Whale watching boat tours and diy guide big island. See the magnificent humpback whales during the winter months. Types of whales in hawaii almost a dozen whale species. Go whale watching in hawaii on our seasonal west oahu whale watch tour whale sighting is guaranteed. But you dont have to go on a whale watching tour to spot whales. Nothing beats the aweinspiring beauty of the waianae coast, except maybe the equally stunning and diverse wildlife. For those who are planning on spending the bulk of their time on the north shore, it too is a good place to arrange whale watching tours in oahu. Island divers brought whale listening to the tour industry in the 201112 season. Maui county is world famous as the destination for the pacific northwest humpback whales.
The whales dont have calendars though there are whales here now, and have been for a month. I made it to the bottom at 50 feet but for some reason the gopro stopped recording beforehand and i didnt know until later when i was downloading. Courtesy of a research hydrophone, you can listen to live whale song through the vessel stereo system. Every winter, pods of pacific humpback whales make the 3,000mile swim from the chilly waters of alaska to bask in mauis summery shallows, fluking, spy hopping, spouting, and having an allaround swell time.
The first humpback whale spotting of 2015 came early this year near the small island of niihau, which is off of kauai. Our fabulous crew and deluxe catamaran make this the best kauai whale watching tour. Their captains know how to carefully share the waters with these amazing sea mammals and can provide educational information about the whales on all of the tours. Whale season is between the 15th of december until the 15th of may. Whales can be seen quite easily from most shorelines around the hawaiian islands. Graceful and gentle giants of the ocean, arching, breaching, and frolicking, hawaiis humpback whales take center stage during whale season. Sanctuary ocean count hawaiian islands humpback whale. We saw plenty of turtles and the whole family had a great time. Hawaiian islands humpback whale explore whale watching. The very best months are february and march when whale sightings are almost guaranteed. The hawaiian humpback whale marine sanctuary is located in kihei and was created by congress in 1992 as a way to protect these magnificent creatures in hawaiian waters. You can get up with the sun or sip a cocktail as it sets on a luxury catamaran, swim with dolphins or snorkel with turtles, listen to whale song broadcast by hydrophone, catch the photo of a lifetime on a photo safari tour.
Dont miss whale watching in season dec apr with whale guarantee and child free special. Operators on oahu, maui, hawaii island and kauai provide a variety of cruises. Humpback whale watching in maui options, tips, whale info. Look into where the best places to see wildlife would be. Other good islands to go whale watching are maui and kauai. Where to watch humpback whales from shore across hawaii. In your research, you may have seen different timeframes defining humpback whale season in hawaii. If you book a whale watching tour from maui, experience the thrill of spotting a spout about 300 yards off the.
Between november and march there are many opportunities for whale watching kauai. Hawaiian islands humpback whale marine life top 10. The most wonderful time of the year is whale watching season in hawaii. Theres still time to plan a hawaii vacation and pay these magnificent creatures a visit hop a flight to honolulu, and theyre everywhere to be seen, right offshore. Boat tours and whale watching cruises have become increasingly popular. Whale watching season begins in hawaii luxe travel hawaii. Island divers hawaii whale watching charter is the only charter on oahu which conducts their tours inside the hawaiian islands humpback whale national marine.
The crew aboard pacific whale foundations ocean spirit saw two whales off the coast of kapalua in west maui. These whales are particularly acrobatic, so you might see them splashing about on the surface of the ocean in addition to coming up for air. We recommend heading out on whale watching tour to get the best views possible, and to experience the beauty of the ocean. Waikiki whale watching sail cruise whales guaranteed or. Round trip transportation from waikiki and a freshly made local lunch are included, choose from menu at spinners cafe. There are a variety of ways in which you can catch a glimpse of hawaiis humpback whales. The first humpback whale sighting was on october 10th signaling the start of this exciting season. Approximately 4,500 humpback whales visit the hawaiian islands each year to bask in the warm waters, breed and give birth before migrating back to their alaskan feeding grounds. Spend a day on the water with your eyes peeled for humpback whales, gray whales. Years before we moved to hawaii, my husbands family would come to hawaii in the winter to see whales. Come see the whales in kauai and enjoy the whale watching cruises and kauai whale tours. Take a trip to the beach or a scenic lookout and watch for the blows, pec slaps, flukeup dives, and breaches of hawaiis humpbacks. This is my second time going to oahu but was traveling with friends who have never gone. Whale watching hawaii oahu year round whale watch oahu.
