#1 Galapagos
The island of Yap is home to some of the biggest fish in the world. The most iconic of these are the whale sharks, which come here seasonally for their annual mating ritual. Each year, certain times are better than others, but heavy rain at this time will likely bring them into shore sooner. You can expect about few whale sharks in this area at the same time. It is not common to see them here but you have a pretty decent chance during the months of May through July. Another good time is around September.
The island itself is absolutely beautiful with crystal clear waters and white sand beaches that are perfect backdrop for your activity. When you dive, be sure to bring your camera as these creatures are quite friendly and love posing for pictures! In waters of galapagos plankton start bloom’s up at the beginning of June , but still whale sharks are passing by around this time of year. The best months are July to October when you get huge chances for spotting them.
Humpback whales can also be seen here during late winter/spring, so the waves are pretty good in these months too! Water containing huge amount of plankton attracts more species of fishes like marlin, mola and eagle rays. You can go diving like most of the locations on this list, but snorkeling with these gentle giants is equally awesome!
Galapagos is never cheap, but if you pick your dates right, you can get it very reasonable. Best months to visit are June through August with September being close behind.
#2 Kenya
There is no better place in the world to swim with whale sharks than Faza in Mozambique. It’s incredibly easy to put together a trip here and it is well worth your time and money. There are several tour operators in Faza that can create a customized experience for you.
One day trips run through the $200-range but two-day trips can be easily had for $350.
Though you will find many tour operators advertising trips here, be sure to use this one as they are the only ones with a permit. You don’t want to get caught without one!
The waters are warm, calm and perfect for swimming with whale sharks. These massive creatures can grow up to 45 feet in length so it’s good that they’re friendly. If you see them around your boat on the way back from snorkeling or diving, simply jump in and swim with them for about 15 minutes. They’ll slow down their speed and come right over to greet you! It isn’t terribly common to catch them on dives though so keep your eyes out while snorkeling between May-December. Whale sharks tours in Kenya are not as popular as elsewhere, but in our opinion, they are even better! These animals swim across the path of many other species, so you can expect to see sharks, turtles and dolphins on your trip.
Whale sharks tours in Mombasa are not as common as in Watamu, but still a couple of tour operators offer this activity. If you are going to visit Kenya to see whale sharks, don’t forget to ask the tour operator about seeing the “big five”. If you’re not familiar with the big five animals of Africa: they are: lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes and the thick-skinned rhino. There’s always a chance that some may be visible as well!
#3 Mexico (Holbox)
Isla Holbox is definitely an island to consider if you want to go whale shark diving or snorkeling. Not only will you be able to glimpse these gentle giants up close but they frequently interact with divers here! This isn’t always the case as they tend to stay away from those that don’t have food for them. The whale sharks in Holbox aren’t the biggest out there, but they are bright white and you won’t be able to miss them! They can grow up to 40 feet in length so they’re quite easy to spot. Holbox is located away from Cancun which means it tends not to get as many tourists. This also makes whale shark tours more affordable.
If you consider visiting Mexico for whale shark tours , we recommend November through April when whale shark numbers will be the highest and water temperatures will still be very suitable.
#4 Mozambique (Maputo)
Are you even surprised that Mozambique made an appearance on this list yet?
If whale sharks were a little easier to find in Africa, this country would be number one on our list! The whale shark tours here are incredible and very affordably priced. In Maputo, you can go whale shark diving or whale watching from October-May. This is the only time of year these majestic creatures enter the area for warm waters to give birth and mate. If you’re going whale watching at night, there’s a chance you’ll see manta rays, dolphins and porpoises as well! We recommend going during whale shark mating season – November – February – because they’ll be relatively easy to spot.
It isn’t uncommon to have over 7 whale sharks around your boat on a single trip!
In Mozambique you can also spot animals like manta rays, dolphins, sea turtles. Their whale shark tours are among the best in the world.
#5 Tonga (Ha’apai)
This is another great whale watching destination, especially if you’re looking to whale watch on a budget. You can expect whale sharks between January-May when water temperatures reach 20°Celsius. It’s safe to say that whale shark season is their whale shark season but be sure to go with a reputable tour operator because most of them are found here at Ha’apai Island Resort .
If it’s your first time whale watching or diving with whale sharks, this is definitely the place to do it! The average size of these creatures will be around 10 meters which Tonga an excellent spot to swim with wale sharks!
If whale shark tours aren’t your thing, you can also plan a snorkel trip with humpback whales and manta rays.
#6 Colombia (San Andres)
Whale sharks in Colombia are known to be some of the most friendly whale sharks around! They love to interact with humans which makes them a very popular destination for whale shark tours. In La Tortuga Island you’ll have a chance to swim alongside whale sharks from May-September. These whale sharks are so well fed here that they will let you pet their faces and tails! You don’t need to worry about being bitten either, these whale sharks just want human interaction.
