Whale Shark Sightseeing Spot
Whale Shark Sightseeing Spot
Whale Shark Sightseeing Spot
3.5
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Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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3.5
31 reviews
Excellent
18
Very good
2
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
7
AJH1964xxx
Hoorn, The Netherlands186 contributions
Apr 2024 • Friends
About 20 min by motor tot the east from the city of Gorontalo.
First you have to register and they explain to you about the whale sharks
There are several small wooden boats that take you 20-30 meter off shore from the beach
Yes the big fish are feed with small shrimp’s ….but are free to leave any time. I was lucky to see 3 whale shark…it’s not every day they come to this place.
First you have to register and they explain to you about the whale sharks
There are several small wooden boats that take you 20-30 meter off shore from the beach
Yes the big fish are feed with small shrimp’s ….but are free to leave any time. I was lucky to see 3 whale shark…it’s not every day they come to this place.
Written 8 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nadethgloria
Jakarta, Indonesia70 contributions
Oct 2020
It's one of a lifetime experince meeting mighty whale shark. You can meet them everytime, you need to play with your luck to even see and meet them. Our driver suddenly tell us that there's some whale shark come near the spot so without preparation we go there. It's really sad because you actually can do snorkeling or diving there. And I'm not kidding but they're really huge. You need to rent some boat to go the the spot.
Written 8 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Minia B
Rome, Italy42 contributions
July 2023 • Couples
the operation of the place involves getting on a boat, going a few meters and attracting whale sharks with food. in reality it would be a behavior prohibited even by some billboards on the beach. it's not good for animal welfare, which must remain wild and unaccustomed to human beings, this FOR THEM, if you want these species to continue to exist, they must have the right to remain WILD. plus I saw two people even touching the whale shark. It's fine to organize a tour to try to spot them, but without giving food, without making excessive noise and at the right distance. I would not go back to funding activities of this type, which in the long run only harm the life of this beautiful species.
Written 2 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julia F
2 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
If you expect to see wild whales sharks don’t go there. They are 20 meters away from the shore and completely fed by the locals. They look like domesticated dogs circled by around 15 tourists snorkelling.
Written 4 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nomad594917
1 contribution
Aug 2018 • Couples
Please don't go there anymore cause thes feed the animals and it will help to extinded the whale shark! It s important for the whale to do the migration and if the are feed, they don't move and they will die!
Please, if you like whaleshark you have to preserve their lifestyle and don't participate to thes attractions if they feed the animal.
Please, if you like whaleshark you have to preserve their lifestyle and don't participate to thes attractions if they feed the animal.
Written 3 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marissa B
4 contributions
July 2018 • Solo
Please stop going to this place, they throwing a lot of food in the water to attract the animals. Because of this in the future the whaleshark will not continue there emmigration which is terrible and will distroy the natural way of living (like what happend in Oslob Phillipines). Please think twice if you want to be part in bad tourist stuff like that. It has nothing to do with taking care about the animals and is all about earning money. People know that they can earn a lot of money with it so they want to be sure that the whalesharks are there when the tourists want to see them. Do your homework on the internet about the
Whaleshark tourism, I can not imagine you still feeling happy about it afterwards.
Whaleshark tourism, I can not imagine you still feeling happy about it afterwards.
Written 5 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tabea S
7 contributions
Feb 2024 • Solo
They not only feed the whalesharks but they also put a net around so they can’t even escape.
So poor. I just watched from beach the scene and than decided not to go.
Please stop this!
So poor. I just watched from beach the scene and than decided not to go.
Please stop this!
Written 23 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KBBB2018
London, UK79 contributions
Mar 2018
Please note there are no longer whale sharks in Gorontolo. The occasional one pops up as with any marine life. But the 13-19 who were based here due to a shrimp factory dumping its waste into the ocean and the unethical tourism industry which sprung up around it, in 2016 are long gone.
Do not get tricked by any dive / tour company with the promise of whale sharks.
Do not get tricked by any dive / tour company with the promise of whale sharks.
Written 18 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marten Chandra
Gorontalo, Indonesia7 contributions
Mar 2019 • Family
Number one tourist attraction in gorontalo,
You have to visit this place when in Gorontalo.
The only place in indonesia where you can see and feed the whaleshark very close.
And its only about 20-30 meters from the shore.
Using local wodden boat, they will “call” the whaleshark by knocking their wooden boat.
And “they” will amazingly appear to show their “big mouth” asking you to feed them.
An extraordinary experience, and its also very affordable!
You just cant miss it when you are in Gorontalo.
You have to visit this place when in Gorontalo.
The only place in indonesia where you can see and feed the whaleshark very close.
And its only about 20-30 meters from the shore.
Using local wodden boat, they will “call” the whaleshark by knocking their wooden boat.
And “they” will amazingly appear to show their “big mouth” asking you to feed them.
An extraordinary experience, and its also very affordable!
You just cant miss it when you are in Gorontalo.
Written 14 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marini Naomi O
Jakarta, Indonesia19 contributions
June 2017 • Friends
A day before we flew to Gorontalo, our local guide said the whale sharks are still playing along the shore. We arrived in Gorontalo on 22 June 2017 morning time, and went straight to Desa Botubarani to see the whalesharks. When we were preparing for our first dive, the local fisherman said there were group of orcas yesterday, the whalesharks are gone. We tried again EVERYDAY for 5 days, but too bad the whalesharks didn't want to see us. I recommend you to ask the local guide first before going to gorontalo, and pray for miracles.
Ah, I heard from the locals, when you visit the whaleshark, you HAVE TO feed the whalesharks with head of prawns, that you have to buy from the locals.
Ah, I heard from the locals, when you visit the whaleshark, you HAVE TO feed the whalesharks with head of prawns, that you have to buy from the locals.
Written 3 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there, in addition to the previous post: any chance of spotting whale sharks end of July? Are they seasonal? How/who to contact to make a booking? Thanks in advance!
Written 6 June 2017
Whale sharks come and go periodically
Written 12 December 2022
Hello,
I would like to know if we still able to see whale shark in gorontalo at the moment?
Thank you !
Written 11 April 2017
no whale shark anymore but if you need information this is my facebook harry gobel gorontalo
Written 11 April 2018
Hello,
I would like to know if we still able to see whale shark in gorontalo at the moment?
Thank you !
Written 11 April 2017
Whale Shark can be found along the equatorial. Eat plankton and sometimes seaweed. Because of its big body, Whale Shark never be found near the beach, except in Botubarani Beach, about 6 kilometer from Gorontalo City. They can be found only 5 to 10 minutes drive by boat until deep sea (drop). They visit here occasionally, but mainly in May to find warm water. It is their aim and not for food. If we feed them with shrimp heads (not prawn heads, because it will too big for mesh/screen of their teeth). People cannot fulfill their feed until full, so they will go to open ocean to search more feed by theirself, certainly after warm water condition is convinience for them. Certainly their instinct are still ok.
Botubarani Beach is in the border of deep open Molucca Sea and Gulf of Tomini. Whale Shark never into the Gulf of Tomini, they know they can be trapped there.
For who want to snorkeling/diving with them, don't hanging at them, give room for their maneuvers and stop the boat engine when approaching them, use paddle, don't lazy and don't pointing the flash to their eyes.
Written 29 July 2018
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