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Whale Shark Encounter: Swim with Gentle Giants
4.8
400 Ratings
Cancún
Swim with whale sharks in the protected area of Cancun, followed by a visit to the stunning Playa Norte beach in Isla Mujeres. An unforgettable adventure awaits!
Swim with whale sharks in the protected area of Cancun, followed by a visit to the stunning Playa Norte beach in Isla Mujeres. An unforgettable adventure awaits!
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Contoy Adventures - Our Whale Shark Encounter begins early in the morning where, depending on the hotel or condominium you’re staying at, our experienced van drivers will pick you up right at the lobby or entrance to take you to our new marina located in the ferry terminal in Punta Sam in Cancun. All of our vans are comfortable A/C units in…
- Contoy Adventures - Our Whale Shark Encounter begins early in the morning where, depending on the hotel or condominium you’re staying at, our experienced van drivers will pick you up right at the lobby or entrance to take you to our new marina located in the ferry terminal in Punta Sam in Cancun. All of our vans are comfortable A/C units in perfect conditions and all of our drivers are licensed and certified to operate tourism in the highway. Once you arrive to our marina you will be welcome by our ground staff and, after a quick check in, where you will be assigned to your boat, you will have the chance for a light breakfast before boarding. We leave at 7:50 am and head straight into the whale shark protected area, life vests are mandatory from the minute you board, this always for your safety which is a mayor concern to us. After an hour we arrive and find the whale sharks, our captain will choose one and do the proper manouvers with the boat to start the swims, always in couples and with our certified guide, 2 by 2 you will go in the water to swim beside this beautiful creatures, there are 10 people on each boat, after 2 to 3 dives per person, making sure everybody gets their chance,you will all board and start the return but, before we reach Cancun we have one final stop, Playa Norte beach in Isla Mujeres. Playa Norte is the nicest beach in Isla Mujeres and, it’s considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, here you will have an hour to relax or, if you want, do some more snorkeling. Our captain will prepare his famous ceviche while you enjoy your favorite non alcoholic drink, sandwiches will also be available. Then we head back to our marina in Cancun where our vans will be expecting you ready to go back to your hotels after this wonderful adventure. Pickups in hotels start at 5:30 am depending on the hotel and area you’re staying at and the boats are usually back at our marina between 1:00 and 2:00 pm.
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Breakfast
- Tea and coffee
- Snacks
- Sodas & bottled water
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Breakfast
- Tea and coffee
- Snacks
- Sodas & bottled water
What's Not Included
- Dock fee and Federal Tax
- Dock fee and Federal Tax
Additional Information
Come join us in this once in a lifetime experience and live the most incredible adventure swimming beside this ocean’s gentle giants. Your encounter will be supervised by our very experienced guides not to mention you’ll be wearing our snorkeling gear certified by National Geographic Snorkeler.
We start the adventure picking you up from any hotel in…
Come join us in this once in a lifetime experience and live the most incredible adventure swimming beside this ocean’s gentle giants. Your encounter will be supervised by our very experienced guides not to mention you’ll be wearing our snorkeling gear certified by National Geographic Snorkeler.
We start the adventure picking you up from any hotel in Cancun, Riviera Maya or Playa del Carmen to take you to our new private marina in Punta Sam in Cancun. After a light breakfast we board and head to the Whale Shark protected area where, after finding them, we will start the dives, 2 to 3 per person, always in couples and with our certified guide.
Before we head back to our marina we will visit beautiful Playa Norte beach in Isla Mujeres where you will have an hour to relax and enjoy the best ceviche prepared in sight by our crew.
- Not recommended for child aged 3 and under.
- Pregnant women are not allowed for safety reasons and as per federal regulations.
- Even though the probability of seeing whale sharks is very high, we cannot guarantee sightings.
Location
Contoy Adventures
Our marina is located right next to the Punta Sam Ferry terminal to Isla Mujeres and next to the Villa del Palmar hotel.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(400 Ratings)
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1 star
333jannaw
Apr 6, 2026
XPO Tours is the best place to book them - While we were planning our vacation we were looking at many different tours we wanted to do during our trip, lots of options, and even do we decided to book all through the same platform because we were very impressed with their customer service, I want to leave our great experiences of each tour as well.
Our reservation was immediately confirmed with detailed information on the pickup and it was a smooth 30 minutes drive in a nice air-conditioned van to the marina.
Up on arrival, there was a check-in area with breakfast snack and coffee, very positive surprised of the whole operation.
The boats were clean and spacious with an excellent crew which really took care of everybody's needs to really enjoy the excursion. We had two times 15 minutes snorkeling with the whales sharks, an amazing once in a life time experience.
