Tan-Awan Feeding whalesharks
The fishermen on the southern tip of Cebu Island near Oslob have grown accustomed to feeding whale sharks in an effort to increase tourism in the area.
There is a marine sanctuary in Tan-Awan where the sanctuary administration is set up under some trees and the local boat men are hired to take the tourists sightseeing.
Visitors pay the 300 peso park fee, grab a life vest and their camera and are off watching whale sharks. Many visitors swim with the whale sharks but some prefer to take photos from the boat. There is no danger from the whale sharks – some people just don’t care to swim!
youtube – whaleshark watching
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbLY3Nw2cAs
This whale shark is swimming up to the boat for a few hand fulls of shrimp. The sharks are familiar with hoards of tourists and seem to be almost friendly.
The whale sharks are almost tame and will come right up the the boat for a snack.
There are no motors or propellers used in the whale shark watching sanctuary near Oslab. Consequently the sharks are in pristine condition and have very few injuries to their fins and tail.
These whale sharks are beautiful and gentle but you must stay a distance from them when snorkeling because their huge size could be a danger to you. They are plankton eaters and have no teeth.
you tube – whale shark eating breakfast
Simply amazing!
Whale shark sanctuary at Tan-Awan Oslob.
Visitors arrive in the morning and listen to a quick briefing, then pay 300 pesos each for a 30 – 60 minute boat ride. The green ticket you get has two parts – the boatman gets one section which he turns in later for a 200 peso payment from the Oslob Resorts and Recreation Commission. The visitors tent sells tickets starting at 6am and they close at 1pm.
Scuba divers from local resorts show up every day too. Their activity doesn’t seem to hinder the whale sharks but some people question if the feeding of these whale sharks disrupts the migration patterns of these magnificent sharks!
It seems that there are 150 to 300 people per day visiting the sanctuary. The ticket sales are open until 1pm after lunch. Try not to arrive past 1pm or you will not be able to get a ticket and will have to wait until the following day.
There is little lodging available in the area at this time but many snorkelers just drive down from Cebu City in the morning and have a day in the sun watching the whale sharks swim near the beach. Some visitors get accommodation in Oslob and quite a few come down in the morning from Moalboal on the west side of Cebu Island. It appears to me that most visitors just make a day trip out of the adventure.
Some of the dive shops in Moalboal, Dumaguete, Dauin, Bohol and Sumilan Island bring boat loads of guests in the morning. It seems to work but it does get a tad bit crowded at times.
Feeding whale sharks in Oslob Cebu
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First, the tickets have “whale watching” printed on them. These animals are sharks, not whales!
Second, while it is admirable that only paddle boats are being used, there have been reports of sharks with bruised mouth areas due to their bumping of the bancas while begging for food. The feeding practice will only increase the injuries these animals will receive.
Third, whale sharks have teeth; in fact, they have on average about 2,000 teeth in their mouths. However, these teeth are tiny, and serve no function while feeding.
Hey DP, good meeting you today in Oslob and hanging out. Hope you made it back safe. You have my contact info now, so shoot me an email and I can share some ideas regarding what we talked about. Take care…
Hi Dutchpickle,
Do you have any info on up to what month the whale sharks can be seen in Oslob? I’m flying to Manila this April and would really like to be able to see this gentle giants in person. I’m about to go to Donsol for this but it would be better to go to Cebu if they are there too because there’s at least a place for a goodtime in Cebu. Thanks for the photos, they are very nice.
Best,
Manuel
Hello Adobo,
There really is not a set pattern in Oslob yet to use as a reference. No one really knows what is going to happen with the whale shark migration patterns in that area.
Donsol generally has a heavy concentration of whale sharks in Feb, Mar, and April every year.
good luck
Would you know how to get to Oslob from Moal Boal? I really appreciate you help
Hello Feliza,
Take a Ceres Bus Liner south along the coastal road – transfer to one of the other buses continuing to Oslob, but get off in the Tan Awan barangay. You will see a lot of whale shark advertising in that area. The whale sharks are not actually fed in the town of Oslbo – that business is down in nearby Tan Awan.
(just mention to the bus driver or ticket checker and they will know where the place is.
There are also several operators in Moalboal that make scuba or snorkel trips to the site. They are rather expensive – but more convenient.
good luck
dp
Hi! we are planning to overnigh stayt at Oslob but I couldn’t find any ad online, do you happen to know accommodations/ hotels/ inns etc? Thanks!
Just keep in mind that the whale sharks are actually viewed in the barangay Tan Awan which is maybe a 30 minute drive from Oslob. There are a few places to stay there but I do not have recent info. If you have a vehicle it might be best to just arrive in the morning in Tan Awan. It is not that long of a trip even from Dumaguete – (just take the roro ferry Maayo Shippng ve and drive down to Tan Awan if you chose that route.