Swimming with Whale Sharks in The Wild

Swimming with these Gentle Giants off the coast of Pintuyan in Southern Leyte is a fantastic experience, and something I've for a long time been wishing to do.
IMPORTANTLY, in this area the Whale Sharks are NOT fed by humans, so the risk of interference with their normal migration & reproduction cycles is low. Needless to say, I will never support the operations elsewhere that do feed them for no other reason than attracting tourists.
In this Pintuyan Whale Shark conservation area, only snorkelling is allowed, and a visiting boat can only stay up to 3 hours. Having the local fishermen association safeguarding this area is, in my opinion, the best way forward for supporting local businesses without risking the long-term well-being of the Whale Sharks.
Getting to this location takes some time, but I'd say it's well worth it.
A normal length of an adult Whale Shark is 12m, and during the 3 trips we made to the waters off Pintuyan, we encountered a few different individuals of different sizes.
Credit to DM Jordan @petersdiveresort9306 for contributing the free-diving clip of the whale shark opening its mouth to feed 🙏🏼
Cheers
Retiree in The Wild