Nothing prepared us for the moment a whale shark the size of a bus glided slowly by, just feet away, gulping plankton through its giant open mouth.
It was surreal, almost other-worldly. How wondrous that we could swim with whale sharks in La Paz, Mexico – right in the wild!
We’ve snorkeled with these amazing creatures in La Paz three times now on different tours, and it’s easily one of the most unforgettable things you can do in Mexico.
If you’re visiting Baja California Sur (maybe vacationing in Los Cabos?), you’ve got to try this too.
In this guide, we share what the experience is like, the regulations protecting whale sharks and the best tours (including day trips from Cabo San Lucas). Plus, we offer tips to make your whale shark adventure one for the books!
La Paz: Swimming with whale sharks
Is it safe to swim with whale sharks?
About the whale sharks in La Paz
Swimming with whale sharks: The experience
7 Best La Paz whale shark tours
Interesting whale shark facts
Let’s get to know whale sharks a little better…
1) Is a whale shark a whale or a shark?
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) aren’t actually whales or normal sharks.
Gray with white spots, they are filter-feeding fish – the largest fish in the world. As such, they’re considered sharks, but not in the way we usually think of sharks (whale sharks don’t have big teeth).
2) How big do whale sharks grow?
They grow up to 60 feet long and weigh up to 47,000 pounds.
3) What is the biggest whale shark in the world?
The largest whale shark ever recorded was 61.7 feet, according to a study on marine giants.
4) How big are baby whale sharks?
Juvenile whale sharks are called “pups.” And when born, they’re barely two feet long.
To protect against predators, it’s believed the mothers swim down some 3,000 feet underwater to give birth, Mariana (the marine biologist on our Baja Charters tour) told us.
It takes four months for baby whale sharks to grow to about six feet long, and then they swim back up to the surface.
5) How long do whale sharks live?
They live to a nice old age of 130 years.
6) What do whale sharks eat?
Whale sharks are filter feeders which eat only plankton, krill and small fish.
7) Why does a whale shark have a big liver?
Their livers are huge – about 70% of a whale shark’s body is liver. The liver stores oil, which helps keep the whale shark buoyant.
8) What don’t we know about about whale sharks?
There are lots of facts about whale sharks we still don’t know.
How often they breed, the mating season, the length of gestation, when they have their babies – all of this remains a mystery.
Is it safe to swim with whale sharks?
With whale sharks being so massive, you might naturally ask: Is it dangerous to swim with them?
Another question: Do whale sharks eat people?
The short answer to both is “No.”
Even though whale sharks are humongous, they’re really just gentle giants. Whale sharks pose no threat to divers, snorkelers and swimmers.
The only concern we had when swimming with them was to stay away from their cavernous mouths.
To feed, they open their mouths very wide to suck in gallons of sea water from which to filter out algae and krill.
And our concern wasn’t for us – a whale shark won’t swallow you.
Even though their mouths can stretch to four feet wide, their sieve-like “gill rakers” are designed just to feed on tiny things.
No, our concern was for the whale sharks.
We didn’t want to accidentally poke them in their open mouths with a flippered foot.
About the La Paz whale sharks
Where they’re found
The Bay of La Paz in Baja California Sur is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with whale sharks.
Around 95 whale sharks are found in La Paz. Most are juveniles, ranging from 15 to 30 feet long – plenty big enough you to enjoy an epic swim with them!
Their feeding zone (called “El Mogote”) was established as an underwater national park in March, 2019.
Rules for protecting whale sharks
Whale sharks are endangered.
Swimming with them is highly regulated by Mexico’s SEMARNAT (the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources). Only licensed boats, captains and guides are allowed to take you out on this adventure.
The maximum number of boats in the protected area at any one time is limited to 14 small pangas. Each boat gets three hours in the water, and each can only have five of their guests in the water at a time.
You can swim for several minutes alongside a whale shark, then you must get out of the water. Don’t worry though – that’s a long enough time!
