Philippines
Whale Shark Snorkel in Oslob
The small fishing village of Oslob is about 3-hours South of Cebu City by car. I took the Oslob-bound bus for 150 pesos which is around $3.00 US. Oslob is famous for hosting the largest fish in the sea: The Whale Shark.
You can snorkel with Whale Sharks nearly 365 days of the year because the locals feed krill to these gentle giants. This keeps the Whale Sharks coming back for more. The practice is controversial because conservationists believe this makes the Whale Sharks dependent on humans which changes their ability to survive in the wild. A compromise was agreed upon and the Whale Sharks are only fed until noon. Of course this means you must visit in the morning.
I was able to swim among these beautiful fish but I have read recently that you must stay near your boat floating with a life "ring" and wait for these gentle giants to come to you. it is possible that too many visitors want to touch the Whale Sharks which can pose a health risk for these plankton filtering sea creatures.
The whale shark is a protected species in the Philippines under the Republic Act 9147, an act for the conservation and protection of wildlife and habitat in the Philippines.
V.I.P. LIST
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