Mujeres es un paraíso y el ceviche que probamos allí fue increíblemente fresco y delicioso, una verdadera delicia que complementó perfectamente nuestro día de aventura. Este tour superó todas nuestras expectativas y una experiencia única y emocionante, no duden en tomar este tour. ¡No se arrepentirán! read more

Honesty and integrity first would have been nice! They told our group of 4 that they would pick us up as the last group and they told many others on our trip the same thing! Everyone ended up waiting for over an hour at 6am. Could have had a decent breakfast or extra sleep. The food they provided was horrible ! The day we were going out had high winds and despite that they insisted on going out. The captain was in full throttle the whole time and we were bounced around and many got sea sick. Definitely not safe ! Not sure how anyone would snorkel or swim in that choppy water if we saw whales ! They never had snorkel gear out or ready? I believe they knew there would be no sharks that day due to windy conditions . Poor business practices and very deceiving with customers. The boat drivers were driving so fast back that again people were all sick and falling all over the boat.Would NOT recommend this company ! Was you going to let some friends know about them as they are coming in a few weeks to Cancun. But saving them the time and money ! I let the owner know and he could care less. They just want your money. They add extra charge to use credit cards as well! Use another company for sure. Wish we didn't waste a day on this excursion . read more

Wow! What a disappointment. I understand that they can't control if there are NO WHALE SHARKS. It they can control if they are on time and have working equipment. They were over an hour late for picking up from the hotel. The whale shark area closes around 1pm due to that's when they stop surfacing. Well when you don't arrive to that area until 12 it makes sense that you don't see them. If your boat has 2 engines and only one works it's a big deal. Instead of doing the right thing and offering a refund or come back a different day the owner was rude and frankly a jerk. He not knowing we spoke Spanish talked crap about the entire group. These are your customers so I would think that they would at least be polite in front of them. I mean seriously. Waste of money!! Pick any other company please. read more

Issac & Sindy did a wonderful job on our excursion. Boat was Paloma. Seeing the whale sharks and swimming near them was pretty amazing. Would recommend this business. read more

Unbelievable. That's my one-word summary if you're light on time. The longer version: Mexico Whale Shark is not perfect, but worth it. We (well, I*) spent a lot of time searching before settling on a company to go whale shark snorkeling with. Mexico Whale Shark stood out; they have lots of reviews elsewhere on the web, so I wanted to add one to Yelp. We met them very early in the morning in Tulum, where we boarded a bus that picked up several other people, including some along the way from Tulum to Cancun. Once in Cancun, we were supposed to get breakfast but definitely did not. (There were a couple tiny soggy sandwiches....and I say "sandwiches" very lightly...they were 2" triangles with mayo and a slice of cheese.) However, this excursion was to see whale sharks, not have a gourmet breakfast, so I closed my eyes and was grateful I packed a ton of snacks with me, as per usual. I am Snack Queen. We then boarded a boat which took us out to where the sharks should be. They set the bar VERY low, so I set it even lower in my head. I figured if we saw even one, I would consider it a great success. Imagine my astonishment when we saw not one but about 30. Whale sharks in every direction and as far as the eye could see. It was the most incredible experience. Then you jump in...and **** gets real, real quick. They are MASSIVE; it's impossible to grasp the size of a whale shark until the thing is right in front of you...and it extends far beyond the range of your periphery...and your eyeballs and brain don't know what's going on, but you're stunned speechless and frantically kicking your flippers to keep up with it and extend the moment as long as you possibly can. Amigos....do this. You cannot go to Tulum or Cancun without snorkeling with whale sharks. I can still remember seeing them on Discovery Channel when I was a little kid and being in awe already then. Seeing them with your own eyes, not to mention swimming alongside them, is an experience like nothing else. The other plus is that, although breakfast was not breakfast, they did make fresh ceviche and guacamole on the boat which was delicious. A very, very long trip from Tulum (approx. 12-13 hours roundtrip), but an adventure of a lifetime. read more

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We had a great time and were impressed by how respectful of the sharks/mantas this crew is. Working in animal conservation we are always happy to have outfitters we can refer to people. We had a great trip with whale sharks and mantas, a wonderful stop at Isla Mujeres and delicious ceviche and guacamole. The crew was absolutely lovely! read more

