When we booked our trip to French Polynesia, the thing that I was most excited about was the opportunity to swim with humpback whales! French Polynesia is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with whales! We were visiting early November, which is the tail-end of whale season in French Polynesia, as the start their migration back to Antarctica.
Swim with Humpback Whales in Moorea
Best place to see whales in French Polynesia?
Moorea is the best place in French Polynesia for in-water encounters with humpback whales as many of the humpback population, mate and give birth on this latitude. The lagoon and ocean surrounding Moorea, French Polynesia are warm and clear, making it one of the best places in the world to swim with and observe Humpback Whales in the mating and nursery areas. French Polynesia declared itself a Marine Mammal Sanctuary in 2002 offering protection to all of the 20 species of Whales and Dolphins found here.
Best time to swim with whales in Moorea?
Humpback whales come to the islands of Tahiti to birth their babies From July to early November. You can find the humpback whales in the lagoon and ocean around Moorea. We were lucky in early November to see a mama and her calf still around Moorea, but they soon start their journey back to Antarctica.
Moorea Moana Tours
For our whale watching tour, we used Moorea Moana Tours. We booked and paid online before hand. They even picked us up from our bungalow. We had Captain Chewy, The guide, and Louise the photographer, on board with us. It was the absolute WORST weather conditions, with rain coming sideways and rocky waters, but the crew was amazing! They did such a good job explaining everything to us and taking us to the whales. Swimming with whales is a pretty active tour because you’ll probably have to get in and out of the boat quickly, plus swimming to and from the whales
Things to bring on your whale watching adventure
Swim with humpback whales in Tahiti and surrounding islands
Tahiti and the surrounding islands are the best place to swim with humpback whales. Find a tour, or a guide that can take you to swim with the whales. Because humpback whales are protected species in the islands of Tahiti, there are some observation rules that must be respected, like boats staying at least 100 meters away from whales. Swimming with whales is an incredible experience that is truly life-changing.
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