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18 Best places to go whale-watching

  • Multiple countries

Last updated: 07 August, 2024

Ranging from the mere 2.5m dwarf sperm whale to the whopping 30m blue whale, these ocean giants beguile and amaze us with their size, grace and dignity. The sight of a breaching right whale or the enormous tail of a humpback breaking the surface never fails to make us gasp.

Here’s our round-up some of the best places in the world to go whale-watching.

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Table of Contents

Andenes

  • Norway

Whale watching boat behind looks at fins of orcas whales in foreground

Bucket List Experience

Andenes

The deep waters and nutrient-rich food supply off the Andenes coast and around the Vesteralen archipelago make the waters here an essential feeding ground for a variety of whales – and a global whale-watching hotspot. Humpback, sperm, minke, and pilot whales are regularly seen – plus dolphins, porpoises and the occasional orca.

Tours also include presentations on whale biology, conservation and the contentious issue of whaling from resident experts, meaning you not only get to see these magnificent creatures, but come away understanding something of their plight.

Adult price: £100

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-6 hours

Baja California

  • La Paz, Baja California, Mexico

humpback whale breaching on pacific ocean background with tourist boat behind

Bucket List Experience

This stretch of coast is the world’s whale watching hotspot from December to April, when whales in their thousands migrate here from the north to breed and feed. Humpbacks, blue, minke, orca, fin, Bryde’s, sperm, sei and grey whales are regularly seen. Grey whales calve in the lagoons of the Sea of Cortez from mid-January through mid-April.

Adult price: £150

Good for age: 4+

Duration: Full day

  • Ballena Marine National Park, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

Large humpback whale breaching

Bucket List Experience

Ballena Marine National Park

Humpback whales migrate to the Costa Rican Pacific from Antarctica and North America – to court and mate in the warm waters, later calving in the shallow seas of this marine national park. With near year-round visits, this is one of the best places to see humpbacks with their young in the Americas.

The Ballena Marine National Park protects the marine area around four small islands where the whales congregate. The islands have become a haven for other marine life; Olive Ridley and hawksbills turtles, boobies and pelicans, and dolphins are a common sight.

Adult price: £50

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-4 hours

Dominica

  • Dominica

Humpback whale tail in Samana, Dominican republic and torist whale watching boat

Bucket List Experience

From mid-January to end of March, the Samana Peninsula is the place to see humpback whales. Thousands migrate from Norway’s coast to breed and socialise in the warm waters and sheltered bays. Short-finned pilot, false killer, and melon head whales can also be seen. Sperm whales are present all year round.

Adult price: £100

Good for age: 4+

Duration: Half day

  • Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa

Close up shot of a southern right whale breaching off the cliffs at Hermanus

Bucket List Experience

Hermanus

When the southern right whales make their annual migration from icy Antarctic waters to mate and calve in the temperate seas off South Africa, Hermanus is the place to be. With its steep cliffs and plentiful vantage points, this somewhat-trendy holiday town offers some of the most accessible land-based whale watching in the world.

A cliff-top trail meanders through town, offering up a number of easy-to-access viewpoints. The wonderful thing about whale season is the luck of the draw: pick your spot, take out your binoculars and scan the seas. If you’re lucky, the blubbery tourists will be breaching, lob-tailing and spy hopping off the cliffs, barely 100m away.

Alternatively, take a boat tour for close-up views. Boat-based whale-watching tours depart from the New Harbour. They’re not cheap, but you’re all but assured of incredible sightings. You can also kayak out to see them. Walker Bay Adventures will take you out into Walker Bay in sea kayaks.

Whales are there in season, but dolphins and seals are present all year round. If you time it for late September/early October, you’ll catch the Hermanus Whale Festival. The climax of the season is a celebration of cetaceans, complete with live music, kids’ entertainment and a tempting range of food stalls.

Good for age: 4+

Duration: Any

  • Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Beluga whale on the water surface

Bucket List Experience

Hudson Bay

During the summer, more than 60,000 beluga whales inhabit the Western Hudson Bay region – 3,000 of which can be found in the Churchill River estuary.