You have to work very hard to keep up with them. After a few minutes of full-on swimming, you’ll be quite breathless!
From what we observed, the tour operators are ecologically responsible. The boats maintained safe distances from the whale sharks to avoid hurting them, and there were only a few people in the water at a time from any one boat.
Swimming with whale sharks in La Paz: The experience
With Cabo Expeditions
Our first La Paz whale shark tour was with Cabo Expeditions.
We were picked up from our resort in Cabo San Lucas and driven by van to the city of La Paz (about a two-hour ride away).
In La Paz, we geared up in wet suits, then climbed aboard our boat for the cruise out into the bay. We were accompanied by our Cabo Expeditions guide and a federally licensed local guide with good knowledge of marine biology (along with a boat captain, of course).
Aerial spotter planes looked for the whale sharks from above, communicating their location to our boat captain.
Other pangas and boats also descended on the spot where four or five whale sharks were feeding.
When a whale shark was spotted swimming close by our boat, our guide excitedly shouted at us to slide into the water and swim up to it.
We felt like paratroopers, quickly jumping in one after the other like falling dominoes.
Then we swam alongside the whale shark while peering down at it through our snorkel mask.
When it swam away from us and we couldn’t follow it any more, we swam back to the boat, climbed aboard and waited for the next whale shark to watch.
Jump, swim, observe, repeat. And imprint this awesome once-in-a-lifetime experience in your memory!
Afterwards, we were taken to a local restaurant in La Paz for a Mexican meal of hot soup and tortillas, then driven back to Cabo.
With Baja Charters
Our first whale shark adventure was so epic that we just had to do it again!
Baja Charters operates a little differently. Their day tours also include transfers to and from Cabo San Lucas, but they use the 60-foot catamaran Island Cat as a support boat.
For our second whale shark experience, we boarded Baja Charters’ catamaran around 9:00 am. We were treated to coffee, cake and fruit and relaxed on the boat as it motored out into the bay.
It was unusually cool and overcast, so while we could have lounged about outside on cushions or the netting at the bow, everyone huddled inside the cat’s lounge instead.
The captain even put the heater on!
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It was just as well we had a warm place to hang out, as we had to wait an hour until a couple of other pangas left the protected whale shark area.
Once cleared to go, we suited up in shorty wetsuits and boarded our panga (there were two pangas, ours had five guests).
We did four jumps into the water and saw at last ten whale sharks! A particularly surreal moment was looking right into the eye of one whale shark as it glided by just inches away.
What struck us this time is that we got incredible views of the whale sharks right from the boat.
We could actually get a better overall view peering down at them from the boat, as they’d swim right up to the boat.
Our panga captain explained that whale sharks have poor eyesight. He constantly had to maneuver the panga to get it out of the path of the whale sharks.
Once in the water, it was difficult to see them until they were quite close because the water wasn’t crystal clear. All that plankton and food, which attracts the whale sharks, makes the water cloudy.
But it was thrilling to see first the mouth, then the gills and finally the tail as a whale shark passed by.
Before we knew it, three hours had zipped by and it was time to return to the Island Cat.
Shivering from the cold water, we made a beeline for the shower.
The Island Cat boasts two heads with fresh water showers, and towels are supplied. Standing under a hot shower never felt so good!
By the time everyone had showered, a hot lunch of seared tuna and fresh-made tortillas with chicken and beef was waiting.
And the complimentary bar was open.
We hungrily filled our tummies, with visions of whale sharks filling our thoughts, as we sailed back to La Paz’s Marina Palmira.
More recently, we enjoyed another whale shark trip with Baja Charters.
This time, we went in mid-December. The water was much warmer than the first two occasions, when we went in January. And it was possibly the best experience ever!
Whale shark season, La Paz
The best time to see whale sharks in La Paz is from mid-October to February/March (though you might still see them in April).
That’s when plankton, krill and other whale shark food is most abundant in the area, attracting whale sharks to come and feed.
