Is it ethical to swim with whale sharks in Oslob? 2025

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If you have ever dreamed of seeing (or even swimming with) a wild whale shark, you might be aware that Whale Shark encounters are very rare. You need a lot of luck or a lot of time to see a real whale shark in the wild. There is, however, one exception to this rule: you can reliably find whale sharks swimming in the ocean by Oslob (a small, beautiful town on the southeast coast of the island of Cebu in the Philippines).

You might have heard mixed reviews about the Oslob whale shark experience. It is a very popular activity, and it can be very busy. More importantly, some people argue that the whale shark experience is unethical, so we wanted to take some time to address this. Is it ethical to swim with whale sharks in Oslob?

LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO STAY? If you’re planning to see the whale sharks we strongly recommend staying in Oslob. Many people miss this amazing area! We personally stayed at Sacha’s Resort in Oslob – we we’re genuinely very impressed with the quality for the price – and the ocean views are truly amazing here!

Why do people argue that this is NOT an ethical experience?

People generally have two main arguments against the Oslob whale shark experience. Firstly, they argue that the whale sharks are overcrowded by swimmers, and they argue that this is distressing for the animals. Secondly, they argue that feeding the whale sharks to keep them in the area is also unethical. They argue that this could affect the whale sharks’ health, feeding behavior, and even affect the ecosystem. So, are these concerns valid? Is it ethical to swim with whale sharks in Oslob?

This is a controversial question

Just like most questions about ethics, this one is controversial. In this article, we will try and present arguments on both sides of the debate. We will also share our own humble opinions based on what we saw and experienced when we went swimming with whale sharks in Oslob. We will try to keep this article as balanced and objective as possible. If you are interested in the whale shark experience, we will share a few details at the end of this article so you can plan your own trip.

Is it ethical to swim with whale sharks in Oslob?

1 Are the whale sharks actually overcrowded?

In our opinion, this is the least valid and justified concern. Firstly, the whale shark watching team in Oslob have taken several measures to ensure that the whale sharks are not overcrowded by swimmers. They now use a lineup formation for the boats so that the whale sharks can swim along the line. This gives each boat an opportunity to see the whale shark swimming past. This also prevents the whale sharks from being surrounded or overcrowded by swimmers. Furthermore, they have a maximum visitor limit of 3,000 visitors per day.

They also have several rules to protect the whale sharks’ space and dignity. Swimmers are asked to stay at least 4m from the whale sharks (this rule is enforced for humans; however, the cheeky whale sharks don’t always obey this rule and occasionally swim towards people). They also have a no touching rule (of course, if you keep to the four-metre rule, you wouldn’t be able to touch them anyway!).

It is also worth considering that the whale sharks are completely free in the water. There are no nets or underwater boundaries keeping them in the area (we even had a rather exhilarating experience when a giant whale shark swam underneath our boat!). So, even if the whale sharks were getting distressed by the crowds, they can swim away very easily. The overcrowding argument is both invalid and inaccurate.

Additional measures to protect the whale sharks

Not only are the whale sharks protected from overcrowding, they also take additional measures to protect the whale sharks. For example, they have a no sunscreen in the water rule. Swimmers are asked not to apply sunscreen before swimming, and if you already have sunscreen on, you are asked to remove it. Furthermore, they also have a rule that prohibits the use of flash photography, which could startle the whale sharks.

2 Is it a problem that the whale sharks are fed in Oslob?

Possibly… this is definitely more of a valid concern. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of feeding wild whale sharks, then you may want to avoid the Oslob whale shark experience. The only reason that you can reliably swim with whale sharks in Oslob is because they are fed bucket loads of tiny shrimp. This food is safe, healthy, and part of a whale shark’s natural diet.

However, feeding a wild animal will inevitably have some impact on their feeding habits and therefore also on the wider ecosystem. (Feeding relationships in marine ecosystems are often fairly complicated and notoriously hard to monitor.) If it helps to ease your conscience, it is worth recognizing that whale sharks eat copious amounts of food each day (the amount they eat at the whale shark watching experience is relatively small in proportion to their total diet). The whale shark watching activity only occurs between 7:00 am and 12:00 midday. At any given time, only one or two whale sharks are actually being fed.

Some advantages of the whale shark watching experience

There are arguably some advantages of the whale shark watching experience in Oslob. The locals genuinely love, care for, and respect the whale sharks. They are protected from hunting and from other destructive forms of human activity. The locals monitor the health and well-being of the whale sharks. Swimming with whale sharks can also be an important opportunity for people to connect with the beauty and value of our natural resources, creating an attitude of deeper respect and care for the environment.

Keeping everything in perspective

Some people have a strict principle that humans should not interfere with natural ecosystems. According to this idea, humans should try to stay away from wild animals as much as possible. If you agree with this principle, then we do not recommend the whale shark experience. However, on the scale of animal encounters, the whale shark experience is relatively ethical. Consider, for example, the fact that in some places whale sharks are kept in aquariums in captivity. This is much more concerning and problematic than swimming with whale sharks in Oslob. So, relative to the full scale of animal encounters, the Oslob whale shark experience is not particularly problematic.

Summary: is it ethical to swim with whale sharks in Oslob?

Overall, we are not particularly concerned about the ethics of swimming with whale sharks in Oslob. The typical arguments against this experience are not particularly strong or convincing. Furthermore, the locals take a lot of measures to protect the well-being and dignity of the whale sharks. In fact, there could even potentially be some advantages of the whale shark watching experience in Oslob.

The authenticity of the Oslob Whale Shark Experience

Rather than being concerned about the ethics of swimming with whale sharks, you may be wondering about the authenticity of this experience. Swimming with whale sharks in Oslob is clearly not as authentic as having a serendipitous encounter with whale sharks in the wild (which can happen from time to time if you spend enough time in the water in the right areas). The whole experience can be very intense and tiring. Generally, you will need to arrive very early in the morning, queue, and wait for hours. You are then popped on the boat and get to swim in the water for around 30 minutes. If you are not put off by the crowds and the waiting, we still think the whole experience is worthwhile on balance.

Swimming with whale sharks is genuinely one of our top travel highlights (and we have traveled all over the world for many years). So, personally, we are not particularly put off by the questionable authenticity of this experience.

In brief: how do you swim with whale sharks in Oslob?

An appropriate way to end an article like this is to give you a few tips and pointers. (For those who are fully opposed to the whale shark experience, feel free to skip this final section.)

BEST WHALE SHARK TOUR FROM CEBU CITY

The best way to see the whale sharks in Oslob is to take a bus from Cebu City to Oslob and stay for one night. We recommend reserving a slot on the official Facebook whale shark watching reservation page – there are quite a few similar pages on FB so make sure you use this link (Oh yeah – It is free to reserve a slot; you just need to be organized!) All you need to do after this is turn up at your reservation time and pay 500 pesos per person (the normal price), then wait for your boat to depart. Find out More about Reserving your Slot on Facebook.

If you are unable to reserve a slot on the Facebook page, you will need to turn up very early (we recommend around 4 a.m.). You will then need to wait in a queue for several hours before you can register and wait a few more hours before your boat departs. If you’re in a rush and only have time to stay in Cebu city – why not just book a Whale Shark Tour on Klook? Get your ducks in a row and get it booked 🙂