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Big Island Whale Watching Tours

There are 25 tours in this category. Hawaii's Leader in Affordable Tours and Discount Activities

Whale Watching Tours Sorted by Specific Tour

Big Island Whale Watching Tours. Many are offered at discount pricing.

The Big Island whale season begins on Dec 16th and runs till the end of Mach.

Unlike other locations in Hawaii, the Big Island is not only the seasonal home for the famous Humpback whales but is also home year round to a selection of Sperm whales, Pilot whales, Pygmy Killer whales, the Melon Headed whales and the rare beaked whales.

Classification of the Species of Whales found in our 'Whale Watching Big Island' category page:

There are about 78 species of whales in the Order Cetacea. Cetaceans are classified into two subgroups, Mysticeti or 'baleen whales', and Odontoceti or 'toothed whales'. Generally the toothed whales are found further off shore and can be often seen on many of the famous Kona coast Fishing Charters that ply the deep waters off the 'Big Island' of Hawaii.

Here's the real reason however that we offer Big Island Whale Watching Tours: The Humpback Whale!

No other whale matches the glitz and pizzazz of the active Humpback Whales which show up from roughly December through April. Whale Watching activity and buy discounted tickets" href="https://mauisnorkeling.com/whale-watching/">Whale watching trips abound through this period with Kona whale watching trips being the most prominent. These beautiful animals make their annual journey from the waters off Alaska to the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Here they mate, cavort and give birth to their young.

Here are some interesting facts about the amazing Humpback Whales:

  • You can often see babies which were just born traveling with their mothers and learning how to dive, slap their fins or flukes and breach high into the air
  • New born calves grow at the incredible rate of about 100 lbs a day strictly from the milk they receive from their mothers. &nbsp
  • Speaking of food, during these annual visits while they are in Hawaiian waters, they actually do no eating whatsoever. They just live off the bounty of stored fat they accumulated while feasting on plankton, krill shrimp and other crustaceans in the Pacific waters of North America.
  • The lung capacity of full grown Humpback is approximately the volume that would be taken up by a Volkswagen bug. No wonder they can stay submerged for as long as an hour at a time. 

There are a very large variety of 'whale watching Big Island style' tours.

  • Big Island of Hawaii whale watches generally leave both mornings and afternoons.

Big Island of Hawaii whale watches generally leave both mornings and afternoons.

Pride of America Cruise Ship:

The following Whale Watching Tours on the Big Island of Hawaii do not pick up directly at the cruise ship but may be reached in some cases via a short walk, via a taxi cab or by a Rental Car that can be arranged by Tom Barefoot's Tours that will pick you up at the dock with a shuttle. These Whale Watching Tours are generally available to you on the Wednesday of your cruise itinerary while docking in the port of Kona.


Whale Watching Tours Sorted by Company

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Adventure X Rafting

2 Activity Options

Raft Whale Watching, Dolphin Watch and Snorkeling Tour

Enjoy speeds of over 40 MPH on the upgraded zodiac raft used by Adventure X Rafting while touring the areas along the coastline of the beautiful Kona region of the Big Island. Individual tours will include day trips to swim with the dolphins, spectacular evening Manta Ray snorkels and whale watching tours during the migration season.
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(3 Reviews, 5 Stars)

Body Glove

1 Activity Option

65' Custom Catamaran, 51' Trimaran

Kailua Kona's Body Glove Charters offers snorkel and dolphin watching tours on a daily morning charter, dinner cruises in the evenings, a historical luncheon cruise, SNUBA diving and a whale watch during the winter season. If you are interested in a wonderful 3 hour coastal tour without the snorkeling, Body Glove is the only game in town.
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(6 Reviews, 4.5 Stars)

Captain Zodiac

3 Activity Options

24' Inflatable Zodiac Rafts, 24 Foot Inflatable Zodiac Raft

One of the oldest charter boat companies in the state, Captain Zodiac offers spectacular personalized and adventurous snorkel and wildlife tours along the coast of Kona on the Big Island. A variety of daily snorkel tours will take you to Kealakekua Bay on speedy 24' Zodiac Rafts and outstanding whale watches are offered during the winter season.
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(1 Review, 3 Stars)

Kamanu Charters Inc.

