The Best Whale Watching Tour On Maui (2024)
Want to know what the best whale watching tour is on Maui? We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know!
The Best Whale Watching Tour On Maui
One activity you must do when on Maui is whale watching!
We were lucky enough to be there during peak whale watching season.
Whale sightings are 100% guaranteed (or you get to go again for free).
We saw so many whales on our tour I lost count!
I had been whale watching twice in California before without seeing a single whale, so this was very exciting for me!
We recommend doing the PacWhale Eco-Adventures Deluxe Whale Watching Tour in Ma’alaea.
What’s Included On The Deluxe Whale Watching Tour?
Fresh island fruit, house made chips and salsa, kiawe-smoked pork and chicken sliders, zesty bean salad, roasted garlic hummus and crostini, tomato and basil bruschetta, house made brownies
Unlimited soda, juice, filtered water, plus three complimentary alcoholic beverages including Maui Brewing Co. beer, wine and tropical cocktails for adults 21+ with valid picture ID (additional adult beverages and refills available for purchase).
Underwater hydrophones to hear whale songs
Onboard Jr. Naturalist Program for kids
Free Marine Wildlife oversize postcards
Whale sightings guaranteed or go again free
Also be prepared for some whale related trivia! We played a trivia game while on board and I will tell you we did not do very well.
PacWhale Eco-Adventures Deluxe Whale Watching Tour
You don’t want to forget your sunscreen on this tour!
Three hours of direct sunlight can be brutal on your skin if you’re not prepared.
I recommend a light jacket or something that covers your shoulders just in case. It was really a lifesaver for me.
Additionally, if you have binoculars, those would be great to bring with you on this tour.
JP brought some and had been using them to look for whales from our hotel balcony each day, so it wasn’t any sort of added burden to bring them with us for the day.
Though we didn’t get in the water at all, we still wore our “reef safe” sunscreen.
Those are the sunscreens made with zinc oxide and are also known as mineral sunscreens.
They leave a white coating on your skin, BUT if you are getting in the ocean at all in Maui, you have to use this type of sunscreen.
All other types of sunscreen are actually banned on Maui due to their impact on the environment.
From what I understand, you can bring other types with you, but you can’t purchase other types while you’re there. We bought ours from Costco once we arrived.
You don’t want to be that person destroying the beautiful coral reefs and other wildlife.
Food and Drinks Onboard
Since drinks were included on this excursion, we took this opportunity to enjoy a couple Mai Tai’s, Blue Hawaiians, and an IPA from Maui Brewing Co.
Don’t worry, we also drank plenty of water!
I’m not much of a drinker, so one or two drinks would’ve been sufficient for me for the whole day, but I’m sure for others this is a great perk for the deluxe whale watching tour.
Whale Sightings
All tours have a Naturalist onboard that will tell you anything and everything you would want to know about the whales here.
We learned all the different types of behavior they’ll display, as well as their “family” dynamics.
They also help you spot any whales off in the distance since you can’t look in every direction at once!
As a rule, these boats cannot come within about 100 yards or so of the whales because they are in protected waters.
However, whales are free to come up to the boat on their own.
One little humpback whale did just that!
The whale just came right up to say hello and rolled around all over the place before swimming off. It was the cutest!
You can check it out in the video at the top of this post. The video also features the whales singing underwater!
The tour included a hydrophone to listen to the whales and they played it over the speakers for several minutes so we could all hear.
Standard Whale Watching Tour From Ma’alaea Harbor
Another slightly cheaper option, but with the same tour company is the standard whale watching tour.
Ultimately the main difference is the food and drink service. It’s not included with the standard tour, but the rest of the experience is exactly the same.
👉 Click Here To Book Your PacWhale Eco-Adventures Whale Watching Tour Today!
Other Fun Things To Do On Maui
There are so many great things to do on a vacation on Maui.
Here are the must-do’s on the island.
✅ 5 Night Complete Maui Itinerary
For an all-inclusive look at everything you can do during your stay on Maui, check out our full 6 day, 5 night itinerary.
✅ Haleakala National Park
Catching a sunrise at Haleakala National Park is a must-do on Maui.
When we visited, our sunrise reservation was cancelled due to weather, so if the same happens for you, sunset is also a great time to visit.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Haleakala National Park Sunrise Tour Today!
✅ Cacao Farm Tour + Chocolate Tasting
Visit the largest cacao farm in Hawai’i and enjoy a 9 piece chocolate tasting in a treehouse overlooking the neighboring islands.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Cacao Farm Tour and Chocolate Tasting Today!
✅ Best Luaus On Maui
You have to go to a luau at least once when you’re visiting any of the Hawaiian islands.
Our luau was on a smaller scale than some of the most popular ones on the island, but the more intimate show was a great introduction to Hawaiian luaus.
✅ Road To Hana Full Loop Drive
I highly recommend driving the full loop route if the weather permits. Most visitors just drive to Hana and back, but there is so much more to do and see!
👉 Click Here To Download Your Self Guided Road To Hana Full Loop Tour Today!
Where To Stay When You’re Visiting Maui
I highly recommend staying at Ka’anapali Beach Club when you’re visiting Maui.
This property is owned by Hilton Vacation Club (who purchased it from Diamond Resorts recently).
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be an owner of this timeshare to stay at this resort.
You can book your stay easily through Hotels.com at the link below.
I recommend this resort specifically because for the same price as a standard hotel room, you’ll get a full kitchen, balcony with ocean views, a jacuzzi tub, separate bedroom and living spaces, and more.
If this room type is available, I recommend trying to book the one bedroom Deluxe Oceanview Suite.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Stay At Ka’anapali Beach Club Today!
Where To Eat On Maui
We spent 6 days on Maui trying all the best restaurants and some of the hidden gems.
We’ve compiled them all into a list of the best restaurants on Maui.
Conclusion: The Best Whale Watching Tour On Maui
Maui has so many great whale watching tour operators, but the best one to go with is PacWhale Eco-Adventures whether it’s their deluxe tour, standard tour, or another kind.
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