Full-day Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
₱7,003.63
per adult
Oslob Whale Sharks
Oslob Whale Sharks
4
Shark Diving • Dolphin & Whale Watching • Day Trips
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6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Full view
About
Whale sharks can be seen in a small barangay Tan-awan, which is 10 km away from the center town of Oslob. Whale shark watching in Cebu started last September 2011 and it became popular all over the world when the news hit in the internet last November 2011. By December 2011, local fishermen's interact with the whale sharks by feeding them that result to flocking of tourist to the beach of Tan-awan
Tours and Tickets by Oslob Whale Sharks
Climbing
1–2 days
Free cancellation
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₱8,979.23
per adult
Full-day Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
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from
₱14,679.02
per adult
Climbing
6+ hours
Free cancellation
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per adult
Travelers talk about
(19 reviews)
(27 reviews)
(342 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
2,686 reviews
Excellent
1,492
Very good
690
Average
241
Poor
98
Terrible
165
alex G
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Solo
The ride was ok, the driver and the guide were helpful and the time in the water was really nice.
I will do it again.
I will do it again.
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marikrisvi S
Quezon City, Philippines99 contributions
Upon arrival at Cebu Airpirt, you have to land tour we had a bus for 6 hrs to Oslob. We checkendin Sacha's resort (2nd time) but now with our son. We booked for the whaleshark sighting at the reception. The whaleshark is scheduled the next day at 6am. Upon arrival they have to explain about the do's and don'ts in the ocean. You have to ride a small boat, each boat is 6 or 5 persons. They will bring you at the middle of the ocean. Where you can see up close with a lot of gentle giants or (Buntanding). They eat plankton so you dont have to be scared. They are so cute in close up.
Written 21 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FSahertian
Leerdam, The Netherlands679 contributions
Omg this a must thing to do! We slept in moalboal and took the scooter to Oslob, it was 1,5/2 hrs ride but it was worth it! Actually we saved 4000 pesos to go by motorbike, because a tour was 2500 pesos a person. When you're there they sell mobile phone underwater things so you can take pictures by yourself, but you also can hire a go pro for 500 pesos. The whale shark were so close you can touch them! Really amazing!
Written 25 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marliza B
3 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Rooms and service and hotel is just amazing. Very friendly staff and helpful. Hotel and rooms are extremely clean. Room attendant Foisal, Rajat, RAi are VERY GOOD n accomodating to Us.. Good services so far so Good💚❤️
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Victoria A
Rohnert Park, United States2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
This was an incredible experience. I did a last minute booking the night before for my family of 11. Everything was very smooth and organized. Our driver Delbo was great and stopped for bathroom breaks when we needed. It was a 3 hour drive there and back from our hotel. But it was worth it hands down. We also got a lot videos under the water with the whale sharks! The waterfall was an amazing addition. The lunch addition was worth it. Our tour guide was also great and took beautiful pictures and videos of my entire family at the waterfall that we will cherish forever.
Written 18 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mbaum3
Blythewood, SC67 contributions
What an experience!!! When you first get there it looks a lot of people and a tourist trap but these folks are serious. When get in the boat (which is an experience itself) and get to the interaction are it really starts to come alive. We had three animals from 25 to 30 feet long (I’m six feet and felt like a dwarf). Your not supposed to get near the animals but they end up bumping you which was really neat. Take lots of pictures and videos (no lights or flash: not needed) and don’t be afraid to interact but do not reach out and touch. This is a fantastic experience for adults and kids that can swim even if they just hang on to the boat.
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ShazLuLai
Singapore, Singapore19 contributions
Jun 2023
It was a magical moment to swim with the whale sharks. You can do this activity without engaging any tour operators. We reached there at 9.30 on a Monday morning. The registration and briefing was clear and easy. We only had to wait for about 15 minutes before rowing out to swim with the gentle creatures. My only regret was to rent the GoPro and ask the boatman to take videos of us. He kept on ordering us to pose in front of the whale sharks, hence shortening my time swimming with them. I took quite a number of decent photos/videos of the whale sharks with my own handphone.