My family and I completely enjoyed this adventure with excellent hosts, a comfortable and safe boat (during Covid) and with the best equipment and food/drinks! They were punctual picking us up and breakfast was awesome. But not as fabulous as the whale sharks and manarays!! Highly recommended read more

Mexico Whale Shark - 6am boat ride! - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Cancún, ROO

Oftentimes when you book these sorts of wildlife interactions, they are underwhelming and you feel ripped off. This trip with Mexico Whale Shark was the complete opposite. At every step of the tour, my expectations were exceeded. Our driver picked us up at our condo and was very friendly during our trip up to the docks in Cancun. At the dock you're served turkey sandwiches, assorted fruits, coffee, water and juices. I don't know where they got these turkey sandwiches but they were seriously delicious. After breakfast, you get on your boat for your ride out to the sharks. Our captain and first mate were hilarious. They were very friendly and fun to talk to. When we got to the sharks, they explained the rules to us and we took turns in groups of two swimming with the sharks. The sharks are amazing, and there had to be 40+ there the day we went. After each group got two turns, we headed over to Isla Mujeres. At Isla Mujeres we just chilled in the water while the captain made lunch. We had ham sandwiches, some PHENOMENAL ceviche, and fresh mangoes with Taijin. We thought this was the end of our trip, but boy were we mistaken! After lunch, we were dropped off at a reef for some snorkeling. It was also fantastic with tons of fish and underwater sculptures. After our tour was over and we got back to our van, our driver even took us to do some grocery shopping on our way back to the condo. He stayed with us to make sure everything was on the up-and-up. I will absolutely go on this tour with this company the next time I'm in Mexico. read more

Didn't see whale sharks and my husband got hit in the head from a fishing pole that fell from the roof of the boat because Miguel forgot to tie it up. Leading to a bloody head, concision and no reimbursement or anything. read more

I'm so happy I did this tour! It's full of adrenaline. We were able to jump in the water multiple times to swim with the whale sharks! Toto and Esteban were amazing!! And Esteban made the BEST ceviche I've had!! (He also gave me the recipe) I would definitely book this tour if I were you. It is an out of this world experience!! read more

We went on a trip with Mexico Whale Shark yesterday with Captain Willie and guide Renee and they were both fantastic! I've done a few hours of research (reading blogs, yelp, trip advisor, asking friends) before I settled on Mexico Whale Shark as a company and it was such a good idea! First of all, they were quick to respond via whatsapp (great service!). Second their only business is to bring tourists to see whale sharks (unlike other companies that also tout their snorkeling and other "tours" making them less focused on the task at hand). Third, it was NOT a party boat unlike some of the ones I saw on the internet. We ended up seeing more than 10+ sharks. Yes it does suck that you have to come in and out of the waters and share with your boat-mates but I think they did it in such a professional way that put us right next to the sharks everytime. Renee took care of me while I was super sea-sick and the captain even came over to pour water on me as I was throwing up. The lunch they provided was extremely yummy (guac, ceviche, fresh fruits) and if you really wanted, they had some tequila that you can take shots with too. For those interested, we took the boat out (~1 hour, pretty rough ride in open ocean), then we found these majestic creatures, then we drove to Isla Mujeres for some snorkeling/relaxing/while eating lunch, and then another few mins to a snorkeling spot (only for about 10 mins but we were pretty beat by then). Other tips is that they also sell wetsuits (not needed) for 13 USD and biodegredable sunblock at the dock as they provided breakfast. We loved our experience and would def. come back again! Love that it was also family-runed! Thanks Willie and Renee!!! read more

Had an awesome time today. Our crew could t have been better. I highly recommended this place. The experience alone was worth our whole trip. read more

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I did lots of research trying to find the best whale shark experience and this had the highest reviews. Our experience was fun, the captain and guide were both great but the whole experience with the whale sharks was a tad disappointing. After a 1.5 + hour boat ride out to open water, Basically 50+ boats gather around the area and 2 people per boat are told to Jump (very quickly and loudly) with life vests on, into the water with the guide while battling 3 foot waves. The whale shark was so far away and didn't look very big. I kinda expected better snorkeling equipment for the $170 per person I spent too. If you are smart bring your own. These have short pipes and allowed water back in. Out of 9 people on our boat 4 got seasick and 2 of them are experienced boaters. The guide and captain were helpful and super nice about it tho. They do provide transportation to and from their dock. read more

