Polynesia · WHALE WATCHING

The 15 Best Whale Watching Tours in Polynesia

43 tours  ·  from $128

Humpbacks are in these channels from roughly July to October, and the boats are licensed and capped. These 15 compare watching trips with in-water encounters, group size and what happens when the whales do not show.

Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour) - The life-jacket rule and why a wetsuit helps
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Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour)

1.Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 264 reviews · from $305Our pick

Spend about four hours off Moorea searching for humpback whales from July through late November. With a maximum of six people, guides such as Johnny, Joe, or Laura explain whale behavior and direct careful swims when conditions allow. Dolphins, stingrays, sharks, and turtles may also appear. Strong open-water swimming skills are required.

“We had an amazing day out with the whales. Our guides and captain were so knowledgeable and made sure to keep everyone safe and having a good time. We were lucky enough to get in the water three times today. Saw dolphins and whales. What an amazing experience. Thanks Moorea Expeditions!”

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Whale Tour - Observe and swim with whales - The whale encounter: thrilling, controlled, and demanding
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Whale Tour – Observe and swim with whales

2.Whale Tour – Observe and swim with whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 257 reviews · from $270Top rated

Spend about four hours on Moorea’s open water searching for humpback whales, dolphins, sharks, and rays. Guides such as Tamuti, Ike, Alfred, Amo, Joaquin, and Mankato may lead the trip, with no more than seven people in the water at once. Swimming is optional, but strong open-ocean skills are required.

“It’s weather dependent but a wonderful experience if the waves arent active! There is no better way to get close to the humpback whales.”

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Whale Watching Tours in Bora Bora - The 3.5-hour search for humpback whales
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Whale Watching Tours in Bora Bora

3.Whale Watching Tours in Bora Bora

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 250 reviews · from $305

Spend about 3.5 hours with Simon, Victor, or another Tohora guide searching Bora Bora’s open ocean for humpback whales. You may listen to whale songs through a directional hydrophone and, if conditions and whale behavior allow, enter the water. Swimming is optional, but strong fitness and ocean confidence are essential.

“Wonderful excursion! So happy we got to see not only one whale, but several! Incredible experience and Simon was exceptional as a captain! Highly recommend!!”

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Swim with humpback whales - The 8:30 a.m. start in Maharepa
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Swim with humpback whales

4.Swim with humpback whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 224 reviews · from $264

Set out from Maharepa at 8:30 a.m. with Corallina Tours for a three-hour boat trip in Moorea’s waters. English and French-speaking guides, including Francesca, Tamahere, and Maui, help you search for humpbacks, enter the sea when conditions allow, and finish with rays, black-tip sharks, fruit, and a drink.

“We had an amazing time with the Coralina Team - so amazing that we booked another tour the next day. Swimming with a baby, mom and escort humpback whale was the highlight of our trip. The Coralina Team did a great job locating whalesRead more”

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Humpback whale watching and marine life in Moorea - Reading the water with O’Neil, Doris, Mata, and Chewy
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Humpback whale watching and marine life in Moorea

5.Humpback whale watching and marine life in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 199 reviews · from $327

Spend about three hours on Moorea’s ocean with Pacifik Attitude guides such as O’Neil, Doris, Mata, and Chewy. Search for humpback whales, listen for underwater songs, and, when conditions and wildlife behavior allow, enter the water for a close look. The tour runs during French Polynesia’s whale season, from July 20 to November 20.

“Unfortunately we didn't have a good whale watching experience. This tour was supposedly operated by Pacifik Attitude per Viator but instead Moorea Moana Tours showed up. There was a large group of us who got divided into 2 groups anRead more”

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Half day whale tour 4h00 - Searching for whales with Kevin and Mahai
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Half day whale tour 4h00

6.Half day whale tour 4h00

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 181 reviews · from $191

Spend four hours off Moorea searching for humpback whales with guides such as Kevin and captain Mahai. You may swim near whales and calves when conditions allow, then visit the lagoon for rays, reef sharks, turtles, and fish. The boat carries up to 12 people, but only six may enter the water at once.

