Marine safaris are gaining momentum as one of the emerging trends in eco-tourism. More and more travelers are seeking experiences that allow them to move beyond conventional routes, explore marine ecosystems, and observe wildlife in its natural habitat.
But the value of these experiences can go far beyond adventure. When encounters with marine life foster knowledge and a deeper connection with the ocean, tourism can become a powerful tool for conservation.
Understanding to Protect
At Saving Our Sharks, we seek to ensure that every encounter with the ocean leaves visitors with more than just a photograph. We want people to learn about its species, understand their importance, and discover the threats they face.
Because we cannot protect what we do not understand.
Shark Safari represents far more than a shark-watching experience. It is an example of how tourism can create a meaningful connection between people, communities, and the ocean, a connection that begins with an experience, continues through knowledge, and can ultimately inspire participation in the conservation and protection of marine ecosystems.
It is precisely from this vision that Shark Safari was created, operated by Cooperativa Kab Xok and supported by Saving Our Sharks, the initiative has helped train the Maestros del Mar (Masters of the Sea), former shark fishers who voluntarily left their livehood to dedicate to shark protection through research, monitoring, and sustainable tourism.
Alejandro Zozaya, President of the Saving Our Sharks Foundation, and Antonio Cue, Board Member, with the Masters of the Sea from Cooperativa Kab Xok.
Shark Safari: An Experience for Conservation
Shark Safari takes participants to Arrowsmith Bank, an underwater seamount located approximately 25 nautical miles east of Isla Mujeres.
The site serves as a nursery area for silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis), particularly young specimens. During the expedition, participants snorkel in this open-water zone, allowing them to observe sharks in the wild and in their natural environment.
The expedition lasts approximately 4 to 6 hours, depending on weather conditions. Because these are encounters with wild animals, more than one trip may occasionally be necessary to locate the sharks. The experience currently has an estimated sighting rate of approximately 95%.
Departures leave from Marina Hacienda del Mar in Cancún at 8:00 a.m. and from Cooperativa Kab Xok in Isla Mujeres at 7:40 a.m. The journey to Arrowsmith Bank takes approximately one and a half to two hours. Once the first shark is located, participants spend approximately 45 minutes to one hour snorkeling before beginning the return journey.
The experience costs USD $250 per forigner visitors, MXN $3,300 for Mexican nationals and residents, and USD $1,500 for a private boat.
Photo: Shark Safari – Joel RodrÃguez
But the experience does not end with the sighting. Shark Safari is also an opportunity for citizen science. By bringing people closer to sharks in their natural environment, we seek to create a connection that is difficult to achieve through photographs, documentaries, or written information alone. Seeing these animals, observing their behavior, and understanding their role within the ecosystem can transform the way we perceive them, and, ultimately, our willingness to protect them.
Taking the Conservation Message to Everyone
For Saving Our Sharks, this work of raising awareness does not end when an expedition comes to an end. The true impact lies in ensuring that knowledge and the conservation message reach more people.
That is why we work to bring shark conservation to different sectors of society, from spaces connected to luxury tourism, such as LuxuryLab Global and LuxuryLab ESG, where we have shared our initiatives with leaders and professionals from the tourism and luxury sectors, to hotels, universities, government institutions, and communities across society.
Melodie Treviño, CEO of the Saving Our Sharks Foundation, sharing the conservation message at LuxuryLab Global and LuxuryLab ESG.
Pamela Vázquez, Sustainability Director of the Saving Our Sharks Foundation, promoting environmental education with hotel staff in the region.
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