We saw lots of whale sharks and a huge manta ray. The place is a little hard to find but other than that we had a great experience getting to see these magnificent creatures. The boat ride is long and quite bumpy so take your sea sickness medicine. It was so cool. read more

This tour was amazing. This was on my bucket list for years and it exceeded my expectations. Started off with a nice, yummy breakfast before heading out. Matteo the guide was incredible, passionate and patient with everyone. Our captain was awesome and found the sharks and maneuvered around them perfectly so when you jumped in the water they were right in front of you! The whale sharks are beautiful and so are the manta rays. You get so close to both animals and there was soooo many in the water, too many to count. One guy didn't get a close-up of the sharks so Matteo took him out on an addition jump and gave him plenty of time and a close-up experience with some sharks. Then you get to eat ceviche on Isla Mujeres before coming back and have sandwiches they made for us. Awesome tour and company. Go through them and you won't regret it!! read more

We booked the tour at Mega SuperMercado on Calle Constituyentes in Playa del Carmen the day before going and hoped for the best. The weather was forecast as 'rainy' but it's the tropics and the weather is always rainy. The tour guide said not to worry, it'd be a fun trip so we did it. And he was right. Details: The tour company picked us up at Mega at 6:30 a.m. for the ride to Puerto Juarez the next day. However, it was a good thing we brought enough 'walking around' money with us as we were just then informed that there was a $15.00 USD tax (300 pesos, per person) collected at the pier. We were the first ones picked up by the van and were assured there were no more than two stops in between PDC and our destination to pick up other passengers (there weren't). We got to the pier, got in line, paid the tax, were loaded onto the boat and were on our way to see these spectacular creatures. Everything about the tour was as socially distanced as reasonably possible, masks (cubrebocas) were worn in the van. The boat ride is about an hour each way and I highly recommend taking travel/sea sickness medication at least an hour prior to leaving the dock. The ride was fast - the small boat taking on the Caribbean Sea swells like a trooper and it's pretty bumpy at times but hey, it's a small boat in the open sea. We reached the spot where all the whale sharks were feeding and began circling for an appropriate spot to view them. Our captain and guide - Captain Wolf and Christian, respectively - were consummate professionals and knew their business well. They walked us thru the reglas/rules of the road - first and foremost, DO NOT touch the whale sharks! - and we jumped into the water. In a word, AMAZING!!! In total, there must have been upwards of 100 whale sharks in the vicinity but when you're in the water, it's the ones that you're swimming next to that are important. We did three dives and the first one was EPIC. Captain Wolf positions the boat so that when you jump into the water, you're swimming in the same direction as the whale shark and can view him/her as long as you can swim alongside of him/her, so try ot keep up. We did that and were marvelling at the creature when BOOM! Unnoticed until that instant and swimming directly TOWARDS us - right AT us - was another whale shark, its 3-4 foot mouth open, feeding. I pulled my better half gently out of the way of its gaping maw and stared wide-eyed as this insanely large animal swam gently by, ignoring us entirely. After it had passed and we were done swimming alongside the whale shark we originally got in the water to view, we all traded high-fives on the surface. Even our dive master Christian was impressed with that encounter. Like I said, epic. After all the boat's guests had gone into the water three times, we headed back to Isla Mujeres for a quick lunch (I had ceviche which Captain Wolf had prepared) and some time lounging in the water offshore the beach. We never went on shore but in truth really didn't have any longing to do so. Then we headed back to Puerto Juarez and disembarked. A great day. Long story short: would I go again? You bet, we had a blast and saw things we'll never forget. Thanks a bunch, Captain Wolf & Christian, you guys rock!! read more

One of the best places to see whale sharks, you're almost guaranteed to see them if you go in July or August. Cindi and Isaac were our guide/captain were great. Their expertise and sense of humor helped make it a blast. Our group went two days in a row and the first day there were only a few whale sharks and on the second there were dozens. You can't predict the ocean and it's not the company's fault if there aren't many out, it's more luck of the draw but they do everything they can to make it a great experience! We went out of Cancun. The company provided a van that picked up our group of 10 at our air bnb and when we got there, a light breakfast was provided (pastry, fruit, finger sandwiches, coffee/juice) then we hopped on the boat. It was about an hour or so ride to get to the site. Everything to snorkel is provided (mask/snorkel, fins, mandatory lifejacket). Then Cindi took up out in groups of 2 and rotated through everybody a few times. Overall time in the water with the whale sharks was ~15-30 mins/person. Then they took us to Isla Mujeres where they let us hangout in the waist deep water while they prepped ceviche for lunch. After that, they take you to snorkel at either a reef or shipwreck, then bring you home. Overall, great experience and would recommend this to anyone looking to get a personal experience with whale sharks! read more

