Our pick
La Paz: Whale Shark Swimming Adventure with Marine Biologist, Eco Migrations
Eco Migrations is a small La Paz outfit that builds its trips around naturalist guides. You start at its office in the center of town, where you are fitted with a complete snorkel kit and a full wetsuit. A short boat ride then takes you to the protected whale shark area in the bay.
On the way out, the bilingual marine biologist guide scans the water for the dark shape and the dorsal fin. When a shark is spotted, you slip in with the guide and swim alongside it. Between swims there is time for questions about how the sharks feed and why they come to La Paz at all.
- Price
- from ~$187 per person
- Duration
- About 4 hours
- Group
- Small, about 8 per boat
- Guide
- Bilingual marine biologist
- Start
- Eco Migrations office, Zona Central
- Kit
- Snorkel kit and full wetsuit
- Not for
- Pregnant women, babies under 1
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours before
How the morning runs, step by step
The start time can shift with the day and the wind, so check it on the listing. The outline stays the same:
In town
- Meet at the Eco Migrations office in the center of La Paz
- Get fitted for a mask, fins and a full wetsuit
- A short ride to the boat and out across the bay
In the whale shark area
- The guide spots a shark and briefs the group on the rules
- Slip in with the biologist and swim alongside, then back on board between turns
- Back on land about four hours after the start
What the price covers
The ticket pays for the warm kit and the expert in the water. What it leaves out is mostly the tip and the shark itself.
Included
- Snorkel kit and a full wetsuit
- A bilingual marine biologist guide
- Transport between the office and the boat
- A small group in the boat
Not included
- Tips for the crew
- Getting to the office from your hotel
- Food and drinks
- A guarantee of a shark
Between us, before you go
A word from one snorkeler to another. The water in midwinter feels cool after the second swim, and the full wetsuit is the reason we put this boat first. Kick slowly beside the shark rather than chasing it, because it moves faster than it looks and you will tire before it does.
Bring a towel and a windproof layer for the ride back. Our packing list for the boat covers the rest.
Why it beats the cheaper swim
The budget swim from the pier puts you in the same water, and its reviews are excellent. What you pay extra for here is the wetsuit, the smaller boat, and a guide who is a trained biologist and explains what you are seeing. For a first swim, or for anyone nervous in open water, that difference shows. Kids and beginners goes into it.
Who we would not send on it
Travelers counting every peso, who will be just as happy on Mexico Travel Adventure's three-hour swim. Anyone staying in Los Cabos without a car, who should look at the Cabo Adventures day trip with hotel pickup. And pregnant travelers, for whom the listing says the trip is not suitable.
Book it if
You want a small group and a full wetsuit for the cool winter water. You like having a biologist explain the sharks, and you are staying in La Paz or can get there for the morning. It suits first-timers and families, and curious travelers too.
Skip it if
- Watching the budget? Try the three-hour swim, from ~$123
- Staying in Cabo? Check the day trip with hotel pickup
- Coming in May? Read when the sharks are in first
- Nervous about the rules? See the rules in the zone
Ready for a morning in the bay?
The swim is on GetYourGuide and on Viator. GetYourGuide shows the higher score, and both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can watch the wind forecast before you commit.
