The best places for whale watching are the ones where a whale population gathers at a predictable time close to a harbour: Maui for humpbacks in winter, Monterey Bay for blue whales in summer, Kaikōura and the Azores for sperm whales all year, and Tromsø for orcas in the dark months. This guide ranks the best places for whale watching in the world and in the US by species, with the peak months, a from-price and the top-rated tour for each one.
Every pick links to a destination guide on TourWhaleWatching.com, where the tours are compared side by side. If your travel dates are fixed, start with whale watching season by month instead.
Where is the best place in the world to watch whales?
Maui is the best all-round place in the world to watch whales, because North Pacific humpbacks gather in its calm, shallow channels to breed and calve from January to March, and tours leave from four harbours. The right answer still depends on the whale you want. The table puts 16 of the strongest destinations side by side, with the tour that carries the best rating on a large number of reviews.
| Destination | Main whales | Peak months | Top-rated tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maui, Hawaii | Humpback | January to March | Eye-level raft from Lahaina, $85, 4.9 (2,866) |
| Monterey Bay, California | Blue, humpback, gray | July to October | Monterey Bay whale watching tour, $75, 4.8 (2,346) |
| Juneau, Alaska | Humpback, orca | June to August | Cruises from $108 |
| Vancouver and Victoria, BC | Orca, humpback | May to August | Whale and wildlife boat, $185, 4.8 (2,404) |
| Tromsø, Norway | Orca, humpback | November to December | Hybrid-electric boat, $210, 4.5 (6,637) |
| Húsavík, Iceland | Humpback, minke, blue | June to August | Tours from $95 |
| Azores, Portugal | Sperm, blue, fin | April to June | Tours from $69 |
| Kaikōura, New Zealand | Giant sperm whale | Year-round | Kaikōura whale watching cruise, $101, 4.6 (3,641) |
| Mirissa, Sri Lanka | Blue, sperm | January to March | Tours from $20 |
| Hervey Bay, Australia | Humpback | August to September | Ultimate whale watching experience, $84, 4.7 (687) |
| Hermanus, South Africa | Southern right | August to October | Hermanus boat trip, $95, 4.6 (815) |
| Península Valdés, Argentina | Southern right, orca | August to October | Tours from $70 |
| Cabo San Lucas, Mexico | Humpback, gray | January to March | Luxury catamaran, $129, 4.9 (2,294) |
| Dominica | Resident sperm whale | January to March | Small-group whale watch, max 8, $96, 4.6 (307) |
| Tenerife, Canary Islands | Pilot whale, dolphins | March to September | Eco-yacht tour with swim, €29, 4.6 (16,500) |
| Boston and Cape Cod | Humpback, fin, minke | July to September | City Cruises whale watch, 4.5 (4,787) |
The best whale watching destinations, by species
Humpback whales: Maui, Juneau and Hervey Bay
Humpbacks are the most reliable big whale to see on a tour, because they breed in warm, shallow water in winter and feed close to shore in summer. NOAA Fisheries notes that some North Pacific humpbacks swim the 3,000 miles from Alaska to Hawaii in as few as 28 days. In winter, book Maui whale watching tours, where a guaranteed raft tour from Kihei costs $100. In summer, go to Juneau for bubble-net feeding. In the Southern Hemisphere, Hervey Bay is a sheltered resting stop where humpbacks come close to the boats from July to November. For a Hawaii trip, our Hawaii whale watching tours guide compares the four islands.
Blue whales: Monterey Bay and Sri Lanka
Blue whales, which NOAA Fisheries lists at up to 110 feet long, feed off the US West Coast in summer. Monterey whale watching tours reach them from July to October over the Monterey Submarine Canyon. From November to April the best blue whale trips run off the south coast of Sri Lanka, where shared boats from Mirissa start at $20.
