WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS

Swimming with whale sharks was always something I've wanted to do ever since I found out you can, which was back in high school from the Belle du Jour planner, hehe! The night before our scheduled swim in Oslob, I did a quick google search and found there were quite a lot of people on the fence about it. I was honestly alarmed, but obviously, I went through with it. Here's a quick rundown on what it is and what it is not to help you discern if you should do it or not. No judgement! Because guess what, the points I've listed as What You Should Know About Swimming with Whale Sharks were things I wish someone told me before I did. 

1. It is NOT 100% ethical. The whale sharks are in an enclosed space where they are given treats by the boat men. It has been argued that doing so makes these creatures dependent and it's bad for the ecosystem as they're technically in captivity. I was actually naive enough to think that swimming with the whale sharks meant going to the middle of the sea and trying your luck to find them.

2. You don't need to be there super early because as I mentioned above, they're pretty much in an enclosed space. Just be there before they close for the day, which is around noon. The reason you leave your hotel at 4am is because most likely, you're staying in Cebu City which is a 4-hour drive to Oslob and you have other stops after. 

3. You are not supposed to introduce foreign matter to the environment. Do not lather on sunblock, moisturizer, etc. I try not to leave the house without sunblock, so needless to say,  I was trying to scrub it off after the orientation. Although I did put it 4 hours prior, I was still worried that I could harm the whale sharks so for peace of mind, just don't.

4. Being a good swimmer is not necessary, but it is an advantage. As much as you try to follow the rules by not touching the whale sharks (I really think you shouldn't!!!) and staying a meter away, sometimes, this huge fish creeps up on you and if you're not really a good swimmer, grazes you before you could swim away. Moreover, being a good swimmer means you can take off the lifevest which means nicer pictures, hahaha!

5. Do not expect a life-changing epiphany. As beautiful as the creatures are and as awe-inspiring as it is to see them up close, truth is, there's so much people floating around to have your quiet moment of clarity. It actually may be more peaceful to watch the sunset by the beach. But this doesn't make swimming with the whale sharks less of a bucket list experience. You need to level your expectations.

All in all, it was a memorable swim. Definitely a lifetime experience! It may be a bit commercialized but at least it's the local community that benefits from this tourist magnet (I HOPE!). Enjoy my photo diary below and do let me know if you've tried it or want to try it or not.

UPDATE: I just learned that a better place to swim with whale sharks - guilt free! - is in Donsol. And I quote: "For your next encounter, try going to Donsol instead. The whale sharks there are wild, as the operators and LGU strictly limit any human interaction with them. They don't feed and they enforce a perimeter around the sharks. This means that their natural behavior is not interrupted and stress is minimized. At the end of the day, it should be the welfare of these beautiful, but highly threatened animals that should be the focus, and not just the tourists'." Guys, please consider Donsol or even Tubbataha the next time you want to swim with the whale sharks!!! To check the full argument as to why Oslob isn't a good idea for witnessing whale sharks, click here.