---
title: Whale Shark Swimming and Isla Mujeres Beach Tour
lang: en
type: tour
city: Cancún
country: Mexico
price: 199
currency: EUR
price_unit: per_person
availability: bookable
rating: 4.77
reviews: 437
duration_minutes: 240
duration_max_minutes: 300
languages: [en, es]
free_cancellation: "true"
guidekin_pick: Beach after?
rank_in_category: 7 of 16 (Isla Mujeres Catamaran & Sailing)
schedule_checked: 2026-09-19
data_updated: 2026-10-03
canonical: https://guidekin.com/mexico/cancun/tours/whale-shark-swimming-and-isla-mujeres-beach-tour/
---

# Whale Shark Swimming and Isla Mujeres Beach Tour

**Guidekin's take:** A seasonal whale shark swim from a private marina at Punta Sam, with a light breakfast, guide and snorkel gear, then time on an Isla Mujeres beach, with pickup from Cancún, Playa del Carmen or Riviera Maya hotels. The dock fee and federal tax are paid separately. 4.77 from 437 reviews at €199 per person.

**Beach after?:** Marina tier at €199 per person: breakfast, guide, gear and Isla Mujeres beach time; no hotel pickup, dock fee and tax extra. 4.77 from 437 reviews. Trade-off: Dock fee and federal tax not included. (last checked September 19, 2026)

In our comparison: #7 of 16 in Isla Mujeres Catamaran & Sailing, by rating weighted by review volume (table below).

## Overview

Come join us in this once in a lifetime experience and live the most incredible adventure swimming beside this ocean’s gentle giants. Your encounter will be supervised by our very experienced guides not to mention you’ll be wearing our snorkeling gear certified by National Geographic Snorkeler. 

We start the adventure picking you up from any hotel in Cancun, Riviera Maya or Playa del Carmen to take you to our new private marina in Punta Sam in Cancun. After a light breakfast we board and head to the Whale Shark protected area where, after finding them, we will start the dives, 2 to 3 per person, always in couples and with our certified guide. 

Before we head back to our marina we will visit beautiful Playa Norte beach in Isla Mujeres where you will have an hour to relax and enjoy the best ceviche prepared in sight by our crew.

## Before you book

- Pickup differs by option: Hotel pickup only on 4 of 5 options (Tour from Cancun, Tour from…
- 5 start times: between 05:00 and 07:10
- Food included: Snacks, Light breakfast
- Wheelchair accessible: operator-marked
- Strollers OK: infants accepted
- Children from €172: ages 3 to 11

**Pickup:** Hotel pickup only on 4 of 5 options (Tour from Cancun, Tour from Playa del Carmen +2)

## Key facts

- Price: from €199 per person for the Tour from the Marina option; other options up to €253
- Duration: 4h–5h
- Rating: 4.77/5 from 437 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor)
- Free cancellation (see policy below)
- Operator: Contoy Adventures
- Group: Shared tour
- Guide languages: English, Spanish
- Start times: 05:00, 05:30, 06:00, 06:30, 07:10
- Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket
- Price checked on Viator: 2026-09-19

## Reviews

4.77 from 437 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor.
94% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 412 of 437.

- 5 stars: 388 (89%)
- 4 stars: 24 (5%)
- 3 stars: 7 (2%)
- 2 stars: 9 (2%)
- 1 star: 9 (2%)

### What reviewers say

Reviewers praise the supportive crew and whale shark swims; some trips ended without a sighting.

**Praised:**
- Close whale shark encounters, with manta rays also seen
- Clear instructions and patient support for children and nervous swimmers
- Captains position the boat to help swimmers get clear views
- Fresh ceviche served after the whale shark swims
- The Isla Mujeres swimming stop provides a relaxing finish

**Complaints:**
- Rough boat journeys and seasickness during the search for whale sharks
- Some found swims rushed among many boats, while others had ample chances to swim
- Some reviewers returned without seeing any whale sharks
- Photo and video packages felt expensive

Written by Guidekin from the 100 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (2023-08-01 to 2026-09-14); last checked 2026-10-03.

## Tour options

Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page.

| Option | Price | Guide languages | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour from the Marina | €199 / person | English, Spanish | Without Hotel Pickup |
| Tour from Cancun | €208 / person | English, Spanish | Hotel Pickup in Cancun Area: Includes a pickup from hotels in Cancun Downtown, Hotel Zone & Costa Mujeres. Isla Mujeres Pickup: Includes a pickup from the main pier at Isla Mujeres. Pickup included |
| Tour from Playa del Carmen | €217 / person | English, Spanish | Playa del Carmen & P. Morelos Pickup included |
| Tour from Riviera Maya | €226 / person | English, Spanish | Pickup from Riviera Maya: Includes a hotel pickup from most hotels in the area of Riviera Maya, Akumal, Xcaret and Puerto Aventuras. Pickup included |
| Tour from Tulum | €253 / person | English, Spanish | Meeting Point Pickup: Pickup at Súper Aki supermarket on the main road in Tulúm. Pickup included |

## What's included

- Sodas & bottled water
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Snacks
- Use of Snorkelling equipment
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Light breakfast

## Not included

- Dock fee and Federal Tax

## Itinerary

1. **Contoy Adventures** (5h; admission included) - Our Whale Shark Encounter begins early in the morning where, depending on the hotel or condominium you're staying at, our experienced van drivers will pick you up right at the lobby or entrance to take you to our new marina located in the ferry terminal in Punta Sam in...
2. **Isla Mujeres** (1h) - Following the whale shark adventure, relax at paradisiac Playa Norte, where you also get to enjoy fresh ceviche prepared by the captain.

## Schedule

- Runs: daily
- Departures: 05:00, 05:30, 06:00, 06:30, 07:10
- Schedule last checked: 2026-09-19
- These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout.

## Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

## Meeting point

Our marina is located right next to the Punta Sam Ferry terminal to Isla Mujeres and next to the Villa del Palmar hotel.
Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJC2aw9PYrTI8RhZzA6qshKqU

Pickup points listed by the operator: 345

Ends: back at the meeting point

## Good to know

- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for child aged 3 and under.
- Pregnant women are not allowed for safety reasons and as per federal regulations.
- Even though the probability of seeing whale sharks is very high, we cannot guarantee sightings.

## Compared with other Isla Mujeres Catamaran & Sailing

| Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **This tour · #7 of 16** | €199 | 4h–5h | 4.77 (437) | shared |
| [Premium Isla Mujeres Tour by Private Catamaran](/mexico/cancun/tours/premium-isla-mujeres-tour-by-private-catamaran/?format=md) | €809 per group | 5h | 4.92 (340) | private |
| [All inclusive Isla Mujeres Catamaran](/mexico/cancun/tours/all-inclusive-isla-mujeres-catamaran/?format=md) | €104 | 8h | 4.95 (201) | shared |
| [All-Inclusive Isla Mujeres Catamaran with Free Transportation](/mexico/cancun/tours/all-inclusive-isla-mujeres-catamaran-with-free-transportation/?format=md) | €108 | 7h | 4.88 (437) | shared |

Ranked #7 of 16 in Isla Mujeres Catamaran & Sailing by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €50 to €199, median €90; typical length 5h 15m. 4 of 16 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market.

Full list: https://guidekin.com/mexico/cancun/isla-mujeres-catamaran-cancun/?format=md

## More in Cancún

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Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/mexico/cancun/?format=md