Swimming with whale sharks, July 2nd 2025. Photo/Aqua Blu Expeditions
Seeking a surreal and unforgettable experience in Indonesia? Swimming alongside whale sharks will do the trick, writes Lachlan Rennie.
It is 4.45am, yet as I stare out at the black ocean, I feel wide awake. It is because shortly I will be swimming with something that I have only ever seen in books: a whale shark. I run along and join the rest of my fellow passengers who buzz with excitement as we sip coffee and prepare for the excursions.
We set out on the smaller motorboats, leaving my temporary home, Aqua Blu, behind. The salty morning air whips in my face as I look to the sky above, which remains dark with the Milky Way still clearly visible above us. In the distance, a large, imposing mountain looms, and one of the guides explains it is Mt Tambora, the site of the largest recorded eruption ever, one that left the world with a year without a summer.
With my head still spinning with this information, I then ask how we plan to find the whale sharks. Pointing to various lights floating across the bay, he says we are visiting the Bagans, floating fishing platforms. After fishermen pull up their catch for the night, it leaves an irresistible buffet for the whale sharks that patrol these waters.
There is still so much we don’t know about the largest fish in the world. They can grow up to 20m and weigh as much as 34,000kg. Yet for all their size and shark name, they present little danger to humans as they’re filter feeders that primarily eat plankton and small fish.
Soon we reach a Bagan, which bustles with fishermen hauling up nets. Our guide starts chatting with one of the fishermen, but it is cut short by a cry, “There’s one!”. I swivel and see huge fins swirling underneath the boat. I’m in disbelief when I see the space between the dorsal and tail fins is larger than our 6m boat. No time to waste, we grab our snorkels and jump into the balmy, clear water.
It’s not long untill I see a shadow in the water heading straight for me. It’s a 10m long whale shark with a gaping mouth. Despite my somewhat frantic attempts to move out of its way, it takes no notice and gracefully swims underneath me. The shark then cuts vertically across and seems to asssess the fishermen hosting off their boat but I’m soon distracted by a 12m shark cruising past me towards the free feed coming from the ship.
I’m transfixed by their graceful movements as they glide through the water, mesmerising as they hoover up plankton and fish fragments in long, meditative sweeps. Smaller fish also dart around, and remoras cling to the bellies of the sharks like hitchhikers.
Like human fingerprints, each shark’s skin is a unique constellation of white spots and stripes and watching them float past fills me with a heady mix of awe and fear.
I lose track of how long we’re in the water, sitting in a trance-like state, before I’m tapped on the shoulder. Time to surface. As I break through the surface, I’m momentarily blinded by one of the most breathtaking sunrises, the sky exploding in streaks of orange and yellow.
Back on the boat, everyone is buzzing. We exchange stories and impressions, trying to capture the experience. As the Bagans shrink behind us, and we head back to the Aqua Blu, I can’t stop smiling.
Out of all of the amazing adventures I got to experience while aboard the Aqua Blu, this was the clear winner. It was more than a wildlife encounter. It was a quiet, unforgettable moment in the presence of the ocean’s giants. I couldn’t recommend it more, and I’ll carry it with me always.
Indonesia
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Labuan Bajo with one stopover in Denpasar.
DETAILS
Bali to Komodo Luxury Cruises | Aqua Expeditions
aquaexpeditions.com
New Zealand Herald Travel sailed as a guest courtesy of Aqua Expeditions.