Whale Sharks at Gladden Spit
About Whale Sharks Gladden Spit
Visit the whale sharks Gladden Spit — the most easterly part of the Belize Barrier Reef within the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve. Notably, this is a spawning aggregation site for many tropical fish species, including cubera, mutton, and dog snappers. These fish produce tons of spawn.
The spawning occurs around the full moon to last quarter during March to June. As a result, it attracts the whale sharks to Gladden Spit near Placencia in Southern Belize. Above all, whale sharks are the biggest fish in the ocean, growing up to 60 feet (18 meters). They’re gentle filter feeders that eat plankton and spawn.
Whale Shark Tour Dates
We schedule whale shark tours from April 1 to 11, May 1 to 11, and May 31 to June 10 in 2026. However, we need to caution you about sighting history. Dates for 2027 are April 20 to 30, May 20 to 30, and June 18 to 28.
Recent Whale Shark Sighting History
TRIP PLAN
We run two excursions into the whale shark zone with an authentic Belize-style picnic lunch on the boat. During the lunch break, we snorkel in an area just inside the barrier reef. Notably, this area features plenty of reef fish and healthy corals. Additionally, the lunch break offers an excellent opportunity for snorkeling just inside the barrier reef.
In accordance with Belizean sustainable tourism practices, the government allocates time slots for whale shark diving and snorkeling to tour operators. As a result, our departure time from Placencia depends on the assigned time slots. The travel time from Placencia to Gladden Spit is one hour and thirty minutes.
**Note:** the minimum age to enter the whale shark zone is 14.
