In this post, we will share everything you need to know about swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, Baja California Sur. A true bucket list experience with the biggest fish in the sea!
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Swimming with whale sharks in La Paz
La Paz, the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, is one of the only places in the world where you can swim alongside whale sharks, the biggest fish in the sea.
Each year these gentle giants come to feed in the nutrient-rich waters of the Bay of La Paz, and visitors are able to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of swimming next to them.
The Mexican Government tightly controls the program, making La Paz one of the most ethical and sustainable places to swim with whale sharks in the world. We were so impressed by the experience and felt comfortable that we weren’t harming the whale sharks in any way.
I’ll unpack more about the ethics of swimming with whale sharks, detail the tight restrictions the government imposes in La Paz, and share some suggestions for ethical tour operators. I’ll also give you a full rundown of our experience and what to expect when swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, and tips on what to bring to make your day amazing!
🦈 2024 UPDATE: the official La Paz whale shark season set by the government runs from 1 October – 30 April each year.
However, tighter regulations have been introduced that only allow tours to take place when there are 7 or more whale sharks present in the swimming zone for 2 – 3 consecutive days.
La Paz whale shark tours were suspended for a few weeks in February 2023 because these numbers were not met. The 2023/2024 season did not start until the end of November for the same reason.
Remember these animals are wild, and the government does a fantastic job of managing the program to keep it safe and ethical for the whale sharks. This does mean planning is difficult for tour operators and you might be unlucky and have a tour cancelled.
Jump to read more about the government regulations for swimming with whale sharks in La Paz
Quick facts
- 📍 Where: In the Bay of La Paz off the coast of La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
- 🗓️ When: The official season for swimming with whale sharks runs from 1 October – 30 April, but tours are only permitted to run when there are specific numbers of whale sharks in the bay, so this time frame is fluid.
- 🛥️ How: A tour with a licensed operator, generally lasting 2 – 3 hours, to jump in the water and swim alongside the whale sharks.
- 🦈 Tour Recommendations: If you are staying in Los Cabos and are looking for a tour that departs from there, we recommend Cabo Trek which is certified by the World Cetacean Alliance. If you are already in La Paz, MexPlore is a fantastic ethical company.
- ⏰ Tour timings: tour companies are put in a daily ballot to see which ‘shift’ they will be allocated to enter the whale shark swimming zone. This means they won’t know the time of departure for the tour until the day, so be prepared that you might not have this information in advance.
- ⚠️ Warnings: tours in the winter months (Dec – Feb) can be cancelled because of strong winds. Be sure to book your experience early on in your itinerary so you can re-arrange if need be.
About whale sharks
Whale sharks are not whales! So what are they?
Whale sharks are actually sharks. Sharks are a type of fish because they have gills and can breathe underwater. You won’t see whale sharks surfacing for air like actual whales, and they spend all their time under the surface.
Although whale sharks might technically be sharks, they are not the kind of sharks humans need to worry about! They can grow pretty large, up to 12 metres / 40 feet long, but they pose no threat to humans.
Whale sharks eat only small microorganisms like plankton and krill, and their nickname ‘gentle giants of the sea’ is very fitting, as it is perfectly safe to swim with whale sharks.
Considering the impressive technological and scientific advances around wildlife monitoring, very little is known about whale sharks. Scientists don’t know a lot about whale shark breeding, or migration patterns.
Sadly these beautiful animals are endangered, and unrestricted whale shark tourism can have a devastating impact on the species. That is why it is so important to do your research if you are planning on swimming with them.
Is swimming with whale sharks ethical?
As with any activity where humans directly interact with animals, there can be ethical questions around swimming with whale sharks.
There have been lots of studies done about the impact of humans swimming with whale sharks, and many documented cases where the activity has had a negative impact on these giant creatures.
From disrupted feeding and breeding to injuries from boat accidents, humans swimming with whale sharks can have a detrimental impact on the species.
However, I believe swimming with whale sharks can be ethical if it is properly managed and regulated.
There are many places around the world where the activity is supervised correctly, and the experience doesn’t pose any negative impacts on the species. Equally, there are many places where this is not the case.
To give you an idea of what an unethical whale shark experience looks like, let me recount our first experience.
The first time we swam with whale sharks was actually not in Mexico. It was in Oslob, on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. This popular whale shark destination attracts thousands of tourists each year to swim with the gentle giants of the sea. But we wholeheartedly regretted our choice to participate in this activity, immediately afterwards.