After we went on to Isla Mujeres where we had free time to see downtown and visit the famous north beach.
While all our tours were great, this one was specially thrilling.
Thanks Roberto, the crew and Sandra from XPO tour customer service.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tarik_g
Oct 15, 2025
Once in a lifetime bucket list item - Its kind of a rush to chase whalesharks but it yields back your expectations and the guides put on real effort for you to see these amazing creature as many times as you can. Even if they dont escape your presence, they swim pretty fast and outpace you in a blink. If you are gonna do it with your toddler, mine was 5 years old, do it, make him or her see them. Take medication if you tend to be seasick because the boat really sways during the chase and wait. Good luck!
Review provided by Viator
Bernadetteh639
Sep 16, 2025
Worth it ! - We had an amazing time! It was a once in a lifetime adventure. We were lucky enough to also see Manta rays and dolphins. Our guides were informative and fun. They want you to have the best experience possible which shows in their efforts.
My one piece of advice would be “FOLLOW CINDY!!”
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Keonac702
Sep 11, 2025
Whale shark adventure - We had the best day swimming with the whale sharks! Experience of a lifetime!!
Isaac and Cindy were the best guides! Took us right to the sharks and made us feel welcomed and comfortable! We had a wonderful lunch and fun time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort45544637601
Sep 9, 2025
Thank you - The captain is very nice. He makes sure I can clearly see the whale shark. Our family really enjoyed this trip. Life time experience, definitely worth going. Thanks
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janpm3927qj
Aug 31, 2025
Amazing experience! - It was an amazing experience. Lovely Xenia knew how to stick us her good vibe and excellent attitude. Moises made the transfer back for our hotel. A great driver and very prudent. Plus, your car super comfortable and clean. Renato, the captain! Amazing and insatiable to search and finally find the whale shark.
Tour operators do not inform you of the clothing they recommend to wear to avoid sun overexposure. Even then you arrive at Isla Mujeres and it is crowded with boats and other vessels.
Recommendation: Wear a cap, long-sleeved T-shirt and tights to avoid burning, as sun cream cannot be used.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Whiterose1026
Aug 30, 2025
Whale sharks! ❤️ - Isaac and Cindy have to be the best team! Not just because they make the best ceviche ever but because they went on a long search to find us the very elusive whale sharks. It took hours but while we were napping and tanning they found us at least 5 whale sharks and gave us one of the most memorable trips we've ever had. Great swim despite the crowds. Everything was perfect. Thank you so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S1234lelaurav
Jul 29, 2025
Magical experience - We did the whale shark tour with Cindy and her colleague, and it was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The tour began with about an hour-long boat ride to reach the whale shark area. The boat was very comfortable, and the ride itself was really pleasant.
During the journey, the guides gave us fun and informative tips about swimming with whale sharks, keeping everyone engaged and excited. When we arrived at the location, there were some other boats around, but it wasn’t overcrowded at all.
We entered the water two at a time, taking turns to swim with these incredible creatures. It was truly a magical experience. In the water, Cindy guided us very well and made sure we felt safe and confident. Each of us had the chance to go in two to three times, which made the experience even more special.
After swimming, we were treated to a delicious lunch and had time to relax and swim in the stunning clear waters around Isla Mujeres. It was truly a day to remember!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lyudmila
Aug 5, 2025
Good, but too crowded - Good overall, but too crowded. Took a long time to get there- 1.5 hr ride by car (we stayed at Playa del Carmen) and then about 1hr by boat.
You get to go 2 times (2 people at one time) and there were 10 people on the boat, so a lot of waiting. In addition there is a whole line of boats that wait in line to drop their people.
Crew tried their best to drop us right at where the shark was and we saw a full front, side and back view. However shark swims away very fast so you have a minute or 2 max viewing time.
Overall good experience if Mexico is your usual destination and you don't go to remote places.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maps32368248979
Aug 21, 2025
Experience ruined! - I strongly advise against making this trip with Contoy Adventures.
The staff has been rude and careless about customers' needs.
Our family of eight had decided to take part in an excursion to see whale sharks. We booked through the Finest hotel, paying a total of 1,600.00 USD.
Unfortunately, the assigned boat (with a maximum capacity of 10 people) had engine problems, forcing us to be stuck in the open sea for about an hour.
Then other boats arrived, already full, and we were forced to split up: two people for each boat, getting on four different boats and exceeding the capacity limit. This completely compromised the experience, which we had chosen precisely to live it together as a family.
Upon returning, we asked at least to receive free photos taken during swimming with the whale shark, as a gesture of courtesy for the serious mishap suffered. The response was negative, with no sign of availability or attention to the customer.
A disappointing experience from all points of view.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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