The ideal time to go to Los Cabos (and La Paz) for warm water is October and November. The water temperatures are almost bathtub warm then.
But the water is chilly in January and February, with the water temperature dropping to the low 60s. You may feel the cold if you don’t have a thick wetsuit.
7 Best La Paz whale shark tours
Expect to pay at least $250+ USD p.p. for a day tour departing from Cabo San Lucas (up to $400 for a luxury tour). Tours from La Paz will be less.
Here are some of the best tour operators:
1) Cabo Expeditions
We found Cabo Expeditions to be very conscientious and recommend them highly.
Their 12-hour tours include transportation to and from Cabo San Lucas. Wet suits and snorkel gear are provided.
2) Baja Charters
We also really enjoyed our luxury tour with Baja Charters – and highly recommend them also.
Their La Paz whale shark snorkeling trips are more expensive than those offered by Cabo Expeditions. But you get the use of the Island Cat (and its hot showers!) plus a freshly prepared hot breakfast and lunch on the boat.
Tours also include all snorkel gear (choice of full-face or standard snorkel masks), wet suits, towels and reef-friendly sunscreen.
3) Cabo Adventures
Cabo Adventures is another reputable company offering whale shark snorkeling in La Paz. (We’ve booked other activities in Los Cabos with them.)
They also offer popular whale shark tours from Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Their 10-hour trips include roundtrip transportation to La Paz, a luxury boat ride to the whale shark area in La Paz and lunch.
4) MeXplore
If you’re staying in La Paz, then check out MeXplore’s La Paz eco-tours.
Their top-rated small group boat tours (about three hours long) carry a maximum of eight people per boat. On average, you get three or more jumps each.
You’re accompanied by a boat captain as well as an experienced guide. And your guide swims with you in the water, taking photos and videos which are included in your tour cost.
5) Tuna Tuna Tours
Tuna Tuna Tours also offer highly-rated whale shark excursions from La Paz (also three hours long).
You’ll be part of a small group of ten people, guided by a knowledgeable expert.
All essentials are covered – your snorkeling equipment, snacks, water, and even snapshots and videos of your underwater journey.
6) Fun Baja
We’ve heard from friends that Fun Baja also does a good job.
As their tours also start in La Paz (like #4 and #5 above), their trip cost is also less than Cabo Expeditions, Baja Charters and Cabo Adventures above.
7) Manta
Manta offers a full-day tour which combines two activities – whale shark swimming in La Paz and scuba diving (or snorkeling) with playful sea lions. It includes transportation from Cabo San Lucas.
(We’ve gone scuba diving in Cabo San Lucas with Manta – they’re very good.)
Practical information for snorkeling with whale sharks
No-no!
Don’t touch a whale shark (even though it’s quite easy to do).
Touching them can transfer harmful bacteria from you to them, and make their skin vulnerable to infection.
Tips for a better whale shark experience
If snorkeling with whale sharks in La Paz, know that you might find the water cold even with a wetsuit (depending on the month you go).
The first two times we went (in early January), it was hard to ignore the cold seeping into our bones and stiffening our fingers. Try to rent a thicker wetsuit or wear an additional wetsuit vest for extra warmth.
Also, if you wear sunscreen, use a reef-friendly biodegradable product so the chemicals don’t harm the marine life.
Be aware
You’re in the water with very large animals in their natural environment.
If you don’t think you’ll be comfortable with this, swimming with whale sharks may not be the tour for you.
Where else can you swim with whale sharks in Mexico?
La Paz is the best place to swim with whale sharks in Mexico in the winter months. But it’s not the only place.
You can also go whale shark swimming off Isla Holbox, a small unspoiled island north of Cancun.
In summer, Isla Holbox tours are offered to snorkel with the whale sharks that gather to feed there in the plankton-rich waters.
(Getting up close-and-personal with these ocean behemoths is one of the fun things to do in the Riviera Maya.)
