Whale Watching on Maui

Koholā, the North Pacific humpback, spends the summer feeding in Alaskan waters and the winter breeding in Hawaiʻi. Something in the region of ten thousand of them make the crossing, and a very large share of those choose the Maui Nui Basin — the shallow, sheltered shelf enclosed by Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi and Kahoʻolawe. Much of that basin is under 600 feet deep and protected from the open swell, which is exactly what a female with a newborn calf wants.

This is why Maui is the best place in the Hawaiian islands to see whales, and why in February you can sit in a car park on the Honoapiʻilani Highway and watch them for an hour without spending anything.

When

If whales are the reason for the trip, come in February. If they are a bonus on a beach holiday, any week from mid-December to early April will produce sightings.

One thing to understand about the calendar: humpbacks do not feed while they are here. They live off fat laid down in Alaska. Everything they do in Maui waters — the singing, the surface displays, the competition pods — is about breeding and calving, not food.

Watching from shore, free

Boats are better. Shore watching is free, unlimited in duration and nobody is seasick.

• Papawai Point on the Honoapiʻilani Highway between Māʻalaea and Olowalu. The headland pushes out into the channel and whales pass close. The lay-by is small and popular; pull in properly and do not stop on the highway.
• Puʻu Ōlaʻi, the cinder cone at the north end of Mākena, has a short steep climb to a viewpoint over the Mākena and Molokini water.
• The Wailea coastal path, one and a half miles of paved walkway between the resorts, with benches and a clear line of sight south.
• Kāʻanapali Beach and the boardwalk, straight out into the ʻAuʻau Channel toward Lānaʻi, which is one of the busiest stretches of water in the season.
• The Lahaina Pali Trail above the highway, for a long view down the coast, which is a hot, exposed hike and worth it on a clear morning.

Bring binoculars. Scan the horizon rather than staring at one point, and look for the blow — a bushy white spout that hangs for a few seconds — before you look for the animal.

Choosing a boat

Morning trips are calmer. The trades build through the day here as they do everywhere on Maui, and a 7:30 a.m. departure out of Māʻalaea is a very different ride from a 2 p.m. one.

Larger catamarans are stable, have toilets and shade, carry a naturalist, and usually run a hydrophone so you can hear the males singing. Best for families, anyone prone to seasickness, and anyone who wants the biology explained.

Rafts and rigid inflatables sit low and fast, get you out to the whales quickly and give a visceral, wet ride. No shade, no toilet, a hard seat, and usually a minimum age. Best for people who want the water in their face.

Sailing charters are quiet, which matters more than it sounds. An engine off and sails up gives a better chance of the whales choosing to come to you.

Whatever you book, check whether the operator guarantees a second trip free if nothing is sighted. Many do in peak season, and it costs them almost nothing because the sighting rate in February is close to certain.

The rules, which apply to you as well

Federal regulations prohibit approaching a humpback whale within 100 yards when you are on or in the water — that covers vessels, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, canoes and swimmers — and within 1,000 feet by aircraft, which includes drones. The rules apply to all ocean users, year-round, throughout Hawaiian waters, and they are enforced by NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement alongside the Coast Guard and the state.

In practice, on a good boat, this is what it looks like. The captain stops well off, puts the engine in neutral and waits. If a whale chooses to swim toward the boat, that is allowed and it is the best thing that can happen on a whale watch. What is not allowed is positioning the vessel into the animal's path, chasing a moving pod, or splitting a mother and calf.

A captain who parallels a pod at speed, or keeps repositioning to stay in front of them, is breaking the law with you on board. Whale watching on Maui is a mature industry with a strong voluntary code on top of the regulations; the good operators are visibly patient. Watch how yours behaves and choose differently next time if it is not.

Kayakers and paddlers get caught out most often, because a whale surfacing 40 yards from your board is your problem to solve, not the whale's. Stop paddling, stay still, and let it move away.

What you are looking at

The blow. The first thing you will see, usually before anyone points.

A breach. The whole animal out of the water. Nobody agrees on why they do it. February is when you have the best chance.

Pectoral slapping and tail slapping. Repeated, deliberate, loud enough to hear from shore on a calm day.

A peduncle throw. The tail stock swung sideways out of the water. Usually aggression, usually part of a competition pod.

A competition pod. Several males pursuing a single female, with lunging, bubble screens and physical contact. The most dramatic thing you can see here.

Mothers and calves. From late winter, cows with newborns lying quietly in shallow water close to shore. A calf surfaces every few minutes; the mother can stay down far longer. Give them room, and expect a slow, gentle sighting rather than a spectacular one.

Under the water, the males sing. The song is long, structured, repeated, and it changes across a season with the whole population adopting the changes. If your boat has a hydrophone and the captain cuts the engine, this is the part that stays with people.