Swimming with whale sharks in Cebu is one of the main tourist attractions in the Philippines. Even though it’s a controversial activity it is also a very unique experience. The Oslob Whale Shark experience is rated as one of the best places to swim with whale sharks in the Philippines.
Things to expect there
Every morning during 6am to 12pm, local Filipino fishermen feed the whale sharks. Small wooden boats then chauffeur tourists out to where it’s possible to jump in the water and swim with the whale sharks.
Depending on how busy it is, the waiting time could be anywhere between 30 minutes and 1 hour before your number gets called to jump in the boat and head out to see the Oslob whale sharks. But if you are to book with Cebu Tours, you don’t have to fall in line to wait since you will have your own guide and your guide for the tour will be the one lining up for you.
The Oslob whale shark watching area is no further than 50 meters from the beach. Before you know it you will arrive at the spot and the boatman will tell you to jump into the water. As soon as you dive off the boat you will encounter these beautiful gentle giants face to face.
Things to Remember when swimming with the Whale Sharks
Make sure to be mindful of your surroundings when swimming with the Oslob whale sharks so that you don’t accidentally touch them or kick them by accident as they are not shy and will swim right up next to the boat.
It is best to try and go a bit further away from the boats to get an actual chance to swim together next to the whale shark. You will see about a dozen whale sharks in Oslob during the 30 minutes allotted time.
A common question that gets asked is if it’s safe to go swimming with whale sharks in Cebu and the answer is Yes, 100%.
Even though whale sharks are the biggest fish in the ocean that can grow up to 32ft and weigh 200 tonnes, they are very humble creatures and there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Whale sharks are filter feeders which means they swim with their mouth wide open when feeding on plankton and other small fish before filtering out excess saltwater. They don’t like the taste of humans