You can expect whale sharks to grow up to 18 meters or 59 feet in length so be sure not to miss them!
#7 Mexico (Cancun)
Cancun is a pretty popular whale shark diving destination and for good reason! It’s home to whale sharks between April-June.
This region has whale sharks all year round but they aren’t as common during the winter months like most whale shark habitats .
Don’t worry, you’ll still get plenty of opportunities to see these majestic creatures even if it isn’t their season. If you’re looking for whale sharks with babies – May – is your best bet because this is when mothers give birth and here.
#8 Philippines (Donsol)
Whale sharks in the Philippines are a little hard to track down because their whale shark season lasts from January-May.
This is one of the best whale watching destinations for whale sharks in the casual tourist’s price range. Since whale sharks tend to stay close to shore here, you’ll have a pretty good chance of spotting them from land. If you’re looking to get into nature with whale sharks but don’t want to pay too much money, this is definitely the place for you! This area has been known as one of the best whale watching spots in all of Asia so be sure it isn’t on your list if you want a genuine experience.
You can expect most whale sharks in Donsol to measure around 12 meters or 39 feet.
#9 Mozambique (Tofo Beach)
Mozambique is home to whale sharks between December-February!
It’s pretty easy to tell if whale shark season has begun because this is when whale sharks migrate into the coastal areas of Mozambique and South Africa.Unlike other whale shark habitats, you don’t have to travel more than a few minutes out of Tofo Beach to spot these creatures which makes it perfect for first time whale shark tour goers! Although whale sharks can be found year round in Mozambique, February-April is the best time to see them with babies. Mother whale sharks give birth during this time of year so babies will be easy to spot during whale shark season.
You can expect whale sharks here to measure up to 18 meters or 59 feet!
#10 South Africa (False Bay)
Whale sharks in False Bay will be spotted between January-March so whale shark season coincides with their whale watching and diving seasons.
This is another great budget friendly whale watching destination because you can see whale sharks without even getting wet! These whale sharks are found feeding near the shore which makes them super easy to spot from land. Whale shark tours aren’t always necessary because whale sharks are pretty common around False Bay but if you want a personalized tour, your best bet would be Great White Shark Tours . If you don’t have time to go whale shark watching in False Bay, you can also find whale sharks in Richards Bay which shares the same whale shark season.
Whale sharks here are commonly found close to shore so this is another great place for whale watching without getting wet! If you do want to get in the water with whale sharks views of them tend to be better from a boat rather than land. You can expect whale sharks here to measure up to 12 meters or 39 feet long – pretty large whale sharks!
#11 Sri Lanka (Mirissa)
Whale sharks in Mirissa are seen between November-March.
You can expect whale sharks to measure 11 meters or 36 feet long here so whale shark season isn’t the best time to see whale sharks with babies because they’re known for giving birth September-October. Even though whale shark tours aren’t very popular here, you’ll still have a pretty good chance of spotting one without an organized group because whale sharks are so common around this part of Sri Lanka.
If you want to go whale watching with friends, be sure not to miss Mirissa’s whale shark season! You can spot whale sharks feeding near the surface which makes them easy for anyone to spot.
#12 Belize (Gladden Spit)
Whale sharks in Belize are seen between August-November.
Although whale shark season is between whale watching and whale diving seasons, whale sharks are still regularly spotted here .
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to Whale Shark Dive , this is definitely where you should go! You can expect whale sharks here to measure up to 10 meters or 33 feet long so even though they aren’t as big as whale sharks found in Western Australia, whale shark sightings are still pretty common. Even if you don’t have time for an organized tour, be sure keep your eyes peeled because there’s a good chance you’ll spot one on your own!
#13 Kenya (Lamu)
Whale sharks in Lamu are seen between June-September. Even though whale shark sightings aren’t common here, whale sharks have been spotted close to shore which makes whale shark tours a good idea for anyone who wants to see whale sharks up close .
You can expect whale sharks to measure up to 9 meters or 30 feet long here so even though they aren’t huge whale sharks , this is still a great time of year for seeing one!
#14 Mexico (Cabo Pulmo)
Whale sharks in Cabo Pulmo are spotted between March-June. You can expect these whale sharks to measure 8 meters or 26 feet long .
Believe it or not, the best time of year for spotting whale sharks in Mexico is whale shark season! This is because whale sharks are common around here so whale shark tours aren’t necessary, but if you’re looking to go whale watching with friends or family be sure keep your eyes out for one of these whale sharks .
Even though whale shark sightings during whale shark season aren’t guaranteed, they’ve been spotted multiple times in the last few years so this is still a great time of year to visit Cabo Pulmo if you want to spot whale sharks.
#15 Tanzania (Zanzibar)
Whale sharks in Zanzibar are spotted between June-August. whale shark tours aren’t popular here and whale sharks sightings aren’t guaranteed but they’re still a possibility .
