When the Mighty Creator showered natural wonders to the world, Cebu was surely was not spared.
Tourist, foreign and local, have been flocking Cebu due to it pristine beaches and cultural heritage as one of the top reasons. Lately, Cebu has been a buzzed of sightings of gentle giants in the southern shores of Cebu.
Rumors have been circulating that Whale Sharks in Cebu (Butanding in Tagalog and Tuki in Bisaya), normally only constantly seen in the deep blue seas of Donsol (Sorsogon), have been roaming the shallow sea of Oslob. Upon knowing this, we immediately planned for the trip but did not set a definite date. Sadly, the news broke out mainstream as it was featured on an environmental show on national TV so we had to redo the plan and headed to check out the whale sharks less than a week after the news broke out.
The trip to Oslob, Cebu takes 3 hours from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. It’s a dizzying ride through the winding road in Southern Cebu but it is all worth it once you see the gentle giants.
I (Edcel) have visited and swam with the Whale Sharks in Oslob, Cebu twice, Sheena once, and every experience is still mind-blowing and breathtaking. The first time I was there (Sheena did not come because of work. Yes, work sucks!), I was so excited I immediately undressed, boarded the small boat, wore the snorkel and flippers and swam right away only to find out afterwards that I forgot to take off my cheap ass non-waterproof wristwatch!
Only a few meters from the shoreline, you will immediately see silhouettes of the giants. Seeing silhouettes then a glimpse of the dorsal fin makes you want to make a drop right away and swim. These giants are hand-fed by the local fishermen (this is maybe good as this makes sure that the whale sharks will stay in the vicinity but this could also be a bad practice as this deviates the whale sharks from their natural hunting and eating habit which could result to them being too dependent to the fishermen), so if you want a really good view of the whale sharks, it is best to stay near the boatmen feeding them.
Non-swimmers like Sheena, will end up hanging on the outrigger boat but they will still be able to get a good view of the Whale Sharks but it will not be as good as the view if you are able to take short dive and swim along with the Whale Sharks.
Rules have been implemented, though not too strict, to protect the whale sharks in the shore of Oslob so it will be best to follow them. I was inches away from the whale shark but I did not bother touching it as it was part of the rules. You have to fight your urge as it is discipline on our side that will keep the Whale Sharks to stay in the same place and not feel threatened by the presence of humans swimming with them. While snorkeling, always be weary of other whale sharks in the vicinity. You may hit or bump into one while viewing another. Again, It will always be best to stay away from their path for them to feel more secure even with all the attention they are getting. The first time I was there, there were 3 whale sharks in the vicinity, while there were 5-6 the second time I got there and we were lucky enough to get a view and swim with the 27ft long Whale shark.
Whale Shark Watching in Cebu total expenses:
149 PHP – Cebu-Oslob Bus fare
149 PHP – Oslob-Cebu Bus fare
100 PHP – Resort fee
200 PHP – Boatman fee
100 PHP – snorkeling gear rental
—–
698 PHP – total expenses
Here is one of the observation that I have that the locals have to look into to protect the Whale Sharks in Cebu. Whale Sharks have a tendency to bump into the small boat you are in expecting to be fed, hurting themselves in the process. Also, as the spot becomes crowded, most of the Whale Sharks roaming around looking for food get hit by other boats unintentionally. Though I also noticed that the boatmen are always alert if whale sharks are on their way and they shout at each other to avoid the whale sharks or maneuver the boat to avoid hitting them and I have to applaud them for that. The second time I was there, I saw one whale shark with a broken tail fin and the broken end was flailing around like a flag. I asked the boatman whether they know the real reason behind that but they could not identify what caused that. Experts must look into that to check whether the break was caused by other predators or it was an injury inflicted by unintentionally scraping into boats.
Let me point this out again. It is discipline on our side that will keep the Whale Sharks to stay in the same place and not feel threatened by the presence of humans swimming with them. So, follow the rules set and do what you think is best for the Whale Sharks in Cebu. If you see anybody disobeying the rules, it will be best to report them to whoever is in charged for them to be reprimanded and dealt with accordingly. The locals have done a good job in protecting the whale sharks and it is active involvement on our part (as visitors) to also do our part in protecting them.
Love your post, especially the last paragraph! 🙂 We should all do our part to make sure they stay. Hay kamiss, what an awesome experience!
yay for whale sharks! maytag ma implement jud ang strict rules ani brad…
nice… 😉
by chenz
@Jovial Wanderer – the whale sharks, as big as they are, can’t aggressively protect themselves so we should do our best to do the protection for them 🙂
@lakbay – dapat jd brad. bisag pasakaan pa nila ang presyo basta majustify lang pd nga gibuhat nila ang tanan para implement ang strict rules sa whale watching
@Chenz – definitely 🙂
waaahsuya ko! can’t wait to swim with the giants. Happy New Year guys! 🙂
yes, thanks for sharing the warning. we know how much of a challenge it is with the influx of tourists that are dropping by. I want everyone to experience what we’ve experienced. thanks again sangay!
wow! really amazing! i envy you and yes i’m one of the LOSERS coz I don’t know how to Swim :'(
@Khaye ahahaha welcome to the club!
Very nice!
I’m planning to go here soon! It’s great that you’ve included your total expenses.
But would it be alright for the whales? Some people react to this because it’s not natural for the whales…hmmmm…
Cool 🙂 What resort did you stay in Oslob? Can you please share the contact details? And what is the best time that you could swim with the gentle giants?
@Anonymous
the resort had no name but it’s the resort managed by Reneboy. it’s best to go there early in the morning, 6AM.
I want too experience swim with the whale sharks !!
Hi Edcel, can you give me the contact info of Reneboy’s resort? Also, if you don’t mind can you post the room rates? Thanks
Poor whale shark with a broken tail fin! 🙁 I wish more concern travelers (like you guys) would also respect THE RULES and resists the urge to touch them
Nice post! We are planning to have a side trip in Cebu this June so I just want to ask if the life vest is included in the snorkeling gear rental because we are also non-swimmers aka losers! hahaha! ヅ
@Angela – im sorry but we do not have the number to the resort
@Carmi – some people just can’t seem to resist the stupid side of themselves. can’t even follow simple rules. just sad
@^_^ wReY and R0bbY – when we wen there, life vest was free but as of now, I think you will need to pay 50php for the vest