I had to wait two years to join a tour to see the whales in Guerrero Negro. Even so, turning 60 in 2026 made me feel that this would be a truly special trip, and I was lucky enough to secure one of the few remaining spots back in 2024. I had been looking forward to it ever since--and it turned out to be absolutely the right decision. Our tour organizer, Charlie, guided us through the week with incredible experience and deep knowledge. He made sure we were always safe, comfortable, and engaged, and he led the trip with warmth, care, and a great sense of fun. And Tara and the rest of the staff were also very professional and friendly, and they created a wonderful tour where we could fully experience the whales and the surrounding nature with all our senses. I was the only participant coming from outside the States, but I quickly became friends with everyone on the trip, they were so nice. Even now, a month after returning from Mexico, I often find myself remembering those amazing moments--the feeling of touching a whale, the cool night breeze over the water, and the spray from the motorboat as we headed out into the lagoon. They remain such vivid and exciting memories. The desert landscapes, the cold burritos (beans and cheese!) we nibbled on in the boat--everything about the trip still sparkles in my mind. Thank you so much, Charlie. The whales remind us how small and humble we humans really are. If someone is thinking about joining a whale tour, I highly recommend Charlie's tour. read more

We had the most amazing trip, ever. Charlie is a fantastic guide, we learned so much about marine life, it was great. Our cabins on the beach were great, sunrises were gorgeous, spending all day with whales and dolphins, would do it again in a heartbeat. read more

Silver Shark Adventures - Baby gray whales swim right up to your boat! - Boat Tours Near Me

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Just got back from the most amazing trip of my life!!! I've traveled to Mexico several times, but never been to a remote area where Charlie takes you out on the greatest sea adventures in the Sea of Cortez. We were fortunate to see bottle nose and calming dolphins, sea lions, whale sharks and gifted with Fin whales (second largest animal) and a blue whale (not only the largest animal on the planet but very rare sightings). If you're an adventurer or have a bucket list I highly recommend Silver Shark Adventures!!! read more

This trip is truly amazing. From the time you are picked up to the time you're dropped off. Charlie and his team make you feel so welcome. This is an amazing trip for people who love to be on the ocean. Come with a positive vibe and the whales will come. Bahia is a place like no other. Do this trip right now! read more

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I have now been on two trips with Charlie of Silver Shark Adventures and can't wait to go back again. In April of 2018, I roped a friend into going on the Gray Whale Adventure with me. We had such an amazing time, we almost immediately signed up for the Whale Shark Adventure that September. These have honestly been the most amazing and awe-inspiring trips I have ever been on. Charlie, works really hard to make sure everyone has the best time possible. To that end, he will reach out in advance of the trip, discuss the plan and answer any questions you may have. Which definitely helped put me at ease, as I had never done a trip of this caliber before. The 10 to 13-hour drive from Southern California to Bahia may be a deterrent to some, but the reward is in the journey. Charlie's intimate knowledge and passion for the wildlife and people of Bahia (and the surrounding areas) is unmatched. I can't imagine trying to do this trip with anyone else. That he will only take small groups is so fantastic. It encourages a real sense of camaraderie and is just another testament to his respect for the animals and people of this area. You spend time as a part of the community and not as a gaggle of yahoos, descending upon a town and its inhabitants like a swarm of gnats. Every day I woke like a child on Christmas morning (far earlier than I had on any other vacation), unsure of the day that lay before us, but knowing that it would be new and glorious. I would do my best to get up in time to soak in the gorgeous sunrise (which I highly recommend) and because nature is truly unpredictable, I would also prepare for the possibility, that the best thing to happen that day may be, spending the day with fantastic people in paradise. After a light breakfast, we would head out on the boat for the day. Searching the horizon for signs of wildlife. Or waiting for Pancho to abruptly change course and head towards what would inevitably be another amazing encounter with one of the many animals that call this gorgeous place home. Words can hardly do justice to the interactions I have had on these trips. The privilege of sharing the same space with these magnificent creatures is such a priceless gift. When a baby (still like 20 feet long) Gray Whale makes eye contact with you it will take your breath away. Swimming alongside a massive, yet graceful, Whale Shark will leave you searching for expletives you never knew you needed. The joy in hearing the resonance of a 70-foot Fin Whale inhaling right near our little panga (boat), before it disappears again beneath the surface. There are so many additional interactions which I have had the privilege of experiencing, I could go on for days. Sea lions, Blue Footed Boobies, Pelicans, Flying Fish, Devil Rays, the list goes on and on. But, one thing is for sure, the experiences you will have with Silver Shark Adventures will truly be unique and life-changing. read more