There is very little legislation protecting the whale sharks in Oslob, or regulating tour operators. When we arrived first thing in the morning for our tour, there were hundreds (literally, hundreds) of people packed into a tiny waiting area, with local guides pushing through the crowds to ensure their tourists got on a boat.
The experience worsened when we got out on the water, and there were at least 10 boats all clustered together. The captains were feeding the whale sharks to draw them in, and there was no restriction on the number of tourists in the water with them.
This resulted in chaos, with tourists everywhere all clambering to get near the whale sharks to have their photo taken. Besides the discomfort for us (with legs flying everywhere and getting kicked in the head by pushy people trying to chase the whale sharks), we can’t even imagine how the animals must have felt.
Of course, they were being fed so I’m sure it was worth it for them. But the disruption to their natural behaviour and food chain is detrimental to their survival. As an endangered species, making them reliant on humans for food and attracting them close to boats is dangerous and highly unethical.
Is swimming with whale sharks in La Paz ethical?
But, the good news is, the whale shark experience in La Paz is nothing like this!
It is considered one of the best, most regulated places in the world to swim with whale sharks and we were very impressed with how the experience was managed.
In La Paz, there is no feeding or baiting going on, so you can be sure that any whale sharks you encounter are freely there of their own accord!
The program is tightly regulated by the government and there are a number of rules in place to protect the species. These regulations provide context to how the whale shark tours work in La Paz, so it’s helpful for you to read through them and understand how the system works. From the outside, the tours can seem disorganised and confusing, and many visitors leave upset that they didn’t get the experience they were dreaming about.
It’s also possible to swim with whale sharks on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, around Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres. We have heard the experience is not as tightly controlled and decided not to participate. It is a much more popular area for tourists, so there are lots more boats around making it harder to regulate.
- 🗺️ Restricted zones for swimming: there is just a very small zone in the Bay of La Paz dedicated to tourist activities. The whale sharks can move freely around the bay and leave the swimming zone if they want to.
- 🪪 Strict licensing: boats, captains and guides must undergo strict training and certification programs to be permitted to enter the bay. There is a limitation on the number of operators that receive government permits each season.
- 🛥️ Restricted number of boats in the zone: for the 2023 – 2024 season, only 14 boats total are permitted inside the swimming zone in each ‘shift’, which lasts 2 – 3 hours.
- 🔢 Tours only permitted with 7 sharks in the bay: the government will delay the season, or cancel tours during the season, if there are not enough whale sharks in the bay. This happened in 2023. There must be at least 7 sharks seen in the bay consecutively over 2 – 3 days for tours to operate.
- ⏰ Staggered times: tour operators can’t guarantee what time your tour will depart until the day of, as they must wait for the government to allocate them to a shift and provide them with the exact time. It operates like a ballot system, which sometimes means tours can be left waiting until later in the day. This reduces overcrowding in the swimming zone.
- 🛂 Checkpoint to enter the zone: as boats approach the swimming zone, they have to stop at a checkpoint and radio the government to receive approval to enter. There are government officials stationed in a building on the mainland, and they look out on the bay and check for the correct identifying flags once boats are stopped at the checkpoint.
- 🚤 One boat per whale shark: inside the zone, only one boat can approach a whale shark. Once a boat sights a whale shark and is preparing for its tourists to jump in the water, any other boats will have to wait. The whale sharks are constantly swimming, and due to their huge size, they move fast! So once it has swum a reasonable distance from one boat and its group of swimmers, only then can another boat safely approach and have its group jump in. This rule was observed by all boats we saw during our experience.
- 🤿 Maximum 5 snorkelers plus guide per whale shark: there is a maximum of five people allowed in the water with one whale shark at any time, plus a mandatory guide monitoring tourist behaviour.
- 🦈 Strict distances from whale sharks: your tour company should brief you on the distances you must keep away from the whale sharks. Never get closer than 2 m / 6 ft from the head or 3 m / 10 ft to the tail. Never swim in the front of or above the shark, or too close to its large tail.
We did feel on our tour that there was a bit too much fuss about trying to get us in position near the whale shark for a photo. Our guide didn’t necessarily overstep the boundary of the whale shark, but it wasn’t a priority for us and it shouldn’t be for anyone. I did feel on a few occasions that the guide pulled me a bit closer to the whale shark than I would have liked.
However, we understand why the tour companies do this, as they need to ensure the satisfaction of their guests too, and having a photo with a whale shark is crucially important for many visitors. But if it’s not for you (I think the ethical choice is not to be chasing a photo) then we would suggest telling your guide that in advance so they aren’t trying to manoeuvre you in for the shot.
