30 years of small group
eco-rafting whale watch tours.
Voted a better experience and better for
the environment.
The most fun you can have on Maui!
30+ Years of Featured & Awarded Tours
SEASONAL DEC-APRIL
2 HOURSAGES 3+
$74+
Whale Sightings Guaranteed or go again FREE. Our small group eco-rafting whale tours are a whale watch adventure for everyone.
SEMI-PRIVATE TOURS
2-5 HOURSAGES 4+
$84+
Cruise Maui with 18 or less passengers on small group eco-rafts. Snorkel with turtles and venture to Lanai for dolphin watching.
CUSTOM CHARTER
1.5-6 HOURSAGES 3+
$825+
Book a custom private boat charter for your family & friends. Choose your Maui activities, time, duration and menu.
MEMBER SAVINGS
JOIN OUR OHANA
$699+
Become a monthly member or buy a weekly/monthly whale watch pass, save on whale tours and become a part of our rafting ohana!
Why Adventure with Us
Every tour you join, you support our Native Hawaiian owned small business.
ABOUT US
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From eco-raft vessels to community programs we focus on sustainability.
OUR PROGRAMS
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Our family-style tours are small group and all about fun, education and adventure.
WHALE WATCH PASSES
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Wildfire Impacted Business
Support Lahaina’s Recovery
Your ticket supports even more than our rebuilding efforts. We are grateful to partner with Lahaina Community Land Trust who helps prevent Lahaina 2023 wildfire victims from being forced to sell their land.
When you book a tour you can donate to support the rebuild of Lahaina.
WATCH OUR VIDEO
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Mahalo for your support this season, especially as we rebuild after the Lahaina fires! Your support of our Native Hawaiian owned business help our team of Lahaina and Maui locals get back to work and on the ocean to heal.
There was 3 of us and we all loved the small boat and being closer to the water. All of the crew were great, the captain Jack and the 2 gals , they were all very knowledgeable and very friendly. We got some amazing videos and pictures of the whales in action.
We would definitely go again on the eco-friendly boat.
-Marilyn, TripAdvisor
Excellent experience! Extremely knowledgeable and friendly guides (Nicole, Jill and Danielle) helped make it even more interesting and enjoyable. Being in a raft to whale watch was a treat – you can really appreciate the enormity of the whales.
Thank you to the crew, you guys were awesome!
-Rochelle, TripAdvisor
We werent sure what to expect, even with the reviews. Im glad we stuck it out because it was one of our best experiences in Maui. We saw plenty of whales and dolphins jumping and spinning in the air. Jack and Val were awesome and really made the entire experience enjoyable with knowledgeable facts and peace of mind.
What a great decision!
-davebX, TripAdvisor
It was an amazing experience! We saw several whales. A group of three that were quite active and then we came on to a young male who gave a great show, breaching multiple times. It was a spectacular trip. The raft is super comfortable with saddle seating that supports the back while navigating wakes and waves. Zack and Sy were the crew on board and they were lots of fun and were very knowledgeable about the whales.
-Caryl, Yelp
This was an amazing experience, we were fortunate to see turtles and whales during the tour even though it was coming to the end of the whale watching season. Jack and Jess were fantastic and incredibly knowledgeable about the area as well as the whales. I would highly recommend this tour for whale watching. Group numbers are small which is great so everyone had an opportunity to see everything.
-Caroline, TripAdvisor
The trip was amazing, the crew was knowledge-
able and truly enjoyed sharing their love
for the humpback whales.
I would
recommend the smaller raft experience over
the larger boats as we were able to move
quickly to a blow or splash. Our whales were
active and engaged in making our experience
wonderful
-Lois, Yelp
Whale watching with us directly supports our partnerships with Maui Hero Project and Lahaina Intermediate to offer classroom education and ocean field trips, Whale Trust for educational tours, Keiki Kohola to support research of mom and calf humpback whales in Maui and Lahaina Land Trust land preservation who is helping Lahaina landowners rebuild after the fires of 2023.
You can be more than a visitor to Maui. You can give back to our island.
LEARN ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
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COMMUNITY PARTNERS
As a small way to say MAHALO, we are offering our Ali’i Whale Watch Pass Program for our amazing whale watching ohana like you.
For every whale watch tour you take, you earn points that will award you with pins and perks like FREE whale watched and merchandise.
BUY A PASS!
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Whale Watching Season Tip
What to Wear
Whale Watching
in Maui
What to wear whale watching in Maui is a top question for whale watchers visiting Maui. Comfort in Maui’s tropical climate is a priority and can make a difference in the quality of your whale encounter!
Whales migrate to Hawaii seasonally.
From December to April we whale watch from Lahaina, Maui. While Lahaina is
protect- ed from many elements in the lee of the West Maui mountains, we
still experience tropical winter weather which can include anything from 85
degree sunny days to 65 degree wind and rain.
Maui’s weather during whale season is difficult to predict. We have 17
microclimates in Maui, with weather changing every couple of miles and every
few minutes. For example it will rain almost daily in Kaanapali, Kahana and
Napili, while Lahaina proper rarely gets rain and is mostly known for his
dry climate. It’s best to trust your whale watch guides to determine what
weather is suitable for whale watching.
