How to Ethically Swim with Whale Sharks in La Paz

A complete guide to ethically swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, from the season to the best tours.

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Snorkelling with whale sharks in the wild is a completely unforgettable experience and something that we would recommend to all wildlife lovers. Mexico is actually one of the best places in the world to swim with whale sharks and Baja California Sur’s whale shark zone has some of the tightest restrictions in the world, so you can be sure it’s an ethical experience too. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Baja California Sur in whale shark season, you may be wondering where to see whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez, how to find them, and how to swim with them. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, Mexico.

About La Paz’s whale sharks

Many people question whether a whale shark is a whale or a shark. Despite their name, whale sharks (scientific name: Rhincodon Typus) aren’t actually whales but filter-feeding carpet sharks.

Unlike whales, these large spotted sharks have no bones, only cartilage. As a fish, they have gills and can breathe underwater but prefer warm surface waters, where they can often be found feeding.

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea, growing between 6-10 metres (19-32 feet) but the largest ever recorded was a whopping 18.8 metres (61.7 feet)! The average adult weighs up to 20 tonnes, which is about the weight of a school bus.

Whale sharks feed chiefly on plankton, which are tiny organisms carried along by tides and currents. As filter feeders, whale sharks cannot bite or chew. Instead, they open their mouths wide and filter water through their gills, eating small shrimp, fish and plankton as they go. They can process more than 6,000 litres of water an hour! You can see a whale shark feeding in the below photo.

The water may look murky and this is due to how rich in nutrients it is. Water with lots of nutrients is ideal for growing zooplankton, and this is what attracts whale sharks to the waters around La Paz.

Whale sharks are one of the most elusive animals in the world. Scientists still don’t know where they travel to give birth and no one has yet to witness a whale shark birth. It was only recently that the first photo of a baby whale shark was even taken!

It is believed that whale sharks have a fast growth rate when very young but this slows down and it takes them 30 years to reach full maturity. Although no one knows for sure, it is estimated that a wild whale shark’s lifespan could be over 100 years.

Whale sharks are actually endangered. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has declared the species endangered due to the impacts of the fishing industry. The three main risks to whale sharks are habitat (fishing, by-catch and boat strikes), hunting and pollution.

Due to their long lifespan and late maturation, whale sharks are dying faster than they can reproduce. Unethical whale shark tourism also contributes to their decline, so it’s really important to choose an ethical company in a highly regulated area.

Where to see whale sharks in Mexico

Whale sharks are migratory, meaning they don’t stay in one place for an entire year. Instead, they frequent warm nutrient-rich waters which have plenty of plankton for them to feed on.

There are actually two areas in Mexico where you can swim with whale sharks. The first is the state of Quintana Roo, which can be found on the east coast of Mexico. Whale sharks migrate to Mexico’s Caribbean coast each year and tours can be taken from destinations including Cancún, Cozumel and Holbox. The whale shark area is quite far out to sea, so tours from the eastern mainland tend to include longer travel times and often choppier crossings.

The second location is the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), which is sandwiched between the Baja California Sur peninsula and Mexico’s Pacific coast. Every year whale sharks migrate to the waters around La Paz, on the south of the Baja California Sur peninsula. La Paz city lies on a large, curved bay, which protects the waters from strong ocean currents, making the bay calmer and stiller. These protected waters are perfect for whale sharks.

La Paz’s whale shark zone

The La Paz whale shark zone lies in the bay near El Mogote Sand Dunes and is only a 15-minute boat ride from the marina. It can only be entered by licensed tour operators who adhere to a set of strict guidelines – which we delve into below.

La Paz Whale Shark Map

We’ve pinned the main highlights around the region that you’ll likely visit on a whale shark swim in La Paz.

When to swim with whale sharks in Mexico

As whale sharks are migratory, the best time to swim with whale sharks in Mexico is during whale shark season, which will depend on your destination. Due to having 2 whale shark seasons, the best time to see whale sharks in Mexico depends on which coast you visit.

On the east coast, you can swim with whale sharks in destinations like Cancún or Cozumel between June and September.