The tour was absolutely incredible very accommodating absolutely unbelievable experiencing these great animals

Very friendly people running this tour. Our guide Raul was great at getting us up close to swim right beside the whale sharks. They made sure everyone had plenty of time to swim with them. The ceviche the captain Nestor made for lunch was amazing too. I highly recommend this tour company! read more

I had one of the best days of my life with Mexico Whale Shark and would recommend this company to anyone. I would love to have the opportunity to do it all over again, and yes it's expensive, but 100% worth it. Last year I swam (well, cage dived) with Great Whites in Gansbaai, South Africa and it was great! But this experience was totally different - while both excursions hover around the same price and I loved them both - diving with Great Whites is a whole different experience as the water is absolutely frigid (at least in South Africa) and you are in a cage (for obvious safety reasons). Because of this, I found swimming with Whale Sharks much more enjoyable, since 1) the water is warm 2) you get to see them and "interact" much more since they aren't a predator to humans and you can much more easily observe them (not just get a quick glimpse as they swim quickly past the cage on your boat). Additionally, because the Whale Sharks swim so slowly, it's really easily to see them and truly get to observe them - it feels like you're in an aquarium in a way! Now if you're comparing tours, I'll break down the specifics: Transportation: A+ - the bus showed up to our AirBnB in Tulum (in a hard to find apartment building without a specific address) exactly on time. Of course this might vary depending on if other guests that get picked up first are slow, but our transportation was prompt, air conditioned and comfortable, and a super easy/comfortable ride round trip. Food: When you arrive at the marina, you're greeted by a pretty standard sailing breakfast of some coffee (wish there was milk - maybe I missed it), ham sandwiches, fruit/melon, and some other assorted pastries. In my experience, the light breakfast is to aid in providing some nourishment without a huge risk of seasickness. For lunch, we had some surprisingly yummy ham sandwiches and sodas/water, followed by freshly made ceviche (or in my case, pico de gallo, as I don't eat seafood and Isaac and Cindy kindly accommodated that) and chips, with watermelon with some chili flakes on it. Pretty standard/what I expected, I was happy with this and not hungry during the adventure (even though it's quite the exercise swimming around with them and being in the hot sun). Guides/Knowledge: Blew me away. Cindy and Isaac were fantastic - so friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us navigate how to safely see as many sharks as possible (safely for the sharks and humans!). The company only allows biodegradable sunscreen (this is to protect the marine life) and they explain the science of why the whale are gathering where they are, working with marine biologists to gather the knowledge of the whales, and more. They also took complimentary Go Pro footage of our adventure which was so kind and is so fun to watch back and show family how amazing the experience was! The experience as a whole: Fantastic. We saw approximately 100 whale sharks: this is all up to nature, but Cindy and Isaac were so quick to spot them and keep up with where they were going. It was a truly unreal experience and the Whale Sharks are nothing short of majestic. I felt that the company, and myself as part of the experience, were being 100% respectful of marine life and the environment, while having a fantastic time. I will definitely be back if possible, and seriously if you're thinking about doing this tour - just do it. You won't regret it, but you might regret skipping it ;) read more

This was the first thing we did on our trip and it was the best day seeing these massive gentle creatures was amazing. The group on this tour was a family of 4 from Dallas, Tx. family of 3 from Temecula, Ca. And us also 3 from San Diego, Ca. We got lucky with being grouped with such a fun friendly set of families. Go out to sea for about an hour and a half give or take and once the whale sharks are located the captain sets up boat and the guide prepares and gets everyone ready he takes us in to the water in pairs which are per regulation and the police does come out and checks to make sure the tour groups are following these rules. Our guide was Huesos (bones) Edgar he was amazing so friendly and enthusiastic the whole entire time which made us so relaxed and excited as he was! Our captain was just as great sorry I don't remember his name and only as El Capitán. You are given water, sodas and sandwiches on the boat and then for lunch at Isla Mujeres El Capitán made us fresh ceviche right on the boat as we swam in warm clear water. I highly recommend this tour group. read more

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The staff was super friendly, the captain and first mate where amazing. Will definitely comeback soon

Muy Bueno, and Gracias!! 9 of us did the private boat and had a great time. Amazing creatures!!

