Oslob Whale Shark Encounter
Dive site
Whale sharks gather each morning off Tan-awan Oslob where local fishermen have fed them uyap (small shrimp) since 2011. Snorkellers and divers enter the water at first light and spend up to 30 minutes alongside animals that can reach 10 metres. The interaction is controlled by strict rules: no flash photography, 4-metre minimum distance, entry capped at a set quota per session. The programme is ethically debated but remains the most reliably close whale shark encounter in Southeast Asia.
Conditions
Depth
3 to 20 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
8 to 18 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
26 to 30°C
Tropical wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | calm | calm | calm | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
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