While whale shark season in Baja California Sur and the west coast falls between October and April.

The whale shark regulations on the Pacific coast are slightly stricter than on the east coast and the whale shark tours are typically cheaper too. For this reason, we’d recommend choosing La Paz to swim with whale sharks, as it’s better value for money, and you can be sure your encounter will be a well-regulated experience.

What is the best month to see the whale sharks in La Paz?

The best month to swim with whale sharks in La Paz is in the middle of the season, between December and February.

Whale shark tours are only allowed to operate when enough whale sharks are present in the designated swim zone. Tours may be suspended or cancelled due to insufficient whale shark numbers.

Despite the official season starting in October, over the past few years, whale shark tours haven’t started until mid-November due to this rule.

And, despite the season ending in April, many whale sharks have left by this time so many operators end their tours in March.

We’d recommend leaving an extra few days in your Baja California Sur itinerary in case you need to reschedule the activity.

If you plan to visit La Paz to swim with whale sharks at the beginning of the season in October or the end of the season in April, it may be a good idea to be flexible with your itinerary. Add a few extra days to your stay in case your tour needs to be rescheduled, which can happen if there are too few whale sharks or if the weather is not good enough to go out too.

This also coincides with whale watching season in Baja, so you have plenty more opportunities to see species of whales around the peninsula too.

How to swim with whale sharks in La Paz

To swim with whale sharks you need to book onto a tour, which will provide transportation by boat and a certified guide. We’d recommend researching companies thoroughly and choosing an ethical operator with clear values. Read their website and reviews, looking out for signs that they respect the whale sharks and adhere to local laws and guidelines.

Each morning the boat companies in La Paz need to register the number of passengers they would like to take out to see the whale sharks and will be assigned a time slot, either in the morning or afternoon.

Due to demand, there’s always the possibility that the boat won’t be granted permission to enter the whale shark zone that day, even though you’ve booked onto a tour. So it’s really important to book with a legitimate and licensed company that will give you the best chance of seeing whale sharks.

La Paz whale shark tour operators

The last we heard, there are 83 licensed companies that can run swim with whale shark tours in La Paz. With strict regulations, you can be pretty sure they’ll almost all operate fairly responsibly, but not every experience is the same.

We’ve done a lot of research into eco-friendly companies and have listed some of the recommended operators below. We’ve deliberately excluded certain tour companies we’ve seen recommended elsewhere (mainly those that operate day trips from Cabo) as they sell tours we personally think are unethical (like swimming with captive dolphins) or because we personally saw them harassing humpback whales in Cabo.

Whale shark tours in La Paz

La Paz VIP Tours – We went with La Paz VIP Tours and had the most amazing time (we actually did a couple of different tours with them during our time in La Paz). An eco-conscious company with excellent captains and super knowledgeable marine biologist guides. They keep their groups small at only 6 people for a more intimate experience. This also gives you the maximum opportunity to enjoy snorkelling with whale sharks as you have more turns in the water during the 3-hour slot. They also take photos throughout the trip which you can keep for free!

MeXplore – Offering eco-tours in La Paz and La Ventana, this locally-run company offers dedicated whale shark tours with up to 8 people per group guided by a knowledgeable marine biologist.

Baja Wild Adventures – A small local tour company offering tours of small groups of up to 9 people with a marine biologist guide.

Salty Life in Baja – A small, locally-owned operator of small-group tours with a maximum of 6 people. Tours include all your equipment, photos, and a bracelet donation for whale shark conservation. Private tours can be booked for groups of 9 or more.

Eco Migrations – Founded by conservationists, Eco Migrations runs eco-friendly-focused tours of up to 10 people.

Baja Expeditions (SeeCreatures) – A local company who have been providing eco-tours in Baja since 1974, Baja Expeditions (and their twin companies Nautilus Adventures and SeeCreatures) offer excellent whale shark tours in La Paz with a maximum group size of 8 people.

