Unforgettable Whale Shark Swim: Riviera Maya's Gentle Giants

We went on this tour as a once in a lifetime event and wow what an experience from the moment Vanessa collected from the hotel to how she explained the whole excursion without being overwhelmed. She had great knowledge regarding the whale shark ans how everything would go once our time to jump. The captain was excellent at getting us lined up and ready to jump with the crew member who stayed at my side as I was originally nervous until I jumped and then it was just magical. Cannot recommend this trip enough and if you’re lucky enough to have Vanessa and the captain and other crew member you’ve hit gold.

We've been snorkelling a few times previously, however the experiences haven't been great. Matthew helped us change that! He noticed that we were nervous and offered to hold our hands when we went in the water the first time, and me and my sister can not thank him enough. Without him we wouldn't have seen the whale sharks and manta rays up close, he's helped us make memories that will last a life time. The crew on the boat were also fantastic, attentive and caring. You can tell they all absolutely adore their job. There is a photo package at an additional cost which was an absolute god send, the pictures are stunning. He also made sure to get pictures of everyone participating too. Thank you all again so much for giving us the best experience of our holiday!

I’ve gone on a number of different excursions with this company & I always recommend them to friends. Max & his crew were excellent. Clear communication about what we were doing & safety. There were English & Portuguese speakers on this trip & no issue with switching between both languages. We were so lucky to have dolphins also cane to swim with the whale sharks. Group had 9 people & I appreciate the small size. We all were able to jump twice. There were 2 people who had never snorkeled before but Max took time out to explain the basics & make sure they were comfortable. Pictures & video came out amazing. Overall, great trip. So happy I went with is team.

Snorkeling with Whalesharks was on our 'bucketlist,' and this snorkeling tour was awesome. Nickolas was our guide, and he was with us from the pick up at our hotel, through the entire tour. I may have spelled it wrong, but we called him Nick. You couldn't ask for a better guide. Whaleshark 'season' in Cancun starts in June, and generally ends at the end of August. They basically drop a pair of snorkelers in the water ahead of the Whalesharks, and pick them up shortly after. The rules say you have 3 minutes in the water, then the next pair is up. We managed to do it 3 times. The rules say you have to wear a lifevest, OR a wetsuit, which includes shorties, which they rent for $15. OR, bring your own. Their life preservers are too bouyant for snorkeling, in my opinion. I believe their tours all leave out of a dock facility called 'Flamingo,' and they sell souvenirs there, so bring a credit card. After the Whaleshark swims, we went to a cove off Isla Mujeres to snorkle and have lunch. They made fresh ceviche and guacamole with chips. It was delicious. Lunch included refreshments. The water was warm (84F ish.) Sunscreen application isn't permitted on the tour, so douse yourself before you go. Sunglasses are a must, and the boat ride there and back will be rough and windy, more so if the weather has anything to say about it. They handed out Dramamine, if you wanted it. Nick took Gopro video for purchase, so again, BRING A CREDIT CARD. It was FUN.

If visiting Cancun, this is an adventure that you won’t regret. The awesomeness and gracefulness of the great creatures is a privilege to behold. The trip, though expensive, takes a lot of skill to put together and the experience is totally worth it.

My wife and I had a phenomenal time. There were so many whale sharks! Our guide, Matt, was awesome. He was very knowledgeable and personable. The boat captain and mate were also great. Swimming with the whale sharks was incredible. The lunch, ceviche and fresh guacamole with tortilla chips, was also very very good. Water and soda were offered throughout the entire trip.

Went on a whale shark swimming tour as a family from Cancun, which we had booked before leaving UK. We were collected from hotel on time, and everything was as described online. We had an amazing time! We had a great guide Daniel, who was very enthusiastic and passionate about the tour; we each had two swims and both boys (10yrs and 11yrs) felt completely safe and really enjoyed. Only complaint is an extra charge for wetsuits (you are provided with life jackets, but can choose to wear a wetsuit at extra cost if you’d prefer to swim in this), and photograph package was expensive for a family of four. Would highly recommend however and I don’t think the boys will ever stop talking about it!

The most magical experience! My husband and I swam with whale sharks on our last trip to Mexico, pre-kids, 14 years ago and we were really keen to give our two sons the opportunity to do it this time around. We booked through a rep in our hotel but the tour was with Ocean Tours and we couldn't fault them at all. We were collected bang on time at 5.50am from our hotel lobby and the guide, Vanessa, provided us with lots of information in the van on the way to Cancun. On arrival we were given some snacks (fruit, granola bars, sweet breads) and drinks. We were told the sea was going to be rough and we were all offered (and urged to take!) Dramamine. They weren't wrong! It was a super rough ride and we were all very grateful for that Dramamine! Once we'd made it to the area with the whale sharks, we went into the water in pairs, along with Vanessa. All of the instructions were clear and we felt well looked after and safe in the water. The whale sharks were as magnificent as we remembered and it was just the most magical experience! Our youngest son struggled with the boat ride out to the whale sharks. The rough water made him feel quite anxious and he wasn't sure whether or not he would get into the water. He'd been super enthusiastic before the trip but the rough water just seemed to make him uneasy. Vanessa was absolutely amazing with him. She was so supportive and kind and reassuring. As a family, we encouraged him (he really wanted to do it, he just lost his nerve a little bit) and he decided to go in the water. On his first time in the water, Vanessa swam beside my son and kept hold of him so he felt really safe and secure. He absolutely loved the experience and was so grateful to Vanessa for taking such good care of him and making him feel comfortable and confident in the water. After the whale shark swim, we were taken to Isla Mujeres for a guided snorkel and then onto the bay for a swim in the most perfect turquoise waters. The captain and skippers prepared ceviche and guacamole which was absolutely delicious. Overall, we were absolutely thrilled with the experience and would 100% recommend. We have said twice that it is a once in a lifetime experience - I strongly suspect that we will be back for more next time we're in Mexico!

This was a very awesome experience! Our tour guide Ruben was great! Lunch provided was also delicious! Would definitely recommend to family and friends:)

We had an amazing experience swimming with the whale sharks. Our guide, Max, explained the whole process very well, so it was clear for us what to do. We got to see these fascinating animals really well. Also the snorkeling and nachos were a nice addition to the excursion. We definitely recommend!