Yes, the life vest is part of the snorkeling equipment included and is mandatory.

The swimming season in Cancun lasts from January to December, twelve months per year! 

Cancun water temperatures are always bathtub warm, varying from 75°F/ 23°C, 82°F / 28°C  in the winter months to 85°F /29°C in the summer months. Underwater visibility can reach up to an amazing 200 feet.

Weather conditions can change. Rain can quickly come and go throughout the day. Always be prepared for rain! We monitor the weather conditions closely. We still go if it is raining, in fact this can add to the experience in many cases. Our guides are trained to make you the most comfortable.

We have 4 types of rays in the Caribbean Sea: stingrays, eagle rays, mobula rays and manta rays. The most seen is the stingray, followed by the eagle ray.

Rays in the Caribbean aren’t dangerous and only attack in self-defense, injecting a very painful, but not deadly, venom. So far, there are no known cases of humans being attacked by rays in this region.

You cannot wear prescription glasses under goggles or masks. You can use contact lenses; we offer snorkel masks with pulge valves which makes you able to eliminate water without having to remove your mask.
We also offer prescription masks with no extra cost (available from-1 to -6). Please make reservations for this service at your booking or at least 24 hours before the service starts.

No, you don’t need any previous experience to snorkel, but it is important that you can swim independently and that you are comfortable in the water. If you don’t feel safe enough, you can also use our safety buoy to float, our guides take them on all our snorkeling excursions.

Snorkeling is swimming with fins, a mask, and a tube called a snorkel that allows you to have your face down in the water and still breathe.

Some people suffer from seasickness on boats, it's a part of life and we totally understand. That is why we do everything we can to prevent this from happening to our guests. To ensure you'll have the best Whale Shark watching & swimming experience, we offer three different prevention methods for free: Dramamine, ginger tea, and pressure point bracelets. In the unlikely case that you still get seasick on the boat, our guides are trained to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

A whale shark tour typically lasts between five to six hours, but the duration may vary depending on several factors such as where the whale sharks are located, the number of whale sharks in the area, the ease of swimming with them, and also the weather conditions. Some tours may end within four hours, while others may last up to eight hours, offering a unique adventure each time. Please note that transportation from your hotel is included in the tour, but the travel time to our exclusive pier in Puerto Juarez (north of Cancun) may vary depending on your location. If you're staying in Tulum, transportation may take up to three hours, while transportation from the Riviera Maya may take around two hours. However, if you're located in the Cancun area, transportation may take less than an hour. Despite the duration and travel time, this experience is worth the wait and will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your trip to Cancun.

No, you should not touch the whale sharks, as it can harm them and is also prohibited.

Regardless of whether you plan to swim with the whale sharks or not, all passengers will be required to pay the full regular fee for the tour. However, even if you're not a confident swimmer, you can still enjoy the experience of a marine safari and have the opportunity to see dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays, and whale sharks from the boat. Watching these magnificent creatures from the boat can be an unforgettable experience, and you can still capture amazing photos of them. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to witness the beauty of these creatures in their natural habitat!

Unfortunately, it is not possible since this tour is regulated by the Mexican authorities who grant licenses for short periods starting June 1 to September 17 only for the conservation of the species.

Whale Sharks are considered "vulnerable to extinction" and are on the Red List of Threatened Species.

They are in danger due to threats resulting from human activities, including non-biodegradable sunscreen, plastic/waste/toxins/oil spills in the ocean, cutting the fins off sharks, being caught in fishing nets, and even for sport.

Yes you can with a Private Whale Shark Tour. Our regular shared whale shark tour starts with an early pickup.

At this moment there is no early ferry to get you on time for our shared service. You can consider a one-night stay in Playa del Carmen before the tour or you can get a private tour.

We know how important this experience is for you. We also understand that you may need more assistance and we are happy to assist you!

When onboard and in the water, remember to take your time, keep calm and enjoy, we will always be assisting you.

We’ll set you up in the speedboat's most comfortable and calm location.

The boat’s edge is 2.5 feet (0.7 meters) above the water's surface. With the help of your guide and sailor, it’s easy and safe to accompany anyone into the water.

