Swim with Whale Shark Playa del Carmen 9 prices and offers 2026

Playa del Carmen is one of the best-known cities in the world, located between Cancun and Tulum, and it is only a 1-hour drive to the wonder of the world, Chichen Itza. This makes it the perfect place to start your holidays in Quintana Roo. This city has a great variety of fauna and flora around it. It is located only 10 minutes away from Xcaret, which makes it a must-see in terms of landscapes, but what about its coast? As we mentioned before, it is a very well located city geographically. It also has a view of the famous island of Cozumel, one of the largest in Mexico, located only 30 minutes away by boat from the port.

These places have plenty of activities if you are planning to come to Playa del Carmen, but there is a specific tour that takes place only on some exclusive dates, which is swimming with whale sharks. These magnificent creatures are considered one of the noblest and harmless in the marine world. These specimens can reach measures of up to 12 metres long! Can you imagine swimming with an animal of that size? It is a non-aggressive creature, even though it is called a 'shark' because of its genome and a 'whale' because of its size. It is an aquatic creature that only reaches the coasts of the Caribbean Sea from July to September.

Where to swim with whale sharks in Playa del Carmen?

• Swimming with whale sharks in Playa del Carmen: One of the few activities that we recommend without any hesitation is swimming with the whale shark as it is a peaceful and friendly being even though it is a gigantic animal. You will surely be surprised by its incredible size. Here you can find boat trips that will take you to the most popular spots, where the only way to see it is by snorkelling at the dive site. But don't worry, even though most boats include all the equipment such as snorkel, mask and fins for better mobility, it is without a doubt an experience that will be hard to forget.

The starting point is from the port of Playa del Carmen, where depending on the date you decide to swim, you will head north or south of the Riviera Maya. Usually, they are found near the coast as they only seek slightly warmer waters, and it is worth mentioning that for this experience, you will have the assistance of guides and instructors. So, if you do not have much experience swimming, don't worry! They will help you at all times, and even give you a life jacket, so you do not miss the opportunity.

• Swim with whale sharks in the Riviera Maya: Swim in paradise with one of the largest aquatic animals in the world after the blue whale. This is your chance to experience something truly unique - an adventure touring a splendid part of the Riviera Maya while swimming with whale sharks. You can find packages or activities that besides taking you to swim with this magnificent specimen, will give you a tour of one of the most famous islands of Quintana Roo, either Isla Mujeres or simply along the coast of Cancun, all of this departing from Playa del Carmen.

But that's not all. Some packages even include a stop for lunch either at a local restaurant or at a Caribbean beach for a home-cooked meal by the crew. Something we don't forget is that to swim with the whale shark, the diving team will equip you with everything you need to dive and feel the moment. They will also give you a little training on breathing and diving in case it's your first time doing this activity. So get as close as you can to the whale shark and feel the hardness of its skin or caress it gently without any fear.

The Riviera Maya is the perfect place if you plan to swim with the whale shark. If what you desire is real fun, you have come to the right place! You will be surrounded by nature, incredible landscapes and above all, enjoy a lot of activities on one of the most beautiful coasts of Mexico and maybe the world, Playa del Carmen. So put together your perfect plan to enjoy your stay in Quintana Roo.

There is nothing better than swimming in the Caribbean and even more so in the Riviera Maya.