Diani Beach is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks get close to land. Take your chance and go swimming with these gentle giants of the sea, who can grow up to to 18 metres long and weigh up to 20 tons.
In Swahili this giant of the ocean is called Papa Shillingi (shark with shillings). The name comes from a local story that tells how God was very pleased when he saw this beautiful, huge fish in the ocean below. To show his appreciation he told his angels to throw golden and silver coins on its back all the way from heaven. This is why the shark is now covered in spots, and why it swims near the surface; thanking its maker for its beauty.
There are only a few places on earth where it’s possible to go and swim (snorkel or dive) with whale sharks, since they are migrating fish who only come close to land in a few places. In Diani beach these amazing creatures can be found from December to mid March, with February and March being ideal. As whale sharks are harmless to people (they only eat plankton and small fish) it’s possible to go out diving or snorkeling with them.
However, when booking this excursion it’s good to keep in mind that whale sharks are huge in size but can still be hard to find in the vast Indian Ocean. But if you manage, it will be the experience of a lifetime…!
Whale Shark Expedition