Lastly, we also have snorkeling masks with prescription if you wear glasses. Please let us know in your reservation if you need us to provide you with a prescription mask.

Need more information? Please feel free to contact us through email or phone!

Children are the most adventurous and they are welcome on the tour.

All children above the age of 3 can swim with the Whale Sharks. Children can go swimming with a parent, guide, or any adult. As well, we supply all gear suitable for children.

Children 3-11 years old pay child price.

Please let us know if you have additional questions relating to young children and infants.

For your safety, pregnant women will not be allowed on the whale shark tour.

Although the name is confusing, whale sharks are sharks. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean and can reach up to 12 meters or perhaps even bigger.

Our goal is that the client ends the day completely satisfied, that's why we allow you to swim with the Whale Sharks for as long as possible.

This tour is like a safari adventure- it is up to nature and unpredictable. 

Our idea is that you enter the water at least 2 times, however, it all depends on the sea conditions, how many whale sharks there are and how long you can keep up with them.  After a few minutes of full-on swimming, you’ll be quite breathless! 

It is important to consider that we will remain in the area for between 2 to 3 hours approximately.

This is a popular question as to when you look for "Cancun whale shark tours" you may not actually know where the sharks are exactly. Every year hundreds of whale sharks arrive in the waters of Cancun in fact it’s the largest aggregation of whale sharks in the world. Sometimes we find whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, near Cancun,  and sometimes we find the whale sharks in Holbox. It all depends on where their preferred food source is drifting on any particular day. The main difference is that the waters around Isla Mujeres are warm, clear, and blue, while the waters around Holbox are green and colder. Either way, you will get to swim with 18+ foot whale sharks so wherever they are, we will find them.

Whale sharks do have teeth but they have incredibly tiny teeth evolved to aid in filter-feeding, they really are gentle giants. Whale sharks have no need to bite anything, they simply filter-feed which involves a sucking process. So just to be clear whale sharks don’t eat humans, they have never harmed a human directly or indirectly.

The Whale Shark Tour in Cancun is 100% guided. We offer professional guides in multiple languages.

Our guides will make you feel safe, secure, and comfortable and most importantly they’ll ensure you have the best view of the whale sharks! Even if you’re not an experienced snorkeler, or if you’re not so comfortable swimming, the guide will ensure your Whale Sharks snorkeling in Cancun is an unforgettable experience! Our guides make sure that practically anyone can do the Cancun whale shark tour regardless of their physical ability. Even if the guide has to literally hold your hand they will get you close up with the ocean's largest fish.

There's no record of Whale Sharks or Mantas hurting any human being.

Whale sharks are very large and congregate in the waters around Isla Mujeres and Holbox to feed on tiny fish eggs and microscopic organisms. Also, whale sharks are not fast swimmers and on an average cruise through the water at just 3 mph. They also actively avoid swimming into objects and other creatures.

Yes, we will happily schedule your pickup from your Airbnb or Private Excursion. As soon as you arrive at your destination let us know your exact location. For some locations, we have special nearby meeting points.

Please ask our Ocean Tours Team before booking if you want to be dropped off at another location. We will try our best to accommodate your request. We cannot take luggage like suitcases and backpacks on our coach excursion. We can accommodate you on our Private Excursion.

We take all the precautions we can to make sure your belongings are safe; our guides will recommend the places where you can leave your belongings safely. Please take in mind that we can only take small bags with personal items you need on the excursion. In our coach, we cannot take suitcases or backpacks.  If you need to move from one hotel to the other on the day of your excursion a Private Trip will be perfect for you.

Please let us know at the time of booking of any food requirements or allergies and we’ll pass the information to our provider. We offer vegetarian and gluten-free options without any cost, but please let us know, as we need to know this at least 24 hours before the excursion starts.

All our guides speak English and Spanish. 

We also have international staff, and we can offer our excursions on specific days with other languages like German, French, Italian Dutch, Polish, and Russian. If you want another language guide, please contact our customer service.  Spanish and English language is always available.

Although we recommend our hassle-free transportation from your hotel or Airbnb you can take your car and leave the car at a meeting point. In between the activities, we will take you with our transportation and after the excursion, we bring you back to the car. Please take note that parking fees are not included. Please contact our customer service if you want to bring your own car.

