Los Cabos Whale Watching Tours To Start In 9 Days

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With the arrival of the winter, whales finally reach the coast of Baja California Sur after a long journey that started months ago in the Arctic. 

But while the first whales have already been spotted in the Los Cabos municipality, whale-watching tours are still not available in the area. 

It will still take about 9 days before these services will finally be offered to tourists eager to see these gigantic marine mammals. But why?

Why will whale-watching tours start operating about 9 days from now? 

Tourists who are now in Los Cabos or planning to head there soon may now be wondering why, despite the presence of whales in the area, whale-watching tours are still not being offered. 

The answer is simple and has to do with low demand. According to the Association of Aquatic Service Providers of El Médano Beach this year, tourists seem to not be interested in spotting this marvelous animal leisurely swimming in its natural habitat. 

This is why this association made the decision to postpone whale-watching tours to the next 9 or so days, when demand will hopefully be higher.

This will roughly coincide with the beginning of the official whale-watching season, formally beginning on December 15 and ending in April. 

But how low is the demand compared to last year?

According to Raúl Olivares, the President of the Association of Aquatic Service Providers of El Médano Beach, stats are up to 50% lower compared to previous years. 

These numbers not only refer to whale-watching tours but also to other activities. Talking about this issue, Raúl Olivares declared: “Compared to other years, we are at 50%, sales have been declining. We are now fully into the high season.

We are seeing that tourists do not want to spend (money), and there is very little demand for trips to the arch, for parachutes and motorcycles. The influx is very low and I don’t know what is happening.”

Waiting for official permits to be delivered

Apart from low demand, official permits still need to be delivered by the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas.

At the moment, there are 124 companies registered in El Médano Beach providing whale-watching services which should receive their permits within about 9 days. 

“Tourists are asking about the whale watching service, but it is not the time yet. Authorizations for the trips will be given in about [9] days, let’s hope they arrive in a timely manner. We are already seeing cetaceans in the bay or in the Pacific corridor, but officially there is no permit,” said Raúl Olivares. 

A few alternative activities 

But what about those tourists who have already booked their holidays and will arrive in Los Cabos before whale-watching tours will start operating? 

Thankfully, there are a few other activities for tourists to enjoy their Los Cabos vacation. For instance, the whale shark swimming season has officially begun in Los Cabos.  

The first whale sharks were finally spotted in La Paz just a few days ago, leading The National Commission of Protected Natural Areas to give the green light over the weekend.

Animal lovers can also opt for a day spent bird watching in the estuary and bird sanctuary of San José del Cabo where over 100 species of migratory and shorebirds together with fish, turtles, and other marine animals live in complete harmony. 

People wanting to immerse themselves in unspoiled nature can also opt for one of the two UNESCO-certified natural areas in the municipality: Cabo Pulmo National Park and Sierra de La Laguna Biosphere Reserve. 

The former is located about 60 miles northeast of San José del Cabo and is particularly renowned for its snorkeling sites. Here, animal lovers can observe all types of sea creatures, ranging from predatory sharks to humpback whales, ospreys, sea turtles, and humongous rays.

The latter, the Sierra de La Laguna biosphere reserve, is especially popular among hikers as it features several paths for all levels of fitness, passing by stunning landscapes and the most unspoiled nature in the municipality.