Baja Adventure Co. – Specializing in customized trips, BACo offers a personalised experience with groups of 6 to 8 people. While they don’t include photography, they provide top-quality snorkelling gear, and a friendly, knowledgeable bilingual crew.

Baja Pelágica – With bilingual guides, included equipment, and free photos, Baja Pelágica offer a more affordable whale shark experience. Their tours are cheaper but come with a sacrifice of group size as their boats can hold up to 12 people.

Whale shark tours from Cabo

Cabo Trek – The first and one of the only ecotourism companies in Mexico to obtain the official recognition of Responsible Whale Watching Operator assigned by the World Cetacean Alliance. They run tours from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz to swim with whale sharks ethically in groups of up to 10-12 people.

What is it like to swim with whale sharks in La Paz?

Most whale shark tours in La Paz leave from Marina La Paz on the Malecón. You’ll meet your guides and others in your group and be briefed on what to expect from the day.

You’ll receive your gear (wetsuit, snorkel, mask and fins) on the boat and head out on the boat.

Some tours combine swimming with whale sharks with other attractions in the area. This means you can enjoy another activity first if the ballot system allocates your boat an afternoon spot.

If you’re snorkelling with whale sharks in the morning slot (or doing a non-combo tour), you’ll head straight towards the whale shark zone. After radio confirmation that you can enter the zone, your captain and guide will be on the lookout for a whale shark. Depending on how lucky you are, you might spot a dorsal fin gliding along the surface immediately, or have to wait a little longer while you search.

Once a whale shark is spotted, it’s time to gear up and jump in. Your group will be split, depending on the number of participants, to allow up to 5 people in with the guide and the whale shark at once. On our trip of 5 people, we went in as a couple and alternated with a group of 3 friends. This is a big bonus of small group tours – you get more chances and time in the water.

Whale sharks can swim really fast and visibility can be limited in winter (due to all those tasty nutrients floating around) so you have to properly swim to keep up with them.

The sheer size of a whale shark can be shocking, so take some time to look with your eyes and really take it all in, before getting those important photos. You’ll notice intricate details, like the spotted pattern and little remoras (also known as suckerfish or whalesuckers) which lie on the whale shark’s skin.

Your time in the water will typically last no longer than 5 minutes – either until the whale shark out-swims you or you get tired.

Then you can get back into the boat and catch your breath while the others in your group swim.

Most visitors have 2-3 chances to jump in the water and swim with a whale shark before the boat needs to leave the whale shark zone.

Combined tours

Combination tours are a great way to see more of the beautiful Baja California peninsula, taking in the highlights around La Paz in one day.

Most of the tour companies we listed above offer combined tours to not only swim with whale sharks but also see the highlights of the region. Some of the other attractions combined tours usually include are:

We did the Sea of Cortez Wonders Tour with La Paz VIP Tours, which included swimming with whale sharks, snorkelling with the sea lions at San Rafaelito, and lunch on Balandra Beach. We also took another trip with them, the All Islands Tour, which included swimming with sea lions at Los Islotes, lunch on Isla Espíritu Santo, another snorkel spot (which can be switched for a hike on the island), and seeing the Bahia San Gabriela frigatebird colony.

If you only have time for a one-day tour, La Paz VIP Tour’s Combo Tour includes whale sharks and the Los Islotes sea lion colony, as well as lunch on Isla Espíritu Santo, which we’d say are the real highlights.

Here are some of the best combined tours that include swimming with whale sharks in La Paz:

How much does it cost to swim with whale sharks in La Paz?

A 2 to 3-hour whale shark tour costs about $80–$150 USD per person.

Combination tours usually cost between $120 and $200 USD per person, adding on extra stops at stunning beaches, remote islands, and sea lion colonies that you can also swim with.

From Cabo San Lucas, La Paz whale shark tours usually cost between $200 to $300 USD per person, which includes round-trip transportation.

Private tours can also be arranged and cost around $500 to $600 USD per group.

If you’re looking to save money, choosing a tour with a larger group size is usually more budget-friendly (although we’d suggest spending more for a smaller group size if you can).

