The cape verde islands are where they mate, after which the. With a maximum of just eight guests in our boat, we have a peaceful, personalized experience that few visitors who come to see whale sharks experience. We operate every day of the season, the exceptions being bad weather, circumstances beyond our control, and needing a minimum number of passengers to run a tour on a given day. Ambergis caye because its closer to all the hol chan snorkeling and san pedro and finding food shouldnt be an issue. Mar 08, 2016 diving with shark in boa vista island cape verde ivonilson gois. Light vertical and horizontal stripes form a checkerboard. The whale shark is the largest noncetacean animal in the sea. To swim with the whale sharks or not belize lonely planet.
The deep cape verde waters offer volcanic lava shoals falling sheer away to revealcaves and cracks full of tropical fish. There are some good snorkel tours where youll likely have young sea lions swim around you. To limit the spread of the coronavirus, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. From the months of july to november, it is the best opportunity to spot a whale shark in the waters around cape verde. They larked around as if no one was watching, twisting and turning as they hunted for. The best island to stay on for whalewatching is boa vista, with march and april being peak season, although sightings are possible from late february to may. They didnt bite and would swim away if we approached them, we were told. You can swim with mafia island whale sharks mainly in the period from october to march. Sharks, sandy beaches, salt mines and allyearround sun is. A complete list of the shark attacks that have occurred in cape verde. Jun 04, 2014 ilha do sal, cabo verde 20 dji phantom, zenmuse h32d gimbal, fatshark attitude sd, gopro hero 3 duration. The diving season is yearround with flat seas and the best visibility during summer in cape verde.
This endangered marine mammal was heavily hunted worldwide until 1966 until the commercial hunting was banned. Whale sharks found only in mafia island and not zanzibar or else where in tanzania. Dolphin and whale watching holidays with archipelago choice in cape. This familyfriendly excursion takes the guesswork out of the equation. Cape verde is well known as a haven for water sports lovers, from kitesurfing to scuba diving. The whale shark is enormous and reportedly capable of reaching a maximum length of about 18 metres 59 feet. Swim with whale sharks in cabo and see them upclose cabo. Dolphin and whale watching in cape verde is still a bit of a novelty but with the increasing number of visitors, the demand for this experience will certainly increase. A few hundred humpback whales of the total population make a seasonal migration between iceland, norway and cape verde. The whale shark is a filter feeder one of only three known filter feeding shark species along with the basking shark and the megamouth shark. The general water temperate is ranging between 23c to 27c.
Its strategic position in the atlantic ocean, about 500 kilometers off the coast of senegal, created an economic benefit to early settlers. Jun 08, 2016 cabo whale shark season report by philipp moser jun 8, 2016 blog 1 comment may is the month where almost all the big animals that annualy visit the baja california sur region leave. Sep 10, 2017 sharks, sandy beaches, salt mines and allyearround sun is why cape verde is a delightful getaway sunshine is guaranteed and there is less than a millimetre of rainfall in a month jacob lewis. The republic of cabo verde or popularly known as cape verde is an archipelago filled with 10 volcanic islands in the central atlantic ocean. Theres a lot to see here and figuring out a tour plan on your own is challenging. Sharkbay,cape verde sal spotted little lemon sharks 6102017. Nobody really knows how many whale sharks there are, but it is well known that their number is limited and is declining rapidly. Best times for swimming with whale sharks essential. Great dive trip with 7 sand tiger sharks in our local dive spot shark point reef 25m deep with scubacaribe boa vista with divemaster licinio. The whale shark is the largest species of fish in the world and is. It sits 570 kilometres350 miles off the coast of western africa and is part of the macaronesia ecoregion. Smaller sharks, black and white tips can be openly seen from the beach if you know where to look. Ningaloo whalesharks operate whale shark tours from the 15th march to the end of september each year, which covers the entire ningaloo whale shark season in exmouth, and we consistently have swum with whale sharks most years at these times.
You require a visa for cape verde and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months. The average size of adult whale sharks is estimated at 9. Whale shark season officially begins in octoberbook today. The marine life is certainly abundant and there is the novelty of being in the atlantic yet encountering tropical fish such as parrotfish, angelfish or the occasional whale shark. The best places to swim with whale sharks lonely planet.
See the highlights of sal island in the company of a certified tour guide that will introduce you to the island, its locals and sights, and cape verde in general. Is it still worthwhile to visit or am i better off waiting another year and trying again to come jan mar. The presence of the humpback whale at cape verde is special. Cape verde is a great place to make this dream come true. The waters around the archipelago are diverse in marine life and contain one of the worlds most important coral reefs. In summer, humpback whales spend their time feeding on krill, plankton and small fish in the cool waters of the polar regions, before heading to warmer tropical waters, each winter, to. Our guide on our boat was eric and he was great and so was the boat driver but i forgot his name. Here we give an insight into what lies beneath the waves.
