Maui Whale WatchingThis page includes• why Maui whale watching is the most popular activity in Maui from December to May • why humpback whales migrate to Maui each year • why choose a Maui whale watching tour on a boat • how you can watch humpbacks for free from beaches and other observation areas • learning about Maui humpbacks at the Maui Ocean Center and the free Whaler's Museum Why Maui Whale Watching?
Or observing a pod of active male whales - each larger than the boat you are riding in - pushing, shoving, and butting each other to try to get close to the lone female - you can't do that back home. How about quietly sailing at sunset, observing a peaceful mother whale with her calf frolicking at her side?
Why the Humback Whales are in Maui
The humpbacks migrate to Maui each winter (December to May) to have babies in the the shallow waters on the calm leeward side of Maui - that is the blue area on the map.
Maui is also where the babies for the next year are made. The town of Lahaina on the island of Maui developed as a base for hunting whales, and today Lahaina serves as a base for watching whales.
Maui Whale Watching Tours
Maui whale watching tours let you get up close and personal with the huge size and loud sounds of humpback whales.
And the way to get closer to the whales is from a boat. Each type of boat had its own advantages and disadvantages. There are a wide variety of Maui whale watching tours - large and small boats, sailboats and motorized boats.
Maui Whale Watching Combo ToursMaui whale watching combo tours are created by tour operators to combine activities such as snorkeling, sailing, and dolphins with whale watching.Just about all ocean activities on the leeward (west) side of Maui during the months of December through May become whale watching activites because of the many whales in the area.
Maui Whale Watching Beaches & Cliffs
How did Maui residents watch whales in Maui for centuries before all the tour boats in the last few decades? Don't let all the advertisements convince you that Maui whale watching requires spending money on a boat tour.
Humpback whales can be also viewed from a distance by finding the right beaches and high observation areas. Restaurants and roadsides also offer free ways to watch whales. Their spout (spray from their exhalations) can be easily viewed from miles away. Binoculars may be required to see the details of the whales. You miss the impact of size and sounds of the whales, but this provides a very economical way to watch whales.
Learning About Maui Humpback Whales
To learn about about Maui humpback whales, visit the
Maui Ocean Center near Ma'alaea.
The exhibit on humpback whales that visit Maui each winter will help you understand what you observe during your whale watching trips.
The museum is full of exhibits to let you experience humpback whales and whaling in Maui during the mid 1800's.
Maui Whale Watching VideoIn the video below, a mother and calf humpback whale provide a show for a cruise ship by continously breaching (jumping out of the water) as we watch from the lanai (balcony) of our hotel in Lahaina on Maui. Watch for the calf doing smaller 'baby' breaches close to the mother's much larger breaches.Click on the PLAY button in the image below to view our Maui whale watching video.
Maui Whale Watching Pages Quick ReferenceMaui Whale Watching OverviewFree Whale Watching Beaches & Cliffs Whale Watch ToursPacific WhaleUltimate Whale Watch Watch Whales and...Sail America IISail Scoth Mist Snorkel Gemini Snorkel Kapalua Kai About Maui WhalesMaui Ocean CenterWhalers Village Museum Maui Whale Watching Videos
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