Swimming with Whale Sharks in Cabo San Lucas

The Bay of La Paz is located just a short boat ride from both San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, and these serene, sparkling waters are host to giant whale sharks every high season (early winter to late spring). These majestic and gentle giants visit to feed in the rich waters of the Sea of Cortez in Baja California; they are home to abundant supplies of the foods on which these sharks feed.

Swimming with whale sharks in Cabo San Lucas

Whale Sharks are the biggest fish species in the world, and they can range from 18 to 32 feet long (but some can reach 40 feet long) and can weigh more than 20 tons. Yet, despite their enormous size, however, they are some of the most gentle, docile creatures in the ocean; they move very slowly and pose no threat whatsoever to humans. This is just one of many reasons why swimming with Whale Sharks is such a popular activity for people who visit the area.

Whale or Shark?

Despite their bodily resemblance to large whales, whale sharks are indeed members of the shark family; they are not air-breathing mammals but fish, and like all sharks they must always be in motion in order to breath.

Up close and personal in Cabo

Because these majestic giants move so slowly (swimming at around 3 miles per hour) they are easy to keep up with when snorkelling or diving in the waters around Cabo San Lucas, and they seem to be quite indifferent humans being in the water around them. Whale Sharks are one of only three shark species which filter feed rather than hunt for food, and their favored foods are plankton, microscopic plants, and very small fish. All this is filtered through their gills, and so they pose no threat to humans.

Swimming with whale sharks in Cabo

It’s unsurprising that swimming with whale sharks has become one of the most popular activities and experiences in the Los Cabos area. Swimming with these amazing animals is an experience that you will not soon forget, and it’s very easy to book a boat excursion which will take you out in the water to see the sharks at their favored feeding spots. All you have to do is find the courage to slip into the water with them when you get there.

Protected Species

Whale Sharks were once plentiful all across the world’s oceans, but are now an endangered species, and are protected by both international and Mexican law. This is why you will find only reputable companies in Cabo San Lucas are given a license to take you out to swim with whale sharks, and this is why you will be asked to use organic, biodegradable sunscreen when swimming alongside them. It’s a very intimate experience, too, as only two people are allowed in the water with the sharks at one time.

If this sounds like the kind of experience you want to enjoy while on vacation you should consider joining us in Cabo San Lucas.