Each winter, the warm waters surrounding Maui welcome one of the largest gatherings of North Pacific humpback whales. After traveling thousands of miles from their feeding grounds in Alaska, these ocean giants return to the Hawaiian Islands to breed, give birth, and raise their calves in an environment particularly suited to the early stages of life.

We selected this team for their longstanding commitment to research, education and whale conservation. For decades, they have helped advance the understanding of the humpback whales that inhabit Hawaiian waters while sharing this knowledge with the public through their experiences at sea.

Whale watching in Maui is not simply about witnessing a migration. It is an opportunity to observe whales in one of the most important stages of their life cycle. The behaviors seen here often differ from those observed in feeding areas: interactions between adults, the songs of males, mothers caring for their calves, and the first experiences of young whales beginning their lives in the ocean.

Beyond the beauty of these encounters, these excursions offer a deeper understanding of the essential role Hawaiian waters play in the survival of this North Pacific humpback whale population.

What We Particularly Appreciate Here

The opportunity to observe whales in one of the few places in the world where they come to give birth to a new generation. An experience that reminds us that some destinations are not only places of observation, but also places of life.