Our experience with this company was absolutely fantastic! Everything from booking, to transportation, to the actual whale shark experience was so so great! I can't say it enough. Our guides Cyndi and Issac were so sweet and wonderful. They were persistent in searching for the Whale Sharks and after a bit of searching we found them!!!! They also made a delicious ceviche along with some other fun snacks:) Swimming with the Whale Sharks left us speechless and in absolute awe! Best thing ever!!!!! Xo Lauren and Joe read more

Our overall experience was horrible. Arriving at the docks, we were informed that it was incredibly rare to see any whale sharks at this time of the season (May 19th, 2021), which begs the question why have this time of season open for booking, if it's so rare? After eating the breakfast served at the dock (ham & cheese sandwiches with watermelon & papaya slices), I noticed a queasy feeling in my stomach, but tried to ignore it. After speaking with the others on our boat & the other 4 boats though, I wasn't alone in that feeling. The boats were a lot smaller than the ones pictured on their website, though that wasn't a big deal. The issues started on the waters, where one after another, our entire boat got sick & vomited numerous times before finally half the boat was begging the captain to turn around to go back to the docks, since we weren't seeing any whale sharks anyway. The captain instead went on with the tour, though a fellow customer said he heard on the radio from the other boats that the customers on those boats were also getting sick & they were turning back to the docks. At one point, most of us jumped into the water to get away from the boat in an effort to quell our sickness, though it only helped for a short period of time. Throughout this, the boat motors repeatedly stalled out, a few times taking multiple attempts to restart. That part is incredibly important for later, & did not bode well for the end of the ride. Arriving at the Isla Muerjes, everyone jumped ship & headed to shore for a chance to regain our equilibrium, where we were told we were not allowed to use the beach chairs by staff from the nearby hotel, & we had to pay to use the bathrooms. There was no bathroom on the ship, so some people had no choice but to pay to use them on shore. After returning to the boat, again multiple customers were asking to return to the docks & end the tour, since everyone was still getting sick. Instead, we stayed there, anchored off the island, for over an hour & a half, with people jumping off periodically to quell the continuing sickness. The lunch served seemed alright, based on the 2 people that were able to eat it without immediately vomiting it back up again, though when I was handed a sandwich, I realized after taking a bite that it had whole raw onions in it between the ham slices, which I'm allergic to. We had been told that they were the same sandwiches as served at breakfast, but the ones served on the dock did not have onions, so I took a bite without checking this time. Luckily it's not an anaphylactic allergy & I noticed & spat it out into the ocean & immediately rinsed out my mouth with bottled water, though I felt bad having wasted a sandwich. So, with multiple customers asking to finish the tour & return to the docks, instead the captain sailed on to the reef, where we spent at most 10 minutes, since we spent so long at the island instead. By this point almost everyone was vomited out, except for one poor woman at the back of the boat who continued vomiting on the way back to the docks finally. But we never made it back to the docks. Instead, the engines finally gave out, & we were stranded floating in the ocean. The captain gave different reasons to the front & back of the boat. He told the front that the fuel ran out, & told the back that water got in with the fuel & stalled it. Later, he switched it, & told us in the back that the fuel ran out & those in the front that water got in with the fuel. Either way, we were stuck. The captain radioed for assistance, then was able to flag down a passing boat to ask for a tow-in. The boat said they'd be back to help in 5 minutes, but took about 3-4 times as long to return. Then, we were tied to that boat & towed into the docks slowly. The captain told us that the boat we were using was the personal boat of the owner of the company, but even if it wasn't the captain's personal boat, why wouldn't you check the fuel levels, & why wasn't the boat checked over & okay'd for sea prior to the tour? Remember, earlier I said that the engine kept stalling out & failing, taking multiple attempts to restart the entire time we were out at sea. Overall, the only part of the tour that went okay was the shuttle service. To recap, breakfast served caused upset stomachs, we were informed that seeing whale sharks at this time of the season was incredibly rare, everyone got sick on the boat, the captain refused to turn back regardless of multiple people requesting it, engines failed numerous times finally resulting in them completely dying & us requiring a tow back to the docks, & no one saw any whale sharks, sea turtles, manta rays, etc. We were so sick & exhausted after this, we had to cancel our plans for the next day to instead stay in our room in bed recuperating, so we didn't just lose out on the money from this trip, but the money we spent for our planned activity the next day. read more

