Whale Shark Season returns with 40 specimens after an atypical year

More than 4 million tourists expected during this season

lancha-avistamiento-tiburon-ballena — Los monitoreos registran entre 30 y 40 ejemplares de tiburón ballena en la Bahía de La Paz para la temporada 2025-2026, cifra inferior a años anteriores. / Foto: Alberto Cota / El Sudcaliforniano

Raúl Rodriguez De León

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The 2025–2026 whale shark viewing and swimming season has begun in Southern Baja California (Sudcalifornia) after an atypical year in which the activity was suspended early due to a scarcity of specimens.

Monitoring carried out at the start of the current season has recorded between 30 and 40 whale sharks in La Paz Bay, a lower figure than in previous seasons when larger concentrations were documented, but sufficient to reactivate the tourism operations that run from October through April.

The previous season, 2024–2025, experienced atypical conditions that led to an early closure of the activity. Humberto Martínez Martínez, a permit holder for whale shark activities and for the protected natural areas of Espíritu Santo Island and Balandra, explained the factors that influenced this situation.

The whale shark depends on climatic factors and water temperature; it has a lot to do with the number of specimens. When there is plenty of food, there is a massive concentration of the species.Humberto Martínez, permit holder for whale shark activities

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The service provider explained that last year, a lack of food combined with lower-than-usual water temperatures caused the animals to migrate to areas with a higher concentration of plankton. This situation generated economic losses for tour operators and related businesses that depended on a steady flow of visitors during the seven-month season.

Avistamiento de ballena gris impulsa llegada de turistas a La Paz: Emprhotur

turismo-avistamiento-tiburon-ballena — The 2024–2025 season was canceled early due to food shortages and low water temperatures that caused the migration of specimens. / Photo: Alberto Cota / El Sudcaliforniano

Sightings are concentrated specifically in the El Mogote area, at a distance of between three and five kilometers from the coast of La Paz. La Paz Bay hosts most of this activity in the state, as in other municipalities such as Los Cabos only occasional sightings are recorded, without the characteristic concentration seen in the capital.

In Cabo San Lucas or other places you might have just a single sighting, but not a concentration like the one we have here in La Paz Bay.Humberto Martínez, permit holder for whale shark activities

actividad-avistamiento-tiburon-ballena — Only 56 vessels are allowed to enter the viewing area each day, distributed across four shifts regulated by CONANP / Photo: Alberto Cota / El Sudcaliforniano

Tours depart from the Fiscal Pier, where authorities from the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) inspect the vessels, verify the number of passengers, check for the required flag, and record the data for each departure in order to maintain statistical control of the activity.

The current figure of 30 to 40 specimens represents a moderate indicator that keeps service providers attentive to how sightings evolve in the coming months. The presence of whale sharks depends on the availability of plankton in the bay, whose abundance varies according to the oceanographic and climatic conditions of each season. Tour operators maintain constant communication with environmental authorities to report sightings and adjust operations based on the presence of the animals in the area. This season will serve as a test to assess the recovery of the whale shark population in La Paz Bay following the atypical events of the previous cycle.

Tourism service providers in La Paz report saturated demand from the very first day of the season. Tour operations are subject to strict regulations designed to ensure the conservation of the whale shark. Only 56 vessels are allowed to enter the viewing area per day, distributed across four shifts, regardless of the total number of permits issued. Vessel capacity ranges from eight to 24 passengers.

“This activity is very tightly controlled to protect the species itself. From day one, demand is already very high and the activity fills up. Whether there are 100 or 200 permits, the same number of boats always go out each day,” Martínez explained.

bahia-de-la-paz-avistamiento-tiburon-ballena — Sightings are concentrated in the El Mogote area, between three and five kilometers offshore, with departures from the Fiscal Pier / Photo: Alberto Cota / El Sudcaliforniano

The permit holder noted that demand comes from various segments: cruise ship tourists, domestic visitors, and a significant number of European tourists who specifically seek this experience. CONANP sets a limit of two effective hours of activity to protect the species, although the total duration of the tour may extend from two to three hours when travel time is included.

The controls in place include limits on the number of vessels, specific operating schedules, and constant supervision at the departure point. These measures aim to balance tourism use with the protection of a species that faces various challenges related to climate change and fluctuations in food availability.

Maribel Collins Sánchez, Baja California Sur’s Secretary of Tourism and Economy, offered a positive outlook on the tourism season overall.

“According to the data we receive from each of the municipalities where whale watching takes place, they are very happy with the type of reservations they are getting. There is also the whale shark swimming activity,” the official stated.

snoquel-avistamiento-tiburon-ballena — Whale shark tours report fully booked demand from the first day of the season, with prices ranging from 1,300 to 1,800 pesos per person. / Photo: Alberto Cota / El Sudcaliforniano

Collins Sánchez reported that by the close of the 2025 tourism year, the state reached 75% hotel occupancy. Official projections estimate an economic impact of 28 billion pesos and an influx of approximately 4.6 million visitors to Baja California Sur over the full period, with nature tourism representing one of the main attractions.

Whale shark viewing is an important component of La Paz’s nature tourism offering, complemented by tours to Espíritu Santo Island, which operate year-round. Service providers like Martínez maintain daily operations starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Fiscal Pier, where they provide information and coordinate departures for whale shark tours as well as other activities in protected natural areas. The permit holder emphasized the importance of conducting the activity in an orderly manner that recognizes the privilege of having this species in waters so close to the state capital.

Martínez explained that the activity in La Paz offers advantages over other destinations.

“Whale shark tourism is highly sought after in other parts of the world and here as well, but in places like Quintana Roo, for example, they have to travel much farther. We are very privileged here because the shark is very close to the city,” he noted.

personas-avistamiento-tiburon-ballena — BCS projects 28 billion pesos in tourism revenue and 4.6 million visitors in 2026, according to the Ministry of Tourism / Photo: Alberto Cota / El Sudcaliforniano

Tour prices range from 1,300 to 1,800 pesos per person, while in other destinations prices reach between 2,000 and 3,000 pesos because greater distances must be traveled to locate the animals. The more affordable rates in La Paz are due to the proximity of the whale sharks to the urban area, which reduces operating costs and travel time.

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Tour operators can be contacted through social media, digital platforms, or directly at the Fiscal Pier, where they maintain a constant presence during the high season. The conservation of the whale shark and the sustainable development of tourism remain priorities for environmental authorities and service providers, who work together to ensure that this species continues to inhabit the waters of La Paz Bay in the coming seasons.