Whale Sharks are found in tropical oceans.
Where to swim with Whale sharks
The best places to swim with whale sharks
WESTERN PACIFIC and INDIAN OCEAN
1. Indonesia Cenderwahi bay ,West Papua Year round from Nabraire, Triton bay West Papua year round , Sumbawa, Sulawesi.
2. Australia Ningaloo Reef, MAR to JULY
Western Australia’s coral reef, Ningaloo lies around 1200km north of west coast capital Perth. Whale sharks arrive to feed between mid-March and July following a mass coral spawning.
Coral Sea between November and December.
Christmas Island NOV to APR
3. Philippines Donsol Bay,
When whale sharks were ‘discovered’ at this Luzon Island fishing village in 1998, it became one of the nation’s premier tourist destinations. Sightings are less frequent these days, but whale shark tourism is reportedly more ethical here than in Oslob, Cebu (where the sharks are fed).
whale sharks generally arrive between November and June, peaking from February to April. Dozens of full-grown 40ft whale sharks arrive
4. Thailand Koh Tao,
Just north of legendary party island Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao is famous for its cheap diving. Whale sharks are often spotted around Chumphon Pinnacle, just a 15-minute boat ride from the island.
they’ve been spotted year-round, especially from April to June.
5. Maldives South Ari Atoll,
Whale sharks are year-round residents of the Maldives, tending to favour the western side of the Indian Ocean archipelago from May to December, then heading to the east until April. South Ari Atoll is a Marine Protected Area.
Operators in the area run weekly, year-round snorkelling trips to South Ari. You can track whale shark sightings as they happen by downloading the local Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme's (maldiveswhalesharkresearch.org) Whale Shark Network Maldives app.
6. Thailand, Andaman coast in Richelieu Rock, Surin Islands and Hin Daeng in Koh Lanta.
7. Red Sea and Persian Gulf June to September
8. Kenyan coast NOV to JAN
9. Tanzania Zanzibar is also one of the world's premier locations for sighting the ocean's biggest fish, the whale shark. Mnemba Atoll is a 7km reef that is a conservation success story, where turtles, dolphins and the whale sharks can be seen in the months from September to December.
Mafia Island OCT to MAR peak season Nov and Dec. Stay at Kitu Kiblu
10. Mozambique Tofo Beach,
400km north of the capital Maputo is home to one of the largest concentrations of whale sharks in Africa thanks to a seemingly never-ending supply of plankton.
sightings of 50-strong congregations are not uncommon from October to March.
11. South Mahé, Seychelles
Some of the earliest scientific whale shark records came from the, The largest island in the Indian Ocean archipelago, Mahé is the best place to spot them.
whale sharks migrate past Mahé between August and November, with sightings peaking in October.
ATLANTIC OCEAN
12 .Mexico Isla Holbox,
A 25-minute boat ride from the mainland, Quintana Roo’s northernmost island is 150kms north of Cancun. tours depart daily from June to September, when the whale sharks arrive to feed and mate. July to August is peak season. Whale sharks gather during the summer in two areas around Isla Mujeres. Most operators will snorkel off Isla Holbox, where the whale sharks gather to feed on plankton and krill. Other operators will take snorkelers way off Isla Mujeres to clear blue water, where whale sharks and mantas feed on bonito eggs after spawning event.
13. Belize Gladden Spit,
A mass fish-spawning period between March and June draws whale sharks to Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, around 40km off the southeastern coastal town of Placencia.
April and May are the most consistent months for sightings; most are spotted a few days after the full moon.
14.Honduras Utila,
Sharks were spotted every month, but the highest concentration arrives between March and April, then in fewer numbers from September to Christmas.
check in with the Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Centre, or jump on one of the daily dive boats headed to the north side of the island, where most sharks are spotted.
PACIFIC OCEAN
15. Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica the UNESCO World Heritage islands Cocos Island (Costa Rica), Coiba Island (Panama), Malpelo (Colombia) and Galapagos (Equator) are part of the Biological Marine Corridor of the Tropical Eastern Pacific, attracting an overwhelming marine biodiversity typically known as Top World destinations for sharks, Giant Mantas, whales and occasionally Whale Shark encounters from May till August, in a healthy coral environment.
16. Mexico, Sea of Cortez Midriff islands between November to April. A reliable place to swim with whale sharks, especially in the fall and winter months. We are fans of visiting La Paz in October and November when the water is warmer and the whale sharks are busy feeding on plankton. A visit in the winter means cooler water temps and less visibility, but also the possibility to see grey and humpback whales. You will be swimming with them in the Bay of La Paz.
La Paz is a short, easy flight from either Los Angeles or Mexico City - although most people will fly into Los Cabos Airport and take a van or taxi for two hours to La Paz. One thing to keep in mind, is that the bay is closed for swimming with Whale Sharks from May until early October due to new government regulations.
Located 240 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas and often called "Mexico's Little Galapagos", the Socorro Islands offer a wonderful chance to see a plethora of large pelagic animals. In November and December, whale sharks can often be seen along with giant mantas, humpback whales, and large gamefish.
17. Equador, The Galapagos Islands of Wolf and Darwin. From June to November, the weather and water temperatures in the Galapagos get colder. Plankton starts to bloom thanks to natural upwelling currents and whale sharks come to the area to feed. The Galapagos Whale Shark project is trying to learn more about why these adult whale sharks come to Wolf and Darwin.
Most of the coastal gatherings of whale sharks are young males, it is not known where older males and females go. Only one baby whale shark has been recorded and that was in Donsal bay Philippines. It is likely from research that females travel far off shore to give birth at isolated islands and seamounts in mid ocean but not confirmed.