Shark diving cape town swim with great white sharks. They are the largest extant fish species and, when fully grown, can weigh well over 20,000 pounds and reach lengths easily exceeding 30 feet. Seeing a whale, one of natures most magnificent animals, is a bucket list dream for many people. Every year from march to august, the worlds biggest fish congregate along the ningaloo reef. Season will reopen in simons town on the 16th may 2020 join a trip in the afternoon to seal island to cage dive with the great white sharks. Cape verde is the only known breeding ground for humpbacks in the northeast atlantic. The new whale shark watching season in baja california sur kicked off on the first of july. Information on cape verdes diving, diving cape verde, scuba diving cape. Whale sharks are slowmoving, filterfeeding carpet sharks found in tropical and warmtemperate seas. Banks accept credit cards, most other businesses do not. Last year i was at cote dor beach on praslin just after dark and a large pack of white tips came gliding in chasing bait fish also beau vallon is a good place to see.
The humpback whales arrive at cape verde from december. Whale sharks at zanzibar tanzania lonely planet forum. Whale shark tour mexico ecotourism natural habitat. One of the largest ocean dwellers is found in the atlantic ocean around the cape verde islands. Often called the the gentle giants of the sea, whale sharks have been swimming the sea of cortes for thousands of years. Whale watching in cape verde cape verde forum tripadvisor. Hopkins because its slightly more affordable and closer to whale shark areas which i really want to do.
Diving with shark in boa vista island cape verde youtube. Please see our gansbaai and mossel bay shark diving tours to see the white sharks. Shark bay santa maria 2020 all you need to know before you. We went in mid march the guide stated the best time to view them is between october to may. Apr 06, 2015 sharks bay in cape verde is home to lots of lemon sharks. Please consult government travel advisories before booking. It is this that makes it possible to observe these animals in numerous locations around the world, including cape verde. Paddling with sharks in cape verde manchester evening news. Dolphin and whale watching in cape verde is still a bit of a novelty. Whale shark encounter by cabo adventures, cabo san lucas. Shark bay santa maria 2020 all you need to know before. June 719 is what i was told was the last whale shark season. These whales have a huge geographic range and are found in oceans all around. They were mean and harsh to him, but he came back to prove them wrong.
The 10 best cape verde horseback riding tours tripadvisor. Sharks, sandy beaches, salt mines and allyearround sun. The best islands for whale and dolphin watching are currently sal and boavista boavista has the largest number of sightings. The waters around the islands, in particular boa vista, are a breeding ground for the mighty humpback whales. At the meeting between tropical waters and atlantic currents, cape verde is a. Swimming with whale sharks isla holbox tour a second excursion offshore offers another magical encounter with the whale sharks.
Sharks, sandy beaches, salt mines and allyearround sun is why cape verde is a delightful getaway sunshine is guaranteed and there is less than a millimetre of rainfall in a month jacob lewis. The currency is cape verdean escudos and can only be exchanged on the islands. Diving is accessible year round, but the best season lies from april to november. But despite their immense size, they have docile natures. If the booking is on short notice a visa can be issued in salpraia on arrival for 25 euro. Whalewatching on the islands of cape verde cape verde. Whale shark season in the sea of cortez is early winter until late spring so you wont see them in july. But with the increasing number of visitors, the demand for this experience will certainly increase. When and where to visit cape verde africa destinations. The best island to stay on for whalewatching is boa vista, with march and april being peak season, although sightings are possible from late.
Whale shark encounter by cabo adventures tripadvisor. Can you tell me about your booking, where did you book and what was the cost. There are many wrecks, since sir francis drake accounted for many spanish galleons in these waters. Cape verde, a deep sea archipelago with 10 inhabited islands and 8 additional islets, is a veritable melting pot of portuguese and african cultures. Martina, no one in cabo verde offers swimming with sharks, you. Because of its dive perfect geography, it sports a year round diving season. Mako, tiger, blue, thresher, bull shark, ocasional white shark are all visitors. A 7 mtr whale shark at pontinha dive site during the afternoon dive delighted our divers for about 20 minimagine the smiles on their faces. The chance to snorkel with these gentle giants is the opportunity of a lifetime and visitors from all over the world head to the ningaloo reef during whale shark season to do just this.