While the whales thrive in all weather and especially seem to enjoy the
stormy days, planning what to wear whale watching in Maui is an importnant
part in determining the quality of your whale watch
Ok so let’s get down to business; what
do you wear whale watching in Maui?
The answer is LAYERS! haha
Prepare for all weather (ranging from 65 degrees and raining to sunny and 85
degrees).
While some vessels have partial shade you will likely be in the elements of
sun, wind and rain when you are on your Maui whale watch adventure.
Sun Protection: Sunglasses, Hat and Sunshirt are the best apparel to wear
whale watching.
Wind/Rain Protection: Always bring a windbreaker that is water resistant and
a rain proof poncho to wear whale watching. While we do provide complimtary
ponchos during our tours, its always nice to have your own. Don’t forget a
drive bag to keep your items like phones and keys dry. Sometimes the whales
like to splash even if their are no storm clouds in the sky, getting wet
while on the ocean whale watching is a frequent experi- ence.
For shoes… don’t bother! You will be barefoot because our charters
require shoes to be removed. Your socks and shoes would likely get wet on
the tour as well, so best to wear shoes you can easily remove prior to
boarding your whale watch tour.
Still unsure what to wear for your Maui whale watch? Give us a cal before
your tour and we can give you our best guesss on the weather and what to
wear during your whale watch!
Since the loss of our boats in the fire, we have been working to replace them, which is difficult for commercial rafts. Thankfully this whale season we will be back to a rafting company! We have 3 “new to us” low to water rafts for the eye-level whale watching experience!
Wondering which boat to book this whale season?
Here are some insights into our whale watching boats, their specs and how to know which boat is right for your whale watching experience!
Our whale watching crew alternates vessels every week, so no matter the boat you will have a chance to whale watch with your favorite captains and naturalist!
Kuokoa Kai and Aloha Kauwela (Our Large Rafts)
Length: 40 Feet
Shade: 80%
Passengers: <25
Best Feature: Very
Low to Water and Smooth Ride Seating:
Beach Style
Naia (Our Small Raft)
Length: 30 Feet
Shade: 30%
Passengers: 15
Best Feature: Smallest
Group Whale Watch Experience Seating: Saddle
Style
Maui Whale Watch Updates
What Boat is Right
for Your Whale Watch?
Support Lahaina Locals
Small group Maui whale watch tours from Lahaina create a family-style experience by giving everyone the chance to get to know each other. We are grateful for your support of our family and Hawaiian-owned and want everyone to have an ohana experience while whale watching with us.
Maui Whale Watch and Snorkeling
Smaller group whale tours mean less impact on the environment. Out naturalists have the opportunity to educate each visitor about whales, marine life, Maui and sustainability. Experience authentic encounters with Maui’s marine life including humpback whales away from crowds.
Whats’ the Best time of Day to see Whales?
Humpback whales do not have any pattern of behavior when they are in Hawaii and are not feeding. Instead they are resting and active 24 hours a day at random intervals. Finding active whales just means we can see them engaging in surface behaviors. Check out the top whale moves you may see while whale watching in Maui, photographed by local nature photographer Barak Ayday while whale watching with us.
Behavior: Pec Fin Slap
Purpose: Flirt, Talk, Teach
Fun Fact: They have the longest pec fins of any whale or dolphin species.
Behavior: Fluking
Purpose: Often at the start of a dive
Fun Fact: The Fluke of the whale is like a thumbprint with a unique pattern.
Behavior: Spy Hop
Purpose: Curiosity
Fun Fact: This allows the whale to see out of the water.
Behavior: Breach
Purpose: Clean, Talk, Exercise, Fun
Fun Fact: Humpback whales can reach up to 17mph when they are breaching.
Behavior: Head Lunge
Purpose: Compete, Talk, Clean
Fun Fact: In a comp pod, males will lunge to strike eachother.
Behavior: Tail Throw
Purpose: Talk, Compete, Play
Fun Fact: Research estimates a tail slap and generate force up to 40 tons.
The Northern Pacific Humpback Whale migrates approximately 3,000 miles every year between Alaska and Hawaii.
During the warmer summer months, these whales will spend their time in Alaska feeding in prepara-tion for their journey to warmer, protected waters where they will mate and give birth.
On average 80% of the humpback whale population that travels back to Hawaii migrates to Maui, making it the epicenter for whale activity and whale watching tours. In 1992 the Maui Nui Basin became a National Marine Sanctuary, putting regulations in place to protect the growing number of whales spending their winters months in Maui.
Early whale sightings in Maui can start as soon as October and November, but most whale watch tours begin in December when more whales can be seen. January, February and March are considered the months with the highest population of whales in Maui. April we will still see whales and by May most of them have returned back to Alaska to begin feeding again.
One of the factors that makes Maui an optimal place for
humpback whale migration is how protected it’s
waters are.
