Not sure if you should be booking Lahaina whale watching tours?
Whale watching in Maui is one of the greatest pastimes and most talked about experiences by tourists visiting the Valley Isle. Not only is it an amazing change to get almost face-to-face with some of the most majestic Humpback whales that we are lucky to welcome during the winter months; but it is a great way to learn more about the marine life that populates the small channels between Maui County and the Hawaiian Islands as a whole.
Why Book a Lahaina Whale Watching Tour
There are many reasons why you should book a whale watching tour in Maui but why we would encourage you to leave from Lahaina specifically is due to the unique position and wildlife that surrounds Lahaina Harbor.
One of the most important reason to book a whale watching tour in Lahaina is because of the Maui Nui Basin. The Maui Nui Basin is the area along the west coast of Maui that provides shallow warm waters to mama whales giving birth and raising their young. Because whales come to Maui to mate and, birth and nurse, the males follow the females, bringing the most concentrated population of humpback whales reside between Lahaina and Lanai.
Another great reason to book a whale watching tour from Lahaina is the weather. Lahaina is protected by the West Maui mountains from majority of storms, wind and rain, making it the driest and calmest weather on the island of Maui. Departing from Lahaina Harbor you are guaranteed the mildest weather on island for whale watching and can whale watch from sunrise to sunset every day during whale migration.
When you are booking a whale watching tour in Lahaina you have to make sure that you are prepared. Lahaina is one of the hotter climates that exist within the six climates zones across the county. Making sure that you arrive to your Lahaina whale watching tour with the proper reef safe sunscreen is super important to the safety and success of the adventure.
When you book a tour operating out of Lahaina’s harbors and port you are almost guaranteed to have an experienced captain who is a master of tracking down the pods of Humpback Whales that frequent Maui each winter. Not only that– you will find someone who knows the nuances of operating amongst the populations of whales making sure that he is respecting their interfamilial dynamics and habitat; which also ensures that you have a safe, respectful, and memory making whale watching experience aboard.
Because whale watching from Lahaina is the best option, you don't want to forget to bring a camera! This could be your smartphone, DSLR, or film! When you go on a whale watching tour from Lahaina you will be immersed in the experience and be able to encounter these incredible mammals from a safe distance (but may appear face to face through your camera) when you capture these moments.
Whale Watching in Lahaina
Whale watching in Lahaina boomed with the rise of tourism to Hawaii post-statehood and after the advent and rise of commercial air travel. That is not to say that Lahaina’s association with whales has not extended far before the tourism industry.
Before Lahaina was known as one of the premier tourist destinations within Maui County and Hawaii as a whole it was the capital of the Hawaiian Islands territory and the premier destination for whaling ships to port traveling through the Pacific Ocean to Japan, although no whaling actually occurred in Maui.
Whales and Lahaina have been intertwined through a complex and long history of events. Whalers used to frequent the town and use it as not only a port but their resting destination during the high season of the 1800s.
Thankfully whaling was abolished and humpback whales are now protected which is paying off as we see a growth of their population every year. With the whale population recovery, there has been a resurgence of interest in whales. Around 6,000 to 7,000 tourists annually seek Lahaina as being the greatest port to embark on their whale watching adventure.
Not to mention when you return from your Lahaina whale watching tour you will be met with many great shopping and dining destinations for the whole family. You can experience everything from fine art and fine dining to local secret spots scattered along Front Street Lahaina and up to the resorts of Napili and Kaanapali.
Whale Watching in Maui
Whales in Maui are seasonal. Most whales arrive in Maui during the winter months seeking warm water to raise their calves.
What is amazing about going on a whale watching tour in Maui is that you are giving the exclusive experience of viewing these creatures at their most vulnerable and in their natural habitat.
Nothing compares to following alongside a mother humpback whale and her calf and she teaches the young one how to breach and tail slap. One great thing you will learn on your Maui whale watching tour is that whales have their own language when it comes to play. Tail slaps, breaches, and fin slaps all dictate different messages to their pod and their young (as well as your boat that is observing them from a safe distance).
If you want to learn more about these incredible creatures, learn their language, and have the experience of a lifetime make sure that you get on it booking your whale watching tour for the upcoming winter months!