Cultural Journal

Whale Shark La Paz: Season, Rules and How to Swim With Them

A whale shark seen from above in shallow turquoise water, its shadow cast on the seabed

Whale shark season in La Paz is authorized from October 1 to April 30, but that is the calendar on paper: the sharks set the real one. Swimming happens only while Conanp, Mexico's national commission for protected natural areas, counts enough of them in the swim zone, and with too few, the boats stay in port.

Why They Come to the Bay

The whale shark is the largest fish in the sea. It eats plankton. In the Bay of La Paz, from September to June, juveniles gather in the shallow water off the El Mogote sandbar to feed on copepods and other zooplankton. Adults stay offshore, in deep water. A satellite-tag study followed 26 juveniles moving between the bay and Bahía de los Ángeles, far up the Gulf of California.

Semarnat, the federal environment ministry, declared the bay a whale shark refuge in November 2018, 22,749 hectares of it. Mexico also lists the species as threatened, which is why a swim here comes with rules, though they are short.

When the Season Really Starts

The calendar and the water do not always agree. In 2022 the season opened officially on November 27, almost two months after the date on the calendar, because permits arrived late and few sharks had shown up that fall. Nezahualpilli Tovar Lee, of the local whale shark committee, linked their absence to wind shifts, cold fronts and cooler water.

In January 2025 Conanp counted nine, five and one shark on three surveys. Swimming was suspended.

Each season's rules set a minimum number of sharks, and Conanp does the counting. Read the season's notice and ask your operator for the latest count before you book. Leave a spare day.

How a Swim Works

You can watch from the boat or get in the water, and either way you need a permitted operator.

For the swim, a certified guide leads the group, and everyone wears a mask, snorkel and fins, plus a life jacket or a wetsuit. The boat stops about 15 meters ahead of the shark and puts its engine in neutral. You enter the water quietly, without jumping or splashing. The group stays together. You swim on the surface. Nobody dives.

One boat at a time may stay near a shark or a group, for up to 30 minutes. The next waits 50 meters away. Boats can be up to 11 meters long.

What the Rules Ask of You

Stay two meters from the sides of the head and three from the tail, and swim beside the shark, never in front of it. Do not touch it. Do not ride or feed it. Photos are fine. Flash and selfie sticks are not.

Sunscreen has to be biodegradable, and you wipe off the excess before getting in. A long-sleeved swim shirt does the same job with less product.

Before You Book

Board only a boat that carries its Semarnat permit and flag. Ask to see them. Profepa, the federal environmental protection agency, can seize boats that run these swims without a permit, so check the paper before you pay.

Ask what the last count said. Ask, too, how many swimmers go with each guide: the federal norm leaves that number to the area's management plan. And ask what happens to your booking if the count drops and the boats stay in port.

La Paz or the Caribbean?

Mexico has another whale shark season, on the other coast. The Conanp reserve off Holbox and Isla Mujeres lists April to September as the best months, which makes La Paz the option for the cooler months.

Official Sources

The in-water rules come from the federal norm, NOM-171-SEMARNAT-2018. For the current season's notice and counts, go to Semarnat and Conanp.

A Base on the Scenic Road

Orchid House Baja stands on the Carretera Escénica towards Pichilingue, on the Sea of Cortez. The airport is 20 to 25 minutes away and downtown is 10. Parking is free for guests. The house is adults only. The beach at El Caimancito starts at the foot of the pool. El Coromuel is five minutes away, Balandra 20 to 25 and El Tecolote 25 to 35. Guests borrow kayaks and snorkel gear.

It also has its own boat, La Orquídea, a 37-foot Axopar. A full day goes to Espíritu Santo Island, with a stop at Balandra and snorkeling with sea lions. The house arranges it: captain, crew, lunch and gear on board. The rest of the group's tours are on our experiences page.

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