Monday, August 26, 2019

Whale Sharks in Isla de Mujeres, Mexico



July 5th thru July 8th, 2019 Whale Shark Trip.

First of all, the people on Isla de Mujeres are great. Taxi drivers are everywhere on the tiny island and for 50 pesos($3.00us), they will take you anywhere on the island. Our small group of 5 went on Ceviche Tours for our Whale Shark excursion and they were awesome.

I landed at the airport in Cancun, Mexico. No problems going through customs and just as you get to the exit, there are plenty of shuttles to choose from, just waiting to take you where you need to go. Hop on one of the shuttles and have them take you to the port where you can pick up the Ferry to take you across to Isla de Mujeres. The ferry runs every half hour. Once you get to the island, it's time to pick up your taxi and take you to your hotel. As you exit the ferry, the taxi pick up is to the left. Tell them where you are going and be ready with your 50 pesos.

Relax at your hotel and be ready for the next day to swim. Have the hotel schedule a taxi for your morning pick up and get you to the boat. Ceviche Tours will meet you at the boat and you are on your way. After a short boat ride, you will come to the spot where they know the sharks are. They are gentle giants of the ocean and your are free to drop in, two snorkelers at a time with the guide and the Whale Sharks swim by you, collecting the plankton from the water. New rule this year for safety, you must wear a life jacket, unless you have a certification for Freediving and you wear a wetsuit. It was fantastic. The sharks stay close to the surface so there is no need for scuba gear on this trip. You are in the water a few minutes at a time to let others swim with the sharks as well but you end up getting in the water multiple times and can take as many pictures or video as you heart desires.

The afternoons are yours to do with what you want. Downtown is the place to be for shopping and multiple restaurants. Take in the culture or just rest up at your hotel for the next day of swimming with the Whale Sharks again.

You never know what else you may see while with the Whale Sharks. Our group was very lucky on our second day of snorkeling, we were surprised by a Manta Ray, scooping up the plankton right along next to the pod of sharks. On our boat trip to the grounds we spotted a couple of Green Sea Turtles mating. Prime season for turtle mating is June/July so we were happy to get to see that.

The trip was amazing and I definitely want to try to put my own little group together for next year. Keep track of our Facebook page and you may see a trip to Mexico on our events by November for a trip in July 2020.

Thank you for reading this blog and I hope you enjoyed it. Remember to Dive, Dive, Dive!!! Unless your can only snorkel. LOL

Michele