Sales Consultant, Cath Bates

“When I worked as a dive guide in Sharm el Sheikh, we used to call whale sharks the Giant Spaceship Fish! Although ironically enough, the whale sharks passing through there were juveniles and usually no more than 4 or 5 metres in length.

We would have months in spring with more plankton than usual in the water - which would draw them in - or they would munch on schools of silversides at the warmer local dive sites. However, my best encounter was during decompression after a technical dive on Ras Za’atar in Ras Mohamed.

As my student and I ascended up the sheer wall from 55 metres towards the shallows, a lone spotty fellow joined us. As if mocking our attempts at perfect horizontal buoyancy, he turned, so his tail faced the depths and ascended with us. He did so without moving any part of his body that was designed for propulsion. All I could think was the age-old instructor adage of “breathe continuously and never hold your breath!”

It was a special moment to share our off-gassing with that mythical creature. As we hit 12 metres he opened his mouth, eyeballed us sarcastically and swam off with perfect horizontal buoyancy into the blue!”

Manager, Phil North

“I had to wait a long time to see my first whale shark. 

Working as a dive guide and videographer in Thailand, where whale sharks are seen relatively frequently, I often heard the whoops of fellow divers with envy having missed the moment myself. 

Then, one day, I exited the Cathedral Caves at Ko Haa to hear some urgent tank ringing in the distance. Instinct told me these weren’t the sounds of an instructor trying to get the attention of an errant student. I swam out into the blue a little, trying to follow the sound. 

Then, emerging from the hazy distance, there it was. A whale shark, swimming right towards me! What a moment. A thrill I will never, ever, forget.”

Product Executive, Joanna Charter

“Spotting the elusive whale shark is a truly special sighting. 

I’ve been lucky enough to see whale sharks in the Daymaniyat Islands (Oman), Isla Mujeres (Mexico), and Djibouti. 

Each encounter has left me giddy with excitement, there's nothing more humbling than being in the presence of one of the ocean’s giants. These experiences have also left me either absolutely knackered from huffing and puffing down a snorkel, or in such sheer shock at actually seeing one that I’m unable to use my camera properly and miss the whole encounter. 

While in Oman, I was so excited to see the whale shark that I jumped in without my fins, mask, snorkel, and camera! The crew of the Oman Explorer realised what I’d done before I did and were swift to get my camera to me just at the right moment to capture the special meeting, I am forever grateful to them!”

We feature a range of destinations where you can swim and snorkel with whale sharks around the world. You can also join us on an exciting Whale Shark Expedition in the Galapagos, where you’ll have the chance to dive with and learn from expert whale shark researcher, Sofía Green Iturralde. This week-long trip, aboard the Aqua Galapagos liveaboard, supports the research of the Galapagos Whale Shark Project.

Interested in diving with whale sharks? Our diving experts can help you choose a destination or plan your ideal diving holiday. Get in touch today.

At first, there were many near misses. We’ve all been there. You return to the boat from a dive to excited chatter from your fellow divers about their thrilling marine life encounter; and endeavour to share in their delight as they recount their tale while querying how on earth you managed to miss it. Or maybe you pick up on the buzz of excitement on a dive, or hear the frantic attention grabbing exploits of a dive guide only to miss the reason for all the excitement.

In truth, these moments just add to the joy when you finally enjoy that thrilling encounter you’ve been longing for. That was very much the case with my first ever whale shark encounter, which I remember vividly to this day. I was working as a videographer on the Andaman Coast of Thailand. Having got the required shots of divers swimming through a photogenic underwater cavern, I exited into the blue to hear that distant but slightly frantic tinging on a tank. Here we go again, I thought. But wait, what’s that. Oh my. A shape was emerging in the distance. Or was it? Yes, it was. Definitely, and it was getting closer! As the scene unfolded, the whale shark made a beeline right for me. The Andaman coast of Thailand is thought to be a nursery area, and this young whale shark was without doubt curious by nature. We shared a magical encounter, and my love affair with whale sharks was born.

These gentle giants are a much sought after animal for many divers and snorkellers, and for good reason. Growing up to 18 metres (albeit most likely closer to 10), they seem to emanate a friendly and curious nature, and are thought to be so ancient that they may even pre-date the dinosaurs! While they are found in tropical waters all around the globe, and can often be encountered by lucky scuba divers, they continue to have an air of mystery around them. Their breeding and birthing grounds are not yet known, although the presence of large pregnant females in the Galapagos Islands suggest this is a hotspot. St Helena in the mid-Atlantic has also become known recently as a place where both adult males and females intermingle, giving rise to the idea that this is also a crucial habitat. In many places where they are found, such as the Maldives or Mafia Island in Tanzania, it is thought to be adolescent males that tend to gather together.

No matter where in the world or how fleeting, any whale shark encounter is likely to stay with you forever, and like me, you will begin a lifelong love affair.

If you would like to have the chance to encounter one of the most  impressive animals to grace our oceans, speak to one of our friendly Regaldive team today!