On this page
- Where is Saleh Bay located and how big is it?
- How many whale sharks are in Saleh Bay?
- Do whale sharks give birth in Saleh Bay?
- Are whale sharks dangerous to swimmers?
- Which airport should you use?
- What is protected by law?
- What do the published prices on this page show?
- Which published prices did we check?
- What else does this Saleh Bay whale shark FAQ cover?
- Which sources support this page?
- How do I reach the desk?
By Saleh Bay Whale Shark Editorial Desk
Sourced figures: prices in the table carry their source and check month. Fees and fares change, and they are third-party figures, not our offers.
This Saleh Bay whale shark FAQ gives short answers to recurring questions. The bay is the largest on Sumbawa, Konservasi Indonesia counts 174 individually identified sharks up to 2025, and the species has full legal protection in Indonesia. Where sources give different numbers, both appear below, and each answer points to a longer page.
Where is Saleh Bay located and how big is it?
Saleh Bay lies on the north of Sumbawa in West Nusa Tenggara. Wikipedia calls it the largest bay on the island, on the north central coast, semi-enclosed by Moyo Island and the Tambora peninsula. The whale shark tourism area sits at Labuan Jambu Village in Tarano District, according to Kompas. For the longer version of any answer, start with our Saleh Bay whale shark overview, which links each topic to its own page and names the source behind every claim. Each page also lists its sources at the foot.
Its size has two published answers. Antara quotes the province's fisheries head at 1,459 square kilometres, with a length of 282 kilometres. A 2025 paper in Geographia Technica gives about 2,123 square kilometres. Neither source explains the gap, so we quote both. Even the compass point varies: Wikipedia says north central, while the IUCN shark specialist group factsheet says northeast Sumbawa, and sources also differ on which regencies border the water. Two of them place it between Sumbawa and Dompu, and a Kompas.com article names Dompu and Bima.
| Topic | What each source says | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Bay area | 1,459 square kilometres (provincial fisheries head, via Antara); about 2,123 square kilometres (2025 paper) | Unreconciled. Quote one only with its source. |
| Sharks identified | 108 (IUCN shark specialist group factsheet); 174 up to 2025 (Konservasi Indonesia) | Running lists at different dates, so always date the figure. |
| Embryos in the one pregnant shark examined | About 300 (Diversity paper); 304 (BBC) | The same animal, reported differently. |
| Largest length | 18.8 metres reliably recorded (Wikipedia); adults up to 13 metres with reports of 18 metres (CMS) | Worldwide figures. Saleh Bay sharks are mostly far smaller. |
| Lifespan | 80 to 130 years (Wikipedia); about 70 (Antara); 70 to 100 (The Langkah Travel) | All estimates. No source settles it. |
How many whale sharks are in Saleh Bay?
Nobody has published a census. The firmest number is an identification list. Konservasi Indonesia's 2025 report says 174 individuals have been told apart through photo-identification and citizen science up to 2025. Because a shark can only join the list after someone photographs it, that number tells you how many have been recognised, and the true total could differ. The IUCN shark specialist group factsheet drew on an earlier list of 108, and found 99% were juveniles or sub-adults. More on the counting method is on our page about how many whale sharks use Saleh Bay.
Do whale sharks give birth in Saleh Bay?
That has not been shown. The authors of a paper in Diversity report the first neonatal whale sharks recorded in Indonesia, and they suggest that the bay may be used for pupping and as an early nursery. "May" is their word, and it matters. Very little is known about whale shark birth anywhere: science has examined only one pregnant female, caught off Taiwan, carrying about 300 embryos at different stages, while the BBC gives 304. Read the evidence on our Saleh Bay baby whale sharks page.
Are whale sharks dangerous to swimmers?
The operator SB Excursions says there is no recorded case of one attacking a person. That is a seller's wording rather than a scientific finding, so read it in that light. Travel writers describe a more ordinary hazard: My Best Places to Visit calls an accidental tail bump the main risk if you get too close, and Dive Happy warns of being thumped by a tail. The longer answer is on whether it is safe to swim with Saleh Bay whale sharks, and the conduct rules are set out on our Saleh Bay rules page.
Which airport should you use?
Sumbawa has two airports, and either can start the trip. Wikipedia says the one at Sumbawa Besar, code SWQ, is served by Wings Air from Lombok and Denpasar and is one of only two on the island. The other, code BMU, lies about 10 kilometres south of Bima, and Wikipedia lists Wings Air to Denpasar, Lombok and Makassar and TransNusa to Denpasar. Route lists date quickly and sellers do not always match them: The Langkah Travel also claims direct flights from Jakarta to SWQ, which other sources do not show. Confirm with the airline before you plan around a flight. The air, ferry and sea approaches are compared in how to get to Saleh Bay, and the leg from the airport has its own page, Sumbawa Besar to Labuhan Jambu.
