At the time, the island was beginning its transformation from a shark fishing village to a premier whale shark watching destination, because the whale sharks congregate off the coast to feed and calve their young. A wahoo or common dolphin fish coryphaena hippurus. The amazing gray whales of baja is our flagship and most popular tour. Leave early in the morning to arrive first at the whale shark area. The name whale shark comes from its size, being as large as some species of whales. Whale shark mexico is a research project focused on conservation, education and sustainable management of the charismatic whale sharks. Apr 24, 2015 on a beautiful march morning in loreto bay, baja california sur, we were picked up right on the beach of our hotel by our tour boat danzante tours to ride the glassy waters out to see how many whales we could spot that day. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 41. Island cat baja whale shark home whale shark, cabo san. Swim with these beautiful creatures as long as you want, and then relax at a beautiful beach or snorkel at a nearby reef. The official opening date for the whale shark tour season as set beginning may 5, 2017 and the closing date of the season is september 17, 2017. Cancun whale shark tours 2020 all you need to know. The blue whale is the largest mammal on the planet.
Whale shark mexico is proud to be responsible for a continuous monitoring program on the distribution and abundance of the species in the gulf of california. At the time, the island was beginning its transformation from a sharkfishing village to a premier whale sharkwatching destination, because the whale sharks congregate off the coast to feed and calve their young. The whale shark season runs from october through april. Whale sharks swimming in cancun, mexico ocean tours. Whale watching, baja, mexico whale tours dive discovery. Semarnat, the environmental agency of mexico, and conanp, the national park system, restrict the number of swimmers in the water with a single whale shark to six. Pro dive international mexico guarantees your encounter with a whale shark from june mid september, or you can reschedule this trip for free or get a voucher for next trip to mexico. In search of whale sharks at isla mujeres, mexico on vimeo. In magdalena bay charter companies take people out to the calving lagoons of the grey whales hoping for a friendly experience when a whale will approach a boat and allow people to touch it. Since 89, the best of baja whale sharks in the sea of cortez.
Whale watching tours from loreto is a world class experience. After all these years we have the best boats available on isla mujeres and holbox island. In this loreto travel guide, well share how we spent one week in loreto, mexico. This is our focus and our reason for being in business. February is peak month for both grey whales and visitors, and whale watching trips take place in magdalena bay and san ignacio lagoon. Cancun whale shark season 2017 mexico whale shark tours. Pulmo and occasionally at guaymas, loreto, and san.
Several years ago, wwf became involved with the small fishing community of holbox off the tip of mexico s yucatan peninsula. Enjoy the experience snorkeling tour swimming with whale sharks in. I would like to do it swimm with giant whale shark. Whale shark mexico, it is a research project with more than. One thing that is desperately needed is a better understanding of how ecotourism activities affect whale shark behaviour and natural history. Welcome to loreto blue whales read about and enjoy photos of whale watching at loreto and book your tour were an independent familyowned local tour operator in loreto, baja california sur with 20 years of experience.
Enjoy the experience snorkeling tour swimming with whale sharks in mexico, the biggest fish in the ocean. Download scientific diagram baja california, the sea of cortez, and whale shark tagging sites at bah. According to our guide on a recent trip to mexico, their hearts alone are about the size of a volkswagen beetle. Loreto, baja california sur, mexico a whale shark feeds on plankton along the shoreline very close to town. Every spring the loreto national marine park is host to blue whales, the largest creatures on earth. Myself and my husband did the whale shark encounter in cancun about a week ago. Whale shark mexico, it is a research project with more than 10 years of study, we use the knowledge to generate.
Swimming with whale sharks in isla mujeres, mexico mexpro. Discover whalw watching tours in mexico and get ready for a great getaway. Experience the beauty and aweinspiring marine wildlife of the baja peninsular in mexico one. Our two nat hab expedition leaders who have long guided this trip have more than 19 years experience each and are among mexicos foremost authorities on whales and whale sharks. Since the waters of the sea are relatively cold in the winter time. Try to rent a thicker wetsuit as the water is cold. Cancun whale shark tours 2020 all you need to know before. More than 400 of them were spotted feeding on spawn from the little tunny a type of tuna off the coast of isla mujeres in 2011. Nov 30, 2014 a magical moment this morning kayaking in front of the rock at loreto bay.
