オスロブホエールシャークウォッチング

I'm leaving 5 stars because seeing a whale shark in person, so close up, is surreal. Everything behind it is not very ethically correct: every morning (at dawn) these little boats full of people leave, and a circle of boats forms from which you can jump in to admire them. They are lured with food. Forget about Instagram photos like the ones you see in videos or photos on the internet; there are still about ten people near every shark, but the thrill of seeing them is still worth more than anything.

Oslob Whale Shark Watching was a truly enjoyable and memorable experience for our family. It was not only a fun activity but also a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time together and strengthen our family bond. Seeing the whale sharks up close gave us a greater appreciation for the beauty and diversity of marine life. The experience reminded us of the importance of protecting nature and preserving these incredible creatures for future generations. What makes this activity especially appealing is that it is easy to participate in and suitable for people of all ages. Whether you are traveling with family, friends, or on your own, it offers a unique and unforgettable adventure. I would highly recommend Oslob Whale Shark Watching to anyone looking for a fun, educational, and rewarding day trip. It is an experience that combines excitement, family togetherness, and a deeper appreciation of the natural world

+6

My 3rd time here, and its getting more organized and controlled. Waiting time to get out on a boat was about 90 mins with an arrival just after 6am. Interestingly, there were very few people waiting around 8.30, so waiting time then would have been short. Was this normal or just on this day, cant say. Certainly it appears the majority of people get there early around 5 to 5.30. Ground and boat staff all friendly and helpful. If you go as a group tour then all will be taken care of. Its still not too much hassle without however, and if you can get a local "fixer" even easier. You can hire gopro for filming at 550php, the boat crew will take care of it at sea, and once back it gets upload to your phone. Goggles available on the boat, no need to hire. Facilities for changing and showering are pretty good and clean. Quite a few souvenir places offering usual stuff at not crazy prices.

Tours that include Moalboal and Kawasan Falls are common, but the only purpose was whale shark watching, so that's all I applied for. So it was a private tour and the amount went up slightly. But I was able to participate without having to adapt to others. Accommodation is in Radisson Blu. It was a 2am meeting at the hotel. He was a Japanese speaking guide. The car is an SUV. Oslob is about 3 hours away. On the way I thought I could sleep, but I was too scared to because I was so fast. He is a man in his 50s with 30 years of driving experience. It's the same no matter which tour agency you choose. It's a completely unrelated car, but I don't know why I couldn't turn the corner right after I passed him from the opposite lane at high speed, but I lost my balance in front of me and my tires were bursting. I'll be very clear about this: Make sure you buckle up. And if you seem to be passing too fast, be very careful. There were two foreigners in the back seat of the car. I'm glad I signed up with a firm tour agency. (CSP Travel) After arriving, the guide was there to help me get in and out of the queue so I could sleep in the car. We arrived around 5 o'clock, but there were already plenty of people. Restrooms are not open at this time. There were toilets available on the mountain side of the road, but there was no electricity. There is no paper. There are also mosquitoes. I felt it was better to move to a nearby hotel and stay there well in advance if possible. We sometimes had meals and breakfast while we waited, but we ate in the supermarket on the train home, having prepared it the day before. Watching will definitely be a lovely time. I thought the transparency was bad because of the krill in the food, but it was very beautiful and I didn't worry about the jellyfish. You can rent a GoPro for free and it will transfer your data to your phone after you finish. They took a lot of videos and photos. The shower was free to use, but only a little bit. I used the toilet on the mountain side again on my way back, but after using it, the locals charged me for it. Perhaps it's not a whale shark facility, so royalty charges are normal? We arrived at the hotel at 10:30. There are convenience stores, fast food, and shopping streets along the way, so I think you can stop by the toilets along the way. At any rate, watch out for poor road maintenance and the state of your car maintenance and speed.

There is an official Oslob Municipality Facebook page for pre booking a spot that can be done after 9am and before 6pm the prior day. They do not reply to enquiries as this is a semi automated service. No payment is taken and only provides a booking number. Be careful as there are lots of fakes. The official page is oslobwhaleshark with a blue background and has the Oslob Municipality logo. However note if you are a senior over 65 you can be treated as a VIP and go to the front. We had a local guide who sorted this for us as it is not advertised anywhere. It is a chaotic activity so was glad to have a local helping us. If you hire a go pro then hand this to the boatman who films for you. Most important for everyone to know is each boat has a ladder to get back in the boat and even young people use the ladder. PS. I read a few peoples review about animal cruelty after they had done the experience. Ignore them as the whale sharks can swim away anytime they want. They are free to do what they want and happily move along for the easy free food that only happens in the morning. If they had fear or didn't like it they can simply swim away. Pre-briefing says to stay at least 4 metre away but one whale sharks tail hit me even though I was doing my best to move away. They have no reason to fear humans. It's the jelly fish people need to be careful off.

Once in a lifetime experience. It’s incredibly well run considering there are hundreds of tourists from many countries. If your hotel, like mine did, offers for a staff member to walk you to registration area for 100 peso, do it. There’s the registration area, the briefing area, the table to get the number for your tour & then find your boat. My hotel staff organised everything for me & even waited for me at the end. You get up very close to this magnificent animal. It’s a matter of meters from you.

Ridiculously early rise and then a big circus. Don't even have a normal picture because every time someone else flew into the picture. You have to wait a very long time and is in a small box with lots of people and boats. I wouldn't have gone afterwards. Didn't feel right.

Awful exploitation of these beautiful sharks. Words cannot describe how disgusting the treatment by guides and tourists was

Avoid at all costs! I stupidly went here without researching the welfare of the majestic whales first, that was a big mistake!! These whales are fed shrimp feed to keep them trapped and when I say trapped they are in a very small area behind nets so they can’t naturally migrate and swim freely in the ocean! This is incredibly cruel and just a circus to make money! It is overcrowded , and mayhem . Once I realised what was going on and saw for my own eyes the utter cruelty , carnage and madness surrounding these sharks I refused to take part in promoting the cruelty, my tour guide was really shocked and didn’t understand it? I explained loudly why it’s cruel and everyone else present were promoting this. All the tour representatives and government should be ashamed this is being allowed to happen! THIS NEEDS TO STOP!!!! Please cancel and find another means to enjoy your stay don’t take part in this cruelty for “ that photo “! Research before booking , the whales are being kept behind nets in shallow water with so many people in with them it’s so un-natural and must be very stressful for them, they are being prevented to migrate and forced to eat the shrimp that’s provided solely to keep them there which in turn is harmful to them and their health. Their health declines and this obviously has a massive consequences for them, they naturally move within a in family unit and migrate and this is being prevented instead there being kept behind nets and take strikes from boats and humans who are over excited at this spectacle! It’s disgusting and if you take part you should be ashamed!!! Please help the whale sharks by NOT paying to take part in promoting this cruelty!!!

+2

Hi I’ve called and am trying to cancel my reservation for Dec 26. No one has picked up the phone. Thanks Confirmation number is 1310540359