FOLLOW THE MAUI MIGRATION
Whales and whale lovers return to the islands for a magical ritual
One of the greatest nature shows on Earth comes to Maui each winter. Thousands of giant humpback whales — called kohola in native Hawaiian — congregate in the shallow, warm-water channels between Maui, Molokai, Kahoolawe and Lanai after migrating thousands of miles from food-rich waters off Alaska and other regions of the north Pacific. Here in Hawaii, they breed and nurse calves in an oceanic ritual stretching back millions of years.
At the height of the season, January through March, there are so many whales in Maui's waters, the locals wryly call it “whale soup” — and it's easy to take it all in.
Hawaiians consider humpbacks as kamaaina, or nativeborn. They are revered in Polynesian culture and found in ancient petroglyphs and native Hawaiian creation stories. In Hawaiian culture, kohola signify strength, power and unity and remind us of the spiritual connection between humans and the natural world. They are magical to watch as they socialize, sing and play just offshore.
It was early December — generally considered the start of Maui's whale season — and I was bobbing about in the gentle surf of Polo Beach, which fronts Wailea's Fairmont Kea Lani resort, where I had sequestered for a few days in an ocean-facing Kilohana suite.
Between waves, I scanned the horizon, hoping to see whales. After just a few minutes, I spotted a misty blow — a whale exhale — followed moments later by a tail fluke breaking the ocean surface with a graceful swoop and then the flap of a dark pectoral fin. I could hardly resist shouting “whale!” to the other swimmers around me, some of whom were focused on a large sea turtle swimming a few feet from us. My Wailea whale show ended with a powerful breach, an arching leap ending with a massive splash. Maui's whale season was on.
There are numerous ways to whale watch on Maui. The most popular are by boat excursion and guided kayak tour. But landlubbers can whale watch from Maui's south and west shore beaches and coastal trails. And for a real treat, you can book a luxurious, oceanfront resort room, such as the Westin Maui's newly remodeled Hokupaa wing, Sheraton Maui's Moana wing, and the Fairmont Kea Lani's Kilohana suites and villas. The lanais of these rooms provide front-row seating to this remarkable nature show and are, of course, the perfect spots to sip a tropical drink and toast mammalian living at its finest — for Homo sapiens on vacation and Megaptera novaeangliae (humpback whales) on a mission alike.
Take to the water
Whale-watching outfitters abound in Maui. A few favorites are listed below, but be sure to pick a reputable company for a memorable journey on the water. Your choices will include small group inflatable boats, sailing catamarans, guided double siton-top kayaks and large excursion boats. Some outfitters include snorkel stops and will lower microphones into the water so you can hear whale songs, which travel long distances. (Here's a bit of whale trivia: Their songs travel faster underwater than through the air, and only males sing.)
PacWhale EcoAdventures in Lahaina and Maalaea offers a wide variety of boat tours that support the nonprofit Pacific Whale Foundation, a research, education and conservation enterprise. My favorite tour is a twohour morning cruise ($70 and up) with Pacific Whale Foundation's certified marine naturalists out of Lahaina Harbor. In addition to gaining a better understanding of these giants of the sea, you get to see how researchers gather data. Continental breakfast is included. Children 4 or younger are not allowed. Find more details at pacificwhale.org/cruises.
Lahaina's Ultimate Whale Watch inflatable boat excursions, which specialize in small group tours (26 or less), are the best way to get photos of whales. Tours ($65 and up) are guided by a marine naturalist. (Tip: You experience more ocean motion on small boats than on larger vessels. If you're prone to seasickness, take nondrowsy motion sickness pills about an hour before the tour.) Find details at ultimatewhalewatch.com.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian Paddle Sports and Maui Kayak Adventures, which depart from South and West Maui, are two of the island's top paddling outfitters, offering small group guided kayak tours ($109 per person) to see the whales from a stunning perspective and a safe distance — an adventurous and once-in-a-lifetime experience. Check out the details and book a seat at hawaiianpaddlesports.com and mauikayakadventures.com.
Seeing whales via a helicopter tour ($389 and up) costs considerably more than water-based excursions, of course, but you get a thrilling ride and aerial views of Maui's humpbacks. Top choices include Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (bluehawaiian.com) and Air Maui Helicopter Tours (airmaui.com).
