When is the best time of year for whale watching?

Humpback whales migrate to Maui every winter! We begin whale watching tours December 1st and continue whale watch in January, February and March, ending in month of April! During the summer months we snorkel and dolphin watch departing from Lahaina Harbor, Maui!

What is the best time of day for whale watching?

Maui’s humpback whales are active all day and even at night! This means no matter the time of day, whale activity will only be based on their random behavior. If there were a better time to go whale watching, that trip would be so desireable it would probably be a special price! But because the time does not matter for whale activity, we offer tours from sunrise to sunset, from Lahaina, Maui!

What is the best weather for whale watching?

Lucky for us, you can whale watching in any weather due to whale activity not being altered my the weather. Even though the weather may not affect the whales activity, it can affect our whale watch ing efforts, which is why we reschedule or refund tours where the weather interferes with the safety or enjoyment of the whale watching tour. Lahaina Harbor has one of the mildest weather climates on Maui and makes it one of the best places to whale watch.

Can we snorkel with whales?

Humpback whales are protected in Maui and we are not permitted to swim, snorkel with whales or approached them closer than 100 yards. So how do we get the epic close encounters? Close encounters are purely the choice of the whale, and many times they choose to come toward our boats. On those special occasions, we stop the boat for the whales safety and enjoy the view of Lahaina, Maui!

Best place to whale watch on Maui?

The best place to whale watch on Maui is Lahaina, Maui. Because the majority of humpback whales spend their time in the Maui Nui Basin, whale watching from Lahaina Harbor is the closest location to whale activity. Our tours depart from Lahaina Harbor, every day, sunrise to sunset!

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MAUI WHALE WATCHING TOURS

WHALE SEASON: DECEMBER – APRIL

Rated #1 best Maui whale watching tour for any level of whale watcher. Our low-to-the-water rescue raft vessels put every guest in a front-row seat for guaranteed humpback sightings.

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WHALE WATCH 2 HR

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

2 Hour Whale Watch

28 guests or less
Sunrise to Sunset Tours
Marine Naturalist Guides & Hydrophone Onboard!

24HR Cancellation Policy. No children under 4 years

$88$56 Kids 4-12

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EXPRESS WHALE TOUR

WHALE WATCH 1.5 HR

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

1.5 Hour Whale Watch

28 guests or less
Tours Sunrise and Sunset only - Limited Availability
Marine Naturalist Guides & Hydrophone Onboard!

24HR Cancellation Policy. No children under 4 years

$77$49 Kids 4-12

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VIP EXCLUSIVE

VIP WHALE WATCH LIMITED 12 GUESTS

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

2 Hour Whale Watch

Small Group - Only 12 Guests
Sunrise to Sunset Tours
Marine Naturalist Guides & Hydrophone Onboard!

24HR Cancellation Policy. No children under 4 years

$125All Ages

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WHALE ESCAPE TOUR

ULTIMATE WHALE WATCH LIMITED 6 GUESTS

📍 Lahaina Harbor

2 Hour Whale Watch

Small Group -Only 6 Guests
Tours Sunrise to Sunset - Limited Availability
Marine Naturalist Guides & Hydrophone Onboard!

24HR Cancellation Policy. No children under 4 years

$177All Ages

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ADVENTURE SNORKEL COMBO

(COMBO) WHALE WATCH & REEF SNORKEL

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

3.5-4 Hour Whale Watch & Snorkel

Small Group - Only 16 Guests
9AM Tour Daily - Limited Availability
1 Snorkeling Stop
Snacks & Snorkel Gear Included
Marine Naturalist Guides and Hydrophone Onboard

24HR Cancellation Policy. No children under 4 years

$195$120 Kids 4-12

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Prefer the boat to yourselves?

Book a private whale watching charter for your family or group.

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Whales are protected in Hawaii so we do not approach humpback whales closer than federal regulations.
Swimming and/or touching whales is not permitted. Whales may choose to come to our vessels on their own.

Lanai Snorkel & Dolphin Adventures

MAUI SNORKELING TOURS

Plunge Into Lanai's Ultimate Snorkel Paradise! Marvel At Turtles, Vibrant Marine Life, And More!