If I were to simply describe this excursion, I'd say OTHER WORLDLY. No better way to say it! We were traveling from New York City, and spoke to an agent at our resort. He tried selling us the excursion for $220 each. This was a much better deal. The captain was super friendly. Asked us if we wanted to use the AUX lol. Nico, the diver that swims with you was super friendly and would direct you towards the whale sharks. We got to swim with the whale sharks. We spotted some manta rays (super rare). We even saw some dolphins!!!! Flying fish? Saw those as well. The light breakfast they offered before the trip was delightful. The sandwiches on the boat hit the spot!! Then at the end of the excursion, we stopped at a clear clearrrr water beach off the coast of Isla Mujeres and hung out in the water for half an hour. Then we got on the boat and had some ceviche and chips. Would I recommend??? ONE MILLION PERCENT. It was really a once in a lifetime experience read more

On Sept 1, 2020, our family of 4 was blessed to be on board Mexico Whale Shark's Paloma with Captain Issac at the helm, first mate Nico, and 4 other wonderful people (2 from Boston and 2 from Miami). What an amazing day we had ... a 5 star rating just isn't enough! From the shuttle pick-up at our resort to the time we returned, the whole excursion was flawless. We not only had the opportunity to swim alongside MANY whale sharks (including one that was about 36' long), we also swam with several manta rays! Having Nico in the water with us while snorkeling really put us at ease with these very large and wonderful creatures. After snorkeling, we were treated to an incredible freshly made meal of ceviche and mango while docked outside a small island in shallow water. As a bonus, we saw flying fish and sea turtles along the way. Another added touch was the playlist of songs during the entire trip (really want a copy of that playlist)! If you are looking for THE BEST whale shark excursion, look no further than Mexico Whale Shark! read more

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Went out and had truly the most epic day. Raul was the guide he held my girlfriends hand who was new to snorkeling and made her feel entirely at ease. We saw tons of whale sharks and even more manta rays. Best operator in Cancun hands down. read more

Unbelievable experience that couldn't have been more perfect. Everything about the trip was flawless. Enjoyable ride to dive spot, 20+ whale sharks, manta rays. Issac and Jose made sure we got great photos. Amazing ceviche at isla mujeres. Can't say enough good things about captains. Do not hesitate to book with this company. read more

There are many companies to chose from for swimming with the whale sharks. I wanted to ensure we had a good experience. I took the time to look for the best ratings and read the reviews. I narrowed it down to 3 and then emailed them to ensure we would see whale sharks. Julio responded quickly and had the best responses to my questions. I am glad I chose them. Isaac and Cindi were amazing hosts and know their whale sharks. We found them pretty quickly and each group of two got 3 times to swim with the sharks. The boat was clean and the food was good. Make sure you bring money to tip as it is not included. I highly recommend Mexico Whale Shark! Thank you Julio, Isaac, and Cindi for an amazing experience! read more

Absolutely amazing! Customer service is beyond reproach. You won't go hungry, and the ceviche is awesome! Fernando and Daniel were the best, especially since we were touring with our little ones with varying degrees of fear. Rene and Luca were so responsive to my questions. You'll never forget this experience!! read more

We booked the trip to Mexico for the purpose of taking my 4 and 6 year old boys, who are obsessed with sharks and marine life, to swim with whale sharks. I did my homework and thought this company would provide the best experience for our family. Boy am I glad I went with them! First off, their boat is fast- seemed like the fastest out there- and seemed less choppy than other boats. I personally don't think Dramamine is necessary with this boat unless you're really prone to sea sickness. We were very fortunate to go on a good day and were able to see and swim with many sharks on each jump- absolutely incredible! Most importantly, Captain Willie and guide Rene were amazing! They were so attentive to our boys and made the experience special for them from start to finish. Rene took their hand and guided them to the whale sharks showing them where to go and when and where to look. I will also add that both my boys are very low vision- in a snorkel mask without their glasses- their chances of seeing anything was probably not good, but Rene made a special point to make sure they were comfortable and guided them right up to several sharks. They were in awe and have been taking about it for days. Can't thank Willie and Rene enough! Glad I made the decision to go with a family run company- you could tell family is important to them. read more