You can expect whale sharks to measure 7 meters or 23 feet long so whale watching with whale sharks is better for children than for adults , which makes whale shark season the perfect time of year to visit Zanzibar if you want to spot whale sharks!
#16 Mexico (Espiritu Santo)
Whale sharks in Espiritu Santo are seen between January-April. whale shark tours aren’t very common here but this is still the best time of year to go whale watching ! You can expect whale sharks to measure 7 meters or 23 feet long and whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching because whale sharks are common here.
#17 Mexico (San Carlos)
Whale sharks in San Carlos, Sonora are spotted between July-October. Even though whale shark sightings aren’t too common around here, this is still a great time of year for whale watching ! You can expect whale sharks to measure 6 meters or 19 feet long so this isn’t the best time of the year if you’re looking for whale sharks to be huge but it’s still a good time of year for spotting one .
#18 Nicaragua (Corn Islands/Big Corn Island)
Whale sharks in Big Corn Island are spotted between November-March. whale shark tours aren’t popular here but whale sharks sightings aren’t rare .
You can expect whale sharks to measure 5 meters or 16 feet long so whale watching with whale sharks is better for children than for adults, which makes whale shark season the perfect time of year to visit Big Corn Island if you want to spot whale sharks!
#19 Mexico (San Blas)
Whale sharks in San Blas are seen between January-April. Even though whale shark sightings aren’t guaranteed here , this is still a great time of year to go whale watching because those who do see one will definitely remember it! You can expect whale sharks to measure 4 meters or 13 feet long so only whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching if you want whale sharks to be huge!
#20 Australia (Great Barrier Reef)
Whale sharks in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are spotted between May-October. whale shark tours aren’t very common here and whale shark sightings aren’t guaranteed but whale watching with whale sharks is better for adults than for children , which makes whale shark season the perfect time of year to visit the Great Barrier Reef if you want to spot whale sharks!
You can expect whale sharks to measure 4 meters or 13 feet long so only during whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching if you want whale sharks to be huge!
Australia is one of our favourite places because we love kangaroos so much!
If you are going to Australia to see whale sharks, remember that at a low price you can also go to New Zealand.
#21 The Maldives
Whale sharks in the Maldives are spotted between May-October. whale shark tours aren’t very common here and whale shark sightings aren’t guaranteed but whale watching with whale sharks is better for adults than for children , which makes whale shark season the perfect time of year to visit the Maldives if you want to spot whale sharks!
You can expect whale sharks to measure 4 meters or 13 feet long so only during whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching if you want whale sharks to be huge!
#22 Sri Lanka (Nilaveli)
Whale sharks in Nilaveli, Trincomalee are spotted between June-September. Even though whale shark sightings aren’t guaranteed here , whale watching with whale sharks is better for children than for adults , which makes whale shark season the perfect time of year to visit Nilaveli if you want to spot whale sharks!
You can expect whale sharks to measure 3 meters or 10 feet long so only during whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching if you want whale sharks to be huge!
#23 Mexico (Chacahua)
Whale sharks in Chacahua are seen between May-August. Even though whale shark sightings aren’t guaranteed here , this is still a great time of year to go whale watching because those who do see one will definitely remember it! You can expect whale sharks to measure 3 meters or 10 feet long so whale watching with whale sharks is better for children than for adults, which makes whale shark season the perfect time of year to visit Chacahua if you want to spot whale sharks!
#24 Colombia (Bocachica)
Whale sharks in Bocachica, Cartagena are spotted between May-October. whale shark tours aren’t popular here but whale sharks sightings aren’t rare .
You can expect whale sharks to measure 3 meters or 10 feet long so only during whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching if you want whale sharks to be huge!
#25 Mexico (Ojo de Liebre/Scammon’s Lagoon)
We mention Mexico again because it is one of the better places to watch whale sharks. Whale sharks are seen here between January-April. whale shark tours aren’t common here but whale sharks sightings are almost guaranteed .
You can expect whale sharks to measure 2 meters or 6 feet long so only during whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching if you want whale sharks to be huge!
#26 South Africa (Dyer Island, Gaansbai)
Whale sharks in Dyer Island, Gaansbai are seen between September-March. Even though whale shark sightings aren’t guaranteed here , you can expect whale watching with whale sharks to be very good for children because it’s great for adults too ! You can expect whale sharks to measure 3 meters or 10 feet long.
#27 Indonesia (Raja Ampat)
Whale sharks in Raja Ampat are seen between June-August. whale shark tours aren’t very common here but whale shark sightings aren’t rare .
You can expect whale sharks to measure 3 meters or 10 feet long so only during whale shark season is the best time of year to go whale watching if you want whale sharks to be huge!
#28 Panama (Coiba Island)
Whale sharks in Coiba Island are seen between May-November. Even though whale shark sightings aren’t guaranteed here , this is still a great time of year to go whale watching because those who do see one will definitely remember it! You can expect whale sharks to measure 2 meters or 6 feet.