When is the best time to see humpback whales in hawaii. Oahu whale watching season lasts from december through about april. If youre going to be in hawaii during whale watching season then you have to book one of these tours. You may also spot kohola from the southern shores of oahu, especially at makapuu lighthouse and along the seaside overlooks near leahi diamond head. Maui whale watch tours hawaii humpback whale watching. Both tours are truly dedicated to the oahu whale watching experience, and expert naturalists share insightful information and educational commentary on the humpback whales behavior and biology. It is estimated that more than 10,000 of these whales migrate to the hawaiian islands each year during the winter, in search of a warmer climate.
The scenic mcgregor point lookout west of maalaea and the beaches of kaanapali, kihei and wailea are also great spots to see whales. In 12 years of studies by cascadia research, a total of 32 sperm whales were sighted in hawaii31 of which were off of the big island. Oahu whale watching whale watching honolulu barefoot tours. If you want to see whales from oahu your best bet would be to take some kind of boat tour. Its great that its just off shore and the whole cruise was set up to be casual and laid back with a great honesty bar system. Although humpback whales can be seen from all of the hawaiian islands, the shallow auau channel between maui, molokai and lanai is one of the best whalewatching destinations in the world. The whale watching season in kauai runs from november through march. Graceful and gentle giants of the ocean, arching, breaching, and frolicking, hawaii s humpback whales take center stage during whale season. Honolulu humpback whales were spotted in the waters off hawaii for the first time this season, leading officials to warn ships and recreational boaters to. Hawaii whale watching, oahu whale watch near ko olina, waikiki. But humpback whales visit the hawaiian islands every year from november to may, so its possible that you can see whales outside of that january to march peak whale season too.
Brilliant trip crew were great saw dolphins, great ipro footage by the crew. Oahu whale watching tours the whale watching season is usually under way by the 15th of december and usually lasts through april. On september 29th researchers from noaa ship hiialakai spotted a humpback whale while heading home from the northwest hawaii islands the second humpback whale spotted was seen a few days later near kauais pacific missile range facility. A soft gaze along the oceans horizon at poipu beach will bring to light one the greatest aerial shows kauai has to offer. There is nothing like seeing a humpback whale up close and will be something that you remember forever. Oahu whale watching tours are a particular delight for visitors coming to hawaii to escape the winter chill and the humpback whales seen on these whale watches can often be. Star of honolulu dinner and whale watch cruises 2020. Humpback whales come to hawaii between november and april whale season, and the big island is our favorite of the hawaiian islands to go see the whales. The humpback whale season in maui lasts from november to may of every year. Get in touch with your wild side and meet your finned counterparts on whale and dolphin encounters hawaiis year round whale watching of other marine mammals the clear temperate waters of hawaii are known worldwide amongst marine biologists, for an array of whale. Whalewatching tours are the best way to learn about and get great photos of these breaching behemoths up close. Enjoy hawaiis favorite seasonal visitors, the majestic humpback whales, from the comfort of the beautiful honi olani sailing catamaran on their morning and afternoon tour. Whale season in hawaii it takes lots of patience and time for me to share these wonderful graceful creatures with you.
Hawaii is a popular destination for whale watching because, during mating season, humpback whales are more active resulting in elevated surface activity. Their migration crosses 3,100 miles of ocean each season. November, december and january are frequently listed as the start of the season with april and may usually designated as the end of the season. Without a doubt, one of the most amazing marine wildlife adventures youll ever have the opportunity to partake in is a chance to witness the majesty of the north pacific humpback whales in their natural environment year, after year, these magical mammals grace hawaiian. Star of honolulu is the best vessel for viewing whales. A number of speedboat, pontoon, and sailboat tours depart from areas around waikikiespecially from kewalo basin harbor opposite ala moana beach parkas well as from the north shore and the western leeward side of the island. Whale watch in style with kauai sea tours on our deluxe catamaran built for kauais waters. According to noaa, the peak season for whale watching in oahu is january to march. We wanted to see how close we can get to the humpback whales here in oahu. Go here from your mobile device and click your account to create a user login. Star of honolulu waikikis best whale watch cruise from aloha tower. If no whales are sighted during your cruise guests can go out again for free. Whale watching kauai returns the parrish collection kauai. It takes hours of filming due to a large mass of ocean to scan over the.
