Swimming with the Whale Shark on Isla Holbox

Trip Start Jul 06, 2006
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Trip End Aug 19, 2006


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Flag of Mexico  ,
Tuesday, October 17, 2006

I had an amazing week in Tulum. It was sad to leave and I found myself for the first time on my own and heading north to an island off the coast from Cancun called Isla Holbox (pronounced Holbosh). Unlike the other Mexican islands of the Caribbean it was said to be less frequented by foreigners. Attractions include the flora and fauna, flamingos, dolphins and numerous enormous whale sharks that frequent the surrounding waters. After two buses and a boat ride over to the island I found myself strolling down the sandy streets in search of accommodation. I wasn't on my own for long. Who do I run into but Santi and Juan who I had met in Tulum as part of the party crowd. They were with two new friends, Honfry and Adriana drinking Tequila in a beachside restaurant. All of them are from Spain, Honfry from El Salvador originally hence the mid afternoon soiree. One thing is for sure, Spaniards sure know how to have a good time. I found a room and then returned to join them. I also made plans to join them the next day to swim with whale shark
A whale shark
A whale shark
. The crew were staying in hammocks in a well equipped camping ground not far from the beach.

I joined them for breakfast the next day before heading out with them on the boat. I had no preconceptions about what it would be like to swim with a shark but after that first breath taking experience of swimming alongside this large, spotted, vegetarian beast looking straight into it's eye and seeing it's breath released from it's gills, I was in awe! It was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. We each swam twice with a whale shark in pairs. They seemed to be everywhere swimming lazyly around us and quite happy to be in our company. It some instances they would circle back to swim with us again and again. It truly was amazing.

Another highlight of Holbox was bumping into Jerome again. He had emailed me to say he was headed to Tulum and I was under the impression that I had missed him and would not see him again. He had befriended a local Mexican girl and I was lucky to meet her family and eat traditional Mexican food that they prepared in their open air street side cafe.

The other highlight of my time on Holbox was salsa dancing with the crew and more new travelling friends from the camping ground at a local club into the wee hours of the night then retiring to hammocks on the beach to watch the shooting stars.

We all left the island on the same early morning boat after three fun filled nights. I said my goodbyes to my new found friends and on my way back to Tulum decided to keep going to Laguna Bacalar, a massive lake set in the jungle near the border of Belize. I left Jerome and Rocela, an Italian girl I had met in Tulum and kept going south.
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