NOTE: We don't want to throw shade at all if you’re keen to do it in Oslob. We just want to share why we chose not to, so you’ve got all the info to make your own decision.

Oslob is famous worldwide for its whale shark encounters. And it's true that this tourism has definitely helped lift the local town out of poverty, which is huge... 

But after doing our research and reading the reviews of some tours, the whole thing just didn’t sit right with us. 

We’ll explain why we chose not to do it, better alternatives, and how to get there if you still want to go:

WHY WE CHOSE NOT TO DO IT

• It is an unethical, unsustainable tour option, more like a feeding zoo for whalesharks than a wild interaction with them

• Boats use bait to attract the whale sharks, so they’ve learned to associate boats with food. 

• Propeller cuts are common because the sharks swim so close to boats.

• Dozens of boats and hundreds of people line up from 3-4am. It’s crowded and stressful for both visitors and the animals.

• Some reviewers claimed that it felt like a zoo, while others saw the whale sharks getting kicked.

BETTER ALTERNATIVES

We know we’re lucky enough not to have a fixed travel schedule. We could grab our stuff and travel somewhere else in the Philippines to do this experience.

That’s why we were able to head to Southern Leyte (another option is Donsol), where you swim with whale sharks in a more sustainable way:

• We swam with three whale sharks, five swims, all in natural conditions

• They spot the whale sharks thanks to local skippers on kayaks. They drag them behind the boat in a line, and then they wave their oars when they spot one

• They don’t use baits to attract them

Not gonna lie though, getting to Southern Leyte takes a while and there is NO GUARANTEE of seeing them at all. We ferried (a long way) from Siargao to Liloan port and then drove (a long way) to this place. But it was 100% worth it for us.

TO ACCESS OSLOB (if you still want to go)

Again, zero judgment if you decide to book in Oslob. Planning a trip is hard enough already, and everyone’s circumstances are different.

We just want to raise awareness for other options and explain why we skipped it. That said, if you want to do the whale shark experience in Oslob:

• Around 3-4 hours south of Cebu City by bus or van.

• Whale shark tours start VERY early, pick up from Cebu is around 2:30 AM

• Prices range anywhere from ₱4,000 to ₱7,000

We recommend searching for tours and reading the reviews in Viator and Get your Guide to help you choose the best tour for you.