Very few know this but Whaleshark season is in full swing in the Gulf of Mexico and Cancun, just 2 hours from the lovely beaches of Tulum. This once in a life time trip is a great addition to your Tulum vacation and for many, it is another bucket list item scratched off their list. You can be picked up right outside Casa de las Olas and taken to the Whalesharks by van and boat to witness and snorkel with the BIGGEST FISH IN THE OCEAN! Thats right, the Whaleshark is the biggest fish in the ocean and YOU can swim with them in Mexico!
Whaleshark migration is now in effect!
During the summer months of June, July and August, the Whalesharks that live in the Caribbean, migrate from Honduras to the border of the Caribbean ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, where they have thier babies and seek out cooler water and food during the summer months. For three months the whalesharks hang out on the border of these two bodies of water, eating, birthing and just enjoying the cooler temperatures until it is time to migrate south for the winter. This activity is habitual, and each year we get to wait for the whaleshark to appear so we can climb in a van and boat and visit our friends.
Snorkeling with the Whalesharks in the Gulf of Mexico
Each of our guests has the option to join in the fun and see these big, huge fish, some up to 17 meters long, dine off the plankton on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. At the height of the season it is not unusual to see anywhere from 50 to 100 Whalesharks at one time! The tours are monitored by trained guides who take some important environmental factors into account. First, only two snorkelers with one guide can be in the ocean at once. Two snorkeling is the only activity that observers can participate in, diving is prohibited with the whalesharks, free diving is also not allowed. Each snorkeler has to wear a floation device, either a wetsuit or a lifejacket for their own safety and to prohit deep free diving. Three, there is no touching and no one is allowed to feed the Whalesharks. Snorkelers are observers and the natural habitat is preserved during the tour to encourage the longevity of the Whaleshark and the predictability of thier return. The Whalesharks have picked this location, we did not pick it for them so it is our responsibility to preserve their summer vacation choice and not disturb what drew them to the area in the first place.
A trip of a lifetime that respects sustainable travel principles
These tours are following the four pillars of sustainable travel, taking human, ecomomic, environmental and cultural factors into consideration. All guides are local, the tours have done wonders for the economy of the Holbox area and local boat owners industry, the guides and boat captains are more eco conscious then ever before and educate snorkelers on the delicate environment of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico border, and HOlbox is able to share their cultural values with visitors through these tours.
Head to Tulum first before you visit the Whalesharks this summer
Casa de las Olas is a sustainable development accomodation alternative in Tulum Mexico that supports and favors sustainable travel and tourism options in the Riviera Maya, Tulum and beyond. This small but extraordinary option for accommodations in Tulum is worth checking our for your next tulum vacation!