“Great experience! Absolutely worth it! Nice people. Everything was very well organized. Will do it again! Thank you!”

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Private tour observing and swimming with humpback whales in Moorea - Starting in Maharepa and heading onto the water
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Private tour observing and swimming with humpback whales in Moorea

7.Private tour observing and swimming with humpback whales in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 126 reviews · from $1,640

Join Mana Moorea Tours aboard the private Mana’hau for four hours around Moorea’s lagoon and open sea. With a maximum of eight people, a lifeguard guide, and a marine biologist, you may snorkel with rays, sharks, turtles, and seasonal humpback whales from July to November. Pickup is offered, and the route can follow your interests.

“Such a wonderful experience with our guide, Nicki, and her father! Knowledgeable and personable, they geared the trip to our needs and wants. We never felt rushed as we snorkeled with stingrays, sharks, and turtles. And you cannot beat the scenery!”

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Respectful whale excursion to Tahiti in 4h30 - What happens when whales are found
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Respectful whale excursion to Tahiti in 4h30

8.Respectful whale excursion to Tahiti in 4h30

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 123 reviews · from $222

Leave Papeete Marina for a four-and-a-half-hour search for dolphins and humpback whales with a naturalist guide and up to 12 passengers. Guides such as Moana, Remy, and Israel have led highly praised outings. If sea conditions and whale behavior allow, you can swim nearby, then snorkel in the lagoon with tropical fish. Fruit, drinks, beer, and equipment are included.

“Unfortunately we didn’t see any whales. Other boats seem to communicate with each other but this captain didn’t. We rode around for three hours and then went to a snorkel spot with stingrays. Staff were friendly but didn’t communicate with passengers very much.”

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Half Day Small Group Whale Watching - Heading out for the four-hour whale search
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Half Day Small Group Whale Watching

9.Half Day Small Group Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $267

Join Moorea Sea Experience for a four-hour whale-watching trip limited to six people. From August to November, you may see humpback whales from Antarctica and, when conditions allow, enter the water under crew guidance. Guides such as Mana and Johnny are praised for clear instructions, patience, and care for both people and wildlife.

“I unfortunately don’t have any photo evidence, but this tour was an incredible experience! Our guide Mana was extremely knowledgeable, and him and our captain were welcoming, patient, hospitable and fun. This tour is not for the fRead more”

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Tahiti island: Whale watching Experience - What a whale swim really demands
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Tahiti island: Whale watching Experience

10.Tahiti island: Whale watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 79 reviews · 5 hours · from $227

Spend five hours off Tahiti with a maximum of 12 people, searching for humpback whales and other marine life. Guides including Israel, Teva, and Moana may take you into the water when conditions and whale behavior allow. Snorkeling gear, drinks, juice, beer, and fruit are provided. Swimming ability and comfort in open water matter.

“whale watching is quite something - animal and nature lovers, who are decent swimmers (and not afraid to be in the open sea) will love this.”

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Whale watching and snorkelling in Moorea - What happens during the whale search
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Whale watching and snorkelling in Moorea

11.Whale watching and snorkelling in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · from $230

Set out from Moorea’s cruise quay for about four hours of whale watching and possible ocean snorkelling. Ivy, Christophe, and the Lagoon Vibes team guide small groups of up to six, supplying snorkel gear, wetsuits, and drinks. Ocean launches require strong swimming skills, comfort with fins, and the ability to climb a boat ladder.

“You have to know how to swim well, with fins and snorkel. We're diving in the open sea. Christophe, the driver, and Ivy, the guide, form an excellent team! I recommend!!Auto-translated”

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Whale watching in Moorea - What the 8:30 a.m. departure looks like
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Whale watching in Moorea

12.Whale watching in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $194

From Moorea, join a small boat tour limited to 12 people for humpback whale watching from July 20 to November 20. If conditions allow, strong swimmers may enter the water with guides and snorkeling gear. The trip also visits the lagoon for turtles, rays, blacktip sharks, and possible dolphins.

