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The 10 Best Places to Dive with Whale Sharks
Whale sharks are a popular choice for shark fans, being easy do dive or snorkel with at a variety of great dive destinations around the world. It’s possible to dive with them somewhere at just about any time of year! Read on to find out more.
Djibouti
This whale shark diving destination might be less well-known than others but that’s part of its charm. Djibouti’s thriving reefs are free of dive crowds, meaning you can explore Red-Sea-like coral reefs in peace and swim alongside whale sharks with ease.
You don’t need any experience to snorkel with Djibouti’s whale sharks but if you visit as a diver you can also enjoy the varied dive sites on offer. Diving between two tectonic plates is a definite highlight once you’ve had your fill of swimming with sharks.
When to go: Visit from November to February for dedicated whale shark and diving safaris. It’s the best time to see adult and juvenile whale sharks.
Liveaboard options: Being a relatively new destination, there are just a handful of liveaboards to choose from. The Nemo is a great choice for safaris that include the best of Djibouti’s dive sites as well as whale shark swims.
Western Australia
Ask where you can swim with whale sharks and most people will name Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. This colourful reef just off the UNESCO-listed Ningaloo Coast hosts hundreds of whale sharks each year and it is easy to go snorkelling with them there.
As well as whale sharks, Ningaloo Reef also hosts a diverse array of other seasonal marine life:
- Manta rays peak in numbers from May to October
- Humpback whales visit from July to November
- Dolphins and turtles are present all year
When to go: March to June for whale shark season
Liveaboard options: For a laid-back Western Australia dive-sail safari, try the Shore Thing liveaboard. This small catamaran gets you up close to Ningaloo’s wildlife with a maximum of 10 other guests.
Indonesia
Whilst other areas of Indonesia are hit by trade winds during the European summer, Cenderawasih Bay remains tucked away from the storms and offers unique whale shark encounters. This area is known for its friendly whale sharks, which visit the bay in large groups.
The local fishermen have always given the sharks a part of their catch for good luck, resulting in the sharks being very tolerant of divers and snorkelers in the water.
When to go: July to September
Liveaboard options: The Pearl of Papua liveaboard offers Cenderawasih Bay safaris, as well as other Raja Ampat safaris year-round.
Maldives
Another top choice for whale shark encounters, the Maldives offers the quintessential tropical diving experience, amongst idyllic white-sand islands and with plenty of sunshine.
With so many islands to choose from it can be tricky to know which atolls to dive in the Maldives to see whale sharks. Ari Atoll is a popular choice for spotting whale sharks. Huvadhoo and Thaa atolls are also good options.
When to go: Ari Atoll is best dived from December to April.
Liveaboard options: The Eco Blue liveaboard offers a variety of safaris throughout the Maldives, allowing you to choose your whale shark destination and enjoy manta ray and other shark hotspots.
Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos truly lives up to its name as a wildlife destination, offering not only whale sharks but also hammerheads, silky, Galapagos sharks and more. It is a premier shark lover’s dive destination.
Wolf Island is one of the best places to find whale sharks at the Galapagos and there are always numerous other sharks there to dive with.
When to go: June to December
Liveaboard options: If you want to combine Galapagos diving with naturalist tours, the Aqua liveaboard could be for you. You can add on naturalist tours before or after your dive safari.
Madagascar
Recently in the news as an emerging whale shark hotspot, Madagascar is definitely a destination to dive before word gets out. Over 80 whale sharks have been identified in just one season at Madagascar so far. They are usually found off Nosy Be island.
When to go: September to December
Liveaboard options: The Oceane’s Dream catamaran caters to just 8 guests and offers whale shark swims as well as Madagascar diving.
Honduras
The diving hub of Utila in Honduras’s Bay Islands has plenty of whale sharks to dive with, as well as stunning dive sites along the underwater mountain range of Roatan, Utila and Guanaja. Expect dramatic walls and vibrant reefs as you go in search of these spotty giants.
When to go: March and April for peak shark season, plus September to December for whale sharks in fewer numbers.
Liveaboard options: The Roatan Aggressor is a popular choice for cruising the crystal-clear Bay Islands waters.
Belize
Gladden Spit in Belize has long been known as a whale shark destination, thanks to the fish-spawning that draws these sharks to the area each year.
Make sure you dive there a few days after the full moon to see the maximum number of whale sharks feasting before your eyes.
When to go: April and May for the best sightings
Liveaboard options: The Belize Aggressor III and Belize Aggressor IV offer Belize diving safaris.
Philippines
The lush volcanic landscapes of Donsol would be enough to keep your eyes to the horizon if it were not for the untouched dive sites and numerous whale sharks in the turquoise waters below. This remote destination is famed for both its whale sharks and manta rays.
When to go: February to April for peak whale shark season
Liveaboard options: The gorgeous Philippine Siren cruises a range of the Philippines best dive destinations, including Donsol.
Thailand
The biodiversity of marine life at Richelieu Rock is astounding and a big draw for divers from around the world. As well as numerous critters and schooling pelagic fish, you can also find whale sharks and manta rays feeding on plankton blooms.
When to go: February to April for peak whale shark and manta season
Liveaboard options: The Similan Explorer offers Richelieu Rock safaris, as well as trips to the Surin Islands. The inaccessible Surin Islands offer plenty of shark action, including whale sharks, and are visited by just a handful of liveaboards.
This article was written by divers and writers at LiveAboard.com
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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