Reserve Your Whale Shark Adventure Tour!

$125.00 usd Per Person

The WHALE SHARKS are here!  Don't miss the 2nd Annual Whale Shark Festival July 15 - 19, 2009!  Click the above Festival logo for more information.

At Aqua Adventures we book your Whale Shark Adventures with the some of best boats from 30-36 feet and with the best, more experienced captains.  All but one of the boats we book with have permits for 10 persons per boat.  If someone wants a more private tour, we also contract with a smaller boat that takes 6 persons only.  However, you also have the option of renting an entire boat for your group.  There are many existing Whale Shark boats and tour providers who do not advertise or have a store front, but they do have the permits, trained and experienced staff, and have made the huge investment to provide this tour on nice comfortable boats with bathroom facilities and faster, fuel efficient and ecologically safe motors.  These are the type of providers we represent.  If there ever is a problem or question we are here to help, and we are here for any follow-up that is necessary.  Our dive shop is open from 9am until 9:30pm on Calle Hidalgo during the Whale Shark season to book your tours.  We also accept credit cards and PayPal payments.  When you book with us you will know what boat you will be going on and who will provide the tour.  Our tours leave from docks in the downtown area and from Marina Paraiso.

Aqua Adventures understands that you are investing a good some of money for this tour and the objective is to see the Whale Sharks.  Please understand that not every tour is the same and not everyone will see manta rays or dolphins or other creatures during the tour nor will everyone see the same number of Whale Sharks.  This tour is an adventure and we cannot control the ocean or the creatures within it, we do our absolute best provide an incredible memorable experience for everyone.

Cost: $125.00 usd Per Person

  Our Whale Shark Adventure Tours include:                                                  

• Tour Time Approximately 7:00/7:30am to 1:00-2pm .

• Large Comfortable boat

• Small Groups

• Bathroom/head

• Experienced Captain and Crew

• Light Breakfast, Lunch, Refreshments and Bottled Water

• Snorkel Equipment

• Snorkeling on Reef outside of Isla Contoy

• Hotel/Casa van pick-up available at no charge with one specific provider

• Hotel dock pick-up available with certain hotels

Our Whale Shark tours leave from docks in the downtown area and from Marina Paraiso.

The whale shark is up to 14 meters or 46 feet in length and weigh up to 15 tons.  The average size is about 7.5 meters or 25 feet long.  They are not Whales, they are Sharks. They are the largest fish in the world with Females being larger than males, as with most sharks.  Their mouth can be up to 1.4 meters or 4 feet wide, but their teeth are not like most sharks as they are filter feeders like Whales and their approximately 3000 very tiny teeth are used for filtering not biting.  The Whale Shark can process over 6000 liters or 1500 gallons of water each hour to consume a diet of plankton, krill, small fish, and squid.  They spend most of their time near the surface.  They are known to be solitary creatures, as they are rarely seen in groups and are estimated to live up to 100 - 150 years.  Whale sharks are harmless to people!  They are docile majestic creatures who are pretty indifferent to having swimmers around them.  Whale sharks live in warm water near the equator.  The Mexican Caribbean is one of the few places in the world where they are close enough to shore to make boat trips out to see them possible.

 Answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions:

Yes, the Whale Shark is a protected species.

Yes, they are Sharks but are filter feeders and eat plankton like Whales.

No, you are not allowed to touch the Whale Sharks, you may view only.

There is NO Diving allowed with the Whale Sharks, only Snorkeling.

In this area of Mexico, you are only allowed to swim with the Whale Sharks if you are on a permitted boat with specially licensed captain and guide.  There is strict enforcement and policing for this and penalties for those who ignore this regulation.

The 10 person permit for the Whale Shark tour is the maximum permit (As per Mexican government regulations, this includes a photographer/videographer, group tour guides, people who do not want to swim with the sharks, small children).

The area where we find the Whale Sharks is 1 to 1.5 hours away from Isla Mujeres and is approximately 60 square miles.  There are areas where they are known to feed more than others.  Part of the Adventure is finding them in their natural environment. 

The probability of seeing the Whale Sharks is excellent!  We have only had one tour in the 3 years of doing them who did not see the Whale Sharks and that was a few days after a hurricane.

Yes, you must wear a life vest when snorkeling or swimming with the Whale Sharks.

You should be able to get in the water with the Whale Sharks 2 or 3 times.

The amount of time you get to spend with them depends on how long they stay at a depth where you can see them and how well you are able to keep up with them.

You are allowed to swim with the Whale Sharks 2 at a time with the guide.

You do not have to swim with them, but Yes, your fee is the same as others as you are taking a spot on the boat.

For more information or to make a reservation contact us by email at diveisla@yahoo.com.

Don't miss Isla Mujeres'

Whale Shark Festival

July 15-19, 2009