One of the most unique things that you can do while vacationing in the Riviera Maya is go swimming with whale sharks. As a guest of Gate48, you are located within range of the trip of a lifetime. Getting there and back will take all day, but the experience will stay with you forever. These huge, gentle creatures visit us every year and we are blessed to be able to visit with them in their natural habitat. So here is what you need to know to be able to go!
Expect your day to begin early; Cancun is an hour and 15 minutes away so you’ll be up before dawn. A driver will come and get you from your location, so you’ll have to find out what your designated pick-up point is. From there you will drive to the docks in front of Isla Mujeres.
Once everyone is loaded into the boat it will be time to go navigating in search of whale sharks. Your guide will explain the process to you, along with the nature of the whale sharks to the clients. It’s important to pay attention, for your safety and that of others. After your guides have spotted them they will head in their direction and pretty soon you will be jumping off the boat and swimming towards the nearest whale shark (or sharks, as there may be more than one).
After everyone has had a chance to swim for a while, snap some photos or shoot video on their Go-Pro cameras, you will be taken to Isla Mujeres to grab a bite to eat. After working up an appetite you can enjoy some ceviche or fish tacos, before heading back to the docks in Cancún. Back on land everyone is then returned to their resorts or designated pick up spots.
The one bit of useful advice is to be aware your best to prevent from getting seasick. It will make your trip better if you can take basic precautions. Remember that your tour guide is there to help you so always follow their advice. You can get quite close to this creatures, but avoid touching them. The main thing is to enjoy the journey that takes you out there into the wild.
Whale shark season runs from June 1 until mid-September of 2018. If you’re looking for recommendations on tour companies please leave us a comment below and we will get back to you!