DOLPHIN ADVENTURE & LANAI SNORKEL

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

4 Hour Tour: 9am-1pm

Explore Lanai's South Coast
Includes Snacks
2 Snorkel Stops
Snorkel Gear Provided

24HR Cancellation Policy. No children under 4 years

$175$107 Kids 4-12

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DELUXE TOUR

DELUXE DOLPHIN ADVENTURE & LANAI SNORKEL

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

6 Hour Tour: 8am-2pm

Explore Lanai's South Coast
To More Remote Locations
With Exclusive Sight Seeing
Includes Lunch
3 Snorkel Stops
Snorkel Gear Provided

24HR Cancellation Policy. No children under 4 years

$200$155 Kids 4-12

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Private Boat Charters

Your own boat, your own pace: whale watching, snorkeling, celebrations. Up to 26 guests.

EXCLUSIVE OCEAN ESCAPE

LUXURY PRIVATE CHARTER - WAHINE MOANA

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

6 Passenger Max
Private Boat Charter
27 ft Power Cat Vessel
Smooth Ride, 60% Shade
Low to the Water, Safe & Quick
Drone Support Vessel

No children under 4 years

$465

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COASTAL ESCAPE CHARTER

PRIVATE CHARTER - WIKI WAHINE

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

18 Passenger Max
Private Boat Charter
27 ft Hardbottom Inflatable
Smooth Ride, 60% Shade
Low to the Water, Safe & Quick
Dry Storage Onboard

No children under 4 years

$600

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PREMIER GROUP ESCAPE

PRIVATE CHARTER - WAHINE KAI

📍 Mala Boat Ramp, Lahaina

26 Passenger Max
Private Boat Charter
43 ft Hardbottom Inflatable
Fresh Water Shower & Restroom
Smooth Ride, More Shade
Low to the Water, Safe & Quick

No children under 4 years

$700

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Ultimate Dolphin Watch

Ultimate Dolphin Watch tour

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Whale Watching Maui Tours with Smallest Groups!

Every seat is a front row seat on our whale watching tours! Our small group rafting vessels host small groups of guests so you get up close and personal with Maui’s whales, dolphins, turtles, tropical fish and other marine life! Since 1982 we strive for every whale watching tour to be unforgettable.
We can’t wait to share Maui’s ocean adventures with you!

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We're Locally Owned and Operated.

Since 1982, we have been dedicated to sharing our knowledge and experience of Maui's ocean through ultimate whale watch and snorkel tours, snorkeling and supporting education and research. Our goal is to encourage eco-friendly decisions and appreciation of the Hawaii paradise we are a part of. We're proud to welcome visitors from Washington, California, and all over the world.

Support Our Whale and Marine Research.

We donate our vessels, time and resources to whale researchers that are working to better understand Maui’s marine environment and in turn protect and advocate for it. Check out our blog to learn more about our ongoing research projects and how to support them.

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Be a Part of Our Ohana whale watching!

Our team of captains, naturalist and marine biologist are all about sharing their love and knowledge of the ocean and Lahaina and Lanai’s amazing creatures with you!
We can’t wait for you to become a part of our lahaina whale watching and Maui dolphin watching ohana!

Reviews

“One of the coolest experiences I have ever had. We got great encounters with whales.They crew was very knowledgeable, friendly, and very fun. If you want a great experience on the water choose Ultimate!!!!” Steve B. Afton, Minnesota
“We had a close encounter with a 30-ton Humpback Whale...We also saw about a dozen breaches by whales, a giant school of spinner dolphins and a gigantic turtle all on the same 2 hour tour. I highly recommend these guys” Marposp Vancouver, Canada
“We have been on many whale watch trips, but have never experienced what we saw on this one. The large humpback male whale noticed us and came over to our boat to show off. He swam around and under our boat! Rockcl Denver, Colorado

Rated #1 Whale Watching Maui Tours with Smallest Groups.

Every seat is a front row seat in our whale watching tours! Our small group rafting vessels host small groups of guests so you get up close and personal with Maui’s whales, dolphins, turtles, tropical fish and other marine life! We want your whale watching tour to be unforgettable!

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Ultimate Pro Tip:

Plan to bring a waterproof GoPro with a selfie stick for unforgettable underwater video of your trip!

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The Closest Ultimate Whale Watching Tours Encounters in Maui.

