Secret Tips to Booking Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours

Taking Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours isn’t as easy as tour operators claim. Everyone needs to take some extra steps to make the day a success. This is even more crucial for parents planning a truly unique experience with their kiddos.

Our family took an Isla Mujeres whale shark tour, which took place off the coast of Riviera Maya in Mexico. Although there are several places to swim with whale sharks in the area, the best place to go is off the coast of Isla Mujeres near Cancun.

For many families, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these gentle giants up close. It was for us and we are so grateful we did it!

There are certain things the tour companies won’t tell you but are guaranteed to make your experience much more enjoyable.

General Advice for Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours

If you want to get out earliest and hopefully see whale sharks first, stay on Isla Mujeres. Those boats leave at 7:30 am.

However, if this day trip is simply an add-on to an existing stay in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum don’t worry. You will still have plenty of time for Isla Mujeres whale shark tours during the mid-to-late morning hours as well.

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1. Timing Matters for Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours

For the best chance of seeing whale sharks book your Isla Mujeres whale shark tours around a full moon. There tend to be more whale sharks around that time.

They’re drawn to the surface by the increased food supply instead of diving deeper for krill. This increases your chances of seeing them.

Whale shark season in Isla Mujeres officially goes from late May to late September. The high season and best time to see the sharks is in July and August.

Booking a tour before Isla Mujeres whale shark season will get you a slight discount and there will be fewer boats around as well. We went at the end of June and it was great!

2. Pandemic Advice

Tours diminished greatly due to the pandemic, so even going during the high season there will generally be fewer boats than there would have been in 2018 or 2019.

We had roughly 50 boats around us and pre-pandemic the guide said there would have been over 150. I cannot even imagine the waters being that crowded!

3. Look for Other Wildlife

We did not expect to see a diverse assortment of wildlife on our excursion. Apparently, Isla Mujeres whale shark tours often see a variety of other aquatic creatures at some point.

From the boat, we saw manta rays, frigate birds, flying fish almost landing in the boat with us, and even a pod of dolphins jumping.

We even saw manta rays while snorkeling with Isla Mujeres whale sharks because they eat the same food as whale sharks! I was a little worried about Little Man getting bored during the boat rides, but with all the animals to see he had a blast instead!

4. Pick a Good Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tour Company

Many companies will not offer a refund or a rescheduled date if you don’t see any whale sharks.

For all the time and money you’re spending, especially with kids, for an excursion swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres it’s necessary to have peace of mind.

Planning Tip: Read all the fine print, especially the cancellation policy, before booking with any tour operators.

It’s also essential to contact the tour company in advance to ensure they know your kid’s weight and shoe size. And more importantly, ensure they offer snorkeling equipment in your child’s size.

Not all companies will have the proper life vest and/or flippers for a child. We saw one boat didn’t have the right sizes for its passengers and another boat had to lend them equipment. I was really glad we found a company that was more organized!

5. Dramamine is Essential on Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours

Although you may not usually get seasick when on boats or in cars, this excursion is different. Because the whale sharks gather in an aquatic national park, snorkeling is limited to two people at a time.

Safety Note: There are park rangers on boats actively enforcing the rules, for the safety of the whale sharks.

You will spend time sitting in the boat between jumps with the whale sharks. During that time, the boat is idling and rocking back and forth in the open ocean. Other boats are repositioning around yours, so there are extra choppy waves from that.

Our guide told us that 70% of people who do not take sea sickness medication will get seasick on the tour. He then passed out Dramamine free of charge to anyone who wanted it.

One guy insisted that he would be fine just with his Sea bands (medication-free seasickness bracelets). Halfway through the trip, that guy was vomiting over the side of the boat.

David saw at least three other people on different boats also getting sick from the rocking motion of the boats.

👉 Get Dramamine for everyone! There’s even a chewable version available for kids.

The ‘natural stuff’ didn’t cut it based on our experience. The last thing you want is a barfing child on the excursion of a lifetime.

6. Prepare for Deep Water

The national park where the whale sharks gather is roughly one hour past Isla Mujeres in a speed boat. It is the open ocean. As mentioned above, the water will not be still or calm like a beachside snorkel experience.

If a child isn’t a strong swimmer or hasn’t snorkeled in deep water or the open ocean before, it may be a bit intimidating for them.

Most tour operators have a minimum age of five years old to take this tour. Do not assume that just because your child is five they will enjoy swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres. They might not.

Parent Tip: Any kid who does this tour needs to be comfortable in the water, and not just a puddle jumper at the resort pools.

Little Man snorkeled in deep water when he was seven, off the coast of Komodo Island in Indonesia. Most kids don’t have this type of experience so young but that’s okay.

Before that, his only other snorkeling experiences were at Xel Ha Nature Park in Mexico. There, the water was only 10-15 feet deep and very still. Kids need to be comfortable swimming in the ocean, not just a pool.

7. Choose a Kid-Friendly Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tour Operator

We chose a very kid-friendly tour operator for our time in Komodo, where a guide stayed by his side at all times in the water. It was vital that we found one just as accommodating to Little Man, despite his strong swimming skills and comfort in deep water.

👉 This company is the best whale shark tour Isla Mujeres has to offer. I love that it is so kid-friendly.

