Whale sharks are found throughout the world in tropical and warm-temperate seas. However, there are some hot spots around the world where you are most likely to see encounter whale sharks.

Whale sharks are found throughout the world in tropical and warm-temperate seas. However, there are some hot spots around the world where you are most likely to see encounter whale sharks. There are fourteen of these whale shark hot spots around the world (that we know of):

• Utila
• Japan
• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Philippines
• Ningaloo Reef
• Galapagos
• Gulf of Mexico
• Belize
• South Africa
• Mozambique
• Sychelles
• Maldives
• India

In more detail; whale sharks are a pelagic (open sea) species and studies show that they prefer warm waters with a surface temperature between 21-30º C. There are places in the world where whale sharks do come inshore or close to land. Utila is fortunate in that most whale shark sightings are within 2km of the island, making them relatively accessible. Utila also has one of the most reliably present populations in the world that comes so close to the shore. For example, in the gulf of mexico Whale Shark encounters take place after a 1 to 2 hour fast boat ride from shore and because of this are accessible only to dedicated whale shark tours. In Utila because the whale sharks come so close to the reef we are able to see them during surface intervals between dives on the fringing reef around Utila.