Whale Sharks are incredible, massive creatures and many people travel long distances to see these gentle giants.
Our experience started in Cebu in the Philippines.
We swam with the whale sharks at Oslob years ago. Since then, marine researchers and conservation groups have raised serious concerns about the Oslob interactions, where the sharks are fed by hand every morning to keep them close to the shore. Research has linked the feeding to changes in the sharks’ natural behaviour and migration, and to injuries from boats.
If you want to see whale sharks in the Philippines, many travellers now choose wild, non-feeding encounters instead, such as:
- Donsol, Sorsogon: the original whale shark interaction site, with sightings mainly between roughly February and May (numbers vary a lot from year to year).
- Southern Leyte: wild whale sharks visit the waters around Pintuyan and Sogod Bay in season.
- Moalboal, Cebu: no whale sharks, but the famous sardine run and sea turtles right off the shore are completely wild and free to see.
Whatever you choose, keep your distance, never touch the animals and choose operators that follow responsible guidelines.
In this post
- Where to see whale sharks in the wild in the Philippines
- Where we saw whale sharks, and where we’d go now
- How to get to Oslob Whale Shark Watching?
- Staying in Moalboal when doing Whale Sharks?
- Visiting Baskadu White Beach in Moalboal?
- Getting to Oslob whale shark watching from Moalboal
- Best time for Whale shark watching in the Philippines
- The Whale Shark Experience
- Other places to see whale sharks
- Our tips to get the best Whale Shark Experience.
- Whale shark watching FAQ
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Where to see whale sharks in the wild in the Philippines
Here’s how the three best-known spots compare. The seasons are rough guides from local tourism offices and news reports, and wild sightings are never guaranteed.
| Donsol, Sorsogon | Pintuyan, Southern Leyte | Oslob, Cebu | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feeding | No | No | Yes, hand-fed every morning |
| Season | About November to June, best from February to May | About October to May | All year |
| Sightings | Not guaranteed | Not guaranteed | Almost certain, because of the feeding |
| Where it is | Southern Luzon. Fly from Manila to Bicol International Airport near Legazpi, then go on by road | Panaon Island, at the southern tip of Leyte | Southern Cebu, about 3 hours by bus from Cebu City |
Book a wild whale shark tour
These are the tours we’d look at now. Prices are what GetYourGuide showed when we checked in November 2026, and they change, so check before you book.
- Donsol Whale Shark Interaction Day Tour: about 6 hours, private group with pickup, from about €192.
- Donsol Whale Shark Experience day tour: about 6 hours, private group, from about €188.
Staying in Moalboal? The sardines and turtles there are wild and right off the beach:
- Moalboal sardine run and turtle watching: about 45 minutes, small group, from about €20.
- Sardine run and Kawasan Falls canyoneering: about 5 hours, small group, from about €59.
- Discover scuba diving with the sardine run: about 3 hours, no diving licence needed, from about €60.
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Where we saw whale sharks, and where we’d go now
We did it at Oslob in Cebu years ago, and at the time it felt incredible. Knowing what we know now, we’d book a wild encounter in Donsol or Southern Leyte instead, and spend our Cebu days in Moalboal.
We didn’t stay in Oslob and just did a day trip from Moalboal to see them.
How to get to Oslob Whale Shark Watching?
The easiest way is to fly from Manila to Cebu City( about an hour and half long flight ) and from there take a short 3-hour bus to Oslob (about PHP 150).
The best idea is to stay on the island for few days and check out other places like Moalboal.
Staying in Moalboal when doing Whale Sharks?
Take a bus from Cebu City for PHP 100-150 that will take you directly to Moalboal.
That’s what we did, and if you are you won’t regret it! The bus drive is also a pretty crazy experience. We had a techno bus with no windows and dance tunes playing for hours!
Along with people running on and off the bus it was all quite entertaining.
Crystal blue waters and countless amount of turtles and sardines. This place is perfect for snorkelling, and there are many scuba diving places if you are into it.
Pescador island lies a short distance from Maolboal and is excellent for diving and snorkelling.
There is good variety of restaurants, and our favourites include ‘Chilli Bar’ for burgers and seafood, ‘Last Filling Station’ for traditional food, ‘Corner Bar’ with amazing grilled seafood, and of course ‘Andy’s Bar’ for relaxed chilled atmosphere, cheap beers and good, strong cocktails 🙂
The accommodation varies from affordable PHP 400 a night to 11 000.
