Everything you need to know about bathing with whale sharks in La Paz.

Complete instructions on ethical bathing with whale sharks in La Paz, Bach-California-Sur, Mexico!

Whale shark bathing in La Paz

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Soaring with whale sharks in a wilderness is an absolutely unforgettable skill that we recommend to all followers of whale sharks. Mexico is one of the best spaces in the world to swim with whale sharks, and in the whale shark zone of Bach-California, the world is highly restricted and activated, and you can't doubt this result, in fact, this is one ethical skill. If you manage to visit Bach-California-Sur during whale shark season, you will wonder where you can see whale sharks in the Sea of ​​Cortez, how to find them, and how to swim with them. In fact, in this instruction, we will tell you everything you need to know about swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, Mexico.

Duration: 1 day

When to go: La Paz has good weather all year round, but in winter there are fewer people and the water is less hot.

Weather: The highest temperatures in summer (June-August) are 25-33°C, and in winter (December-February) ar e-18-25°C. La Paz has little rain, and sometimes it doesn't rain all year round.

Language: Spanish.

Monetary unit: Mexican peso.

A whale shark tour in La Paz is the best way to swim with whale sharks in Mexico.

What is a whale shark?

Most people wonder if the whale shark is a whale or a shark. Contrary to its name, the whale shark (Rhincodon Typus) is not actually a whale, but a filter-feeding carpet shark. Unlike whales, whale sharks have no bones, only cartilage. They have gills like fish and can swim underwater, but they prefer warm surface waters, where they are often seen feeding. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean, growing to between 6 and 10 meters, with the exceptionally large one measured to be 18. 8 meters! An average adult can weigh up to 20 tons, which is roughly the weight of a school bus. Whale sharks feed on plankton (tiny organisms carried by tides and currents). As filter feeders, whale sharks cannot bite. Instead, they feed by opening their mouths wide and filtering the water with their gills, eating small shrimps, fish and plankton. Whale sharks have the opportunity to process more than 6, 000 liters of water per hour! In the photo below you can see how whale sharks feed. The water can be cloudy, but this is because it contains a wealth of substances. For the appearance of zooplankton, water with a large amount of high-calorie substances is ideal, and this is what attracts whale sharks to the waters near La Paz.

Feeding whale sharks through filters

How long do whale sharks live?

Whale sharks are one of the most elusive animals in the world. Scientists still do not understand where whale sharks give birth, and so far no one has frozen over seeing a whale shark family. A while ago, the first photographs of a baby whale shark were taken! It was discovered that whale sharks grow rapidly when they are young, but then their growth slows down and it takes them 30 years to reach absolute adulthood. However, whale sharks in the wild are expected to live for over 100 years.

Whale sharks are in danger of extinction. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed them as endangered due to the impacts of fishing. The three biggest risks to whale sharks are habitat (fishing, bycatch, collisions with boats), fishing, and pollution. Whale sharks have a long life span and mature slowly, so they die off before they have time to reproduce. Unethical whale shark tourism is also a contributing factor to the decline of whale sharks, so it is very important to choose ethical businesses in highly regulated waters.

Dan swimming with whale sharks in La Paz

Where can I swim with whale sharks in Mexico?

The whale sharks migrate and stay in the same place all year round. Instead, you visit warm and luxurious sea, which contains a large amount of plankton. There are two areas where you can swim with whale sharks in Mexico. The first is Kintana Lou, located on the east coast of Mexico. Every year, Kitofuzu travels along the Caribbean coast of Mexico and can travel from these areas such as Cancun, Cosmem, and Hol Box. The habitat of whale sharks is offshore, so the travel time is long, and tours to eastern continents are flourished. The second is the Cortes Sea, located between the Bach California Peninsula and the Mexican Pacific coast. Every year, whale sharks travel to the sea area around Megalopolis, La Pass, located south of the Bach California Peninsula. Lapas Metropolis is located in a large zigza g-shaped bay in the Cortenov Sea, protecting water from powerful sea current to make the bay calm and quiet. This protected sea area is a great place for whale sharks. La Pass's whale shark zone is located in a bay near the dunes of El Mogot, 15 minutes by boat from the pier.

Lucy swimming with a whale shark in La Pass

Interactive La Pass

When can you swim with a whale shark in La Pass?

