Whale sharks (butanding in Filipino or tuki in Cebuano) are common in the Visayas waters. Whale shark adventures await as you visit Oslob, Cebu—just off-shore from a beach in the small fishing village in Tan-awan, Oslob, Southern Cebu. You can expect watching up to 9 whale sharks including mature males, females and some juveniles.
Whale Shark Watching
Local Oslob fishermen feed the marine creatures in Oslob with uyap (small or brine shrimps). This practice started when a fishermen led a butanding in front of a dive shop in Oslob as visiting divers are watching. By December 2011, tourists were flocking to Oslob, Cebu not just for watching the creatures being fed but also to do snorkeling or diving with them.
Oslob whale sharks are fed from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the best time to visit Oslob, Cebu for watching and diving is during weekdays because the place gets overcrowded during weekend and public holidays. With the help of our Cebu car rental service, we can surely bring you to this adventure and let you get the Cebu experience
Diving Whale Sharks
For your whale shark encounter in Oslob, Cebu you can do scuba diving and snorkeling, or even hire a fishermen’s boat or outrigger boat to get near the whale sharks. When diving, some protocols should be followed when snorkeling or diving with them. This included watching and keeping a distance of at least 3m from the whale sharks, no touching by hand, foot or camera, no blocking of path leading to the feeder’s boat, and no using of strobe or flash lights. Only the feeders are allowed to feed the whale sharks.
Whale Sharks in Donsol
Whale sharks can also be seen in Donsol Bay in Sorsogon. They can be spotted from outrigger boats in Donsol Bay which then approach the whale sharks and allow a limited number of visitors into the Donsol Bay water for watching or snorkeling, but scuba diving is not permitted in Donsol.
Donsol whale sharks are protected. Although diving whale sharks in nearby areas like Oslob is allowed, only snorkeling is allowed in Donsol. The best and most reliable interactions, however, are in Donsol, watching the whale sharks come right up to the surface water of Donsol Bay.
