Best Whale Watching in Hawaii: When & Where (By Island)

Is whale watching in Hawaii just luck, or are most visitors doing it at the wrong time or in the wrong place?

If you’re traveling to Hawaii and hoping to see humpback whales, timing, location, and expectations make all the difference between frustration and an unforgettable experience.

👉 Hit play now to learn when whale season really peaks, which islands give you the best odds, and how to spot whales without booking the wrong tour.

If you’ve ever wondered how to plan whale watching so it actually fits your trip, this episode is for you. You’ll walk away knowing where to go by island, when to watch from shore versus a boat, and how to avoid common mistakes that leave people disappointed.

In this episode of Hawaii’s Best, we break down whale watching in Hawaii so you can plan with confidence and enjoy the experience without stress.

👉In this episode, you will:

• Learn the best months and shoulder-season windows for seeing humpback whales in Hawaii
• Compare whale watching on Maui, the Big Island, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi, including top shore viewing spots
• Understand boat tours versus shore watching, plus the rules that protect whales and calves

Scroll up ⬆️ and hit play now to plan a whale watching experience that actually lives up to the moment.

🤓Chapters:

• 1:09 Whale Watching Season: Best Times to Visit
• 2:42 Top Whale Watching Spots on Different Islands
• 5:17 Shore Watching vs. Boat Tours
• 7:34 Whale Behavior and Cultural Significance
• 8:54 Final Tips and Conservation Success

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This Hawaii travel podcast is for travelers looking to plan a trip to Hawaii. Discover travel tips, itineraries, and traveling tips & hacks with guides to help you explore Hawaii. Whether you’re planning a Hawaii vacation to the islands, dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway, or visiting Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Oahu, or Big Island we’ll help you travel with aloha.

Edge of the Ocean, Stick Figure (w/ permission)
Ukulele and Chill, Coby G (w/ permission)
Talk Story, Hawaiian Style Band (w/ permission)

Chapters

• 1:09 Whale Watching Season: Best Times to Visit
• 2:42 Top Whale Watching Spots on Different Islands
• 5:45 Shore Watching vs. Boat Tours
• 8:02 Whale Behavior and Cultural Significance
• 9:02 Final Tips and Conservation Success

Transcript

209_Best Whale Watching in Hawaii- When & Where (By Island)

[00:00:00] Bryan Murphy: Every winter something incredible happens in Hawaii, up to two thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population shows up in Hawaii. And if you're visiting during whale season, consider yourself lucky because this might end up being the most meaningful thing you experience on your entire trip.

[00:00:23] Bryan Murphy: Loha, welcome to Hawaii's. Best of podcast helping you plan an unforgettable trip. To Hawaii. Here you'll find practical tips, local voices in everything you need to plan your trip to Hawaii. I'm Brian and just wanna say thank you so much for tuning in today and joining me on this Aloha Friday episode, the last Friday in January already of 2026.

[00:00:48] Bryan Murphy: So today we're talking all about whale watching in Hawaii, how to actually do it, when to go. How it actually works. We're gonna go over the best spots on some of the islands and, uh, do some of the pros and cons of where to go and how you can have the best chance of seeing whales, which could be a really cool thing.

[00:01:08] Bryan Murphy: So let's go ahead.

[00:01:09] Bryan Murphy: We're gonna start with timing because. Timing is really everything. Whale season in Hawaii runs from November-ish through April, sometimes may, depends on the season, but for peak activity, January through March is gonna be your best bet. That's when you're most likely to see breaches, you know, tail slaps cabs, swimming next to their mothers, all that good stuff.

[00:01:36] Bryan Murphy: You're gonna have the best chance to see that kinda in that January through March. Area. Now these humpback whales, you know, they're migrating roughly 3000 miles from Alaska to Hawaii. And in Alaska they spend their summers feeding. But in Hawaii, they don't eat at all actually, which actually surprises most people.

[00:01:59] Bryan Murphy: They're here to, to mate to give birth and nurse their calves in warm shallow water where there's fewer predators and who can blame them? Because Hawaii is just. So beautiful. I, I would just wonder who that first whale was that discovered and like, Hey, you guys gotta come over here anyways, I actually just, uh, did a consultation yesterday and I was talking to a couple who is planning a trip in early mid April and telling that there's a chance, there's a definitely a chance you can see some whale, especially on Maui, but always check with the boat.

[00:02:35] Bryan Murphy: Tour that you're thinking about going with to see what the season has been like. 'cause each season it can vary.

[00:02:42] Bryan Murphy: But let's go ahead and we're gonna talk a little bit about, uh, where to see the whales based on the island. So we're gonna start with Maui. Maui is probably like your best bet. If you're looking for the highest concentration of of humpback whales anywhere in the world, Maui is definitely gonna be your spot and especially the ow channel between Maui Lanai and Caho Ove.

[00:03:04] Bryan Murphy: You don't. Even need to be on a boat to see whales on Maui during peak season. But people, you know, they spot them regularly from cotton, Nepali, KeHE, and Wale, all big resort spots. So just standing on the beach, you have a chance of seeing humpbacks out in the distance. Now the big island, Hawaii island, the koala coast, that's the main whale watching area on the big island.

[00:03:29] Bryan Murphy: But what makes the big island. Unique is how quickly the ocean drops off, so that deep coastal trench that brings more diversity. So you'll see humpbacks, but tours here on the big island sometimes also encounter pilot whales, melon headed whales. False. Killer whales and even sperm whales. So if you're watching from shore, poco Bay and the Alani area are local, go-to spots.

[00:03:56] Bryan Murphy: The water drops off quickly there. So whales pass close the shore. Now on Oahu, you have chance to spot on the South Shore. So places like Maka, Halona, blowhole, and areas near HA Bay can be great for shore base Viewing, uh, the Maka Poo Lighthouse Trail, one of the best elevated viewing spots on Oahu is a pave two mile hike.