In our excursions, we create small groups so that you can enjoy the freedom of movement and be able to interact closely with your surroundings, as well as so that you can receive more personalized attention from our guides. This small size ensures that your group will not encroach on your personal experience. Most of our transportations fits 12 persons but some of our excursions involve boat trips, which may have specific capacity limitations.

Although not obligatory, it's standard practice in Mexico, and for many of our visitors is a form of thanks on finishing the excursion, always when the service and attention of these professionals have been as expected or has surpassed your expectations.

But we repeat, this is NOT OBLIGATORY.

Our existing itineraries are not specifically designed for travelers with disabilities, but that doesn’t mean you will not be able to enjoy one of our small group excursions – it’s largely dependent on your specific needs and the location you wish to visit.

Some destinations are better suited for travelers with disabilities than others. Many destinations we visit lack accessible public infrastructure or facilities designed to accommodate travelers with disabilities, but we will do our best to arrange suitable alternatives where possible.  

You may also prefer to speak to our Customer Service and arrange a customized itinerary to suit your needs.

Of course! On most of our tours, professional photographer will do their best to make your day with Ocean Excursions as memorable as possible. They carry top-quality (underwater) cameras and take high-resolution photos of both participants and their surroundings. You can view the pictures after your excursion and decide if you want to purchase them. The images are sold as a package, where you receive access to all the photos taken by your guide and our "Best Ocean Tours Excursions" collection folder, all of which will be made available to you via a link . The price for the photo package depends on the group size of your booking. For 2 persons the package is $66 USD and for 6 persons the package is $106 USD. Private Tours have different pricing depending on your group size  and tour. 

You are free to take your own photos or video on tour with us, but we ask, while snorkeling, that your equipment is attached to your body in one way or another, for example with a wrist band. We do however not advise that you take your phone in a waterproof case, because it is generally not possible to operate it whilst doing the activities. At all archeological sites non-professional cameras are permitted at no cost. Video cameras GoPro tablets and selfie sticks have a charge which is paid directly at the box office upon entry. The use of professional photography equipment is strictly prohibited - including tripods. 

We do not take any responsibility of lost or damage photography gear that may happen on tour with us.

Yes. For your protection and security, we will request a copy of your identification and a copy of the credit card with which you made the payment. You can send this by email to info@oceantoursmexico.com or we will ask for it when you board our tour.

Usually, if confirmation does not arrive, first: Look first in your UNWANTED email folder (SPAM), if you do not find our confirmation in that folder, you probably have misplaced/misspelled your email. In this case, contact us and we will help you solve it.  

Sometimes, it happens that our tours are sold out. Especially during high seasons and holidays. Just because a tour is sold out doesn’t mean you are out of options for taking the trip of your dreams. If we can make it happen, we will. Please call our Customer Service at +52 984 206 1444. They will try to accommodate your request or let you know about newly added departure dates that might work with your schedule.

We understand that plans change. That’s why, when you book with us, you have the flexibility to change your travels and re-book when it suits you. Change or cancel your travel plans up to 24 hours before departure, with no fees.  Cancellation requests made within 24 hours of the departure date/time may not receive a refund.

We advise you to book our tours now as we have many requests! The number of participants in each excursion is limited. Discounts will only be available for early bookings.

All of our tours have their own limits when it comes to the number of people they can accommodate. If your group is larger than the allowed number on our website for a specific tour, please contact our customer service team to find a suitable option for your group. They will be able to help you arrange the perfect trip for your group, regardless of size.

You can always phone us on any of the numbers given on our website to make a reservation; however, to guarantee your seats, you should pay 20% of the total cost of the reservation.

We have various payment options:

You can pay for the service completely by Credit or debit card or

PayPal (This is very simple and only takes a minute).

You can also pay us only a 20% deposit to confirm your reservation. The balance due can be paid directly to our guide in cash (USD, MXN, EURO) or with a credit card. 

None of these forms of payment will increase the total price, excepting possible charges by your own bank.

We have been in the business for more than 16 years. Thousands of people have now taken our excursions.

You can read the thousands of verified traveler reviews on our website, and on other 3rd party sites, like TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook. You can also just call us anytime and speak to one of our friendly members of staff!

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