Nothing beats Maui, Hawaii during whale watching season! Every year from December to April, humpback whales hang out in the warm, shallow waters of Maui to frolic, have their babies, and prepare for the long swim back to the icy cold waters of Alaska. It’s estimated that over 12,000-14,000 humpbacks vacation in Maui every year. In February, “peak” watching month, you can sit in a beach cabana on Dig-Me Beach (officially known as “Ka’anapali Beach”) with a pair of binoculars and watch the whales playing all day – it’s like a big bath-tub full of whales! It’s not unusual to have a mother with a couple of babies playing in the waters in the bay all afternoon. Watch for the spout, and then sit back and wait to see pec slaps, breaches, and the iconic fluke waves.
Here are some pictures from a few of my family’s whale watching activities in Maui …
My favorite way to commune with the humpbacks is on a catamaran sail, and TRILOGY EXCURSIONS is ALWAYS the BEST. Their all-day sail/snorkle to Lanai is my first choice, but they also offer whale-watch only sails (still LOTS of fun with AMAZING memories). If you’re planning a trip to Maui, whether during whale season or not, try to get in a sail with Trilogy – you’ll thank me for the recommendation (and, NO, I’m not affiliated with Trilogy in any way, except that my family and I have sailed with them at least a dozen times over the years!).
Start planning NOW for the 2018-2019 season. It’s still possible to find some nice accomodations for the 2017-2018 season, but they book up in advance, so don’t hesitate for long, and DON’T miss the humpbacks!
[Need more Maui tips? Ask me! It’s one of my favorite destinations!]
