Whale Watch in Maui, Hawaii

There's no better place to watch whales than in Maui waters. They come every single year during the winter in order to mate and give birth.
Whale Season = December 15th to April 15th

Humpback Whale Behavior

The Breach

By far the most exciting behavior Humpback whales will display is the breach. This is when they launch nearly all the way out of the water, twist, and land with a massive splash. No one is certain why they do it, but we think they do it cause it's fun. You'll notice that babies love to breach over and over again.

Blow

The most typical thing you'll see when watching whales is them blowing air and water out of their blow holes. It comes up like a little explosion of steam. Since Humpbacks are mammals, they need to breath. Though they can stay under for a very long time, you'll often see them at the surface.

Fluke Up

This is what you're probably most familiar with when viewing whale pictures. When they arch their tails out of the water, then duck under again, it makes a beautiful cascade of water. This is a common sight to see in Maui and makes for great photos.

Pec Slap

This is when a whale floats on its side and slaps its pectoral fin. Usually, in our experience, when a whale does this, they do it repetitively. We've watched humpbacks slap over and over again for 20-30 minutes straight. They must like doing it and we love watching it!

See more Whale Behaviors.

Competition Pods

If you're lucky enough to come up on a competition pod, get your camera ready. This is when more than 1 male competes with each other for the attention of a female. Often, you'll see 3-4 of them following her around and battling with each other along the way. They'll sometimes breach against each other, making for an incredible display of power. If you get close enough, you'll notice their little bumps (tubercles) on their nose can be rubbed raw and bleed due to their commotion.

Do I need to go on a boat?

No. You can see the whales from the shore or on the cliffs. The only problem is, you won't see them up close. On a boat, you're allowed to get up to 100 yards from whales. Sometimes, they come up to the boat, and the captain will be forced to shut off the engine. This is called a "Mugging." If this happens to you, be grateful. you may be stuck there for over an hour watching a whale RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR BOAT!!