If your tour includes Isla Espíritu Santo, your entry permit is usually included in the price of the tour. This is a paper bracelet you need to wear in the national park. They cost 150 pesos (~$7 USD) a day.

You can find slightly cheaper tours but, in a lot of cases, it’s at a sacrifice of quality and responsibility. Cheaper tours – including those bought off touts on the street – tend to be overcrowded and have less of an emphasis on sustainable practices.

Tipping around 10% to 15% of the price of the tour is customary, especially if you had a great time. Tipping in Mexican pesos is usually greatly appreciated and is better for the local economy.

SCUBA diving with whale sharks in La Paz

SCUBA diving with whale sharks in La Paz is not allowed. This is partly because practically it would be very difficult to dive with a whale shark. When behaving naturally, whale sharks swim very quickly and you’d likely use up a lot of air trying to keep up with them. Whale sharks can also swim in shallow water, sometimes as little as 3-5 metres (10-16 ft) deep. This would be difficult to dive in while maintaining distance from the animal.

Another reason you cannot SCUBA dive with whale sharks in La Paz is that the bubbles that rise from a diver’s mouthpiece can be disturbing to the whale shark or scatter plankton, which the whale sharks feed on.

Snorkelling with whale sharks is allowed but diving below the water’s surface (duck-diving) is not. This is to ensure the whale shark has a clear path to leave the interaction by swimming down and away from the humans partaking in the activity.

If you’re keen to experience marine life in the waters around La Paz, you can SCUBA dive with sea lions in La Paz.

Is swimming with whale sharks ethical?

Unfortunately, swimming with whale sharks is not ethical in all parts of the world. One of the most popular destinations in the world for swimming with whale sharks is in Oslob, The Philippines. The Cebu Province where this activity takes place has very few laws to protect the whale sharks and tours don’t need to adhere to any regulations. This means that the whale sharks are often overcrowded, touched, and bumped into and given no rest from humans. And, even worse, there are stories of local fishermen feeding the whale sharks to incentivise them to visit the area.

Feeding wild animals can not only put them in a position where they are more likely to be harmed by humans (either hunted on purpose or accidentally injured by boats and fishing equipment) but can also cause long-term damage to the species’ feeding habits and disrupt the natural food chain.

We absolutely do not condone keeping animals in captivity unless for rescue and rehabilitation purposes. So we would highly encourage anyone thinking about swimming with whale sharks in captivity to reconsider. You will have a far better experience in a place with tight restrictions, where the whale sharks are free to display natural behaviours in the wild.

To answer the question: swimming with whale sharks can be an ethical experience if the activity is properly managed and regulations are followed. Some countries with locations which sport well-regulated zones for swimming with whale sharks include Mexico, Western Australia, Tanzania and Mozambique.

Is swimming with whale sharks in La Paz ethical?

Yes! The whale shark area in La Paz actually has some of the strictest rules in the world. There is a designated swimming zone for whale shark tours to operate in. Whale sharks can move around it freely and leave it if they want. Only licensed companies are allowed to run ‘swim with whale shark’ tours in La Paz and each company has to apply to enter the zone each morning.

We were really impressed with how spread out the boats in the zone were and you could tell the guides all respected the whale sharks and were making sure the tourists did too.

By following these rules we can minimise our impact on whale sharks during encounters with them. During our trip, we saw whale sharks displaying natural feeding behaviours, which is a clear sign they were unbothered by us. They also had plenty of space to swim away from us (they’re faster swimmers than humans) and if a whale shark swims away, the boat will find a new one rather than chase it.

Regulations for swimming with whale sharks in La Paz

Whale sharks are an endangered species and swimming with them must be well-regulated to ensure their numbers can recover.

Tours are allowed to operate with as few as 5-7 whale sharks in the area, but there are 83 permits for operating the tour. Operating at full capacity would be unsustainable and detrimental to the species. This is why enforced restrictions are so important.

We did a lot of research into the regulations of swimming with whale sharks in La Paz to ensure it was an ethical experience. Here’s a summary of everything we learned.

