Before we talk about our experience of swimming with Whale Sharks in Cebu, it is important to mention that we have heard mixed opinions about the tour operation in Oslob, Cebu where the Whale Shark tours operate out of.
We have been told the organisation has improved tremendously over the years which is why perhaps our experience was much better than the majority. There are definitely some negatives about choosing to visit Oslob to swim with the Whale Sharks, but in our opinion if you are in the area then it is worth the visit and experience.
** We did use our Drone over the Whale Sharks however you are not allowed to unless you are granted permission before hand **
Where and When did we swim with Whale Sharks in Cebu?
There are a few locations in the Phillipines where it is possible to swim with Whale Sharks. We chose Oslob seeing we had already made plans to visit Cebu. Below is a map of where Oslob is located on Cebu.
There is no particular whale shark season in Oslob as they are there year round. We were there however in November 2018.
How to get to Oslob from Cebu City
From Cebu City the drive is approximately 3.5 hours. If you are interested in taking the bus (most economical option) take it from Cebu South Bus Terminal which is located beside Elizabeth Mall.
Alternatively, it is easy to organise a private driver if you are travelling in a group of people. We chose this option as we had a lot of luggage. The hotel we stayed at in Cebu City (Maayo Hotel) was happy to organise this for us.
How to get to Oslob from Bohol
If you are travelling from Bohol, the easiest way to travel is by ferry. There is a new ferry service that just opened in October 2018. This ferry operates directly from Oslob to Bohol and avoids the extra car journey that used to be involved.
It is a family run business with little advertisement at the moment so do not be surprised if you ask your hotel and they know nothing about it! Have a look here for more details.
Organising a Whale Shark Tour
Before organising a Whale Shark Tour it is important to decide if you would just like to see the Whale Sharks in the morning or if you are interested in combining the tour with a Sumillion Island visit, which is a beautiful island just off from the mainland.
We opted for just the Whale Shark Tour and booked through Explore Oslob Tours. We chose them as the were happy to organise a personalised private tour for us.
The Whale Sharks in Cebu Tours typically begin between 5.30am – 6am so it is important to have your tour booked in the day before you wish to go.
Details about the Tour
On the morning of your organised tour, the tour operator will pick you up between 5.30am – 6am. You do not need to bring much other than some form of identification, your swimmers and a towel for afterwards. If you already own snorkel and fins then bring these along too!
Once you arrive to the location, you will immediately notice the crowds. The earlier you get there the better as there is a sign up process. You definitely do not want to be waiting around for hours! Do not worry about having to sign up, the tour operator should do this for you.
Once organised, you will wait in line until the staff direct you onto one of the small boats. There are usually 8 – 10 people on each boat (even if you booked a private car to pick you up). This is just to organise the masses of people per day.
The boat take you out to an area where you will have a number of Whale Sharks swimming by. It is hard to tell how many you will see as they all look the same! We think we saw 3 Whale Sharks but each swam past a number of times.
You will have approximately 20 – 30 minutes to swim with the Whale Sharks before the boat will bring you back to shore. After departing our hotel at 5.30am we finished the tour by 7am.
Positives and Negatives of Swimming with Whale Sharks in Cebu (Oslob)
The Positives
- The tourism revenue has substantially increased in what was once a sleepy town.
- The Whale Shark tours only operate in the morning between 6am – 8am which allows the Whale Sharks to swim freely the remainder of the day.
- The Whale Sharks in Cebu are not being touched in any way.
- The operation where the tour takes place is well organised. It is not possible to swim out on your own which avoids tourists getting too close or disturbing the Whale Sharks.
- There are many regulations put in place, and before swimming with whale sharks you need to watch a briefing on what to do in the water etc.
The Negatives
- The Whale Sharks in Oslob are fed by the locals which means they are staying longer here during their “migration”. This means whale shark season lasts longer than other locations around the world.
- The longest a whale shark has stayed in the area is 10 months (check).
- Some people do not listen to the rules, for instance Olly had to pull someone away from the whale shark who was trying to get a “selfie” with one.
Overall Experience
While we were hesitant to swim with the Whale Sharks in Cebu, we were in the area and didn’t want to miss the opportunity to swim with these incredible animals. It was our first time swimming with them and we were blown away by their presence. For such large animals they are very calm and majestic.
We had a lovely time but understand if the experience is not for everyone. If you are in the Philippines and would like to experience the Whale Sharks in a more natural state, then we would suggest visiting Donsol which is location in Luzon in the north of the Philippines.
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