Another whale species you might see in the offseason is the humpback whale, whose adults range in length from 40 to 50 feet and often appear from april to june. Get in touch with your wild side on our oahu whale watch tours. Humpback whales visit hawaiian waters each year from november to may with the peak of the season being from january to march. These informative and fun twohour whale watches are led by a team of certified marine naturalists who explain and interpret the social behavior of humpback whales. Every year from november to may, maui locals welcome back their favorite guests the huge, majestic humpback whales. If you go to maui during the winter, you might get a chance to see whale calves and their mothers.
If youre fortunate enough to be visiting oahu during the months of novembermay give or take a couple of weeks either way. Whale watching season in hawaii is always a special time, and will be a great part of your trip. Waikiki whale watching sail cruise whales guaranteed or come back again free. In 2014, a sick sperm whale was sighted off of kihei, and it was presumed that the whale had ventured to shallower water as it fought to stay alive. And for those lucky enough to experience this once in a lifetime influx of such extraordinary creatures these sea stars offer performances worthy of oscars, it is truly a. Humpback whales take refuge in the warm waters of hawaii as they raise their calves. The contents of this web page are public domain and to the extent indicated otherwise in the terms of use, are exempt from terms of use policy restrictions. Each year, the great humpback whales migrate some 4,500 miles, from summer feeding grounds in alaska, to mate in the warm waters of hawaii. First humpback whales of season spotted in hawaii cbs news. Whale season on hawaii is between november and april. Experience mauis toprated whale watch with the experts departing from the historic lahaina harbor. Captain andys has years of whale watching experience having been exploring the na pali since 1980.
Were fodors choice for whale watching on oahu, and deemed by cbs josh horwitz author of war of the whales as one of the top five american whale watching tours. Heres how, where and what to bring if youre hoping to spot these massive mammals. You can listen to the whales under water, spot them from. Although humpback whales can be seen from all of the hawaiian islands, the shallow auau channel between maui, molokai and lanai is one of the best whale watching destinations in the world. Star of honolulu waikikis best whale watch cruise from. Ive seen a few from my home on the north shore of kauai. Even if you dont get to go during humpback season, you should go snorkeling, scubadiving, or swim with the turtles, sharks, etc. Whale watching tours and cruises depart from various ports along oahu s southern and western harbors. Hawaii discount offers the best whale watching tours. They only would come to hawaii when they knew they could see whales, usually around february. Embark on the most popular whale watch cruise of oahu. For more information on the whale watching tours, visit.
Maui whale watching guide humpback whales in hawaii. You can also spot whales from oahu s many beaches and from southeastern oahu spots like the scenic makapuu lighthouse, hanauma bay, and along the seaside overlooks near leahi diamond head. Oahu whale watching tours are a particular delight for visitors coming to hawaii to escape the winter chill and the humpback whales seen on these whale watches. Every winter, over 5,000 humpback whales travel from alaska to hawaii. The humpback whale is known for making an annual migration of nearly 6,000 miles, one of the longest of any mammal. A humpback whale breaches off the coast of oahu in hawaii. By the peak of the season from januarymarch, thousands of humpbacks have gathered in hawaii from hilo to hanalei, with the largest concentration of whales residing between maui, molokai, and lanai. Tours include roundtrip transportation from the hickam itt office to the ko olina marina, located on the west side of oahu, and the cruise. The humpback is the star of the annual whalewatching season, which usually begins in. On this twohour oahu ecotour, explore the shoreline of oahu. Listen to whale songs through underwater hydrophones and watch a variety of whale behaviors between mothers, calves or aggressive. You may also spot kohola from the southern shores of oahu, especially at. In fact, there are plenty of areas on maui where humpbacks can frequently be seen from the shore during whale season. Whale watching island divers hawaii oahus friendliest.