This was the only negative part of our tour, and we felt all other rules were followed and the experience was an ethical one. We were even able to watch the whale sharks feeding, which indicated that they were comfortable and not threatened.
When is the La Paz whale shark season
The official La Paz whale shark season is from 1 October – 30 April each year. No swimming or tour activities are permitted within the whale shark zone outside of these dates.
However, there is no guarantee that the whale sharks will be there during this time, it is simply a regulatory period. The government controls when tours can run.
The season will only open if 7 whale sharks have been sighted in the bay over 2 – 3 consecutive days. The 2023/2024 season was delayed until the end of November because of this.
The government will also cancel tours during the season if the number of whale sharks in the bay drops below 7. La Paz whale shark tours were suspended for a few weeks in February 2023 as there were not enough whale sharks to safely sustain the activity.
Although the season officially runs until the end of April, the whale sharks have usually already started leaving the bay by this time, heading north. Most operators stop offering tours by the end of March.
These days, the best time to see whale sharks in La Paz is from December – March. This seems to be the most realistic time period given the experience of the previous few seasons.
Of course, it is always possible they are present outside this time (October/November and April), but it’s safer not to count on it.
Whale shark tours in La Paz
There are many tour companies both in La Paz and in Los Cabos that offer whale shark tours.
Like with all experiences involving animals, please do your own research in advance to ensure the tour company you book with is following the regulations.
I think it would be pretty difficult for any tour company to blatantly disobey the rules as access to the swimming zone is restricted and monitored, and only operators that have the correct government permits can offer tours.
Your experience is going to be much better if you are with a company that respects the whale sharks and puts their welfare as the top priority throughout the experience.
Here are some of our recommended ethical tour options.
🦈 WHALE SHARK TOURS FROM CABO
If you are staying in Los Cabos, it’s possible to book a day trip to La Paz to swim with the whale sharks.
- Cabo Trek: we highly recommend this tour with Cabo Trek. They are one of the only tour operators in the state that is certified by the World Cetacean Alliance, so you can be confident they follow the highest standards for interacting with whale sharks. They include transport from Los Cabos to La Paz and back.
🦈 WHALE SHARK TOURS FROM LA PAZ
If you’re already in La Paz, there are so many tour companies offering whale shark tours it can be overwhelming to choose!
The first thing to decide if you want a whale sharks-only tour or a combination tour.
Because swimming with whale sharks is a relatively quick experience, around 2 – 3 hours, many tour operators offer a combination tour. It’s most commonly combined with a visit to San Rafaelito, a small sea lion colony and/or a visit to one of the outer beaches in Balandra Bay.
These are our top La Paz whale shark tour recommendations:
- MexPlore Whale Shark Snorkeling Reduced Group with Marine Biologist: if you’re looking for a tour focused specifically on whale sharks, this is the best! MexPlore offers small group tours, with a maximum of 8 people, meaning more time in the water with the whale sharks. They have a marine biologist on board and take the rules seriously.
- On Board Baja Combo Tour: we did this combo tour that included the whale sharks, sea lions and lunch and paddleboarding at Balandra Bay, and it was a great day.
- SeeCreatures Whale Shark Tour: SeeCreatures is an offshoot of Baja Expeditions, a fantastic ecotourism company that is one of the original and best in Baja. Their swim with whale sharks tour includes expert naturalist guides and the highest ethical standards.
What to expect swimming with whale sharks in La Paz
Where your day begins depends on the tour you have booked. Most tours leave from the Marina La Paz on the Malecon.
You will have a briefing with your guide and get geared up. We highly recommend wearing a wetsuit if you’re visiting in the winter months, the water is very cold! Don’t forget to pack some warm clothes too, as it’s really chilly in the wind when the boat is driving.
Once you have made it out into the bay, and your boat has passed through the checkpoint you will head towards the swimming zone. It takes around 20 – 30 minutes to get there, and the area is adjacent to El Mogote, a set of sand dunes on a land spit that juts out into the bay.
As soon as you enter the zone, the hunt is on! Your captain and your guide will be keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of whale sharks to be seen from the surface.
This part of the day can take a while. They are wild after all, and there is no guarantee you will find any whale sharks.
We were lucky enough to spot a whale shark within around 15 minutes of arriving at the swimming zone. Our guide spotted a dorsal fin gliding through the top of the water and after confirming with other nearby boats that we could ‘claim’ that whale shark, our captain approached.
