The Hawaiian Islands

Maui and Whale Watching

“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”―Jacques-Yves Cousteau

I remember the first time I visited Maui (in 1980) while I was still in high school. We stayed for a whole month in Kula (at a friend’s home midway up Haleakala), and I can remember how pristine Wailea was before it was developed.

If you’ve ever visited Lahaina, you know how surreal it is to see and hear Pacific humpback whales end their 6-8 week journey from the feeding grounds of Alaska to the shallow breeding grounds of Maui (and other nearby islands). The first whale sightings usually occur in October; however, the best time to see these whales is anytime from January 15th – March 31st (peak season is usually February). The official whale season is December 15th – May 15th.

If you have a Vimeo account you can watch (rent) the movie here.

It’s a pretty amazing experience to see humpback whales up close and in the wild. I was super stoked when I took these photos off the coast of Maui (on our most recent trip in March 2019):

Photos by Andrew Bain on Unsplash