Some places are not listed anywhere on the internet so you may have to go directly and ask (that’s how we got our place).
Visiting Baskadu White Beach in Moalboal?
Best is to rent tricycle that will take you to the beach. We paid PHP 100 for the full day, probably bit over the price, but the guy was so friendly and chatty and waited all day there for us.
If you are going to white beach make sure to stay all day there as otherwise is not worth your money.
The beach was nice and quiet while we were there but not as clean as you would expect.
Getting to Oslob whale shark watching from Moalboal
Ok, there is a bus that will take you there and is cheap, however if you are planning only a day trip, it’s not worth it.
Best is to either stay overnight in Oslob and do whale sharks following day or hire a driver.
To hire a driver: ask your hotel reception or just go outside and one of the tricycle drivers will be able to arrange a car for you (price varies and can be between PHP 700 to 1200). Worth it if you want to get there early.
Best time for Whale shark watching in the Philippines
For wild whale sharks, timing matters far more than it does at Oslob. Donsol’s season runs roughly from November to June, with the best chances from about February to May. In Pintuyan, Southern Leyte, it runs roughly from October to May, and the 2026 season closed on 1 June for the sharks’ migration.
In Oslob, you can see whale sharks every day until noon.
Earlier you get to the place than better and less crowded. We got there at 7 am, and there was already about 100 other people waiting. Ideally, we would like to of got there at 6 am.
The price for whale shark watching is normally about PHP 1 200 per person for the half hour only. If you are a from the Phillippines, it is a lot less(local price)
The Whale Shark Experience
After you pay, you are asked to leave your belongings in lockers. Best to have with you only swim clothes, flip flops and waterproof camera(GoPro).
Before you get on the boat to encounter the whale sharks, yo must go through induction, where everyone is told not to wear sunscreen lotion, not to pet the whale sharks and stay at least a meter away from the incredible creatures.
Paddaling out in tiny boats took about 10 minutes to where our guide told us that we can jump into the water.
The water was choppy on that day and first I couldn’t see anything, but then massive creature just appeared right next to me.
Even though we were told to stay away from them, it was almost impossible as they were so close and a guy on a boat feeding them was right next to us.
The half an hour felt more like 2 minutes when we were told to go back on the boat, and the guide paddled away.
Other places to see whale sharks
Oslob isn’t the only place to swim with whale sharks, and if you’d rather see them completely wild, Mexico’s Caribbean coast is one of the best places in the world for it:
- Holbox, Mexico: the whale sharks off Holbox are wild and not fed, and the season runs from roughly June to September, peaking in July and August. Read our guide to the best things to do in Holbox.
- Isla Mujeres, Mexico: from mid-May to September, with July and August the busiest months. More in our Isla Mujeres guide.
Our tips to get the best Whale Shark Experience.
- Make sure to get to the place as early as possible, the boats start going from 6 am to 12 noon and fewer people better for you.
- Do not wear any sunscreen if you are going into the water as fines apply.
- Take only swimming clothes and flip flops as you will get all your clothes wet otherwise.
- A waterproof camera is a must! You do not want to miss out of sharing this encounter with your friends.
- Try not to get too close to the creatures, even though they are very gentle, you may get scared 🙂
- If you can’t swim, you’ll get lifejacket so do get into the water regardless.
This experience is 100% worth it, so if you are in the Philippines take your time and go to Oslob 🙂
Were you recently there? Tag us on instagram on your photo’s(@SunsetTravellers) we would love to see them!
Whale shark watching FAQ
Is Oslob whale shark watching ethical?
Many marine researchers and conservation groups say no. The sharks are hand-fed every morning to keep them close to shore, and research has linked the feeding to changes in their behaviour and migration, and to injuries from boats. Wild encounters in Donsol and Southern Leyte don’t involve any feeding.
When is whale shark season in Donsol?
Roughly November to June, with the best chances from about February to May. Numbers change a lot from year to year.
Are whale shark sightings guaranteed in Donsol or Southern Leyte?
No. The sharks are wild and follow their food, so some trips don’t see any. That’s the trade-off for an encounter that doesn’t change how they live.
Can you see whale sharks in Moalboal?
No. Moalboal is known for its wild sardine run and sea turtles just off Panagsama Beach. The local tourism office says early morning, around 7 to 9am, is best for visibility.
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