Top 10 Whale Watching Trips on the Riviera Maya

1.Whale Shark Encounter Full-Day all inclusive Tour from Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 519 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $170Our pick

Swim with whale sharks from Riviera Maya, snorkel near Isla Mujeres, enjoy ceviche lunch, and get hotel pickup for a full day at sea.

“We had a fantastic experience with 2 swims with whale sharks. Jane was an excellent guide with lots of information about what to expect, about whale sharks, and lots of fun experiences around Cancun! Pablo was an excellent capitan and we had a lovely lunch! Definitely get the video they make it's much smoother than your phone and allows you to truly enjoy the experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Private Whale Shark All Inclusive Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 136 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $1,095

Review of a private Playa del Carmen whale shark tour with reef snorkeling, Playa Norte lunch, hotel pickup, and practical booking advice.

“Rueben was the goat and lined us up to jump in the water right in front of the whale sharks. Craziest thing ever! Really fun trip overall. Enjoyed snorkeling and especially the beach at the end with beers.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Whale shark encounter Private tour – swim with whale shark cancun

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $975

Swim with whale sharks from Playa del Carmen on a private tour with hotel pickup, breakfast, snorkeling, Isla Mujeres lunch, and ocean wildlife.

“We had a wonderful time with Eco Tours and our guide Jane! Swimming with whale sharks was absolutely mind-blowing! The tour was well organized, the guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Whale Shark Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 52 reviews · 7 hours · from $195

Swim with whale sharks from Playa del Carmen, then enjoy lunch at Isla Mujeres. Small groups, guides, gear, snacks, and hotel transfers included.

“Carlos, Chicken, the Captain die a great job. We felt well informed, advised, looked after and safe. Truly an unforgettable experience and encounter. Seasickness tablets are highly recommended!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Whale Shark swimming ocean safari all included tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 37 reviews · 6.5 hours · from $174

Swim with free-roaming whale sharks off Quintana Roo, then snorkel, eat ceviche, and relax at Isla Mujeres North Beach.

“I have no words to describe this excursion — it was by far the best experience of my life! The guide and the boat driver were amazing: very friendly, knowledgeable, and made us feel completely safe. We saw so many whales and they patiently waited so we could enjoy the moment and take great pictures. Afterwards, we went snorkeling and discovered beautiful corals. The whole trip was perfectly organized, and even the food was delicious. Highly recommended! 🌟”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Half Day Whale Shark Tour From Playa del Carmen

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $185

Swim with whale sharks near Isla Contoy on a 7-hour tour from Playa del Carmen, with hotel pickup, lunch, drinks, and a stop at Isla Mujeres.

“IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING, INCREDIBLE TOUR!! Highly recommend! It was such a pleasure to see and swim with this beautiful gorgeous creatures! So much fun and adrenaline! Whale sharks are absolutely lovely and docile creatures so there is nothing to be scared about! YOU HAVE TO TRY IT! It’s recommended to go in the full moon because then there is more of them!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Whale Shark Experience from Playa del Carmen

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · from $49Best value

Swim with plankton-eating whale sharks near Cancun on a small-group tour from Playa del Carmen, with gear, snacks, pickup, and a five-hour outing.

“Our driver was excellent. Pickup from hotel is very convenient. 45+ minute drive from playa to Cancun. Comfortable passenger van. Our captain did excellent job in giving everyone an opportunity to see and experience the whale shark. Was able to get in twice. Fresh ceviche & guacamole in the waters at Isla Mujeres was fun and different. ✔️ off the bucket list”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Whale Shark Snorkeling Adventure with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $225

Swim with whale sharks near Cancun, enjoy Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, and travel with lunch, gear, guides, and hotel pickup included.

“We had an amazing excursion with Contoy Adventures. We had Angel & Carlos on the Caribbean Star. It was such a fabulous day starting with swimming with the whale sharks and then having lunch at the most beautiful beach in Isla Mujeres. They were so much fun and very knowledgeable. Angel told us a lot about where we were located, about the whale sharks and answered all of our questions. Our day far exceeded our expectations. I definitely want to do this again!”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Private Whale Shark Ecofriendly Tour from Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $895

Swim with whale sharks from Riviera Maya on a private, ecofriendly tour with naturalist guides, lunch, hotel pickup, and Isla Contoy stops.

“Outstanding tour from start to finish. This was our second whale shark tour with this company. We thought our first time out was amazing with 15 whale sharks in our area. This time we swam with about 40 whale sharks and a few manta rays rotating in and out of the water over a 2+ hours”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Snorkeling with Whale Sharks – Isla Mujeres

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · 7 hours (approx.)

Swim with whale sharks near Isla Mujeres, with guides, gear, meals, drinks, and hotel pickup from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum.

“Excellent experience despite the bad weather we got. Nuria our guide was always helpful and making her outmost to assure this nice experience explaining all the details and providing confidence to all the participants. Thanks Nuria and the captain for this excellent day!”

Check availability →Read our full review