Best Whale Watch Tours on Maui

Maui is already one of the most beautiful places on earth, and as if that were not enough, we get to experience the majesty and grace of the humpback whales that visit Hawaii every year. Maui is positioned in what is called the Auau channel along with both Molokai and Lanai which offers a protected area in which the whales can breed and care for their young without the threat of dangerous predators. If you want to experience the whales up close, there is no better way then to schedule a trip on board one of the many boats offering whale watching tours. While there are many options for tours not all of them are created equal, so below we are going to go over some of our favorites.

Pacific Whale Foundation

This wonderful foundation has been around for 33 years and offers a wide variety of whale watching tours that happen several times per day and launch from two different harbors in Maalaea and Lahaina. Each tour on board one of their high-tech catamarans is accompanied by a friendly staff and certified Marine Naturalists who endeavor to teach the guests about whales and answer any questions they may have. To look at the pricing and options available you can visit their website here.

Pride of Maui

The Pride of Maui whale watching tour offers guests the opportunity to not only search for whales on the open water but also to take part in some of the best snorkeling anywhere on the island. The Pride of Maui’s signature glass bottomed boat allows guests to observe both the surface of the ocean as well as what’s happening underneath them. For those who are more adventurous this tour provides an immersive whale watching experience that allows you to get in the water. To visit their website and book a tour click here.

Maui Boat Trips

This is one of the longer tours on our list and lasts just under 5 hours. The Maui Boat Trips team starts earlier in the day to ensure guests have every opportunity to experience a whale sighting firsthand. The trip also includes visits to the popular snorkel sights of Molokini Crater and Turtle Town. Because of the length of the tour and the earlier start time, they provide a continental breakfast as well as a delicious lunch. To look at prices and book a tour you can visit their website here.

Kaanapali Ocean Adventures

This company offers an alternative for those who don’t want to spend several hours cramped on a catamaran with strangers. Kaanapali Ocean Adventures opts instead to take only 32 guests out at a time on a private yacht. From the deck you will be able to see adult and baby humpback whales navigating the waters and you may even spot a few dolphins. The tours run from December through April each year and tickets can be purchased from their website here.

We hope you enjoyed this list of our favorite whale watch tours and if you have any questions about Maui real estate don’t hesitate to reach out to the Smith Team today. We look forward to hearing from you!

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