Seasonal· Utila· Other Caribbean
Utila Whale Shark Encounters
16° 9.0′ N · 86° 55.2′ W · approximate
Utila is one of the Caribbean's best bets for snorkelling with whale sharks, which feed on the north side among bait boils and seabirds; the Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center has studied them here since 1997.
Practical
Position is a general north-side area off Utila (approx; not a sighting waypoint). Sightings are possible year-round; a local instructor's favourite months were March, April, May, September and December/January (ScubaBoard, 2016) — luck plays a big part, and you need dead-calm seas to spot them. Choose an operator that goes to the north side daily; weather can cancel trips. Encounter guidelines drafted by WSORC were passed into Honduran law in 2008: snorkel only, keep your distance, never touch or ride. WSORC (Sandy Bay, Utila; wsorc.org, +504 9382 2776) runs research 'ocean safaris'.
Best for
Snorkelling with whale sharks
Season
Possible year-round; calm days best
Nearby
- North Side Reef Snorkel (Blackish Point, Utila)1.8 NM away
- Duppy Waters (Utila)2.5 NM away
- Turtle Harbour Wildlife Refuge (Utila north side)2.8 NM away
- Pumpkin Hill (Utila)2.9 NM away
- Rockies Bar & Pumpkin Hill Beach (Utila)2.9 NM away
- Iguana Station (Utila)3 NM away
- Utila Carnival3.3 NM away
- Utila Sun Jam3.3 NM away