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Phenomenal!! Charlie is so knowledgeable about this beautiful area. His staff is great. i loved the accommodations. Very friendly, wonderful people. Safe,clean and beautiful! Kristi read more

I have been following Silver Shark Adventures for nearly two years and I finally pulled the trigger and joined Charlie on one of his trips! I am so happy and thankful I had this opportunity to go. Charlie was amazing! He is very knowledgeable on the marine life and is so passionate about Bahía and genuinely cares that people leave Bahia with an experience of a lifetime. I went on this trip with an open mind and kept realistic expectations for what I would or wouldn't see. I SAW IT ALL! Whale sharks (loads of them and some as large as 30+ feet!), sea lions, blue footed boobies, masked boobies, sting rays, loads of fish, common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins too. The people in this small fishing town are so kind and hospitable. They really made the experience that much better. I cannot express enough how magical Bahía is. I plan to return next year with more friends. I highly recommend booking a trip with Charlie and Silver Shark Adventures you'll create memories to last a lifetime! read more

In 2017 I was lucky enough to find Silver Shark Adventures instagram! I couldn't believe the content I saw, when I saw the infamous orca video I knew that I had to go on one of Charlie's trips. Silver Shark Adventures was a newer business and I really didn't have any idea what I was getting myself and my boyfriend into, all I knew was that I wanted to see the whale sharks. We met Charlie before we finalized our decision to go on the trip. Charlie was awesome! He is so nice, caring, and so passionate! He will answer all of your questions and will ease any hesitations you may have about traveling to Mexico! After our meeting, I didn't have any hesitations about going on the trip. My first trip was amazing, Charlie made sure that we had everything we needed throughout the entire trip. Bahia isn't a resort town, the hotel you will stay in isn't extravagant. BUT the town has character, and the people that live in Bahia de Los Angeles are so genuine and friendly. My boyfriend and I went at the end of August in 2017, and the heat was miserable. We were on the water from 7:30am - 1:00pm for four days. Everyday was incredible. We swam with whale sharks everyday and with the sea lions on one of the last days. Charlie is so knowledgeable about all of the wildlife and always makes sure that the water is safe for everyone before jumping in! I honestly didn't want to leave Bahia after the week I was there, it didn't matter that it was 100 F plus and so incredibly humid. Bahia has a special magic about it that is indescribable. I was so sad to leave, but I knew that I would be back! I went back to Bahia that October 2017 to swim with the whale sharks again, and then in March 2018 to see the grey whales in Guerro Negro. My last two trips were all equally amazing experiences. If you're trying to decide which trip to take, don't, just go on both. They are both so different and equally as AMAZING!!! Just one last thing, I feel like I need to give a forewarning, if you are looking for a luxury vacation, these trips are not for you. However, if you're looking for an adventure to a magical place don't question it. JUST GO! I can promise that it will be a once in a life time experience. I went on three different trips, and each was it's own unique experience. On every trip we had at least one, if not multiple, "Bucket List" experiences. I can talk about my experiences for hours, I just want anyone reading this review to take away one thing, you won't regret going on a trip with Charlie, just make sure you remember to bring a positive attitude , an open mind, and of course your favorite bikini! read more