Sperm whales: Kaikōura, the Azores and Dominica
Sperm whales live in deep water, so the best places sit next to an undersea canyon or a steep volcanic island. In Kaikōura they live in the canyon year-round, the Azores log 28 cetacean species from three islands, and Dominica is the only Caribbean island with resident sperm whales in every month. All three run trips in winter as well as summer.
Orcas: Tromsø and the Salish Sea
For orcas, go to Tromsø whale watching tours in November and December, when orcas follow the herring into the fjords, or to the San Juan Islands and Victoria between May and August. Our orca watching guide compares the regions and the orca tours in detail.
Southern right whales: Hermanus and Península Valdés
Southern right whales come into shallow bays to calve, close enough to watch from the shore. Hermanus on Walker Bay and Península Valdés in Argentina, where 500 or more right whales gather each season, are the two classic places, both best from August to October.
What is the best state for whale watching in the US?
Hawaii is the best US state for whale watching in winter and Alaska is the best in summer, while California is the best for year-round trips and the widest mix of species. The table compares the six states where most US tours run.
| State | Season | Main whales | Where to go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | December to April | Humpback | Maui, Oahu, Big Island, Kauai |
| Alaska | May to September | Humpback, orca | Juneau, Seward |
| California | Year-round | Gray, blue, humpback | Monterey, San Diego, Dana Point, all California |
| Washington | April to October | Orca, humpback, gray | Seattle, Anacortes, Orcas Island |
| Massachusetts | April to October | Humpback, fin, minke | Boston, Cape Cod |
| Oregon | Year-round | Gray (resident), humpback | Oregon Coast, Depoe Bay |
On the East Coast, Massachusetts is the strongest choice. NOAA Fisheries counts around 900 humpbacks on Stellwagen Bank in spring and summer, the feeding ground that tours from Boston and Provincetown reach.
Where is the best place to see blue whales?
The best place to see blue whales is Monterey Bay from July to October, and Mirissa in Sri Lanka from January to March is the best winter alternative. The Azores in spring and Húsavík in summer see them less often. Blue whales are listed as endangered, and NOAA Fisheries notes their numbers are rising worldwide.
Where can you watch whales from shore?
You can watch whales from shore at Hermanus, Depoe Bay, Península Valdés and on Maui, among others, because the whales there come within a few hundred yards of the coast.
- Hermanus: southern right whales in Walker Bay, seen from a 5 km cliff path above the bay, July to November.
- Depoe Bay: resident gray whales feet from the sea wall all year, free to watch.
- El Doradillo: right whales close to the beach near Puerto Madryn, with a shore-based half-day tour from $70.
- Maui: humpback blows from the south and west shore beaches in winter.
Where is the whale watching capital of the world?
Several towns claim the title. Húsavík calls itself Iceland's whale watching capital, Hermanus bills itself as the best land-based whale watching in the world, and Hervey Bay was named the world's first Whale Heritage Site. By the number of traveller reviews on the tours we list, Tenerife, Madeira and Reykjavík are the busiest.
Picked a region? Compare whale watching tours by destination, with real prices, ratings and the months each boat runs.
Best places for whale watching FAQ
Where is the best place in the world to watch whales?
Maui for humpbacks from January to March, Monterey Bay for blue whales from July to October, Kaikōura for sperm whales year-round and Tromsø for orcas in November and December.
What is the best state to go whale watching in?
Hawaii in winter and Alaska in summer. California is the best state for year-round whale watching, with gray whales in winter and blue and humpback whales in summer.
What is the best month to go whale watching?
August has the most destinations at peak, from Alaska and Iceland to New England and Hervey Bay. February is the best winter month, when Hawaii and Mexico peak.
Where is the best place to see blue whales?
Monterey Bay in California from July to October, and Mirissa in Sri Lanka from January to March.
Where is the best whale watching on the East Coast?
Massachusetts, on tours from Boston and Cape Cod to Stellwagen Bank, from April to October with a peak in July to September. Bar Harbor in Maine is the other strong choice.