It has been observed since that there has been a large growth of tourists wanting to see these beautiful Oslob Whale Shark. Sometimes, it may be harmful for the very existense of the Oslob whale shark in the area. Too much crowd may shoo away the whale sharks and we may never see them again swimming freely near the beaches of Oslob. This rising activity caught the attention of some government officials in Oslob and they decided to make guidelines for tourists who want to swim with the whale sharks.
The Municipality of Oslob now takes control the Whale Shark Watching and other whale activities in Tan-awan. The municipality issued an ordinance that took effect last April 15, 2012. They passed a resulotion numbered 326 ammending the old oridnance regarding the control of Whale watching activity in the area. The amended ordinance provides measures which protects and conserve not only the whale sharks but all marine wild life in the area. Penalties and fines are given to all those who violates this new ordinance.
Here are the new guidelines under the resolution:
- All whale shark watchers must undergo orientation at the Briefing Center
- Whale shark watchers are limited to 30 minutes
- Life guards will be on site during whale watching hours
- Dive Centers bringing visitors must be accredited with the Municipality of Oslob
- No feeding of whale sharks by unauthorized personnel
- Only staff from accredited organizations may guide visitors.
To enjoy your whale activity and maximize the event here are some tips on what you should do.
1. Swim in a safe distance from the whale. Swimming with these whale sharks, even though how gentle they are you might get caught even by a gentle motion of its gigantic tail. Avoid touching the gentle Oslob whale sharks as you might scare them away.
2. Swim within the reach of your boats. The boatman serves as your support and security personel. You must be near the vessel so that the slightist untowards incident help will be on your reach.
3. You must not be noisy as you may disturb the whales and may shoo them away from their natural habitats. Remember that we are the visitors in the Oslob whale sharks home. Allow them to move freely.
4. If you are not a good swimmer, inform your guide and the rest of the company. Wear your life gear properly and ask for assistance if you want to go for the swim. Prepare all your gears like snorkels. We suggest that you must be physically prepared for the activity. Much better if you have practice snorkeling and deep water swimming so that you will know your limits and enjoy more your encounter with the Oslob whale sharks.
Diving Fees :
For Foreign Visitors:
- Whale shark watching from a boat = Php 500.00
- Snorkelling with whale sharks = Php 1,000.00
- Scuba diving = Php 1,500.00
For Philippine Visitors:
- Whale shark watching from a boat = Php 300.00
- Snorkelling with whale sharks = Php 500.00
- Scuba diving = Php 600.00
Cebu Bohol Travel and Tours also offer Oslob tours that includes swimming with the Oslob whale sharks and other Cebu Tour adventures. Just follow these links:
- Oslob Whale-Tumalog-Kawasan Canyoneering
- Oslob Whale-Sumilon-Kawasan Canyoneering
- Oslob Whale-tumalog-Sumilon Island
- Oslob Whale-Tumalog-Simala
- Oslob Overnight Full Adventure
- Oslob Overnight Budget
Or just visit our site Cebu Bohol Travel and Tours.