The water is comfortably warm during the Isla Holbox and Cancun whale shark season (mid-May to mid-September).
Last words on whale shark tours in La Paz
We’ve been fortunate to enjoy countless activities during our many visits to Los Cabos. Our whale shark tours to La Paz rank among the most memorable.
If you go, we bet that you’ll be itching to do it again – and, like us, maybe even turn it into a thrice-in-a-lifetime adventure!
You might even want to stay overnight in La Paz for more fun – did we mention snorkeling with sea lions?
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Experience more of Cabo!
Snorkeling: See our insider guide to the best snorkeling in Cabo San Lucas and top tours.
Adult resorts: Want grown-up fun? Ditch the kids and stay at one of these resorts in Cabo for adults!
Airport transfers: Get the scoop on recommended airport transfers from the Cabo San Lucas airport.
Our top travel tips and resources
Hotels: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy!
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Flights: To book the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets may be non-refundable.)
Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often one of the best ways to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
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Photo credits: 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | 3, 5, 14 Cabo Expeditions | 4 Manta | 11 Baja Charters
We paid Cabo Expeditions a discounted rate and were invited by Baja Charters as media guests on our La Paz whale shark snorkeling tours. But as professional travel writers, we always report on our experiences as we see them (and point out issues you should know).
About the authors
Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.
Find destination guides, global food-and-wine stories, luxury hotel reviews, articles on cultural explorations and soft adventure trips, cruise reviews, insanely useful travel tips and more!
Annie L.
Sunday 21st of January 2024
Thank you for all this very valuable information!
Do you know where we can rent warmer/thicker wetsuits? We would like to have them for this excursion but also for snorkeling on our own. Thx!
Janice and George
Sunday 21st of January 2024
Ask your whale shark tour operator in advance for a good thick one for your tour :-). Many of the better whale shark tour operators supply wetsuits.
If you want a wetsuit for other times, try the dive shops (like Manta and Dive Ninja) in Los Cabos (or dive shops in La Paz, if you're staying there). They should be able to help you with wetsuit rentals.
Lauren
Sunday 9th of February 2020
Thanks for this post! Did both of your tours leave from La Paz or just the one? We are staying in Cabo but were told to go to La Paz for whale sharks. Just wondering if there is any way to avoid the long drive to La Paz. Thank you so much!
Janice and George
Monday 10th of February 2020
Hi Lauren, We were staying in Cabo, so we did both of our tours from Cabo. Round-trip transportation in a comfortable van was provided as part of the tour price - so you don't have to drive yourself :-). It means an early start to the day, but swimming with the whale sharks is sooo worth it.
Stephanie
Tuesday 1st of October 2019
Hi What can we see other than the whale shark in November around La Paz? Thanks
Janice and George
Tuesday 1st of October 2019
The snorkeling will be great in the Sea of Cortez! The water will be nice and warm -- lucky you :-). You might also want to go snorkeling with sea lions at Espiritu Santos Island, which is part of the UNESCO-protected Islas de Golfo de California Biosphere Reserve. The island is home to a colony of some 300 sea lions. Some tour operators add kayaking to the tour as well as snorkeling. Have fun your trip!
Chelsea
Monday 9th of September 2019
I'm heading to Cabo the first week of January to do this! My first time traveling out of the country BY MYSELF for 5 days of scuba diving and whale shark-ing and swimming with mako and silkie sharks. I CANNOT wait!
Janice and George
Tuesday 10th of September 2019
Exciting! Whale sharks are just one of the many incredibly diverse underwater creatures (e.g., jumping Mobula rays, sea lions, dolphins, whales) you can see in the Sea of Cortez. As for sharks, you've already named makos and silkies. There are also blue sharks, tiger sharks and hammerheads. Have an awesome dive holiday!
Kit
Sunday 24th of February 2019
Magnificent pictures! I love your writing.
Janice and George
Sunday 24th of February 2019
Thank you :-).