All year-round, whale sharks are spotted in different parts of the globe. They always make for a great sighting and diving experience as the largest ocean creatures are shy, slow-moving, and friendly to humans

 A Glimpse on the gentle giant

At the depth of about 100 meters, a large, threatening shape lumbers along, approaching the direction of the diver exploring the marine environment. A creature as large as a school bus enters his view, opens its huge mouth, and gulps its supply of plankton. Satisfied, the creature swims away, flicking its tail for good measure. Despite weighing up to 15 tons and growing up to 40 feet, a whale shark is one of the most docile creatures of the deep. Mostly found in tropical and warm seas, whale sharks feed mainly on invertebrates such as squid, microscopic plants and plankton. Environmentalists are rushing to their aid, campaigning against their hunting, since they are the frequent targets of fishermen. Unlike the great white or the bull shark, whale sharks are not man-eaters. They can even be playful with divers without causing any risk, except unintentionally hitting their playmates with their tails. Divers, however, are advised never to touch the animal and to keep at least a three-meter distance for safety. Shining a spotlight on the ocean’s gentle giants, We scour the places where whale sharks can be spotted at any month of the year.

January to March: From Mozambique to Belize

Summertime is whale shark time in Tofo Reef, Mozambique. Whale sharks used to frequent the waters of Indonesia, specifically near the Handeuleum and Peucang Islands. Since the 2004 tsunami, they can only be seen from March to April in West Papua, North Sulawesi, Komodo and Nusa Tenggara. For a less expensive whale-watching, backpackers go to Pulau Weh on the northern tip of Sumatra. Although the Bahamas is more popular for its caged shark encounters and shark feeding, it is also notable for the occasional whale sharks that inhabit both the shallow and deep reefs of West Bahamas especially during winter (January and February). In Myanmar, whale sharks can be specifically seen in Mergui Archipelago and in Burma Banks from February to May. Myanmar’s waters were only officially opened for diving in 1997 and so the dive spots were virtually undisturbed for centuries. In Sri Lanka, whale sharks swim alongside World War II wrecks. March and April holds a small window of opportunity to see the Great Basses and Southeast Coast’s migrating whale sharks. In Belize, whale sharks go by the moniker “Sapodilla Tom” because they can be regularly seen near Sapodilla Cayes on the Belize Barrier Reef. These species also congregate at Gladden Spit and off the Belizean Caribbean Coast to feed on the spawn of giant cubera snappers, which are abundant in the waters between the new moons and full moons of March and September.

April to June: From Australia to Micronesia

Two to seven whale sharks can be seen every day from late April to July in Australia’s tropical to temperate waters, specifically in Ningaloo Reef, North Coral Sea, Christmas Island, and Outer Barrier Reef, a part of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, the planet’s largest coral formation. Eco-tours to see the whale sharks are available for all ages. In Mexico and throughout Latin America, “pez dama” is the term for whale shark. Sometimes also called “domino” for its checkerboard back patterns, the whale shark can be seen in Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Isla Holbox in Yucatan in April or May. Considered as one of the world’s best diving destinations for its abundance of marine life, Micronesia has species like baby whale sharks, which can be specifically spotted in Malem Reef Shelf, Kosrae, on either May or November, the end of the typhoon season.

July to September: From Ecuador to South Africa

Galapagos Islands harbor large schools of fish, including whale sharks, continue to inspire divers from July to November. In Madagascar, whale sharks are known as “marokintana” or “many stars” because of their hind spots. The East Coast’s Nosy Be and Sainte Marie or Nosy Boraha become huge tourist attractions from August to September as many types of whales and sharks, including humpback whales and whale sharks, are migrating in their part of the Indian Ocean. The Tanzanian islands of Mafia, Pemba and Zanzibar are the route of migrating whale sharks from September to March. Meanwhile, Cape Town, Durban and Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park in Sodwana Bay are South Africa’s best bets when it comes to watching whale sharks from the shore or up close from a boat between August and October. The creatures, however, can still be spotted throughout the year but in less numbers.

October to December: From the Philippines to Maldives

Locally known in the Philippines as “butanding,” whale sharks flank to feed in the plankton-rich Philippine seas between December and June. Thousands visit each season to swim, dive or simply observe this great animal’s behavior as it joins hundreds of its relatives in eating microorganisms off the coast of Donsol in Sorsogon, Pasacao in Camarines Sur, Batangas, and El Nido in Palawan. From December to September in Baja California, La Paz, divers can swim with whale sharks even without a diving gear as there are plenty of opportunities for close encounters. In Maldives, December to April gives the waters of the North East, the South West, and Ari Atoll a high visibility to see manta rays and whale sharks. In 1995, whale shark fishing has been banned in the country since locals used to extract oil from the whale sharks’ livers to treat boat hulls.

All-year-round: From Seychelles to Honduras

Seychelles continues to awe-inspire with its variety of ways to watch up to eight whale sharks at a time. Perhaps the most adventurous, uncanny way to see one is through an aerial survey on board an ultra light aircraft. If the pyramids of Giza are Egypt’s upland pride, down under, it’s the whale sharks of the Red Sea that attract thousands of divers and snorkelers from all over the world. In Kenya, “papa shillingi” is the term for whale shark, after a belief that God threw shillings on the shark which eventually became its spots. Whale sharks are widely distributed across Kenya’s Northern and Southern seas but more especially in Chale Island, where a majority of these creatures congregate. In a Vietnamese these species are dubbed “Ca Ong,” which literally means, “Sir Fish.” Jacques Costeau, the French scientist who pioneered marine conservation, is said to have discovered his passion for diving in Vietnam’s Whale Island, where whale sharks can be spotted together with whales, sharks and other marine life all-year-round. North of Whale Island is Nha Trang, whose gently sloping dives to deep drop-offs make diving with whale sharks ideal for both beginners and professionals. Nowadays, divers can be considered lucky if they can see even one plying along Richelieu Rock, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Surin Islands, or Hin Daeng at any time of the year.