We got geared up, with our flippers, mask and snorkel (no life jacket required) and ready to jump in. Luckily there was just ourselves and another couple on our tour, so all four of us were able to go in at once with our guide, giving us maximum opportunity to spend time with the whale sharks.
We got the go-ahead and the five of us entered the water. Once the bubbles cleared and I oriented myself underwater, we were right alongside one of the biggest animals I have ever seen in my life.
The first thing I noticed was how beautiful their spotted patterns are, and how vibrant the white spots appear against their grey skin. The clarity of the water clouds the photos, but the detail we saw with our own eyes was beautiful.
Whilst the whale sharks appear calm and graceful, their sheer size means that just one swish of the tail can propel them forward metres, so you have to kick quickly if you want to stick alongside them for longer than a few seconds.
The whale sharks seemed completely unfazed by our presence and were happily feeding on the microscopic creatures that attract them to the Bay of La Paz.
They were opening their mouths wide and gulping in huge mouthfuls of water, which they then filter out of their gills, keeping all the food inside.
The whale sharks we encountered frequently changed direction to follow the food, and on more than one occasion I unintentionally ended up face-to-face with one. I had to scramble and kick quickly, to make sure I stayed out of their path and didn’t disturb them.
How fast you can swim will dictate how long you can spend with each whale shark. The interaction will generally only last a few minutes. Once the whale shark you are with has swum too far, your captain will bring the boat near so you can climb back in.
Then you repeat the process! Your guide will start looking for more whale sharks, and waiting until there is one alone before you jump in again.
How many times you are able to do this depends on the size of your group, and how many whale sharks are in the area. We were lucky enough to jump in the water on three separate occasions.
The experience can feel a bit rushed, as you need to get in the water quickly once your boat finds a whale shark. When you’re in the water they swim very fast, so it can feel a bit hectic to try and keep up. And once you’re back on the boat (maybe puffing and exhausted like I was), you have to be ready to jump back in at any minute!
But it is so so worth it. To be swimming alongside these majestic creatures, to see their patterns and textures up close, and to experience their gentle, graceful nature is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
About two and a half hours after our tour commenced we sailed out of the whale shark swimming zone. I could have happily stayed for much longer, but our leaving allowed another group to enter and that’s the government rules.
Because we had booked a combo tour, we headed towards San Rafaelito, the small sea lion colony, where we again got in the water and snorkelled with sea lions.
Whilst the whale sharks are more impressive, the sea lions were so friendly and interactive, we enjoyed our time with them just as much! They were super playful and watching them spin, flip and zoom around underwater was hilarious! They were even biting our flippers at one point.
Playful sea lions in La Paz
Our time with the sea lions was short, and we got back in the boat and headed to Balandra Bay. We didn’t go to the famous part of the bay, but the boat docked on one of the outer beaches, and we had a delicious lunch on a stunning, empty beach. After some fresh ceviche, we were able to take a paddle board around the calm waters of the bay.
We returned to La Paz happy, tired and a little bit sunburnt after an incredible day. It was one of the highlights of our Baja California Sur road trip, and a special experience we will always remember.
What to bring
Each tour differs slightly, but most should include the basic gear you need to go snorkelling with the whale sharks:
- 🤿 Mask, snorkel, flippers and wetsuit
- 🎟️ Marine park entry bracelet
- 🥪 Snacks or lunch (depending on the tour)
- 🥤 Water or other non-alcoholic drinks
- 📷 Underwater camera to take photos and videos (some tours)
There are some things you should bring along with you to make your experience more comfortable:
- 🎒 Dry bag or backpack with waterproof cover
- 👙 Swimwear
- 🧖🏽♀️ Towel
- 🧥 Warm clothes (it is COLD and windy in winter! I wish I packed more layers)
- 😎 Hat, sunglasses and reef-friendly sunscreen
- 📸 GoPro or other underwater camera
Whale sharks in La Paz: Final thoughts
Being underwater in the presence of the largest fish in the sea is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Experiencing the grace and beauty of these creatures is an unmissable experience in Baja California Sur.
The activity is tightly regulated, and when swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, you can confidently participate knowing the well-being of these gentle giants is the top priority.
There are so many other amazing things to do in La Paz, and I highly recommend sticking around for at least a few days to explore the city.
🐋 Looking for more whale encounters? Baja is blessed with rich seas full of whales and other marine life. We have a dedicated guide to whale watching in Baja California Sur, and you can also read more about kissing grey whales in Magdalena Bay, humpback whale watching in Cabo and seeing blue whales in Loreto.