Written 9 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liau Yuan Wei
Singapore, Singapore40 contributions
Apr 2023 • Friends
Me and 2 of my friends booked this tour trip which was smooth! Firstly we were picked up from our resort at Badian at 4.30am and travelled to Oslob, which took 2h. We enjoyed the beautiful sunrise across the sea while in the minivan. At Oslob, our lovely guide Giselle guided us on the different checkpoints (you will need to register, sign an indemnity form, attend a 3min briefing of the rules), then we got a queue number, which is announced over the speakers. Although we reached at the opening time, the place was very crowded and we got a queue number of 76 when the first 4 numbers were just called out to enter the sea. Luckily Giselle then arranged us breakfast at a nearby restaurant to fill our bellies & pass time, and by the time we returned to the place, it was our time! We then put on our life-vests and snorkelling gear, then entered the boat, which rowed us out a while. The whole area in the sea is cordoned off to prevent tourists from drifting too far away. Those who can swim can take off the life-vests then dive in to swim with the whale sharks; but not to worry, those who can’t swim just need to stick with the life-vests and look down underneath the sea surface for the whale sharks. You can rent Go-Pro service (where the boat guide will take videos of tourists diving with whale sharks) for 400 pesos. Alternatively you can buy waterproof pouch (decent quality with locking mechanism and not just a seal, that prevent any water from entering) for 150-200 pesos. The boat guide are great at taking photos and videos at the right timing! The whole activity lasted for 30mins then we went back to shore, after which we did a quick open shower beside the boats (tourists are not allowed to use soap or shampoo) to get rid of all the salt. For Go Pro service, Giselle led us to a local shop whereby the man transferred the files into our phones (Both iPhone & Android phones are all-right as he has the relevant cables). We then had early lunch at 9am at the same restaurant before setting off via the minivan.
Controversy: There is a great deal of controversy regarding them being as tourist attractions. Detractors are upset that whale sharks are baited by locals with feeds, instead of letting them free to hunt for their own food & migrate through Pacific Ocean. Proponents state that such tourism increase the awareness & plight of endangered species in the world. Personally, I’m on the fence here, while it’s true that these whale sharks won’t be truly independent since they rely on feeds, however the locals can be seen as protecting them from the horrors of other humans. What I mean by that is there’s the argument that whale sharks are more likely to die out in the wild from being accidentally caught in fishermen’s nets or from oil spill. At least the locals are taking care of them & they even track each whale they see, especially given their low birth rate & slow maturation. Sure, tourists can be a nuisance to them, but the locals need some cashflow for sustenance. And they have very strict rules of do’s and don’t’s, eg no swimming 1.5m near whale sharks, no touching, no feeding by tourists, and no sunscreen/lotion on skin before entering the sea because the oil can affect their health! Take note please because the locals will observe and ask you to wash off so don’t try to sneakily put.
Recommendations: Best is to book via your group because the guide will help you with the processes smoothly. There are reviews earlier stating that people jumped queue or gave tips to exchange for earlier numbers/ for their numbers to be called out earlier, having a local guide prevented all these from happening to us. Feel free to wear your swimsuits! There’s public toilets there to change in and out.
Difficulty level: 1/5. You just need to lie in the sea and you can see the whale sharks close up. Almost no effort as you don’t really need to swim anyway.
Transportation: Highly recommended to get private transport to come here, otherwise stay at the resorts nearby for the night before walking here. Oslob is a municipality very far away from Cebu City. Pre-book in advance and come before opening hours to get queue number because it’s a hugely popular tourist spot and gets crowded later in morning. The whale sharks may not be around in afternoon; and it’s stated there there’s a risk of not seeing any of them, and there’s no refunds!
Controversy: There is a great deal of controversy regarding them being as tourist attractions. Detractors are upset that whale sharks are baited by locals with feeds, instead of letting them free to hunt for their own food & migrate through Pacific Ocean. Proponents state that such tourism increase the awareness & plight of endangered species in the world. Personally, I’m on the fence here, while it’s true that these whale sharks won’t be truly independent since they rely on feeds, however the locals can be seen as protecting them from the horrors of other humans. What I mean by that is there’s the argument that whale sharks are more likely to die out in the wild from being accidentally caught in fishermen’s nets or from oil spill. At least the locals are taking care of them & they even track each whale they see, especially given their low birth rate & slow maturation. Sure, tourists can be a nuisance to them, but the locals need some cashflow for sustenance. And they have very strict rules of do’s and don’t’s, eg no swimming 1.5m near whale sharks, no touching, no feeding by tourists, and no sunscreen/lotion on skin before entering the sea because the oil can affect their health! Take note please because the locals will observe and ask you to wash off so don’t try to sneakily put.
Recommendations: Best is to book via your group because the guide will help you with the processes smoothly. There are reviews earlier stating that people jumped queue or gave tips to exchange for earlier numbers/ for their numbers to be called out earlier, having a local guide prevented all these from happening to us. Feel free to wear your swimsuits! There’s public toilets there to change in and out.
