Look forward for more on your travels??? On our way, 3 boats returned with no whale shark sighting. I’m glad you can feel good about yourselves while trying to make others feel guilty. Great article and I fully agree.
Thanks Mary It’s great to have that kind of support from you guys. In Honduras, it was a much better experience.
All this critisizing seem a bit hypocrite to me. Thanks so much Samiya.
You guys are morally superior. For one, and most importantly, the fisherman at Apo do not encourage the sea turtles to come or stay in the area by feeding them, they are simply protecting an area that the turtles already frequent.
I could have been a customer. Hopefully more people will read articles like this and think about their choices before partaking! Here’s what we learned. Good on you for mentioning the alternative locations! As long as they don’t start feeding the turtles in the future, and the guides/industry doesn’t take shortcuts, there is no reason why this can’t continue as a sustainable tourist attraction to help develop the island. Whale shark sightings in the Philippines The first time I ever saw a whale shark was when watching sunset with a friend at Panagsama Beach, Moalboal, Cebu. Or even the people working in the agencies that are supposed to be overseeing these activities and conditions? Great article! Luckily we had some good advice and were able to do more research.
Or their shop owners? Thank you!!! Your experience in Baja sounds so awesome!
It won’t happen overnight, but as conscious travellers we can start to make changes slowly. Our best suggestion is to do your research, which really depends on the time of year you visit the Philippines. When we were taking the boat from Bohol to Cebu we happened to dock at Oslob, so we were able to witness first hand the scene at the beach. But I am glad you gave some alternatives Ive written them down in case I visit this place. I’m glad I read this because I’m going to Cebu in the June with my family. Hi – I swam with Whale sharks in Mexico (out of Cancun), but also had to think hard about whether to do it or not. I couldn’t agree with this artical more – if only there were more travellers like you!! Having recently gone swimming with Whale Sharks this is a very valid article to read about the problems that Oslob is having with the welfare of these beautiful creatures. If done correctly there is no reason why people shouldn’t be able to witness these amazing animals, but if the industry cuts corners to accommodate tourists, that’s when any experience will start to jeopardize the whale sharks. Christine gives me a gentle nudge and points in the direction of the eager onlookers. If you do make it down there and get the opportunity to see for your self we always love to hear updates or feedback. Oslob Whale Shark Resort has a restaurant, outdoor swimming pool, a shared lounge and private beach area in Oslob. Airport shuttle. I bet back in the day it was a pretty harmless interaction when it was small scale, but unfortunately these activities grow into money makers at the expense of the animals. I am really glad to come across your article. Eventually, just like pressure on elephant riding tours and tiger temples in Thailand, there will be enough voice to support the issue. Our Oslob Whale Shark Encounter leaves Granada Beach Resort at 5am for our 20 minute air conditioned van ride to the village of Tan-Awan where the Whale Sharks naturally congregated during their seasonal migration. While you did say that people shouldn’t stop going overnight, sort of, you did basically say that people shouldn’t go and gave alternatives (“So if you shouldn’t swim with the whale sharks, what should you do?”). Unlike your experience they don’t feed the Sharks, but the tourist industry around swimming with them is big money and has boomed substantially. It’s just difficult to reconcile this particular activity with so many worse things going on. While I can definitely see the point you make, there are some fundamental differences between Oslob and Apo Island. For some people it is about choosing their battles, because it is very difficult to fight every war going on when it comes to consumerism, the environment, animal welfare, etc. There needs to be more protection and enforcement, even Tubbataha reef has had dynamite fishing in the off season. I just spent some time in Australia and did whale watching and dolphin feeding over there. You may be lucky to see even a whaleshark over here, without the feeding practice! That’s great that you’re also helping your kids understand the issues. The Oslob Whale Shark Tour Philippines should truly be on everyone’s bucket list.
Very informative and a good eye-opener for my fellow Cebuanos. Long famous for its scuba diving, the Philippines also pleases with whale shark encounters. All the best with your future travels and if you come across any diving/marine activities that are supportive of animal welfare be sure to drop us a line , Thank you for this article! I look up from the boat and realize we’re a lot closer to shore than I thought. that’s when it gets dangerous. At the end of the day we all just want to see these amazing animals thrive in a natural environment that doesn’t affect them in the long run. If not, it’s like your turning your cheek to a specific species of animals. I can definitely see the Aussie freedivers point of view regarding the shark fin industry, but that also shouldn’t happen. Strictly limit the number of visitors, like on the Galapagos Islands, and increase the “entrance fee” to an amount that ensures the locals a decent life. Luckily there’s no shortage of amazing responsible tourism opportunities to view marine life in the Philippines: like being able to swim with turtles on Apo Island only a couple of hours south of Oslob.
* Local Guide
And I have no plan of doing so. That made us suspicious and after doing some research we knew, we WILL NOT do a tour there. Thanks a lot Sadie! Once we did, a small group at a time would go swim out to find the whale shark that was spotted. Other locations off the coast of Dumaguete, Donsol and Pintuyan are known for whale sharks in the right season. Like many animal tourist activities, there are always a number of factors to consider regarding animal welfare, sustainability and overall community impact.
They also have the difficult task of juggling marine conservation, local community development, education initiatives and Philippine bureaucracy. Add a Sumilon Dive or Snorkel trip to your Oslob Whale Shark tour and save P500 per person!! It was an amazing experience and as far as I could tell it was not an organized thing, rather just lucky timing. Very spot on article. As we said in the article, we were pretty close to doing it as well, so we’re definitely not judging anyone. We really appreciate the support and encouragement . As a diver, I’ve walked into dive shops, and said directly, “Hi. Granada Beach Resort Oslob Whale Shark Encounter includes: *Please note these are wild animals and not caged. If you want to see changes then with animal welfare across the board. “Amazing how foreigners cares more than Filipinos out there! Thanks a lot Sarah. Is your private beach next to the property or do I need to use a means of transportation to go there?
Hey Reni thanks so much for the kinds words and the support. So glad you liked it Sima Other activities could be visiting Moalboal and exploring the waterfalls, or perhaps snorkeling in the sardine run.
To minimize the impact of tourism on the whalsharks in Oslob and to ensure the income of the locals I see only one way.
but also hear great things about Southern Leyte (Haven’t been though!). Research and investigation is always the way to go, as there are definitely initiatives out there that are helping support animal conservation. Some of these behavioral and habitat changes include: The main reason the whale sharks visit Oslob everyday, and keep returning, is because they’re getting fed. Great stuff Katie! Having a swim with the whale sharks might sound like a fun idea, but it quickly turns from interesting attraction to animal exploitation if tourist interaction is impacting the species and it’s habitat.
We noticed hundreds of anchovies breaching the shore, a few minutes later someone yelled “Whale Shark!! If you are snorkeling with the whale shark you have to watch an introductory video on rules and responsible practices and methods to report abuse and an infractions’ appropriate fine before meeting your Butanding Interaction Officer (B.I.O.) Understanding the culture in the Philippines generally, it’d certainly be better to write that it should be regulated and would become a much better activity if they did so, i.e.
Researchers have also reported that whale sharks now associate other non-tourist related boats with feeding, causing them to get injured when they come too close to motors and oars. That being said, if you must know, we’re vegetarian, but we’d probably be more inclined to call ourselves ethical consumers. However, I have been a few times, and when you enter the water the butanding always has the option to bolt if uncomfortable. Do you know much about whether it is done sustainably (without feeding, less crowds, not touching etc) in other parts of the world? But don’t fret. A well written article, but rather hypocritical to judge turtles visits as being ok, while whalesharks are not. Sometimes issues occur and the camera could not work.
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