Mafia Island is one of the best places in the world to snorkel with whale sharks. Whale sharks live year-round off Mafia Island, a unique situation for these ocean wanderers. The main season is between around September and March, but they can be seen at any time.
The Whale Safari started whale shark tourism off Mafia Island, way back in 2004, and we’re very good at finding the sharks. We’re also a locally-owned and operated ecotourism operator, and follow best-practice standards for whale shark interactions developed by independent researchers.
We can loan you full snorkelling gear for your day on the water, and life jackets are available as extra flotation if you’re not a confident swimmer. You just need to bring yourself, sun protection, a swimsuit (if you’re planning to swim with the sharks), and any additional snacks or drinks you’d like. Our boats have shelter from the sun, but they can be wet; don’t bring anything that needs to stay dry (like expensive cameras) unless you can protect them with a good drybag.
Snorkelling with whale sharks is one of the world’s most amazing experiences. These are huge fish, growing to around 20 m (65 ft) in length! The sharks we see around Mafia are usually juveniles, but the average shark is still around 5-7 m in length.
We’d love to show you our sharks; just contact us to make a booking!