[00:04:21] Bryan Murphy: And during peak season, volunteers from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Wheel, national Marine Sanctuary, they'll set up spotting scopes. Kind of along the lookout, so it's free to use and they'll help you identify behaviors and if you spot some whales, what you're actually seeing now on the island of Kauai sightings tend to happen along the Nepali coast and the South shore.

[00:04:45] Bryan Murphy: The islands steep underwater drop-offs also mean that whales often pass closer to shore places like Kilo Point Lighthouse on the North Shore is another elevated viewing spot that's worth checking out. For the lighthouse, you'll need to pay a small entrance fee for the wildlife refuge there, but you get a chance to maybe see some whale watching plus seabirds, monk seals.

[00:05:07] Bryan Murphy: We did the lighthouse last time we were on Kauai, and it was pretty cool, but it can get pretty windy out there. But still really great views even if you don't spot any whales Now.

[00:05:17] Bryan Murphy: Boat tours versus shore watching, and should you do a boat tour, is it worth it? Or should you stay on land and do it for free?

[00:05:24] Bryan Murphy: Now, you know, shore watching is free. It's low impact. And surprisingly rewarding if you're patient. Um, and if you just time it just right. Elevated viewpoints, like we talked about, definitely helps binoculars help. And you're looking for spouts first. That's the misty puff of air that gives where the whales are away.

[00:05:43] Bryan Murphy: But you know, another trick is to watch for the seabirds. When you see a cluster of birds diving and circling, there's often whale activity below. So watch out for that. Timing really matters. So. Early morning right after sunrise and late afternoon, before sunset is when the ocean is typically calmest. Now, midday sun creates glare and that makes it harder to see spouts and movement.

[00:06:07] Bryan Murphy: So I would definitely recommend more of a morning or late afternoon if you want to do viewing from the shore. One more thing to consider is that if you are on Maui McGregor Point Lookout, also called Papa Vibe Point is a favorite. It's in between Ma, AYA and Laina off of, uh, highway 30. It's an elevated view, easy parking, and during peak season, you can see multiple whale paws at once.

[00:06:33] Bryan Murphy: Boat tours definitely help out because it gives you some education perspective and a higher chance of seeing behaviors. Like breaching. There's really two main boat tour styles you got catamarans are larger, more stable, usually have bathrooms and shade, all that good stuff. They're great for families, photographers.

[00:06:53] Bryan Murphy: Anyone who is prone to motion sickness definitely would recommend more of a, uh, catamaran. And then you have rafts. They're faster, they're closer to the water, they feel more adventurous, but the ride can definitely be more physical. So if you're prone to seasickness. One of the things that would help is again, book an early morning tour if you can.

[00:07:13] Bryan Murphy: The ocean is calmer before the afternoon. Trade winds pick up and sit in the middle of the boat, not by the bow or stern. Less motion there. Depending on the tour. During peak season, many operators will rebook you for free if you don't see whales. So that tells you how consistent whale sightings can be during the peak season.

[00:07:34] Bryan Murphy: A little bit of, you know, fun part here. Some of the behavior that you might see when you see a humpback. A humpback can weigh up to 45 tons, and when one breaches and launches part of his body out of the water, it is just, just huge, enormous, incredible. If you do a boat tour, some tours also use hydrophones, which means you can listen underwater, you can hear the whales communicating, and just really heightens the experience as well.

[00:08:04] Bryan Murphy: I think it would be good to talk a little bit about culture and legal responsibility because this part really does matter. In, in Hawaiian culture, the humpback whale is known as the Koola. Because they're born in Hawaiian waters, they're considered Kama ina native born, which is really cool. Many families regard whales as.

[00:08:23] Bryan Murphy: Al Makua or ancestral guardians, and that's why whale watching in Hawaii isn't just sightseeing, it's witnessing a homecoming really, and legally. There's also the a hundred yard rule, so boats must stay at least a hundred. Yards away from whales, swimming with them or touching them is strictly prohibited.

[00:08:45] Bryan Murphy: These rules exist to protect nursing calves and conserve because this population recoveries is one of the biggest conservation success stories in the world.

[00:08:54] Bryan Murphy: And just three more things to know before you book or think about going out and doing some whale watching adventure. First, don't expect constant action.

[00:09:03] Bryan Murphy: Whales spend most of their time underwater and you might see a breach then nothing for like 20 minutes. That's completely normal. Another thing to, uh, be aware of that if you are booking a tour, ask about group size. Smaller boats mean better viewing angles and less crowding at the rail, but they also mean a rougher ride if the ocean is choppy, you know, a smaller boat.

[00:09:26] Bryan Murphy: And the third thing is don't. Chase the whales. If you're on a boat and the captain moves away from a whale, it's because of the a hundred yard rule. The whales will surface where they want to surface. You've seen some of those videos where it seems like the whales come up right up on the boat. Hopefully the boat captain wasn't doing that on purpose, and that was the whale's choice that just kind of came outta nowhere.

[00:09:48] Bryan Murphy: But, uh, that isn't the norm. So whale season in Hawaii, it isn't a show. It's a reminder of what happens when conservation actually works. So from almost on the brink of extinction to tens of thousands of whales returning to Hawaii. Every winter. It's one of those rare moments where you get to witness this cool nature success story.

[00:10:10] Bryan Murphy: So thanks again for joining me on this Aloha Friday and until next Tuesday. As always, live with Aloha

[00:10:22] Bryan Murphy: Mala for listening to this episode of Hawaii's. Best to stay up to date on future episodes. Hit follow on your podcast app. Hawaii's Best is a production of Shore break media group with editing by easy podcast solutions and music courtesy of our friends stick figure.