My husband and I had the most incredible experience. Our guide Eddie was excellent. He made us feel save through the entire experience. Eddy and captain Ali were professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. They were respectful of the ocean life which was important to us. It's obvious they truly love what they do. I HIGHLY recommend this company and crew!

Very professional and personal experience. We booked this tour for a special purpose (engagement/proposal) and our driver (Eddy) did a tremendous job. Brough us to a nice and calm place and surprised us while taking (professional) pictures.

This tour was outstanding. Our guide, Eddie, was knowledgeable and respectful of the whale sharks while ensuring that we each had a memorable experience. Our boat captain, Pablo, was safe throughout the trip. This was an experience that I’d highly recommend.

It was a long day but an incredibly amazing trip! It is a long boat ride to start with (2+ hours), but that is to be expected as we need to go out quite far to see the Whale Sharks. Our tour guide was very helpful and the captain was attentive. My partner was seasick, despite having no issues with boats previously. They offer anti-sickness tablets, so I would recommend taking them, even if you have had no problems on boats before. The stop afterwards on the beach was beautiful and the guacamole and ceviche were delicious! We had also gone through the mangroves of Holbox on the way back and saw some great animals. Would definitely recommend.

I can’t speak highly enough about VIP Holbox as your guide for this incredible adventure. Their guides are bilingual, their staff is competent and knowledgeable, and they do their absolute best to ensure a successful trip. I had promised my daughter a graduation trip. She said she wanted to swim with whalesharks. Knowing that we are going to see wild animals in unpredictable conditions I decided to book a private tour. This means you pay for the boat, the guide and the captain regardless of how many passengers you have (up to 8 I believe). It was only the two of us, my daughter and I. Our guide was Willi and our captain was Ali. It’s important to understand how swimming with whalesharks is conducted when you decide to choose what company will charter you. The first challenge to overcome is to find a whaleshark. Once a shark has been found, it is common for boats to signal each other and that boats converge on that location. Since only two people and a guide are swimming with the shark at any given time, boats line up and take turns to drop people in the water to start their swim. So to understand the math, if there are four boats, each with 8 passenger, that is 32 people taking turns, two at a time, to swim with the shark. You will get an opportunity every 16th turn. Eventually the shark will start to get stressed and attempt to avoid the swimmers. We were out during a rougher sea making it harder to find the shark as the waves obstruct signs like fins. So naturally, like many other boats do, we went to a location that had found a shark and boats were already taking turns. Not ideal, but we did one swim. Then our guide and captain made a bold move. They decided to leave the shark we were with in an attempt to find one on their own. The move is bold because from a business perspective you can end up with complaining customers because you spent your time looking for a shark when there were known locations already. However, with great risk comes great reward. After twenty minutes of searching we encountered a shark. Probably 25-30 feet long. But now, we’re the only boat, it is only two of us, the shark is not stressed, and any other boat is quite a distance away before they can join us. My daughter and I had an incredible experience. Compared to the normative experience of having a brief moment, we were able to swim for a very extended period of time next to such a gracious animal and just coexisting…in harmony. About 25 minutes later other boats showed up…but we had already had the experience of a lifetime. After the other boats showed up we did stay for a while to continue the experience and we were able to observe other boats and their guides. There is a quality difference. We got clear and concise instructions to make the most of our experience, while other boats dropped off their people and only confusion arose severely reducing the experience. If you’re going to swim with whalesharks, I can recommend VIP Holbox. I further suggest getting your own group a private boat, and make decisions with your guide and captain to maximize your experience.

Great experience with our tour guide, Willy, and captain, Ali. They were very professional - we were the first boat to find a whale shark of the day and Willy expertly took us swimming with the whale shark, making sure that everyone had time with the animal. He gave very clear guidance and explanations and assisted those that needed more help such that they would feel comfortable. When the location we were at suddenly was filled with other boats, Willy and Ali took us to a different location where there were even more sharks and fewer boats! They made sure everyone had a good experience and constantly checked in to make sure we were happy. On the tour, we stopped to see dolphins twice which was amazing, had very fresh ceviche, and visited a mangrove. Overall, it was an amazing and memorable experience, made even better with Willy and Ali. 10/10 would recommend!

