RESPECTFUL WHALE WATCHING FROM MAUI, HAWAII
The Shelltone Whale Project is an environmental organization that carefully selects whale-watching operators committed to a respectful approach.
Marine biologists and experienced naturalists who put animal welfare first.
Book directly with operators selected by the Shelltone Whale Project, at the best available rate and with no additional fees.
The Shelltone Team’s Review
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 it means to be “Shelltone selected”
Every operator featured here has been selected because it complies with the Shelltone Charter.
Cetaceans are never approached at more than 5 knots.
Animals are always approached from an angle that follows their direction of travel, never by cutting across them.
Mothers with calves are never approached.
These principles form the foundation of the Shelltone Charter. Our selection also considers the overall attitude of the operator, the quality of the guidance provided, and the ability to recognize when choosing not to approach is the most respectful decision.
These are not recommendations. They are the conditions under which every Shelltone Selected Operator is chosen.
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.
YOU ARE BOOKING HERE DIRECTLY THROUGH THE OFFICIAL CALENDAR OF PACIFIC WHALE FOUNDATION.
NO INTERMEDIARY. NO ADDITIONAL FEES.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICES ARE PROVIDED DIRECTLY BY THE OPERATOR.
Photos from the Maui expedition
English 
Français