2 Activity Options

36' Sailing Catamaran

You'll enjoy "real sailing", snorkeling and whale watching on this trip with Kamanu Charters on their 36' custom designed sailing catamaran "Kamanu" to Pawai Bay. This area, located just north of Kona, is under State Fishery Management . The bay is within the Queen Liliuokalani Trust Land at Kaiwi Point and it is private. They also offer night manta ray snorkels.
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Atlantis Adventures

1 Activity Option

Submarine tours of Hawaii.

Atlantis Adventures will provide you with an opportunity to dive in absolute comfort in a 'state of the art', window filled submarine to a depth of about 100' for about forty minutes. Very spacious and air-conditioned these vessels hold just under fifty passengers as they are taken on one of the most unique rides of their lifetime.
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Hang Loose Boat Tours

1 Activity Option

Hang Loose Boat Tours

Wild dolphin watch & snorkel, evening sunset & manta snorkel, Kealakekua Bay snorkel.
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Dolphin Discoveries

1 Activity Option

25' Rigid Hull Adventure Craft, 32' Zodiac Mark VI

Dolphin Discoveries focuses on finding the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins and/or Spotted Dolphins on their educational and personalized tours. These trips offer small groups the chance to capture a memory of a lifetime while enjoying a cruise along the calm Kona Coast of the Big Island.
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Hawaii Nautical

6 Activity Options

Leid Back' Dinner Cruise, Snorkeling and Dolphins, Whale Watch off the leeward coastline,Oahu Scuba

Hawaii Nautical offers a large variety of boat tours throughout the island of Oahu and on the Big Island of Hawaii. Snorkel tours and dolphin watches are offered in the mornings and the afternoons and in addition they offer sunset sails, dinner cruises, scuba and snuba options, whale watching in season and private charters.
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Hawaii Oceanic

1 Activity Option

Private Charters, Swim with Dolphins, Kealakekua Bay Tour, Whale Watching

Personalization is the key word describing the ocean adventures offered by Hawaii Oceanic on the Big Island. Six passengers is the maximum number that will be on board so you will have all the personal attention you will need on these adventurous tours on a comfortable 30' power catamaran. Tours will include snorkels to Kealakekua Bay, swim with the dolphin adventures, swim with Manta Ray trips and whale watches.
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Mauna Lani Sea Adventures

1 Activity Option

21' Power Catamaran, 50' Sailing Catamaran

The beautiful Mauna Loa Resort in Waikoloa is the departure point for all the activities provided by the Mauna Lani Sea Adventures. Pristine snorkel adventures, scuba diving trips, sunset sails and whale watching trips in season are all available. The 55' Polynesian style catamaran 'Winona' carries intimate groups of passengers on tours along this gorgeous coastline.
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Ocean Encounters

2 Activity Options

46' Delta

The Kona Coast of the Big Island is famous for its manta rays, dolphins and whales. Ocean Encounters I offers individual Tours and Private Charters. Ocean Encounters 2 offers Private Charters and is on standby as overflow should an Ocean Encounters Tour be full. Encounters I is a 46' Delta - it's the perfect boat from which to find and observe these beautiful underwater creatures.
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Wahine Charters

1 Activity Option

Dolphin Excursions, Whale Watch Tour - Wahine Charters, Snorkeling and Manta Ray trips from Honokoha

Wicked Wahine Charters operates a series of boat tours out of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Their 29' custom power vessel can easily traverse the 12 miles of coastline between Honokohau Harbor and the Captain Cook Monument while snorkeling and dolphin watching on the way, or it can take you out on a night time Manta Ray adventure or whale watching.
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Kona Snorkel - Noa Noa

