Isla Holboxのホエールシャークグループの冒険

Whale Shark Tour & Holbox: From Paradise to Profit-Driven — A Cautionary Tale (With a Few Gems) We recently did the whale shark tour on Holbox, and honestly, it was a massive letdown. We booked it for 2400 pesos through Antonio — be aware, prices are very negotiable, and you’ll be pushed to upgrade or overpay if you’re not careful. The tour was marketed as a 7–8 hour experience, but we were back in under five. The “beach break” they promised? A rushed 15-minute stop that felt more like a photo op than a moment of relaxation. The actual swimming with the whale shark is done in pairs, so if you have a full boat (like ours — 10+ people), expect long wait times in the sweltering sun. You get only one turn in the water, maybe 3 to 5 minutes tops, including your swim back to the boat. Add to that the fact that the boats are small, the sea was rough, and several passengers got seasick and vomited — it quickly turned from magical to miserable. To make matters worse, the water was murky, and there was only one whale shark feeding — being surrounded by 15 boats filled with people, circling like vultures. It felt more like exploitation than a respectful wildlife experience. Our guide barely communicated, was cold, and seemed impatient — not a drop of warmth or care. My husband tipped him $30 anyway (he's kind like that), but I was livid. Unless you find a small local fisherman who genuinely respects the ocean and the animals, skip this tour. It was all hype and hustle — pure profit with little soul. Now, here’s the contrast: The first time we visited Holbox, we booked the 3 Islands + Cenote Tour through Enrice. While he also tends to upsell his prices, that tour was exceptional. We had a larger, more stable boat, a much more informative guide, and plenty of time to explore and enjoy each location without being rushed. The cenote was refreshing, the islands were beautiful, and the entire experience felt spacious, thoughtful, and soulful — nothing like the chaotic whale shark mess. Holbox itself? The island has changed. The first time, it felt like a true paradise — peaceful, slow, and rich with natural beauty and kindness. This time, it felt like everything was about greed and deception. From overpriced tours to sketchy currency exchanges (some restaurants giving only 15 pesos per dollar instead of 18–19), it left a bitter taste. That said, there were still bright spots: The cooking class with Bruno was fantastic — hands-on, intimate, and genuinely joyful. Walking the shelter dogs each evening was grounding and heartwarming. We found two small taco stands (nothing fancy) that served excellent food and were staffed by wonderfully kind people, and Barracuda Restaurant, although simple, served solid dishes with gracious service. The mojitos on the beach and the margaritas were refreshing, and some of the beach staff were the kind of people who still carry that old Holbox warmth. A final tip: For the best chance to see bioluminescence, consider visiting in July or August, during a waning moon, around midnight. And guess what? You don’t need a tour — walk out to the beach and enjoy it for free. Holbox still has a heartbeat — but it’s buried under layers of tourism hustle. Dig wisely, choose carefully, and maybe skip the whale shark circus unless you know exactly who you're booking with.

Exceptional outing with Kim Jealoustre, guide of Secretoo. The swimming was magical, Kim's knowledge is a real plus for nature lovers. After a good hour of boating, the captain of the boat approached us whale sharks with great respect. We were surrounded by many fish, more than a dozen, which allows to swim peacefully without being numerous around them.

Great experience!! Undoubtedly unforgettable, I recommend that they do it if they can swim since it is in the open sea. The cheapest price we found was $2500 per person, we bought it downtown and it is worth 100% the pens

Everything went as planned. Wake up early but great welcome and breakfast at the top. Our Guide was great. The pilot of the boat excellent. And in addition we saw beautiful whale shark. Then some snorkeling in unclear water and lunch break on a deserted beach with excellent guacamole and cebiche. Award-winning performance. Nothing wrong. To do absolutely.

Wonderful Whale Shark tour from Isla Holbox! The staff were professional and courteous, and our tour guide and boat captain were amazing. We were fortunate enough to find the whale sharks on our journey and had 2 great snorkels with them. I also appreciate that prior to our departure they reached out via Whatsapp to confirm the departure location and days logistics. Highly recommend Holbox Whale Shark Tours!

It is not a worthwhile excursion for ARGENTINES, it is a large investment in dollars and is not justified. a lot of travel in the sea (2.30 hours there and 2.30 hours to return) for little time to swim with them. DO NOT spend money on this. Holbox is more to enjoy simply.

Unfortunately, this tour really disappointed. The good bits: we saw a whale shark! That was amazing! The ceviche was good. The guide was lovely (he didn't speak much English but got by, I think we had been dumped with him accidentally so it wasn't his fault.) The driver was lovely. The bad bits: we literally jumped in the water saw the whale shark for 2 minutes and then had to jump back out. (This is not an exaggeration) We travelled MILES. We were given 0 refreshments until 1pm. Our tour started at 5:45. When we arrived at the port the taxi driver who picked us up, just dropped us there and no one had any idea who we were going with. It felt as though we were being passed to different people and rejected until someone finally took us. It took about 4 hours to get to the whale shark by boat. Everyone else arrived at the same time and every time one person went in with the shark, we then had to queue up with the other boats and wait our turn again. The sheer volume of people seeing this whale shark seems a bit cruel which I don't think we were fully aware of. When everyone had their 2minutes with the whale shark we then sailed from 1pm - 3pm to the island that we would have lunch, this was not helped by the fact another group had to join us because one of the boat engines failed. Our boat was then overcrowded and slow and suffered with engine failure as well due to the weight. I was desperate for the toilet as I hadn't been from 6am. In the end at 2:30 I had to jump off the boat as I could see no end. The lack of preparation for peoples basic needs was incredible - no food, no drinks and no breaks for 9 hours, with the sun beaming down on us. (There was a cover, but not everyone could escape the sun) We also broke down in the middle of the ocean with no one around us, I felt a little unsafe to be honest. I'm glad I saw a whale shark but this tour was expensive, unsafe in parts and could be done so much better. If you have the opportunity to see a whale shark somewhere else (Philippines) do it there instead.

It was realy amazing trip. It overceeded our expectations. Whale sharks are beautiful animals and we could swim with them. Our crew - Edi and Jorge are the best :-)

Please stay away from this experience. You will not swim with the sharks. You will be allowed 2 minutes to see in the water a tortured animal trapped by 20 small boats that chased him around. The ride to the open waters to see this poor creature was very bad. 2 hours in a small tin boat with 10 other people. The waves and the speed made us sick and also gave us pain on our back and joins although we are in our 30s. We arrived and taken in pairs of 2 in the water to see a very small shark trying to escape the crowds. If you still want to go , ask many questions

Not nice for the sharks or for yourself. You drive 2.5 hours to the area of sharks. There are then almost 50 boats which stress the sharks incredibly. The boat then drives in front of the whale shark every time and drops one there. The shark changes direction and you have 1 min the opportunity to follow the shark in the direction of flight. Of course it is nice to see an animal in its habitat, but stressing it out there leaves a bad feeling. You end up paying $150 for 2x1 min to see whale sharks fleeing from you and 5h jerky boat ride.