Spot whales from shore
For no-cost, beach-based whale watching, try the Kamaole II and III beach parks in Kihei, the Wailea-area beaches in South Maui and the Kapalua coastal trail in West Maui. A popular roadside viewpoint is Papawai Point on the coastal road between Kahului and Lahaina.
Get an ocean education
More than 20 species of whales and dolphins can be found in Hawaiian waters, but the ones you're likeliest to see are humpbacks and spinner dolphins. Fortunately, Maui has a number of excellent ocean education centers, each with an abundance of information and displays on Hawaii's more elusive cetaceans.
The Maui Ocean Center/ Aquarium of Hawaii in Maalaea offers an amazing 3D film experience in a spherical theater. There are detailed displays on whale migration and behavior and mounted binoculars for scanning the sea, too. Learn more at mauioceancenter.com.
In north Kihei, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary offers an abundance of humpback information and free children's activities. Learn more about the visitor center in Kihei and other things to do at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.
And in the heart of Kaanapali, the new, 5,000-square-foot Hawaii Wildlife Discovery Center in the Whalers Village shopping center has more than 30 exhibits focused on native marine life, the region's whaling era and ocean conservation. Plan your visit at kaanapaliresort.com/whalers-village-museum.
Whale watch from your lanai
Do you prefer to get your cetacean appreciation from the most comfortable spot possible — on a chaise or in an infinity pool, mai tai in hand?
In South Maui, the Wailea Beach Resort fronts the Alalakeiki Channel, which separates Kahoolawe and Maui. Nestled between two of the island's best beaches, the resort's newly launched Sundeck Collection offers ground-level rooms with amazing ocean views from their 150-square-foot lanais, a seamless indoor-outdoor experience that's ideal for casual whale watching. It's also dreamy to watch whales from the lip of the adults-only Maluhia infinity pool too. Details: Wailea Beach Resort, 3700 Wailea Alanui Drive in Wailea; marriott.com
Fairmont Kea Lani's Kilohana suites offer wide, curving lanais with stunning views of Polo Beach and the Pacific. There's no better perch in Wailea than there to watch whales and relax with mai tais and pupus with a view. Details: Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea-Makena; fairmont.com/ kea-lani-maui
In West Maui, the Westin Maui Resort & Spa's Hokupaa tower is a recently remodeled gem and offers roomy suites with panoramic ocean views. The infinity pool in The Lanai club level is perfect for drinking and whale watching too. Details: Westin Maui Resort & Spa at Kaanapali, 2365 Kaanapali Parkway in Lahaina; westinmaui.com
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa's Moana Wing is in the original part of the resort, dramatically perched on Puu Kekaa (Black Rock). These are the closest rooms to the ocean in Kaanapali and offer superb perches for whale watching. Details: Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, 2605 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina; sheratonmaui.com
The Kaanapali Beach Hotel is a longtime resort with an authentic Hawaiian vibe, newly remodeled rooms and a fabulous new restaurant, HuiHui. It offers some of the best value for premium rooms in Kaanapali. Ask for an ocean-facing premium room. Details: Kaanapali Beach Hotel, 2525 Kaanapali Parkway in Lahaina; kbhmaui.com
Royal Lahaina Resort is another old-school Kaanapali hotel that features newly remodeled rooms. Ask for a remodeled room or suite overlooking the ocean in the Lahaina Kai Tower for best views. Details: Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, 2780 Kekaa Drive in Lahaina; royallahaina.com
Or head for another island
While not quite as crowded as Maui's offshore whale scene, Hawaii's other islands — especially Kauai — offer whale-watching opportunities in the winter months, too. On a recent visit to Kauai, I stayed in an oceanfront room at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, where I spotted whales from my lanai as well as from Shipwreck Beach fronting the resort.
Here are a few suggestions for whale-watching resorts on the Garden Island: Grand Hyatt Kauai, 1571 Poipu Road in Koloa, hyatt.com; Whalers Cove Resort, 2640 Puuholo Road in Koloa, whalerscoveresort.com; Sheraton Kauai Resort, 2440 Hoonani Road in Koloa, marriott.com.