1 Activity Option

Kona Snorkel  - Noa Noa

Kona Snorkel offers morning and afternoon snorkeling and sailing on the "Noa Noa," our 50 foot sailing catamaran. Certified for 43 passengers and permitted for operations from Kailua pier, she boasts roomy seating in an open-air shaded cabin and up front in netted trampolines on each side of our retractable swim ladder. She provides a comfortable ride, safe and easy water access and is equipped with a fresh water shower and his/her restrooms.
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Aloha Dolphin Tours

4 Activity Options

Aloha Dolphin Tours - 25 Foot Power Catamaran, Group and Private Cruises

Aloha Dolphin Tours offers a variety of sea tour choices for exciting ocean adventures. Ideal for small group or intimate private charters this power catamaran makes Kealakekua Bay accessible to enjoy with your family and friends.
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Recent Reviews


Video Transcript

So all of the island of Hawaii have whale watching and the Big Island is no different. The whales of course are primarily the humpback whales and they come from Alaska and Canada every year to visit, like a tourist. They travel thousands of miles all the way from Alaska to come to the islands of Hawaii. They come to all of them, and they just hang out here. They come to calve and to mate and presumably just enjoy life. They hang out in pods and cruise all day long around the islands and just seemingly have a great time.

They don't eat while they're here. They somehow are able to live off their body fat for months at a time and it's not until they return home that they have their next meal. So it's kind of a hibernation without being buried in the snow like a bear. They're actually active during their hibernation if you want to call it that. It's a fast, I guess, is what you would say.

Anyway, they are really exciting to watch. They're here during the months, whale season is primarily mid-December to mid-May but really the biggest part of it is going to be January, February, March. That's the heart of it. We do have whales that come earlier in October and even September, just a few scouts I guess on their way, and then some that leave in May. But really the majority of what we've got going is going to be happening in the January, February and March area.

These are neat. The whales are wonderful because any time you get on the water, you're going on a snorkel trip or you're going on a dive trip or whatever you may be doing, you have an extremely high likelihood of seeing whales, so that just adds to anything you do that time of year. But we actually have what we refer to as whale watches that are trips that go out specifically for the purpose to see the whales. On these vessels you're going out, everybody's going, "Where's the whales? Where are they?" Everybody looks. When you first make a sighting, then you start heading over to them and the idea is to get fairly close. You're not allowed to get right up on them. You have to stay 100 yards or so away and let the whales come over to you if they want to, but it's not to intrude on their territory. It's just for us to be able to see them and to get a sense of them, to enjoy them, to appreciate the whales. They really are fun.

Sometimes they do get close. These whales obviously were right up to the boat. Sometimes they'll come right up to the boat and go underneath you. That is an experience you probably won't forget especially if you're on a really small boat, which brings me to the fact that we've got a number of boats that go out to do these. We have large boats, large power boats, the double-deckers. They're a little bit more stable in the water. If it's a double-deck, from on top you really have a little bit more of a vantage point to look down to see whales and to see them on the horizon a little bit better than the boats that are just on the water.

But the advantage of being on one of the smaller boats is that you are actually right there with the whales. It is an overwhelming experience at times to be that close to whales when it happens. I say that only happens when they choose it to happen. It's luck of the draw. The Zodiac boats, the real small ones like that, are really nice for the right person. Some people may not be that comfortable on a small boat but it's great to be on a boat where you can ask questions because you'll have a bunch of the captain and he may be able to answer questions with more rapidity.

On the larger boats it's more of whale researchers on board and naturalists and there's people around that know stuff but they're giving you a little description of what's happening and that sort of thing, less of the back-and-forth. But they're wonderful any way you do it to get out to see the whales.

If you're here January, February and March, you want to make sure you get out on one of the whale watches if you can. They're also one of the more affordable tours that we have to get you out on the water.

So if you have any questions about tours or activities in Hawaii, just give us a call or check out tombarefoot.com.

The Hawaii whale watching season is the most anticipated time of year regarding activities in the islands. Whale watching is available for visitors to enjoy between December and May.

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This is a popular activity during the winter whale season.

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The whales come every winter. Don't miss this very popular activity.

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This is Maui's number one activity during the winter months.

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