Because whale sharks are migrating, the best time to swim with a whale shark in Mexico has a whale shark season depending on your destination. There are two whale shark seasons, so one of the best time to explore whale sharks in Mexico depends on where you visit. On the east coast, in these areas such as Cancun and Cossum, you can swim with a whale shark from June to September. On the other hand, on the Bach California Sur and the West Coast, the whaling season will be from October to May. The content standard for whale sharks along the Pacific coast is somewhat stricter than the eastern part, and whale shark tourism trials are generally profitable. La Spa for swimming with a whale shark recommends that, for example, one of the best response between value and characteristics.

The swimming season with whale sharks in La Pass continues from October to May.

Is it ethical to swim with a whale shark? < SPAN> whale sharks migrate and do not stay in the same place all year round. Instead, you visit warm and luxurious sea, which contains a large amount of plankton. There are two areas where you can swim with whale sharks in Mexico. The first is Kintana Lou, located on the east coast of Mexico. Every year, Kitofuzu travels along the Caribbean coast of Mexico and can travel from these areas such as Cancun, Cosmem, and Hol Box. The habitat of whale sharks is offshore, so the travel time is long, and tours to eastern continents are flourished. The second is the Cortes Sea located between the Bach California Sir and the Mexican Pacific coast. Every year, whale sharks travel to the sea area around Megalopolis, La Pass, located south of the Bach California Peninsula. Lapas Metropolis is located in a large zigza g-shaped bay in the Cortenov Sea, protecting water from powerful sea current to make the bay calm and quiet. This protected sea area is a great place for whale sharks. La Pass's whale shark zone is located in a bay near the dunes of El Mogot, 15 minutes by boat from the pier.

Lucy swimming with a whale shark in La Pass

Interactive La Pass

When can you swim with a whale shark in La Pass?

Because whale sharks are migrating, the best time to swim with a whale shark in Mexico has a whale shark season depending on your destination. There are two whale shark seasons, so one of the best time to explore whale sharks in Mexico depends on where you visit. On the east coast, in these areas such as Cancun and Cossum, you can swim with a whale shark from June to September. On the other hand, on the Bach California Sur and the West Coast, the whaling season will be from October to May. The content standard for whale sharks along the Pacific coast is somewhat stricter than the eastern part, and whale shark tourism trials are generally profitable. La Spa for swimming with a whale shark recommends that, for example, one of the best response between value and characteristics.

The swimming season with whale sharks in La Pass continues from October to May.

Is it ethical to swim with a whale shark? The whale sharks migrate and stay in the same place all year round. Instead, you visit warm and luxurious sea, which contains a large amount of plankton. There are two areas where you can swim with whale sharks in Mexico. The first is Kintana Lou, located on the east coast of Mexico. Every year, Kitofuzu travels along the Caribbean coast of Mexico and can travel from these areas such as Cancun, Cosmem, and Hol Box. The habitat of whale sharks is offshore, so the travel time is long, and tours to eastern continents are flourished. The second is the Cortes Sea, located between the Bach California Peninsula and the Mexican Pacific coast. Every year, whale sharks travel to the sea area around Megalopolis, La Pass, located south of the Bach California Peninsula. Lapas Metropolis is located in a large zigza g-shaped bay in the Cortenov Sea, protecting water from powerful sea current to make the bay calm and quiet. This protected sea area is a great place for whale sharks. La Pass's whale shark zone is located in a bay near the dunes of El Mogot, 15 minutes by boat from the pier.

Lucy swimming with a whale shark in La Pass

Interactive La Pass

When can you swim with a whale shark in La Pass?

Because whale sharks are migrating, the best time to swim with a whale shark in Mexico has a whale shark season depending on your destination. There are two whale shark seasons, so one of the best time to explore whale sharks in Mexico depends on where you visit. On the east coast, in these areas such as Cancun and Cossum, you can swim with a whale shark from June to September. On the other hand, on the Bach California Sur and the West Coast, the whaling season will be from October to May. The content standard for whale sharks along the Pacific coast is somewhat stricter than the eastern part, and whale shark tourism trials are generally profitable. La Spa for swimming with a whale shark recommends that, for example, one of the best response between value and characteristics.

The swimming season with whale sharks in La Pass continues from October to May.

Is it ethical to swim with a whale shark?

Swimming with whale sharks is not ethically permissible anywhere in the world. One of the most famous whale shark bathing spots in the world is Oslova in the Philippines. In the province of Cebu, where the event takes place, the laws protecting whale sharks are not well developed and tourists do not adhere to the standards. This means that in practice whale sharks are often crowded, anxious, encountered and indistinguishable from humans. To make matters worse, there are situations in which whale sharks are fed by fishermen in the area to encourage their visit. Feeding a non-resistant animal not only puts the whale shark in a state where it is more likely to injure humans (either through deliberate hunting or random injuries caused by boats or fishing gear), but also causes long-term damage to its external habits in its diet and may not observe the natural food chain.