“Good coaching. Organize in two groups of people the launch. It should therefore be noted that the two groups will not see the same thing. But guides do their utmost to satisfy their customers.Auto-translated”

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Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti - Leaving Papeete in search of humpback whales
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Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti

13.Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $238

Join captain Michael and guide Teiki for a four-and-a-half-hour whale search from Papeete Marina. With only six people aboard, you get personal safety guidance, snorkeling gear, wetsuits, snacks, and a chance to see humpback whales, turtles, rays, coral gardens, or wrecks. Swimming with whales depends entirely on sea conditions and whale behavior.

“Amazing experience and an even better guide. We Saw a large female breaching twice. And he explained the procedure amazingly”

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Moorea 4H Shared Boat Tour Whale Swimming and Snorkeling - A four-hour route from Moorea’s hotels to the open sea
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Moorea 4H Shared Boat Tour Whale Swimming and Snorkeling

14.Moorea 4H Shared Boat Tour Whale Swimming and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 52 reviews · 4 hours · from $259

Join captain Yannick and guide Clovis for a four-hour Moorea boat trip limited to six people. From August to November, you may swim near humpback whales, then visit stingrays, blacktip reef sharks, turtles, dolphins, and colorful fish. Boat transfers, snorkel gear, fruit, and a drink are included.

“We had the most amazing time with Yannick and Clevis(sp) today. We saw mother and calf humpback whale. We had several sightings underwater when they were diving deep and coming up breaching the surface with tail splashes and then diving back down. After the whales, we had an opportunity to swim with many black tip reef sharks and stingrays. After that, we did a drift in search of turtles. There was a strong currents so we only saw one. However we did see two when we were in the boat before we got there. The boat was clean and they provided mask, snorkel and fins as well as drinks. We…”

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WHALE TOUR - Watching and Swimming with Whales - Searching the open water for humpbacks
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WHALE TOUR – Watching and Swimming with Whales

15.WHALE TOUR – Watching and Swimming with Whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · from $327

From Moorea’s cruise quay, Temoana Tours takes you by small boat to look for humpback whales and, when conditions allow, enter the water with a guide. Nicolas, Henua, and other experienced crew members focus on safety and respectful whale encounters. The four-hour trip suits confident swimmers and may include several attempts before a close sighting.

“I highly recommend this company! The crew was incredibly dedicated, professional, and truly caring — both towards the guests and the animals. You could really feel their passion and deep respect for nature. Thanks to them, we saw whales up close in a safe and respectful way — an unforgettable experience!”

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New in Whale Watching

★ 5.0Whale Watching ActivityFrom $2858 reviews
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★ 4.5Observe and Swim with Whales in TahitiFrom $16914 reviews
★ 5.0Whale watching in the calm of the peninsula with Tātahi toursFrom $1936 reviews
★ 5.0Whale watching DE Humpback West Coast of TahitiFrom $1673 reviews
★ 5.0Whale watching DE Tahiti PeninsulaFrom $18812 reviews
★ 5.0Watch and Swim with Humpback Whales in MooreaFrom $2673 reviews
★ 4.0Whale Watching Moorea (non-swimming)From $15112 reviews
★ 5.0Private tour whale watching and snorkeling in Moorea5 reviews
★ 5.0Private boat tour to swim with whales and sharks4 reviews
★ 4.5Private Tour Whale Watching Half Day Tour7 reviews
★ 5.0Private Half Day Whale Watching Tour18 reviews
★ 5.04 Hour Private Humpback Whales Encounter in Moorea6 reviews
★ 5.0Half day whale watching – Without launch8 reviews
★ 5.0Half Day Private Whale Watching in Moorea10 reviews

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