These unusual, striking all-white whales, growing up to 6.5m, are also known as ‘sea canaries’ for their prolific underwater singing in high-pitched squeaks and whistles. They’re curious creatures – and often come right up to boats.

It’s therefore an excellent spot for summer whale watching – on a 2-hour tour on either an inflatable zodiac or sea kayaks. Tours sometimes spot polar bears here too.

Adult price: £75

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-4 hours

Iceland

  • Iceland

tourists on the front of a whale watching boat watch a whale on the surface

Bucket List Experience

Iceland

Iceland’s pristine waters are among the best places in the world to spot wild whales. Tour boats take you out into the North Atlantic to see these gentle giants as they pass Iceland on their annual north–south migration, especially the main feeding and breeding season from May to November.

Humpback and minke are the most commonly sighted, but with luck you might also see sei, fin and, very occasionally, blue whales. Humpbacks – the most curious and playful of all the whales, so the best for whale watching – congregate in the far northern fjord of Eyjafjord.

The town of Husavik is the main base for whale watching, although it’s also possible to take tours from nearby Akureyri. Tours from Reykjavik head to wildlife-filled Faxafloi Bay, where dolphins, porpoises and puffins are also regularly sighted.

The tours guarantee sightings (or you get a free trip) and it’s common to see the whales up close. If you’re really lucky, you’ll be treated to a breach – an unforgettable display of whale acrobatics, in which the animals leap from the water before smashing back down in an explosion of spray.

Adult price: £70

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-4 hours

  • Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand

Kaikoura

Bucket List Experience

Kaikoura

There are many remarkable things about Whale Watch Kaikoura, not least their 95 per cent success rate at finding giant sperm whales – the world’s largest toothed predator – regardless of when you step on board.

The operation is owned by a number of local Maori families and combines state-of-the-art whale finding technology and traditional folklore – and plenty of Maori humour. Passengers are also likely to see other whale species, dolphins, seals and many local seabirds.

Kayaking is another great way to spot whales – as well as dolphins, fur seals and orca. Kaikoura Kayaks offers kayak hire, expert instruction and guided trips along the coast.

Adult price: £92

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3 hours

  • Grande Riviere Noire, Mauritius

Sperm whales in a social gathering, Indian Ocean, Mauritius

Bucket List Experience

Mauritius

The west coast of Mauritius is a relatively unknown whale-watching destination, but offers great whale watching all year round in a pleasantly warm climate.

Squid-hunting sperm whales are here all year round; they live in groups of 10-20, reach 18m and can live 60-70 years. Playful humpbacks, that can reach 14m and enjoy breaching in front of tourists, can be spotted from July to September, when they return to warmer waters from the Southern Ocean to breed and reproduce. Pilot whales and Gray’s beaked whales and Blainville’s beaked whales can also be seen from July to November.

Whale watching in Mauritius is usually paired with dolphin swimming on a full day tour that will include, and a beach stop for a BBQ lunch and snorkelling on local reefs. Not a bad day’s work!

Adult price: £40

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3 hours

Mirissa

  • Mirissa, Southern Province, Sri Lanka

tourists in boats watch a blue whale breaching off southern Sir Lanka

Bucket List Experience

The world’s largest mammal, the blue whale, is paradoxically difficult to see – except here, on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. It’s the best, most accessible and most reliable place in the world to see (and snorkel) with the big blues. Tours depart from Galle and Mirissa between February and mid-March, when the whales feed on giant shoals of krill.

Adult price: £38

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 4 hours

Provincetown

  • Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States of America (USA)

Passnegers on a packed boat watch a whale breaching at Cape Cod

Bucket List Experience

The Stellwagen Bank Marine Life Sanctuary off Cape Cod is the main summer feeding grounds of the fin, humpback, and right whales, making this an excellent spot for whale watching from mid-May to October. Depart from Provincetown or Barnstable, the closest towns.

