All You Need To Know To Swim With Whale Sharks.

I made a trip to the other side of Australia in the hopes to swim with the biggest fish in the world, The Whale Shark. While exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed, Ningaloo Reef. This guide has all the information you need so you can too, swim with Whale Sharks. 

Generally speaking, being on a boat in the open ocean, rocking side to side makes me want to hurl after only 5 minutes. This was no different, standing on the side of the boat taking in deep breaths of fresh air to try and hold back the vomit. Then the adrenalin took over, my friend Bianca called me and said it was our turn to jump in the water. I was pumped, ready to get in, and swim with whale sharks.

Swim with Whale Sharks in Australia on Ningaloo Reef

There were 8 of us in the water, 4 people positioned on either side of the whale shark. I was swimming ahead of the others, looking to my side at this magnificent creature; there was nothing else in my line of sight but him. I remember feeling completely relaxed and in awe of what I was experiencing and so thankful for that moment. It was the end of April, the water was still warm and I could have swum with him all day.

Whale Shark Swim Booking Details:

We did our day trip through Three Island Whale Shark Dive. I can’t speak highly enough of this company. We spent the whole day out on their boat, sailing in the lagoon of Ningaloo reef and out in the open sea. Apart from our whale shark swim, we stopped three times throughout the day at different snorkeling spots. All while the Three Islands spotter plane was up looking for some big fish. We were lucky enough to see and swim with some of the following;

• Hammerhead shark
• Dugong
• Leopard shark
• Manta Rays
• Humpback whales
• Spinner Dolphins
• Plenty of fish

We were also provided with a buffet lunch and drinks.

Whale Sharks are protected in Australian waters under both state and federal law. It’s important to be conscious of their health, safety, and happiness while visiting their home. Three Island Whale Shark Dive limited the number of people in the water at any one time with the whale shark, ensuring we never touched the animal, got within 3 meters, or restricted their normal movement or behavior. I think everyone on the boat respected this and was more than happy to follow the crew’s instructions. Also, the crew was amazing at teaching us all so much about these gentle giants. 

5 Facts About the Whale Shark

• Whale Sharks aren’t a type of whale or a shark, they are actually the largest fish in the world.
• They are filter feeders and sieve plankton through their gills.
• Whale Sharks regularly swim close to the surface but can dive to depths of 1000 meters.
• Whale sharks have a mouth that can be 1.5m wide, although their throat is only the size of a human fist.
• A fully grown whale shark can reach up to 18 m in length but commonly individuals seen at Ningaloo are 4 – 12 meters long.

Whale Shark tours at Ningaloo reef run from March – August each year, I have been told that April/May is the very best time to visit.

Any activity you do involving wild animals can of course be unpredictable.

The chance of you seeing a whale shark (or many) is highly likely on Ningaloo, but if not Three Islands does offer a partial refund or a repeat tour voucher (Details on their website). This actually happened to us the first time we went (mid – July). Well, we saw one but it was so deep down you had to almost squint to see it. The experiences I’m referring to in this article are from our second trip when we used our repeat tour voucher.

Although my first attempt was disappointing, I seriously still had an amazing day!

What Other Marine Life is at Ningaloo Reef?

Snorkeling here is one of the best spots in Australia, from the boat we also saw Humpback Whales, Dugongs, and a Hammer Head Shark. Then to top it off when we came across a large group of Manta Rays! And, we were able to jump in and swim around with them. That alone was such an incredible experience. They were so intrigued by the group, they’d swim so close then barrel roll right in front of us.

In a world full of zoos and aquariums, there’s something magical about spending time with an animal in its natural habitat. I highly recommend adding this trip to your Australian bucket list, it’ll be a day full of surprises…. Hopefully, seasickness isn’t one of them.

BOOK YOUR WHALE SHARK SWIM HERE.

After your Whale Shark swim, give yourself time to explore the area of Exmouth. I’ve written a blog on traveling in Exmouth that will make your holiday planning a breeze! Click here to check out my Exmouth article.

Thanks for reading, 

Happy Travels.