Difficulty level: 1/5. You just need to lie in the sea and you can see the whale sharks close up. Almost no effort as you don’t really need to swim anyway.
Transportation: Highly recommended to get private transport to come here, otherwise stay at the resorts nearby for the night before walking here. Oslob is a municipality very far away from Cebu City. Pre-book in advance and come before opening hours to get queue number because it’s a hugely popular tourist spot and gets crowded later in morning. The whale sharks may not be around in afternoon; and it’s stated there there’s a risk of not seeing any of them, and there’s no refunds!
Written 4 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
George V
1 contribution
Apr 2023 • Couples
Great scenic car ride. My private guide was a sweet heart took our pictures for us and held all of our things
Written 3 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Len Mian
Vancouver, Canada22 contributions
This a once in a lifetime to swim with these incredible creatures. The guides were so helpful and helped get some of the best pictures and videos with the whale sharks. My wife, who at first would not even think of getting off the boat, was in open water swimming with them. The boat crews helped her confidence.
Written 19 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eli
Bergen, Norway1 contribution
Hey! Me and my friend are travelling to the Philippines in october. I’ve had swimming with whale sharks on my bucket list for a really long time🐋 Will we be able to do so, even if we’re not there during "whale shark season"?
Trang N
Santa Rosa, CA3 contributions
When we went in March, they fed the whale sharks at 7 am everyday. Check with your tour operator to see if they feed the whales in October. There were about 7 whales in the bay and they circle around while you are in the water. Bring your water protected phones do that the guides can videotape you swimming with the whales.
ShazLuLai
Singapore, Singapore19 contributions
Can I bring my own iPhone 14 to take photos of the whale sharks underwater instead of renting their GoPro?
Trang N
Santa Rosa, CA3 contributions
Yes, put it in a waterproof case. The guided in the water video you swimming with the whale sharks. We have great videos as souvenirs.
Elena P
Irkutsk Oblast, Russia2 contributions
Можно ли детям плавать с акулами? С какого возраста
MailliwSon J
Cebu City, Philippines
Hi ,I would like to know how much for the whale watching Entrance fee?? both Local and tourist??Thank you for the Info.
Florencio G
Singapore, Singapore54 contributions
550 pesos local
1000 pesos foreigner
Vinícius P
Goiania, GO
É permitido uso de pé de pato para nadar no local , além da máscara e snorkel?
AndyL81
Birmingham7 contributions
Hi, Do you know if it is possible to set off from Oslob to swim with the whale sharks but then be dropped off on Panglao as I will be staying there after and I assume I will miss the 11am ferry that day. If you know any contacts that can arrange this then please let me know. Thanks
Christopher Cano
13 contributions
I don't know about that, sorry 😊
TravelCoupleBoy
Madrid, Spain41 contributions
Hi guys off to oslob next week and want to swim with the whale sharks, I’m staying in a hotel right by the whale shark watching centre. Is it a case of turn up at the centre pay the 1000 peso and get to go snorkelling with them or what? Do I need to go find a tour company? Just looking for the best way / how to snorkel with them. I have my own snorkelling gear. And any costs I may encounter. Many thanks.
Andy Sahm
Singapore, Singapore114 contributions
We rented 3000php round trip van from Moalboal to Oslob. We stop at another holding area 50 meters from the whale watching center. We paid 1100php for whale watching and snorkeling. You can pay 600php for just watching the whale from the boat. But I am not sure there is a system to distinguish both groups once you are in the boat.
We brought our own snorkels though this and lifejacket are provided free. Our kids use their own life jackets as it fitted them nicely.
We were at a holding area where many tourist van parked. We paid our fees, change to wet clothes and have light snack at a wooden hut. Once our number is called we were transported to the whale watching centre, then quick briefing. Lined up for wet gears then go to boat waiting area. Jump into boat then swim with the whale. Our Boatmen was strict about jacket so we did not free dive.
Gary R
52 contributions
Hi, what would you like to know about this attraction? Is there a particular time of day when the Sharks will appear. we are planning our trip but would like to co-ordinate the hours with seeing the sharks. In other words, is there one time of day better than another to see them. thanks.
Kelly S
Puerto Princesa, Philippines772 contributions
Early morning the sunrise 6 to 7am is the best time to watching the Whale sharia. Enjoy
Will be staying in Macatan and want to do a dive on 05/18. Will it be possible to swim with these gentle giants? I am advanced open water certified.
Thetooshaz
United Arab Emirates122 contributions
You don’t need to dive as they come up to the surface. Just snorkeling would suffice and actually be much more enjoyable.