From late fall through May the waters of Maui Nui are home to some of the most spectacular whale-watching experiences in the world. The warm and shallow Auau Channel between Maui, Molokai and Lanai draws thousands of humpback whales migrating over 3,000 miles from Alaska for the breeding and birthing of new calves.
An array of companies offer whale-watching experiences, including customized charters for groups, most of them departing from Lahaina in West Maui and Ma‘alaea in South Maui. From vessels that range from spacious catamarans to outrigger canoes and inflatable rafts, visitors can observe whales playfully surfacing, slapping their tails or blowing spouts in the air. It’s also not unusual to spot whale calves swimming alongside their mothers.
With vessels equipped with underwater hydrophones, many excursions also offer the chance to hear the haunting songs of the humpback whales, a complex series of repeated sounds emitted by clusters of males during the breeding season.
While hunted to near extinction by 19th century whalers, the protected mammals have made such a strong comeback in recent years that whale sightings grow more frequent every year, along with their length of stay. Visitors on whale-watching excursions rarely come away disappointed, says Kurt Wright, president of The Wright Co., a Maui-based DMC.
“There are so many whales out there now, that sightings are guaranteed,” he says. “The whale-watching season used to start in December, but now we’re seeing them in November.”
The following are a few of the many options available for groups.
Pacific Whale Foundation
The nonprofit Pacific Whale Foundation offers customized charters and scheduled cruises with a fleet of vessels that includes high-powered catamarans and rigid-hull inflatable rafts. Departing from Lahaina or Maalaea, the excursions feature interpretation of whale behavior by a certified marine naturalist and the chance to listen to the whales sing courtesy of underwater hydrophones. Onboard catering is also available.
Trilogy Excursions
With its fleet of high-tech sailing catamarans, Trilogy offers an array of whale-watching experiences for groups based in either Maui or Lanai. The family-owned company also specializes in snorkeling and snuba (an easier form of scuba diving) sailings as well as jeep tours on Lanai’s over 100 miles of unpaved roads.
Also on Lanai, Trilogy maintains the Hale O Manele Pavilion, a venue overlooking Manele Bay, which is available for meetings and theme parties. Groups can sail from Lahaina across the channel to Lanai to spend a day on the island and enjoy a sunset dinner at the pavilion before the return trip to Maui.
Aloha Blue Charters
Aloha Blue Charters operates whale-watching excursions out of Maui on the Hokua, a 30-passenger high-speed jet boat operated without propellers. The cruises include a marine naturalist on board as well as a hydrophone for listening to whale songs.
Ambassadors of the Environment
Whale-watching experiences are a new offering from Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment activities program at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. The three-hour excursions depart from Lahaina and are led by a Cousteau-trained naturalist. The Ambassadors program also features snorkel tours, rainforest hikes and other outdoor activities that can be tailored for groups based at the resort.
Whale Watch Molokai
During whale season, Whale Watch Molokai offers daily departures from Kaunakakai Harbor in two U.S. Coast Guard-certified T vessels equipped with hydrophones. Small groups can be accommodated.
