There are a few things to keep in mind while planning your vacation during Maui's Winter months. The countdown is on for the Maui whale watching season!
Maui's whale watching season is officially between December and May
The whales have been known to show up as early as the end of October. What a treat for those lucky witnesses. While there are often a few whales around throughout November, we begin our tours on December 15th. We choose this start time because we feel confident that we can garrantee a spectacular whale watching experience.
There is a lot of variety out there when it comes to whale watching excursions
Wow, it can be pretty overwhelming to choose the best tour for you and your family. Once you decide what type of excursion you want Tripadvisor is a really great place to start. We strongly suggest that you cross the large group tours off you list right away. The intimacy and magic that is often had while experiencing these gentle giants is diminished by watching from within a large group of people. Some of the large group/vessel tours have gift shops and restaraunts on board. We like to keep it simple, just you and the whales. Our small vessels take small groups far from the beaten path. Our vessels are fast which means that we can avoid the crowds of slower moving vessels.
Depending on your exact dates, tours can sell out pretty fast
It just so happens that the Holiday season falls right smack in the middle of whale season. You will find that airline tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars creep up in price as you approach school breaks and popular vacation dates. We will never jack up our rates, but we can't prevent our tours from selling out. If you are travelling during these historically busy months we highly reccomend that you purchase your whale watching trip in advance. As always we offer a 24 hour cancellation policy. Many folks go on one whale watch and decide that they want to go out again. If you think this may be you, book a couple tours.
Sometimes the lowest price does not equal the best value
There are a few companies out there that offer some pretty low prices. Before you get sucked in by the sticker price, there are a few things to keep in mind. Many of these operations have vessels that carry 60 to 80 people. When you cram them on like cattle, you can still make a buck and charge 19.99. Many tours that have super low prices are often associated with time share sales agents, watch out for this too. If you are looking for a time share, Great, if not, big waste of valuable time. We are a small local family business and we pride ourselves on offering a good value. Our tours average 16 people per tour and are often smaller. You will also save an automatic %15 when you book directly online.
Come join us aboard our 30ft. hard-bottom inflatable raft. Enjoy comfortable seating for up to 16 passengers and spectacular views of Maui's gentle giants from the best seats in town. Choose from a Per Person outing or a 2 Hour Private Whale Watch. The Best Seats In Town! Avoid the crowds on a Maui rafting trip aboard Hawaii Ocean Rafting's 30ft. hard-bottom inflatable raft. Enjoy comfortable seating for up to 16 passengers. Unlike larger vessels our raft allows you to get that up close and eye level photo you wish for.