Each time Little Man and I took our turn during our Isla Mujeres whale shark tour, the guide was right next to us every step of the way.

Before each jump, he even asked Little Man if he felt more comfortable holding his hand or swimming solo. Each time, Little Man agreed to hold his hand. They did and it was really reassuring for me as a parent.

Note: No Isla Mujeres whale shark tours involve scuba diving. You could be hurt or killed if a whale shark dives and you’re scuba diving below it.

8. Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours Need Good Sunblock

Using reef-safe sunscreen anywhere in the ocean is essential. National parks and wildlife refuges in Mexico require it. Apply reef-safe sunscreen before you leave for your excursion.

👉 If you need to buy sunscreen before going to Mexico, we like this sunscreen.

The whale sharks are VERY sensitive to fragrances so the chemicals in the regular sunscreens will cause them to dive deep, disappear from sight, and ruin your experience.

When we were waiting for the departure boat, a mom in another group was spraying Target brand sunscreen on her daughter. A guide stopped her to explain the harm traditional sunscreens do to the environment and specifically to whale sharks.

I was very impressed at their diligence and focus on giving everyone a good experience while also protecting the wildlife.

A good tour operator will require you to apply reef-safe sunscreen before even getting on your boat. If they do not, please still do so. Do not wait until you are on the boat to apply sunscreen because it needs time to soak into your skin.

Sun Protective Clothing

Sun protective clothing is also essential on Isla Mujeres whale shark tours. Wear long-sleeved rash guards. If you can find them, swimming leggings (or regular leggings you don’t mind getting soaked in seawater) will help protect your legs.

I wish we’d taken swimmable face/neck gators and baseball hats to wear as well.

On the way back from whale shark snorkeling, the tour stopped at Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres for lunch and swimming. That’s where our faces fried. All our sunscreen had come off from all our time in the water. We forgot to reapply it after snorkeling ended.

If you do not take sun protective clothing, at least ensure you reapply reef-safe sunscreen to everyone as soon as the first part of the Isla Mujeres whale shark tour ends. This will allow sufficient time to soak in before you swim and enjoy a nice lunch.

9. Bring Snacks on Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours

We chose an excursion that offered both breakfast and lunch. Breakfast was at 8:30 am at the boat dock. It consisted of yogurt with granola, mini donuts, and cut fruit.

It was perfect for an early morning snack, especially because Little Man loves both donuts and fruit. Unfortunately, that was the last time we got to eat until after the snorkeling ended at almost 1 pm. We were all starving!

The description said lunch was sandwiches and ceviche. In reality, it was one sandwich per person on the boat followed by one bowl of ceviche with some chips at the beach (see photo above.)

Don’t get me wrong, eating fresh ceviche is amazing! It’s just not for everyone. We even got Little Man to try it by telling him it was a new kind of salsa. He loves salsa! Unfortunately, he took one bite and made a face.

This wasn’t really a surprise since many kids aren’t big fans of fresh fish or a strong lime flavor. Because that was the only option available, Little Man was starving when we got into the van after the tour.

The guide thought ahead and passed out some tiny packages of cookies. This was a bonus and not part of the tour description. We just ended up with an awesome guide.

I wish we’d taken some cereal or protein bars for Little Man so that we weren’t as dependent on the tour food to fill his belly.

10. Camera Tips for Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours

If you plan to video your Isla Mujeres whale shark tour experience, try to do so in 4K mode. This is the only way you can pull still shots from your device and have them be clear.

Also, hold the camera close to your body. Don’t move it around a lot. Get to the front of the whale shark and let it swim past you. This will ensure that you don’t get motion sickness from watching the video later on!

Keep in mind that 4K video eats battery much faster than shooting in regular HD. Take a charger and an extra battery so your camera doesn’t die in the middle of your last whale shark snorkeling jump. Like ours did.

Thankfully, we got some amazing footage from the first couple of jumps between both David and me. This meant that having the camera die halfway through my very last swim didn’t ruin our experience.

11. Private Tours Aren’t Worth It

The only thing private about Private Isla Mujeres whale shark tours is you get your own boat to and from the national park.

You do not get extra time swimming with the whale sharks. Skip the private whale shark tour on Isla Mujeres.

Nor do you get an exclusive or private experience swimming with the whale sharks. Your whale shark snorkeling tour boat will be bobbing right next to the small group tours.

Pro Tip: Save on the cost of a private tour for an n additional excursion during your vacation on Isla Mujeres or in Cancun.

Since each group tour is capped at 12-15 people due to boat size anyway, the individual boats don’t get very crowded. So there isn’t really a benefit to paying all that extra money.

Conclusion: Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Tours

Isla Mujeres whale shark tours are absolutely something every family should consider if the opportunity arises. It won’t be for everyone, at least not with very young children.

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Before going, we showed Little Man some Youtube videos of the experience. This helped us set realistic expectations and address his questions proactively. He is generally an adventurous kid, so we knew it would be a good experience.

We had another friend who took their child on an Isla Mujeres whale shark tour when they were six. The kid unfortunately did not enjoy the day.

If your child is under age eight, I’d recommend waiting a bit if they aren’t an excellent swimmer with prior deep water experience.

Bottom Line: I’d recommend Isla Mujeres whale shark tours for older kiddos as well as younger children over six that aren’t afraid of the water and have snorkeled at least once before.

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