Adult price: £45

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-4 hours

Quebec

  • Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Couple on a tourist boat star at a breaching tail

Bucket List Experience

In summer months, May to October, the St Lawrence Estuary is rich in fish and plankton, attracting a pick ‘n’ mix of minke (May-Oct), fin (July-Oct), humpback (June-July), blue (Aug-Oct), and beluga whales (year-round). It all makes for excellent whale-watching; full-day tours depart from Quebec City, 3-hour tours from Tadoussac – or can you can watch them from shore.

Adult price: £13

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3+ hours

Tahiti

  • Tahiti, French Polynesia

humpback whale breaching at sunset

Bucket List Experience

The dreamy environs of French Polynesia – best known for golden beaches, overwater bungalows and honeymooners – is one of the best places to see – and snorkel – with humpback whales. Moorea, a small island 15kms from Tahiti, is especially good, where the whales come to breed in its warm, sheltered bays from August to October. Full or half-day.

Adult price: £160

Good for age: 4+

Duration: Half day

  • Azores, Portugal

Sperm whale fin with Faial, Azores, in the background

Bucket List Experience

The Azores

This isolated Atlantic Ocean archipelago of 9 individual volcanic Islands, notably around the island of Pico, is an excellent place for whale watching with a high diversity and abundance of whales (and dolphins).

Sperm whales can be seen all year round. Mind-bogglingly massive blue whales, the largest animal on the planet, pass by on their annual northbound spring migration. Other species present include baleen, sei, fin and humpback whales.

As well as the whales, the Azores offers a fairly clement year-round climate – so trips run all year – and excellent visibility, so you can actually see them behaving in the water.

Trips are led by an experienced crew, who are not only experts at finding the dolphins, but who offer up lots of information about these intelligent creatures and how to interact with them.

Adult price: £60

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-4 hours

The Maldives

  • Maldives

Humpback whale diving, tail out of the sea

Bucket List Experience

Everyone’s idyllic archipelago is also beloved, it seems, by whales. They’re here year-round, but different species appear at different times; blue whales (November to May) and humpbacks (June to October) are the headliners, but minke, fin, sperm, melon-head and Bryde’s and beaked whale can also be spotted. Organise tours through your hotel.

Adult price: £200

Good for age: 4+

Duration: Half day

Tonga

  • Tonga

humpback whale breaching on pacific ocean background

Bucket List Experience

Every year, from July to October, humpback whales migrate to the warm Tonga waters from Antarctica to breed, before heading back in November.

Whale watching tours (usually part of multi-day packages) depart from Vava’u, Ha’apai, ‘Eua, and Tongatapu islands, and it’s one of the few places in the world you can snorkel with them too.

Adult price: £250

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 2+ days

Tromso

  • Tromso, Western Norway, Norway

Group of killer whales in the fjords north of Tromso, Norway

Bucket List Experience

The remote fjords north of Tromso are the best, most reliable place to see orcas; each winter, 50-60 arrive to feed on the vast herring shoals. Lofoten Islands Adventure specialists Lofoten Opplevelser offer daily safaris and snorkel trips from nearby Skjervoy. Minimum age 16, but you can take younger children on a private boat. Whale Swim offer 6-day safari tours.

 

 

Adult price: £2600

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-6 days

Vancouver Island

  • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Killer whales: three orcas in a row at Telegraph cove at Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Bucket List Experience

One of North America’s best whale watching spots, where a resident orca pod has lived – and been studied – for generations. It’s one of the best and most reliable places to see orca, from May to September. 20,000 grey whales also migrate past from March to April. Half-day tours run all year round.

Adult price: £105

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 3-5 hours

Frequently asked questions

Species of whale

1. Blue Whale

The largest animal ever known, blue whales can reach lengths of 100 feet. They are found in all the world’s oceans, preferring deep, open waters. Despite their size, they feed primarily on tiny krill. Blue whales in the northeastern Pacific migrate from their summer feeding areas off the coast of California to their winter breeding grounds off the coast of Mexico and Central America. This annual migration typically begins in the fall and sees the whales returning north in the late spring.

