Swim with the Whale Sharks in Cancun

The newset attraction in Cancun, swimming with the whale sharks, is proving to be very popular among tourists. As many as 1,400 whale sharks, which are the world's largest species of fish, migrate through Cancun's warm coastal waters each year.  Between mid-May to mid-September each year, they pass through to feed on plankton in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Tourists equipped with snorkeling gear can take turns swimming alongside these gentle giants, which can reach up to 50 feet in length.  Whale sharks pose no danger to humans. Eco Colors, an eco-adventure excursion company, which is headed by a marine biologist, is now offering these eco friendly tours. He says one can swim alongside the whale sharks, and if you get in front of them, they will just turn away.

The whale sharks summer in the area and near Isla Mujeres. Seasonal gatherings of the fish can also be seen near Australia, Indonesia and South Africa, but the largest recorded aggregation of whale sharks is off the coast of Isla Mujeres, according to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. Tours cost from $120 to $200 per person for about a six hour tour. Unlike swimming with dolphins, which normally occurs in enclosed areas, swimming with whale sharks is done in the wild.