What is protected by law?
Two different things are protected: the species, and part of the place. The animal itself has full protection nationally under Ministerial Decree 18/KEPMEN-KP/2013, enacted on 20 May 2013, and the marine ministry's legal database shows it in force. For the place, Governor Decree 100.3.3.1-196 of 2026 sets aside part of the bay for a species-based conservation area, according to the provincial spokesperson in Antara. A reservation comes before full designation. The Saleh Bay conservation area page separates that step from the other labels attached to the bay.
What do the published prices on this page show?
The price table on this page gives the conservation and entrance fees listed by The Langkah Travel and an open trip figure from Ocean Earth Travels, each with its source and check date. None of them is an official tariff or an offer from us. Our Saleh Bay cost guide explains how those figures build into a whole trip.
Which published prices did we check?
Public third-party listings, each with its source and the month we checked it. No official tariff is cited, so fee rows come from operators and listings. These are not our prices or offers. Figures change and sources disagree, so check the source before you rely on one.
| Item | Published price | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation fee, per person (as listed by The Langkah Travel, an operator; not an official tariff) | IDR 50,000 | thelangkahtravel.com | Nov 2026 |
| Entrance fee, per person (as listed by The Langkah Travel, an operator; not an official tariff) | IDR 50,000 | thelangkahtravel.com | Nov 2026 |
| Open group trip from Labuhan Jambu, per person; includes entrance and tourism fees, excludes transfers and stay (Ocean Earth Travels, operator) | IDR 700,000 / USD 40 | oceanearthtravels.com | Nov 2026 |
What else does this Saleh Bay whale shark FAQ cover?
What is the local name for whale sharks in Saleh Bay?
People in Labuan Jambu say Pakek Torok, meaning deaf shark. Two stories explain it: nets the sharks could not be steered out of, told by Konservasi Indonesia, and sharks that paid no attention to being scared off, told by one operator.
How large are the sharks seen in Saleh Bay?
Mostly young animals. A 2021 study measured sharks of 2.5 to 7 metres with a mean of 4.86 metres, well below the 18.8 metres Wikipedia gives as the species record.
Are whale sharks in the bay every month?
An IUCN shark specialist group factsheet reports observations year-round for 2017 to 2022, with the highest numbers in March and April. Other sources name other peak months, so a separate page compares them.
How long do whale sharks live?
Estimates vary widely: 80 to 130 years on Wikipedia, about 70 in Antara, 70 to 100 from The Langkah Travel. No source settles it.
Is this site a tour operator?
No. It is a guide under Juara Holding Group with a request desk, and it does not run boats or rooms. A request can turn into a paid booking, which gives the site a commercial interest.
Which sources support this page?
- Wikipedia: Saleh Bay
- Kompas: whale shark tourism in Saleh Bay, Sumbawa
- Antara: West Nusa Tenggara on protecting key species in Saleh Bay
- Geographia Technica 2025: paper on Saleh Bay
- IUCN shark specialist group: Saleh Bay Important Shark and Ray Area factsheet
- Konservasi Indonesia: Saleh Bay whale shark 2025 report
- Diversity (MDPI): neonatal whale sharks recorded in Saleh Bay
- BBC Future: the giant shark that seems to appear from nowhere
- SB Excursions, operator: swimming with whale sharks in Indonesia
- Wikipedia: Sultan Muhammad Kaharuddin III Airport
- Wikipedia: Sultan Muhammad Salahuddin Airport
- Marine ministry legal database: Decree 18/KEPMEN-KP/2013
- Antara: province reserves Saleh Bay as a conservation area
- The Langkah Travel, operator: Saleh Bay whale shark guide
- Wikipedia: Whale shark
- Ocean Earth Travels, operator: whale shark snorkelling trip listing
- Ocean Earth Travels, operator: Saleh Bay whale shark guide
- Konservasi Indonesia: protecting the deaf shark
- 2021 study of whale sharks around Saleh Bay bagans (IOP Conference Series)
- Kompas.com: efforts to make Saleh Bay whale shark habitat a protected area
- My Best Places to Visit, travel blog: whale sharks in Saleh Bay
- Dive Happy, travel blog: Sumbawa whale sharks
How do I reach the desk?
If your question is not answered above, or you want a trip quoted, write to the desk. A reply is information only, and any fee, price or contracting company would be set out in a written offer first.
- WhatsApp: 6281139414563
- Email: bd@juaraholding.com
Send the desk your dates and starting point. The desk replies in writing.
Ask the desk on WhatsApp bd@juaraholding.com