I had the most wonderful time on the Whale Shark trip with Charles. I went last August and have been meaning to write a review ever since. Our days were packed with watching dolphins swim, getting in the water with sea lions and of course swimming next to whale sharks. Charles keeps the group sizes small which is so nice, and allows for more one on one time with the animals. I'd 100% recommend getting up early at least one morning to watch the sunrise on the beach. The drive down was gorgeous and, you can eat all the tacos that your heart desires once in Bahia. I'm looking forward to going back on a Grey Whales trip next time! read more

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Last year, a fellow Siren (it's a local dance krewe made up of lovers of all things mermaid) and fish-loving friend started posting photos to her Instagram of what appeared to be a magical trip on the water featuring all kinds of marine mammals. I enthusiastically messaged her with a who, where, when, how much. We met up when she made it back into town to talk all things Silver Shark Adventures. I was in and thought this would be the perfect trip to bring my mom on. I got in contact with Charlie, owner/operator of Silver Shark Adventures via email and he sent me a wonderfully-detailed description of the 4 days that you enjoy on the water with the obvious caveat that every trip is unique and different animals will be seen. We booked and waited anxiously 'til the day came when we headed out to LA, where he would scoop us up and we'd head down from California to Mexico. I could write a novel on how incredible this trip was, but I'm going to give you the CliffNotes and if you are interested, totally DM me if you'd like me to elaborate. 1 - Yes it's a long drive. Around 12'ish hours. Charlie scoops folks up late at night because traffic can be deplorable, and you arrive in Bahia at the most perfect time to chill and get ready for the next day. Charlie does an epic job breaking up the ride stopping a few times to exchange money, eat (all the bathrooms were nice and clean where we stopped) and check out this uber lovely hotel on the way in the middle of nowhere! We felt very safe wherever we stopped and really appreciated the downtime when we got to Bahia. 2 - We were there for 5 nights and 4 days staying at Raquel & Larry's. Ruth, the manager, is so incredibly sweet and can make a dang good margarita. The rooms were clean, the AC worked really well and they had fans, and the showers were warm! 3 - The days on the water were incredible. Our exact dates were Sept 20-25. Pancho, the boat driver was so sweet (are you seeing a running theme here with everyone that lives there?). While I don't want to make promises to anyone going down there but we saw such an amazing range of marine life including fin whales (I lost it, check out my video), whale sharks (we swam with them!), rays, green turtles, sea lions (swam with them at 2 different locations), baleen whale, hybrid whale (blue/fin hybrid named WALTER), A BLUE WHALE, sea stars, common dolphins, off shore bottlenose dolphins, (you know when the winner is giving their award speech and they forget to thank folks, this is what I feel like), and more types of birds than you can imagine including blue-footed boobies!! 4 - The simplicity of our days was something that should be what you're seeking. We woke up, got on the boat, saw all the things, got off the boat, ate tasty tacos at China's taco stand and got beers at the grocery store next door, we came back and showered, and then enjoyed the rest of the day back at the hotel on the veranda. Charlie invites you to go out to dinner at Alejandra's (I suggest the enchiladas verde and definitely the guac), and you can go or not, but it just was so wonderfully simple. 5 - Let's talk about Charlie... I'm going to be honest, before I left I had that flinch of anxiety realizing I really hadn't done much research except for my fellow Siren's referral and reading every caption on every one of Charlie's post on Instagram. This not only dissipated fairly immediately, I actually am now a huge supporter of folks, even solo ladies looking for their Eat Pray Love journey to head down with Charlie on one of his excursions. He let us know about his 20 years of experience coming down to Bahia, obvious in his relationships with the folks in town who genuinely care about him as much as he cares for them. He also herded over 30 college students from California down to Bahia for a number of years, so I'm sure trips of six folks is a piece of cake for him. We also greatly appreciate that, despite other folks on our trip having to cancel, he still took my mom and I down for our once-in-a-lifetime experience. Charlie sends a great packing list, follow it, and really pack light sans fancy clothes or shoes. A few other suggestions, bring: -If you're not a morning person, bring a six pack of coffees. I bought some before we left town and they helped me be a bit more awake on the boat. -KIND bars or something you can eat before heading out, though Charlie brings a ton of great snacks on the boat. -Binoculars -A good book -A neck pillow for the car ride -Lots of sunscreen, apply early (before heading out) and often on the boat! -Polarized sunglasses. I had some crappy ones and wish I had brought nicer ones. -Charlie will recommend, but make sure to buy snorkel and mask (look online to find out best fit and maybe test in a local pool), good fins to keep up with whale sharks ;) and a 1/2mm wetsuit shortie (not necessary but we're glad we did) -An open mind. See what you see and be in the moment (Charlie gets all the best pics anyway!) read more