We categorically do not apply the contents of captive animals, except for income and rehabilitation. Therefore, for those who are thinking of swimming with captive whale sharks, for example at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, we give a simple advice: In a tightly restricted space, whale sharks have every chance to show their fluid natural behavior in a free-flowing natural environment.

Answer to the question: bathing with whale sharks can be ethical if this lesson is done correctly and standards are respected.

Countries where bathing with whale sharks is fully regulated include Mexico, Western Australia, Tanzania and Mozambique.

Whale shark excursions in La Paz are heavily regulated.

Is swimming with whale sharks in La Paz ethical?

Yes, one of the strictest rules in the world operates in the Whale Shark Zone of La Paz. Here they limit the number of boats. At any time, only 14 boats can enter the zone, and each of them can only stay for less than three hours. Each boat must find its own whale shark, so the whale shark can rest without crowding and without the presence of people. Whale sharks cannot stay more than five people in the water, but most tour operators limit it to three. Licensed companies can conduct camping tours to "swim" with whale sharks in La Paz, and each company must submit an application every morning at the entrance to the zone. This system of developing voice reminders helps to prevent overflow of the zone, which is controlled by the government by radio. Tour operators must own a permit from Semarnat (Secretariat of Security around the Environment and Natural Resources, Ministry of Protection Central Mexico).

We were very impressed with how the boats are spread out in the zone. It can be said that all the guides are respectful towards the whale sharks and they are looking out for tourists to be respectful towards them too.

If you follow these standards, you can minimize the impact on the whale sharks during your encounters. During our trip, we saw the whale sharks display natural behavior while feeding, which can actually be considered a clear sign that we are not going to disturb the whale sharks. Apart from this, the whale sharks have enough space to move away from us (they prefer to let people swim away) and if the whale sharks swim away, the boat will find them fresh and will not chase them.

Bathing rules with whale sharks in Mexico (Source: Whale Shark Mexico)

What is snorkeling with whale sharks in La Paz?

Most of the whale shark tours in La Paz depart from Jeanne La Paz in Mamona. You will meet your guide and the rest of your group and get information on what to expect on this day. On the boat, you will get your ammo (wetsuit, pipe, mask, flippers) and head to the road. If it's your first time snorkeling with whale sharks (or if you're taking a non-commercial tour), you'll go straight into the whale shark zone, prove you're allowed into the zone by radio, and the captain and guides will watch for the whale sharks. If you're lucky, they'll spot your dorsal fin right away and glide over the plane, or you might have to wait a bit to find them.

Once you spot the whale shark, gear up and jump into the ocean. Groups are split based on the number of people in the group, so a maximum of five people can see the guide and the whale shark at one time. On our trip with five people, we went in as a couple and alternated with a group of three friends. This is a big perk of a small group tour, giving you more opportunities and time in the water. Whale sharks can swim very fast, and visibility can be reduced in winter (due to tasty floating nutrients), so you have to swim hard to keep up. You may be shocked by the size of the whale shark, so take the time to look at it with your own eyes before taking your precious photo. You'll notice intricate details like the spotted patterns and the tiny remoras (also called sucker fish or whale sharks) that sit on the whale shark's skin.

Until the whale shark swims over you or you get tired. Then return to the boat and catch your breath while the other group swims away. By the time the boat leaves the whale shark area, most guests have two or three chances to jump into the sea and swim with the whale sharks.

Whale shark bathing in La Paz

Before any new event, you probably have a lot of questions. You didn't know what to expect from snorkeling with whale sharks, so below we'll answer some basic questions for you.

Is it safe to swim with whale sharks?

Yes, whale sharks are friendly giants. Whale sharks are not dangerous and have never attacked humans. However, because they are huge and heavy, it's important to follow the rules, keep your distance, and don't drop your head. If you follow the rules, you'll be safe. When whale sharks are in the water, it's important to keep your distance so they can change direction. Also, their big tails are very powerful and swing back and forth.

Are whale sharks friendly to humans?

Whale sharks are neither aggressive nor friendly towards humans. In a regulated environment, the whale sharks will mind their own business and pay no attention to you. As they are blind and deaf, they are unlikely to notice your presence, giving you the perfect opportunity to observe them without disturbing their natural behaviours, such as feeding.

If you want to swim with more inquisitive animals, consider snorkelling with sea lions in La Paz.

Should I swim with a whale shark?