We had a fantastic time on our whale shark tour with VIP Holbox. Our guide Willi was clear with instructions and the crew were very organized and efficient in getting us into and out of the water. This meant we had more time to swim with the sharks! Captain Eddi was outstanding at navigating the surrounding boats and positioned us perfectly each time to swim with the sharks. We were very fortunate that there were 30-50 sharks in the area so we swam with a different shark each time. On the way out and back we also saw turtles, a manta ray, and flamingos. We stopped at a beach near Cabo Catochet for a break to walk around while the crew made lunch. The ceviche and guacamole were both really good, everyone posts this, and its true. The whole VIP team was professional, helpful and responsive. Silvia answered all my questions leading up to the trip and Gustavo was honest and upfront when we had to reschedule due to a tropical storm delaying our planned excursion. VIP was upfront about the 2-hour boat trip to get there and another 1.5-2 hours back. It is not an exaggeration, so be prepared for a long boat ride, but it is totally worth the effort. There are a lot of crews and companies that take people out, but I sincerely believe our VIP crew of Captain Eddi and guide Willi were exceptional. Their skills and professionalism made for an outstanding experience!

Wonderful trip to swim with whale sharks in the wild. It’s a long journey approx 1.5hrs to the middle of the sea and then another 30-45mins searching for the sharks. On the way we saw some dolphins. The journey is bumpy on the waves. We were not offered sea sickness pills but luckily had taken some so we would recommend you take your own, as you may feel nauseous when the boat stops. The guide found the whale sharks and we had a magical 20mins or so before other boats joined when it was just our boat and the sharks. You enter in pairs with the guide and swim for approximately 2 mins, then the next couple get in the water once the boat repositions itself infront of the path of the shark. The encounter felt a bit rushed however we did get to swim with the sharks pretty close up. We repeated this so each pair had 2 swims with the 2nd swim when we had other boats in the area. Luckily we were in high season so there were a number of sharks in the water, and it didn’t feel too over crowded otherwise it may not have been such a magical experience due to the sheer number of swimmers and boats. After the whale shark encounter it was off to a lovely beach for lunch and then back to Holbox island. Would recommend if you are in peak whale feeding season, otherwise it may not be so magical. It’s our 2nd time swimming with these creatures having done so at Donal in the Philippians over 15 years. This one felt more commercial and crowded and rushed compared to our previous encounter, so if the seasons are right we would probably say go there for a more magical experience

Willy and Captain Jorge were incredible. They took us just a little further out than other boats and what we saw was life changing. The gentle majesty of the whale sharks was awe inspiring. We then went to a protected area where we experienced rays, pelicans, mangroves, and quiet waters. Take nothing but pictures. The ceviche Captain Jorge made was top notch. We had a bonus dolphin sighting on our way back. My daughter and I will never forget this.

Amazing experience! Willy was an awesome guide. I would highly recommend this tour! It is worth the money! We got to swim with the whale sharks, see some jumping manta rays, dolphins and even flamingos. Very cool.

I can’t say enough good things about this outfit. Our whale shark excursion was phenomenal. Saw so many whale sharks, and the footage that Diego was able to take of my family and me has amazed everyone who has watched it. Then the guacamole and ceviche on the return trip…..outstanding. Just an amazing day for all of us. One we will never forget. We were also in Holbox for Hurricane Beryl. Willie with VIP Holbox kept in touch with us, letting us know he would be there to assist if necessary. Fortunately it did not come to this, but the offer was above and beyond our expectations. Strongly recommend you go with VIP Holbox Experience. Cade E.

This is a fun way to see more around Isla holbox. Gustavo was our tour guide, he made us feel like family. You can swim in a cenote, walk on a sandbar, see flamingos and more! You capfuls tell Gustavo really cares about the ecology of Isla holbox and enjoys his work.

AMAZING!!! We couldn't have asked for a better day. Our guide, Gustavo, was INCREDIBLE! He made sure that everyone got to experience the joy of seeing these majestic creatures in their wild habitat. You could tell that he cared for our safety while respecting the safety of the whale sharks! This is definitely a well run tour. Thank you, VIP!!

I had an incredible tour! The boat ride, though long, was enjoyable with stops to see dolphins and turtles. Swimming with the whale sharks multiple times was the highlight for sure. We also visited a private, remote beach where the captain prepared fresh ceviche. An unforgettable adventure I’d love to repeat!

This experience for humans is a nightmare for the animals. Hundreds of boats are chasing a few whale sharks, trying to feed. The boats are very loud; we all know the sounds spread faster in water, and the whale sharks are very sensitive to sound. Moreover, the boats release chemicals in the water that kill their food. The locals explained that this activity is done disrespectfully towards nature. They push further and further away the sharks from their feeding grounds. Please read before booking if you want to be educated, informed, and intelligent (not egoistic).