Regulations for tour operators

Tour operators must be certified by SEMARNAT (Mexico’s environment ministry, Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resource) and permits are limited each season.

Regulations for swimmers

La Paz whale shark tours suspended

Swim with whale shark tours in La Paz can only run when there are 7 or more whale sharks in the official swimming zone for more than 2 to 3 days in a row.

In February 2023, whale shark tours in La Paz were briefly suspended as there were not enough whale sharks in the area. This was due to a decrease in favourable conditions as water temperatures lowered after inclement weather. The tours resumed in mid-March once enough whale sharks returned and the tours could operate again.

The 2023-2024 season did not start until November 2023 for the same reason, despite the official season being said to start in October each year.

The 2024 whale shark season also didn’t start until mid-November 2024.

Looking forward to the start of the next La Paz whale shark season, tours will only begin to operate if enough whale sharks are found in the swimming zone.

What to pack to swim with whale sharks in La Paz

Here’s a list of useful items to pack for your tour:

Swimming with whale sharks in La Paz FAQs

Before any new experience, you’re bound to have lots of questions. We didn’t know what to expect when snorkelling with whale sharks, so we’ve answered a few of the key questions we had below.

Why do whale sharks come to Mexico?

La Paz’s waters are the perfect environment for whale sharks. The specific hydrographic conditions around La Paz attract juvenile whale sharks.

Whale sharks are found in warm water temperatures of 21–30°C (70–86°F), preferring around 24–25°C (75–77°F). They cannot regulate their own body temperature so stick to waters that are the perfect temperature. This means that, if water temperatures of a feeding ground change, usually because of weather changes, they migrate to find more preferable conditions.

La Paz’s whale sharks feed in the nutrient-rich waters. There is also limited scientific evidence that indicates the area is used by the whale shark as a breeding ground.

Is it safe to swim with whale sharks in La Paz?

Yes, whale sharks are gentle giants. Whale sharks are not dangerous and have never been known to attack humans. However they are massive and weigh a lot, so it’s important to follow the regulations, keep your distance and have your wits about you. If you follow the rules you’ll stay safe. It’s important to keep your distance from the whale shark when in the water so it can change direction. Their big tails are very powerful too and swish from side to side.

Is whale shark season open in La Paz?

While the official season starts in December and ends in February, the season doesn’t start until enough whale sharks are spotted in the designated zone. In the last couple of years, this has been in mid-November. December to February is the best time to swim with whale sharks in La Paz.

Are whale shark tours suspended in La Paz?

Whale shark tours in La Paz were briefly suspended in February 2023 and October 2023 as not enough whale sharks were found in the designated swimming zone. It’s possible tours will be suspended again in the future if there are too few whale sharks in the area. This is to conserve the species, making sure each animal has a good break from human activity.

What months can you swim with whale sharks in Cabo?

Whale shark season runs from October to April, but there are no dedicated trips to see them in Cabo. Instead, you need to book onto a whale shark tour in La Paz that includes transportation in Cabo.

Is swimming with whale sharks in La Paz worth it?

Despite how dreamy these photos look, we actually found swimming with whale sharks more chaotic than snorkelling with other species. You also have to enter and exit the water several times to take a break and allow the boat to catch up to the whale shark. Despite this though, it is 100% worth it. Whale sharks look big from the surface but are so much bigger from underwater! And there’s nothing comparable to swimming alongside the world’s biggest fish.

Are whale sharks friendly with humans?

Whale sharks are neither aggressive nor friendly towards humans. In a regulated environment, they’ll likely go about their business and completely ignore you. Whale sharks are pretty blind and deaf so it’s unlikely they’ll notice your presence, which gives you the perfect opportunity to witness their natural behaviours, like filter-feeding, without disturbing them.

If you are interested in swimming with an animal that is more inquisitive, check out snorkelling with sea lions in La Paz.

Read next:

The 28 Best Things to Do in La Paz

How to Snorkel or Dive with Sea Lions in La Paz

How to Visit Isla Espíritu Santo from La Paz

A Complete Guide to Visiting Balandra Beach

The 16 Best Restaurants in La Paz

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