Not only do the shallow waters of the
Maui Nui Basin prevent predators from approaching from
below, the islands of Maui, Kaho’olawe, Lanai and
Moloka’i create a sheltered area from the open ocean and
it’s predators, giving humpback whales mothers the peace
of mind to give birth.
The shallow waters of the Maui Nui Basin are some of the warmest waters in Hawaii making it the primary location for humpback whales giving birth and raising their young. Because humpback whales do not feed when in Hawaii, the warmer water also allows them save most of the fat they have stored for their trek back to Alaska where they will feed all summer in preparing to return to Hawaii the next year.
Options for whale watching Maui’s humpback whales in the summer are limited on island because these Northern Pacific Humpback Whales migrate back to colder waters in the summer to feed and prepare for their winters in Maui.
If you’re really wanting a whale encounter the summer months, we listed a couple options for you below!
Maui’s humpback whales migrate to cooler waters during summer months and thats where you can encounter them engaging in new behaviors you don’t see in Maui! Feeding behaviors like bubble netting and lunge feeding are whale encounters you can only have in the summer months while they fuel up for their mating and birthing season in Hawaii.
Check out some summer whale watch tours here!
Check out Summer Whale Tours here!
The majority of humpback whales are in Maui from December through April. The summer months they migrate to locations where they can feed.
Summer in Maui can still be full of ocean adventures and wildlife sightings.
Our summer whale watching alternative are our 2 hour Dolphin Watch Tours departing from Lahaina, Maui.
Did you know dolphins are toothed-whales? Maui is home to many species of dolphins and they are here year-round. Join a dolphin watch tour and experience marine life encounters without ever having to be in the ocean!
Maui
Whale Watching
Tours
Maui’s original small group eco-raft
whale watching adventures.
Guaranteed whale sightings or go for free!
Our adventure rafts only take 16 passengers maximum, giving everyone a front row view of humpback whales! Avoid crowds and enjoy an eye-level encounter with whales during our tours, perfect for photo ops and underwater go-pro footage! We guarantee whale sighting or you go again for free!
Best chance for up close whale watching in Maui!
Because we are a small raft, whales are more likely to swim up to us which makes for a once in a life- time close whale encounter! Although they can approach us, whales are protected in Maui so we do not approach them closer than federal regulations allow. Listen to whale songs on our hydrophones and learn whale facts from our Our marine natural- ist guides will also share whale facts and other ocean information, making this tour a fun and educational experiMarine Naturalist on board during your Maui Whale Watching Tour!
The short answer is that any time of day is great for Maui Whale Watching! Because Humpback whales migrate to Maui to mate and give birth but are not feeding, they do not have any time they are more or less active! Whales migrate to Hawaii seasonally and can be seen from December through April!
Obviously, whales don’t mind getting wet, so the rain isn’t a bother! When it comes to weather there does not appear to be weather patterns that affect whale activity.
With that in mind, we reschedule tours due to weather if it will be unpleasant or unsafe for our guests
Whales are protected in Hawaii so we do not approach them closer than federal regulations allow, that includes no swimming or snorkeling with whales. But because we are a small raft, whales are likely to swim up to us in the boat! When whales approach our boats closely, it’s called a mugging!
Maui Snorkeling away from the crowds!
If you’re looking for an adventure snorkel, escape the crowds with us and
snorkel the island of Lanai, exploring unique reefs, sea cliffs and watching
wild dolphins! The island of Lanai is a 20 minute boat ride from Maui and
has more than a dozen snorkel spots to choose from!
Snorkel with turtles & see dolphins!
Many of our snorkel stops include snorkeling with the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle! Sea turtles are protected in Maui so we will guide you on snorkeling safely with Maui’s honu! Dolphins are also protected in Maui, but we can watch them in the wild from the boat! This is where our low to water rafts make the dolphin watching experience the next best thing.
Yes, our snorkel tours are beginner friendly! Our Maui Snorkel Tours are small groups and give one-on-one snorkel instruction, and our crew snorkels with our guests in the water during the tour! Flotation devices like float belts and pool noodles to assist snorkelers are also available on our snorkel tours!.
Our snorkel tours go to the island of Lanai which is a private island about 8 miles from Maui! This island has more than a dozen snorkel spots with unique reefs, tropical fish and turtles! Lanai also displays a giant sea cliff you can see from the water and is home to pods of spin- ner, spotted and bottlenose dolphins!
Most commonly we snorkel with tropical fish and Hawaiian Green sea turtles on our snorkel tours! Although we can’t snorkel with dolphins due to their protection, we do get to watch them from the boat! We also see other marine animals on rare occasions including whale sharks, monk seals, rays, octopus, reef sharks and pseudo orcas!
Maui
Snorkeling
Tours
Learn why Lanai Snorkeling makes it
on Maui’s list of top snorkeling spots.
Check-in Location: Temporary Dive Maui Shop, 1223 Front Street Lahaina, Maui, 96761
Parking : Front Street or near Lahaina Cannery Mall parking lot.
OUR MISSION is to provide a fun, authentic, aloha filled, Maui ocean experience that educates and inspires visitors to love and respect Hawaiian culture, the ocean and our island.