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Morgan, my daughter, said it all except this. Charlie's expertise was uncanny. On the bow of the boat he would show us exactly where to look and there would be the whale coming up right where he said. And his enthusiasm and excitement was fresh and contagious. As if, like us, he was seeing these wonderful creatures for the first time. He is unpretentious and will tell you if he does know know an answer which is rare. So do this once in a lifetime trip more than once. We are planning on it. read more

Have you ever been sprayed by a whale? Have you seen a whale shoot rainbows? Have you ever had a whale look at you... like REALLY look at you? Have you ever splashed, pet, scratched a whale? Venture to Baja with Charlie and Silver Shark Adventures for these one of a kind, intimate, mind blowing interactions with grey whales. I'm a scuba diver and have been in the water with some amazing creatures... sharks, whales, dolphins, manta rays, etc. So when I heard about these grey whale trips, I thought I'd be a little disappointed that I couldn't actually get in the water with the greys. Let me tell you, these grey whale interactions from the boat were absolutely incredible. The whales come to the boat of their own accord and ask for pets. They allow you to scratch their heads and rub their chins. They roll on their sides so they can look at you. Making sustained eye contact with one of these magnificent creatures is absolutely incredible. It feels like they are gazing into your soul. It's a connection that feels transcendent. You don't speak the same language but there is an unspoken understanding between the two. I think the most special encounter is with the babies. That the mama whales bring their babies to the boat to meet the humans is so special. It shows how much trust they have in us. And it is truly humbling that they show us so much grace knowing that humans used to hunt these amazing animals in these same lagoons. Venturing to Baja with Charlie was a blast! He obviously has a passion for the animals and it was so much fun hearing all his stories on the drive down. He also has a love and respect for the local community and does his part to support them. A big shoutout to Mike and Charlie for capturing all the amazing moments on video and via drone. I highly suggest that you put your phone away and be fully present, get in all the pets, take it all in, experience these amazing grey whales in all their glory. Take comfort knowing that there are two photographers on the boat with you filming everything and that they share all their footage with you. I will definitely be back for more adventures to Baja with Charlie. I want to swim with the whale sharks in Bahia de Los Angeles, as well as all the other amazing creatures that happen to pass through this magical bay (cough cough, orcas?). Until next time ;) read more

"Everything you want is on the other side of fear" I was scared to go alone on this trip, to be driven from LAX to the middle of nowhere Mexico at 1:30 A.M. with people I didn't know, to explore a country that wasn't my home, with no cell phone service, to go to a hotel I didn't even know the name of (The swimming in the ocean with whale sharks part didn't phase me though lol) but WOW. Everything was MAGICAL. The souls I spent almost a week with, the nature and wildlife I saw in their habitat, the food (If you go to Mexico, have the chocolate milk by the way!), the landscapes. Everything was in tune. Thank you, Charlie, for the amazing, life altering experiences. If you've always wanted to do this, stop thinking about it and just GO! You won't regret it. Charlie is warm, kind hearted, very knowledgeable about Bahia and the wildlife, and super accommodating to everyone's needs. I'm already planning my next trip. P.S. Get the photo package. Having some footage of yourself swimming with whale sharks or sea lions is a must in my mind. P.P.S. Charlie will answer any questions you have before your trip. No need to be like me and not know the name of the hotel you'll be staying in :) Enjoy! read more