Whale Watching Locations

There are various locations around the world which can be enjoyed by divers wanting to view whales - as opposed to viewing from the deck of a boat. Here are some of the most popular - listed in no particular order or preference.

1. Kona Reef – Hawaii - January through April you can watch the Humpback whales in Hawaii on the Kona reef. Kona Honu offers Whale diving on their Wild Dolphin and Reef charter. All gear is included and a light lunch is offered during the four hour trip up the Kona coast. Approximately one hour is spent swimming with the pod, both above and below the water. Other areas which may provide good viewing opportunities are North and South Kohala and Hilo Bay - activity seems to be higher in the morning.

2. Azores - April through September you will be able to view a variety of whales that make their annual trip through the Azores - located in the northern Atlantic Ocean - including both Blue whales and Sperm whales. This area is considered to be one of the best areas in the Atlantic Ocean for scuba diving and due to the influence of the Gulf Stream has a very diverse marine life. Opportunities to view the whales are best found in the triangle between Faial, Pico and S.Jorge - within fifteen miles of the coast.

3. The Kingdom of Tonga offers the privilege of swimming with the 45 ton Humpback whales in pristine waters. From July through November is the season when the whales visit Ha'pai and where you are able to go out with the opportunity to swim alongside these leviathans. There are certain rules to abide by when participating in these kinds of tours and the numbers of divers/snorkellers are limited. No more than 4 at a time and a guide are allowed in the water at any one time. This is to protect the marine mammals and their habitat. Tonga is located on the date line in the South Seas and consists of 175 islands - of which only a few are inhabited.

4. Dominica - an island in the Caribbean is home to the first dedicated dive resort in the area. There are resident Sperm whales and a wide variety of other cetaceans. Here the resident Sperm whales are seen close in to the shore. Humpbacks and Pilots also visit the Dominican Islands. There is a shipwreck, reefs that will delight even the most seasoned diver and here you will find an area of the Caribbean as yet unspoiled.

While the attraction of swimming with whales is one that is hardest to resist, it should also be noted that it can be a dangerous endeavour. Diving with whales places the diver at risk of injury and may have an impact on the behaviour of the whales – which is undesirable. Whales are huge animals with very large tail fins that can easily catch a diver unawares. There is also the chance that sharks may appear as they are commonly seen amongst pods of whales with young. Too much interaction with the whales by swimmers or the boats which are used to get close to them, may cause the whales to remain further out to sea and out of view of humans.

Only two nations worldwide allow you to swim with the whales - other countries require special permits which are not easily obtained, so plan your adventure well ahead!