A chance to interact with whalesharks is very much possible in Legazpi,Philippines specifically in the town of Donsol,sorsogon.It is a quite peaceful province visited by tourist all over the world of this spectacular one of a kind experience during their Butanding (whale sharks) season which is said to be from January to May.
Just 45 minutes through plane from Manila,you'll reach the town of Legazpi and from there you take a van for an hour and a half to get to Donsol.
Best time to interact with them is during the morning when the sun is not hot yet.Youll need to pay for a boat (1500 for 6 pax),and its up to you to share with other guest to save money.You'll be oriented with the do's and dont's on how to interact with them through a certain video program.Once you're on a boat,a boat crew will give the signal if there's already butanding roaming around that area and you need to jump with your lifevest and snorkel to swim and catch seeing the whalesharks.
Tips:
Be careful swimming with other swimmers,keep distance with excited people so you wont get hit with their fins.
Additional Infos:
The reason why Donsol is inhabited by Butanding during this season is because it is rich in planktons which feed them.You'll find that it's an extraordinary experience to get upclose with Butanding which are amazing and extremely huge.They are scary in size (15 ft.long) but you'll see why their considered to be one of man's bestfriend.You cant be bored at night, sail in a river to see the fantastic fireflies sightseeing.
You can also find the Mayon Volcano in Legazpi.
