5 of the Best Places to see Whale Sharks
There are many reasons we jump in the ocean, and encounters with whale sharks is right up there! You would think that the chances of being in the water with the largest fish are quite high, but these majestic animals are nomadic and often travel alone.
However, there are several key locations around the world where they are known to aggregate. Locations that are accessible and offer the better chance of being in the water with several whale sharks at once. It’s these locations that are featured in our top five places to swim with whale sharks list below:
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Whale sharks are seasonal visitors to the Galapagos Islands (May to November). It’s during these months that divers have the best opportunity of an encounter. What’s more, they are huge! The majority of these individuals are mature females and many are pregnant. The Galapagos Conservation Trust and Whale Shark Project have tagged 60 individuals since 2011 and continue to monitor them, learning more about their movements; perhaps one day working out where they go to give birth! Jump on a liveaboard for your best chance to spot one around Darwin Island in this bucket list diving destination. Photo credit: Explorer Ventures.
Mafia Island, Tanzania
A gem of a destination, seasonal whale shark snorkelling encounters at Kitu Kiblu, to the west of the island, make this an incredibly rewarding holiday. Identified as young males (by ongoing research) over a hundred individuals are easily seen as they come to feed on the surface plankton during their seasonal aggregation. They are typically around eight metres in length. Best time to travel is November to March. Book our Dive Mafia Island trip idea to get closer to these amazing encounters!
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Just off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula lie the small islands of Contoy, Holbox and Mujeres. It’s around these where the annual whale shark aggregation occurs on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Hundreds of individuals (majority are adolescent males) can be seen close to surface between June and September every year, feasting on tunny eggs and more. They are joined by manta rays seen barrel rolling, vying for attention from us humans who flock to visit the Whale Shark Biosphere Reserve. It’s here that Product Manager Sarah had her first encounter with these gentle giants. A day she will never forget!
On returning to the UK, Sarah wanted to find out more about the whale sharks she had seen in Mexico. The one in the video has been identified, primarily by its spots, as MXA-647. His nickname is Squalo Balena and has been visiting the area regularly since 2010. How do we know? Sightings are recorded on the Wildbook for Whale Sharks website. Why not have a look through your own images and videos and report your whale shark sightings?!
Maldives
The South Ari Marine Protected Area, created in 2009 by the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, is the largest in the Maldives. Much has been learned about the whale sharks in the area and the good news for divers is that they’re seen year round! It’s likely that this area is a nursery and individuals are not seen again once they have reached maturity at around eight metres in length. The majority have been identified as male.
Encounters with whale sharks in the Maldives are fairly common, especially in the South Ari Atoll, for both divers and snorkellers. Book your Ari Atoll Dive Experience for a memorable holiday! However, the largest numbers of whale sharks (and manta rays) are seen around the Baa Atoll from May to October each year in Hanifaru Bay. A once in a lifetime experience for many.
St Helena
One of the most exciting destinations to open up in recent years, snorkelling encounters with whale sharks from this remote Atlantic outcrop are simply incredible according to all our lucky clients who have been to visit! What’s also different to other spots, is that the mix of male to female is 50:50, so it’s believed they aggregate here to reproduce, not feed like in other hotspots around the world. Our Dive and Discover St Helena group trip is led by megafauna expert Danny Copeland and includes plenty of time in the water, snorkelling with whale sharks who come to visit for the first few months of the year, in ever increasing numbers.
Even more encounters with Dive Worldwide
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are found in tropical waters, travel alone but aggregate to feed and mate. They are listed as endangered on the IUCN list of threatened species.
There are many other locations where seasonal encounters with these gentle giants and it’s such a privilege and thrill to be able to do so. Learn more about responsible shark and ray tourism from the ‘best practice guide’ produced by the WWF and Manta Trust.
Interested in booking a holiday with a whale shark encounter? Explore all our whale shark diving and snorkelling holidays, or contact a member of our team for more information.