2. Humpback Whale

Known for their spectacular breaching behaviour and complex songs, humpback whales are found in oceans worldwide, migrating up to 16,000 miles annually. They are baleen whales, feeding on krill and small fish. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, they have made a remarkable recovery. Humpback whales in the North Atlantic migrate from their summer feeding grounds in the cold waters of Iceland, Greenland, and the northeastern coast of the U.S. to their winter breeding grounds in the warm Caribbean Sea, particularly around the Dominican Republic. This migration occurs twice a year, heading south in the late autumn and returning north in the spring.

3. Sperm Whale

The largest toothed predator in the world, sperm whales are easily recognised by their massive heads and distinctive shape. They inhabit all deep oceans, diving as deep as 3,280 feet to hunt and feed on giant squid. Sperm whales, while not having a fixed migration route, exhibit a unique pattern. Males roam the higher latitudes of both hemispheres, while females and young remain in tropical and subtropical waters year-round. Males venture into colder waters during summer months for feeding, often travelling to the polar regions, and return to warmer waters in winter for breeding.

4. Orca (Killer Whale)

Orcas are actually the largest species of dolphin. They are highly social and found in all the world’s oceans, from the Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas. Known as apex predators, they feed on fish, seals, and sometimes other whales.

5. Gray Whale

Gray whales are known for their benthic feeding habits, sucking small creatures from the ocean floor. Once hunted to the brink of exinction, they are currently making a comeback. Gray whales undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal, travelling up to 12,000 miles round-trip. They migrate from their feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas of the Arctic, down the eastern North American coast to their breeding grounds in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. This journey occurs annually, starting in October/November (southward) and returning north between February and May.

6. Minke Whale

The smallest of the baleen whales, minke whales are found in all major oceans, often close to shore. They are relatively abundant and not endangered, feeding on small schooling fish and krill. Their small size made them less targeted by historical whaling.

7. Fin Whale

Fin whales, the second-largest whale species, inhabit all the world’s oceans, from polar to tropical waters. Known for their remarkable speed and distinctive ridge behind the dorsal fin, they primarily feed on small fish, squid, and krill. Their global population faces challenges from habitat changes, but they are a resilient and magnificent species.

8. Sei Whale

Sei whales are streamlined baleen whales found in most of the world’s oceans, excluding extreme polar and tropical waters. They are known for their impressive speed, reaching up to 34 miles per hour. Sei whales primarily feed on krill and small fish, playing a significant role in marine ecosystems.

9. Bowhead Whale

Bowhead whales, specialised Arctic dwellers, are notable for their massive heads and robust bodies, enabling them to break through sea ice. They have the longest baleen plates among whales, feeding mainly on zooplankton. Adapted to cold waters, bowheads are known for their longevity, with some living over 200 years.

10. Beluga Whale

Beluga whales, known for their distinctive white color and prominent foreheads, primarily inhabit Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. These sociable mammals are relatively common in their cold-water habitats. Characterised by their vocal communication and echolocation abilities, belugas feed on fish, crustaceans, and worms and can live up to 50 years.

11. Narwhal

Known for their iconic long tusks and speckled gray skin, these medium-sized whales predominantly reside in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia. They’re relatively common within their cold, ice-laden habitat, where they primarily feed on fish and cephalopods, and can live up to 50 years.

12. Right Whale

These slow-moving baleen whales are often found in coastal waters, feeding on plankton with their long baleen plates. Southern right whales migrate from their Antarctic feeding areas, where they consume large amounts of krill during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, to the warmer waters off the coast of Argentina and Brazil. These breeding and calving grounds, particularly around the Peninsula Valdés, are crucial for their survival. This migration typically occurs between June and December.

13. Bryde’s Whale

These relatively abundant and adaptable medium-sized baleen whales are found in warm temperate and tropical waters worldwide. They’re recognisable by their sleek bodies and the three prominent ridges on their heads. They feed mainly on fish and plankton and typically live for about 50-70 years.

14. Pilot Whale

Pilot whales, comprising two species (long-finned and short-finned), are found in oceans worldwide. They are found in oceans worldwide and are known for their strong social structures. They primarily feed on squid and live up to 45 years.

15. Sperm Whale Pygmy

This smaller cousin of the sperm whale is found in deep waters of the world’s temperate and tropical seas. They are elusive and not much is known about their population status. They feed on squid and deep-sea fish.