The amazing pacific gray whales of baja tour destination. Mexico whale shark cancun 2020 all you need to know. Baja is well known as a great place to whale watch. The captain did an excellent job and really had his job cut out for. Loreto, mexico whales, dolphins, sea lions, and a whale shark. Mexico the best tips for whale watching in mexico whaletrips. Experienced guides who are whale shark experts nat hab has a global reputation for hiring the worlds best naturalist guides. Blue whale watching tours in the loreto national marine park jan 25mar 25, 2020. Blue whale watching in loreto bay, baja california sur april 24, 2015 adventure sportsactivities, mexico, videos. Midriff islands, sea of cortez, baja, mexico one of the worlds best places to see whale sharks only 300 miles south of san diego call 8002219283 today for an amazing bucket list. Whaleshark encounter whale shark tours cancun, isla.
Mexico whale shark cancun all you need to know before. If you re fortunate to be visiting loreto in the months of january through march, it s likely that at some point during your stay you ll. Whale shark facts the whale shark is the largest fish on the planet, reaching lengths of arround 18 to 40 feet 5. Its been something that i had wanted to do since i was a teenager and thought that you could only experience it when traveling to australia until recently when i. We do our utmost to provide the best possible whale watching experience. If you re fortunate to be visiting loreto in the months of january through march, it s likely that at some point during your stay you ll be treated to the sight of whales spouting off shore. Whale watching holiday to mexico loreto whales worldwide. Finally after 3 summer we went to holbox and snorkeled with this amazing whales. The best riviera maya excursions and adventure tours, including mayan ruins tour packages, tulum tours, playa del carmen tours snorkeling tours and more, and other unique things to do in riviera maya. Whale shark mexico is proud to be responsible for a continuous monitoring program on the distribution and abundance of. Whale shark sightings in the gulf are recorded and tracked by the gulf coast research laboratory at the university of southern mississippi. If youre here just for the sea kayaking, the best time to visit baja is the end of octearly dec, as well as marapr, as the wind drops and the sea of cortez is clear and calm. Jun 01, 2016 loreto, baja california sur, mexico a whale shark feeds on plankton along the shoreline very close to town. In loreto, the reported boats 2 boats does not exceed norm crowding 3.
We first started operating the snorkeling tour swimming with the whale sharks in holbox island in 2001. Apr, 2015 4 responses to 6 things to know this whale shark season. A magical moment this morning kayaking in front of the rock at loreto bay. These animals can grow to the size of a school bus, but, they are harmless to humans. Experience the beauty and aweinspiring marine wildlife. The whale watching near loreto can be wonderful but is very different from whale watching in magdalena bay.
Private whale watching excursion to magdalena bay, mexico. Heres what you need to know to plan an unforgettable, ecofriendly encounter with these gentle giants. Whale shark encounter from san jose del cabo all mexico 365. The blue whales migrate into the sea of cortez during the. I intimated above that whale sharks generally seem indifferent to the presence of people, but there are some data that suggest a decline in both number and mean size of whale sharks at at least one popular ecotourism site in ningaloo. These are panga local motorboat tours with a knowledgeable captainguide. Every spring, the rich waters of the loreto national marine park draw the worlds largest animal to come feed. Sometimes we have two separate groups that are in the same location at the same time. You can also research whale sharks and accompany baby turtles into the. Loreto, mexico is a great place for a family vacation. The whale shark is the largest fish in our oceans and one of the most sought after by divers, who are attracted not only to their size but also their docile and curious nature. Were planning another trip with even more family members. Gray whales are 52 feet long and weigh 36 tons, yet are gentle enough to touch and baja californias pacific coast is the perfect place to experience the thrill. Whale shark, mexico and sharks researchgate, the professional network for scientists.
