Each year, North Pacific humpback whales make the long journey from their chilly home seas to Hawaii’s warm winter waters to nurse their calves and breed before returning north in the springtime. While the whales, or kohola in Hawaiian, are enjoying Hawaii’s temperate winter waters, typically from December through April, visitors and residents are treated to spectacular whale sightings from coastlines and the ocean as the massive, majestic mammals frolic offshore. Help your clients enhance their enjoyment of Hawaii’s annual whale-watching season by suggesting they consider a few of the on-water adventure and on-shore viewing options below.

Kauai Sea Tours’ Raft Whale Watch tour is a fun experience for adventurous wildlife enthusiasts headed to Kauai. Guests on the tour encounter the gentle giants and playful dolphins, delight in their acrobatics, and get to listen to live whale songs with the raft’s underwater hydrophone. In addition to the exhilaration of whale sightings, the expedition offers breathtaking views of the valleys, sea caves, waterfalls and towering cliff faces of the island’s Napali Coast. Back on dry land, you can also spot whales from many of Kauai’s beaches, including south shore Poipu Beach.

On Oahu, Atlantis Cruises offers daily whale-watching tours on its 150-foot ship Majestic. Guests are treated to whales spotted off Oahu’s south coast, knowledge of humpback whale behavior provided by the cruise’s onboard naturalist, and a lunch buffet. Adventurists looking for an intimate experience might wish to consider an escape from the crowds with The Adventure Boat, exploring Oahu’s expansive and unique coastlines and incredible sea life, and getting in some snorkel time. For whale viewing from Oahu terra firma, head to Makapuu Lighthouse, Hanauma Bay State Park or the coastline of Leahi (aka Diamond Head) to spot whales offshore.

Clients on Maui with an interest in whale watching may want to seek out the Pacific Whale Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1980 with a mission of protecting whales from extinction. In addition to its noninvasive whale research, the foundation offers a number of whale-watching cruises through its PacWhale Eco-Adventures tour operation, ranging from sunset sails to rafting adventures. Trilogy Excursions, Maui’s oldest family-owned and operated sailing company, offers daily sailing trips to Lanai and offshore sunken-crater islet Molokini, where clients can catch whale sightings, do some scuba diving and snorkeling, and enjoy a local-style barbecue. If your Maui clients prefer whale watching from the shoreline, the McGregor Point lookout and beaches of Kaanapali, Kihei and Wailea are great spots for doing so.

Clients looking for a whale-watching experience on the island of Hawaii can climb aboard Alii Ocean Tour’s Hoku Elima to experience whale sightings and sounds. Cruises offer passengers panoramic ocean views and whale sightings, and the opportunity to listen to live whale songs via an onboard hydrophone. Whale watchers hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the places visited on their tour may want to look up Captain Zodiac, which, in addition to whale sightings and sea cave exploration, serves up knowledge of the geology of island lava flows, and Hawaiian history, culture and folklore. For shoreline whale watching on the island of Hawaii, visit beaches along the Kohala Coast, the waterfront of Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, and Hilo Bay.