Maui is a beautiful island in the Pacific and home to some of the richest and most diverse microclimates. You can travel from a 10,000 foot frosted summit to a sea-level sandy beach in no more than a couple hours.
With the varied environments, Maui is home to numerous unique plant and animal life habitats across the island and its waters.
One of the most majestic animals to traverse through Maui’s waters is the humpback whale and Lahaina happens to be the center point to Maui’s whale watching adventures.
When are Whale Watching Tours in Lahaina?
Whales travel to the islands approximately at the end of fall and leave in the latter spring months. These whales travel around 3,500 miles from the colder waters of Alaska to Maui in order to mate and give birth in the warmer waters.
The peak of whale season occurs from January to March-- this is when you will see more whales in the water which leads to more encounters like small calves playing in the shallow waters or mother whales putting on a show with tail slaps and breaches.
Make sure to book your Maui Vacation and whale watching tour early as these experiences are known to sell out far in advance.
Why Take a Whale Watching Tour from Lahaina
Lahaina was once home to not only the capital of the Hawaiian Islands but the trade and whaling economy that flourished with the arrival of trans-pacific travelers.
In modern day, we're thankful that whaling is no longer the draw to Lahaina, but it remains a tourist magnet and for good reason. Lahaina Harbors departs from the west side of Maui, allowing for a short commute to the majority of the whales residing in Maui. This ensures the majority of your whale watch excursion is spent out on the water and amongst the humpback whales.
Not only is Lahaina the best point to leave from for a whale watching tour-- you can see lots of other marine life off Maui's west coast. Eagle rays have been spotting cruising alongside the coast just north of Lahaina town, dolphins have leaped along inlets that dot the West Maui Coastline, and the reefs are known to attract tropical fish and green sea turtles both small and large.
What’s Included on a Whale Watching Tour?
Booking a Lahaina Whale Watching Tour through Hawaii Ocean Rafting guarantees that you will see a whale on your Maui Vacation. This is because we guarantee “whale sightings or go for free!” Meaning if you don’t see a whale, we can always rebook for another date!
Our whale watching tours run from 2-6 hours and include both private and small group tours. This intimate, low to water setting aboard our 27ft hard-bottom ocean raft guarantees an eye-level whale watching experience and one-on-one with the crew!
Our seats ensure that everyone who partakes in our whale watching adventure will enjoy spectacular views of the wildlife below as well as the West Maui Mountains-- not to mention unique viewpoints of the surrounding Maui isles like Molokai, and Lanai as we embark on our whale watching tour.