Whalewatch Sail Deluxe: Discover Humpback Whales with Certified Marine Naturalists from Ma'aleae
4.8
39 Ratings
Wailuku
Embark on a deluxe whalewatch sail in Ma'aleae and discover the fascinating social behavior of humpback whales. Enjoy a delicious lunch and an unforgettable experience with certified Marine Naturalists.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Maalaea Harbor - Depart from Ma’alaea Harbor on Maui’s Top-Rated whale watch to view our visiting humpback whales that journey from Alaska every year to Maui’s protected waters to find and mate and breed. You’ll be aboard Ocean Spirit, our luxury sailing catamaran that offers the maximum in space and comfort.
You’ll have plenty of room to roam about for optimum viewing during this three-hour excursion to see these amazing ocean giants in their natural habitat. It’s truly an amazing experience that will bring a smile to anyone’s face. Whale sightings are guaranteed or we’ll send you out again for free at your convenience within one year of your cruise.
With world-famous Molokini Crater and the Island of Kaho’olawe to the south, the Islands of Lanai and Molokai to the north of the harbor and the West Maui Mountains and Haleakala to the east, you will have plenty of beautiful sites to view along the way besides humpback whales.
What's Included
- Lunch
- Professional guide
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Beverages
- Local taxes
- Surcharges on fuel
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off services are not available.
Additional Information
Join a team of Certified Marine Naturalists and Marine Biologists from the Pacific Whale Foundation for an enjoyable and educational three-hour whale-watch. You’ll have the opportunity to interpret the social behaviors of the humpback whales, listen to their songs using underwater hydrophones, watch mothers interact with their calves, and observe males vying for the attention of females.
Every excursion is unique, with unexpected encounters and experiences. Additionally, enjoy a tasty lunch of fresh fruits, homemade chips and salsa, Kiawe smoked pork and chicken sliders with guava barbecue sauce, among other tantalizing dishes.
Please note that hotel pick-up and drop-off services are not included.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Children 4 and under free (1 per paying adult)
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Location
192 Maalaea Rd
Maalaea Road
You will check in at our Pacific Whale Foundation Ocean Store located at the entrance to the Harbor Shops complex adjacent to the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(39 Ratings)
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C4423ttdebw
Feb 15, 2024
Peak Whale Season - better than imagined! - Our 3-hr cruise had lots of whale sightings, plus a nice lunch. Sufficient room to move around catamaran for best views of whales. We saw lots of mother/calf groups, some with male escort. Also saw competition pod behavior (group of rowdy males following close behind leading female). Knowledgeable staff, environmentally conscious group, respectful of whales and Ma'alaea Bay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gaberttom
Jan 24, 2024
Great day with the whales - Excellent Captain and staff. Des, the naturalist, was knowledgeable and engaging. One in our party had mobility issues and they were weary helpful. The whales cooperated with a triple jump and numerous mom-calf pairings! Worth the price.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Frequentflier825930
Jan 23, 2024
Big thumbs up for PacWhale - Great trip. Nice wide catamaran, very knowledgeable and personable crew, open bar, lunch service, lots of whale sightings, and best of all PacWhale is research and conservation-based organization so some portion of our fee went to protecting whales and their environment.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dreamer623030
Jan 14, 2024
Great and beautiful - Great chance to watch the whales with a non profit organization! Only the Sailing-part does not seem to exist at all but watching the whales was Prio1 anyway.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suzyt360
Dec 9, 2023
Fantastic day on water with PAC Whale - Beautiful day, great informative crew, PacWhale came highly recommended and they lived up to the recommendation. Will definitely go on a trip with them again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Azalchemist
Feb 25, 2022
Amazing Memories - Simply amazing!!! We saw humpback whales for the entire 3-hour afternoon sail. Captain Emily and her all-female crew were extremely informative and did an excellent job of keeping us hydrated. The lunch was modest and delicious. We reviewed all of the other whale watching tour companies and decided on PacWhale. We made the right choice! The catamaran was not crowded and offered enough room for 360-degree vantage points around the deck with a cabin/galley with which to escape the sun if one needed to while still being able to observe the whales.
Don't forget to tip the crew before disembarking.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seaside648144
Jan 30, 2022
Exceptional Opportunity to Experience Humpback Whales! - There are simply no whalewatch experiences better than Pacific Whale Foundation. We went on our very first whalewatch with PWF 25 years ago, then again 20 years ago, and now on our return to Hawaii in 2022. During our recent week-long visit to Maui we loved the Lahaina experience so much, we booked the Whalewatch Deluxe Tour from Ma'alaea Harbor three days later.
These cruises are ALWAYS different and ALWAYS wonderful. The naturalists are superb and the the crew members are excellent. They show great love and respect for the whales, and that makes all the different for us. They are immersed in research and protection, and we are honored to be supporters of their work.
We were overwhelmed by the number of whales we were able to see in January 2022. The health and well being of the winter humpback population in Hawaii has increased dramatically since the last time we were in Hawaii, and we give PWF a good deal of credit for that change! Mahalo!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alissonh547
Jan 18, 2022
So impressed! - This was so amazing and the crew was so incredible! We saw tons of whales and the crew members were very informative. The 2 young ladies managing the cruise did everything from educating the guests on whales to serving lunch and snacks and even worked the sails while the Captain guided the catamaran. There was plenty of room for everyone to have a great view and move around. The catamaran is very steady and the ride was incredibly smooth. This was well worth the money and would definitely book with them again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dawndi8868fm
Jan 16, 2022
Humpback Mugging! - Double fin surface smacks, fluke flaps, half and full-body breaches, humpy calves, a spotted dolphin pod, whale song from the mic below the boat, being mugged when our boat was stopped to eat yogurt, and white belly up as a whale checked us out passing below us. Top it off with the genuine excitement of the marine naturalists and it was simply an awe inspiring experience. Definitely something not to be missed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sportstxi42
Jan 29, 2024
Small Group Whale Watch - Our second trip was a small boat whale watch. There were far less people than the boat actually held. This boat was smaller than the other one we took. We did see lots of whales, but the captain of this boat really kept a huge distance from the whales and really waited a long time to go to an area where whales were spotted. This meant that the whales were often leaving when we arrived. This was an early morning trip (6:45 am). We did see many whales and it was a nice trip, but nothing really stood out on this trip. Another note, as on similar type trips tipping is expected/encouraged.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