We specialize in photographic, non-threatening close encounters with Dolphins, Whales & Turtles in Lahaina, Hawaii! During our Maui whale watching tours and private charters, we have hosted film crews from National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, and other elite marine life photographers!

Because humpback whales are protected in Maui, we do not approach humpback whales closer than 100 yards or swim with whales or dolphins, but we still find ourselves having unique close encounters as these marine mammals love approaching our small, low to the water, friendly rafting vessels! Join us for our seasonal Whale Watching on Maui tours from December to April and snorkel year-round, departing from Lahaina Harbor, Maui!

Private Boat Charters in Maui. Custom for You!

Book a private boat charter for any occasion for you and your family or friends! Whale watch, snorkel, dolphin watch, bachelor and bachelorette parties, wedding parties, memorials and special occasions, departing from Lahaina Harbor, Maui!

Maui’s Dolphins, Tropical Fish and Sea Turtles!

When we’re not whale watching, we’re Snorkeling Maui and Lanai and dolphin watching departing from Lahaina Harbor, Maui! We’re ranked #1 for Maui’s whale watching and dolphin watching because of our low to water rafting vessels and marine naturalist crew know where to encounter marine mammals and turtles!

sea turtle experience on boat tour in Maui

Frequently Asked Questions

Short answer: (December to mid April). Humpback whales migrate to Maui from Alaska every winter! We begin Maui whale watching tours December 1st, at the beginning of the humpbacks arrival to Maui. In December it is common to encounter the first mom and calves along with the very entertaining surface active juveniles (they don't know what there supposed to be doing so they exhibit many behaviors) . The humpback migration trickles into the Hawaiian islands peaking in February and March, then will begin to trickle out. Be advised the humpback whale population fluctuates in areas throughout the Hawaiian islands. Off the west coast of Maui (Lahaina) is protected water that is a hot spot of whale activity.

Maui’s humpback whales are active all day and even at night! There have been many studies on this but as of yet nothing conclusive. The Sanctuary is dynamic with activity and it changes day to day and hour to hour. The advice I give my friends is look at the weather, if winds are about the same all day go at the time that fits your day. If you can go more that increase your odds of getting that photo or memory your looking for but be warned the excitement of being around a 50 ton wild animal can be addicting.

The best weather to go whale watching is slightly more complicated than calm lake like conditions. Studies and our observations over the years have given us a solid belief that when there is noise on the surface (wind waves, rain) there is more surface activity. There has been speculation that they may need to be louder with bigger splashes or maybe environmental sounds excites them? Windier days will blow spouts down quicker making it more difficult to spot non-splashy whales and limit areas that are comfortable to hangout in on a boat. No matter what the conditions going out on a whale watch will be more memorable than watching your hotel T.V.

Technically, no snorkeling with humpback whales allowed in the U.S. How do we have all of those epic shots and videos on our socials? Our boat is super low to the water so you can stick your feet in or lean over the side with your head in the water while breathing out of a snorkel. The rule is no approach within a 100 yards. So if you make one arm stroke or kick towards a whale with in a 100 yards of a humpback, bam massive fine and your in jail with the worst why I am in jail story. If your boat is stopped not making any movement and a whale comes to you. No violation, your not protected the whale can mug you and go on its merry way. Which is awesome!

The most consistently best area to go whale watching is on the west side of Maui (Lahaina). The two main reasons are calmest sea conditions because of the 5,788 foot mountain behind Lahaina that blocks the wind for miles and the shallow waters off of Lahaina that are favorable to mom and calves ( the males go where the females are). Maalaea departure is good also there is usually good population density of whales in the area off of Kihei also. Lahaina has a quadruple sized area that humpbacks utilize. Lahaina waters are protected with most days calm wind conditions where Maalaea is most days are windy. Both areas are fantastic compared to other areas in the Hawaiian islands Maui has the most consistent and abundant areas to experience a humpback whale encounter.

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Not every trip we run has whales on it 🐋 — some of

When the humpbacks head north for the summer, our

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Happy National Turtle Day!! 🐢🌊 We never get tired

Introducing our newest private charter experience

🌺 Crew Spotlight: Lexie 🌺 This summer marks 4 ama

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Happy World Wildlife Day 💙 📸 Captain John #whalew

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