As of 2015 private vessels are prohibited from visitng the whale shark areas, providers authorized to tour the whale sharks are required to fly an indeification banner on the vessels visiting the area. Pdf whale shark rhincodon typus populations along the west. When we arrived in the marina there was coffee and a light breakfast for us. Home mexico destinations loreto loreto attractions loreto whale watching. Loreto blue whales in loreto, the blue whale is our. Our staff is highly experienced in baja whale watching. The best places to swim with whale sharks lonely planet. In august 2014, we traveled with friends to isla mujeres, mexico a small island about 5 miles offshore from cancun in search of whale sharks and to do some reef diving. Mexico whale shark tour company is highly recommended. Eco explorer vallarta immerses you in the great wonders of loreto, mexico, where your soul of explorer will be filled with exciting adventures to be in real contact with majestic humpback whales, dolphins and endless beautiful creatures that live underwater. Blue whale watching in loreto bay, baja california sur. Nic slocum phd frgs the amazing gray whales of baja is our flagship and most popular tour. Calm hopefully seas, small intimate boats, and all around the sound of these giants breathing.
Whale sharks arent dangerous at all, they are filter feeders, like whales. Likely the most beautiful beach in mexico, a visit to these turquoise waters are a mustsee. The 10th annual whale shark festival is kicking off soon on isla mujeres as hotels in mexico roll out new familyfriendly offerings. The experience was a once in a lifetime and a must do if youre ever in cancun. Whale shark encounter departs from san jose del cabo the fascinating whale shark rhincodon typus is a slowmoving filter feeding shark and the largest known living fish species. Whale watching in mexicos magdalena bay audley travel. We were just in front of the 15th hole on the golf course when this baby peaceful giant decided to check us out. Whale watching at magdalena bay, mexico audley travel. A trip to baja california in late autumn through spring offers a chance to swim with the worlds largest fish. We were the first ones to take a visitor out on this wonderful adventure, without knowing it was going to become such a big event every year. Blue whale tours, loreto sea of cortez loreto sea and. The one thing that i never thought i would ever be able to check off my bucket list was swimming with whale sharks.
Several years ago, wwf became involved with the small fishing community of holbox off the tip of mexicos yucatan peninsula. Download table perceived crowding during the whale shark tour. All you need to know about whale watching in mexico. We were just in front of the 15th hole on the golf course when this.
Our range of whale shark trips take you to the worlds finest locations for diving or snorkelling with whale sharks. Its prime time for spotting whale sharks in the gulf of mexico. Ocean tours is an awardwinning riviera maya tour operator with decades of experience in the area. According to their data set, 85 percent of sightings in the gulf since 2002 have occurred from june to october and peaked in july.
Baja charters and island cat, have successfully operated the premier whale shark encounter for seven years with a perfect track record of locating them, subject to weather and governmental regulations. We operate all inclusive blue whale watching tours at loreto during the months of february and march. The time limit in the whale shark feeding zone is 2 hours per each group of six swimmers. This is the perfect choice for couples or families. Other good operators include cabo adventures, fun baja and manta. Where to swim with whale sharks in mexico travel agent. Well tell you all about the best things to do in loreto, mexico, as well as where we stayed, where we ate, and everything else in between. The gray whale spends summers in the waters off of alaska, and then heads 6,000 miles almost 10,000 km south to the warmer lagoons of baja in january, february and march. Sustainable wildlife experiences in baja california sur lonely planet. Loreto, mexico whales, dolphins, sea lions, and a whale. Cancun whale shark tours a top rated tour company as determined by our past clients via trip advisor. Baja california, the sea of cortez, and whale shark tagging sites at. This is one of the many treats we get to experience while fishing off loreto in the. The waters off mexicos yucatan peninsula were the site of the largest gathering of whale sharks ever recorded.
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