What this is
West Maui Whale Watching is an independent guide to the humpback whales that winter in the ʻAuʻau Channel, written by people who live on the west side and spend the season on the water. It covers the science of the whales, the best places to see them for free, and the two boat tours we think are the best in West Maui.
Where the facts come from
Whale biology and population figures come from NOAA Fisheries’ humpback whale species profile and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Whale count numbers come from Pacific Whale Foundation’s Great Whale Count and NOAA’s Sanctuary Ocean Count as reported by Maui Now and the sanctuary. Behavior and song research draws on Whale Trust Maui and the sanctuary’s published material. Tour details come from the operators’ own websites and booking pages and were checked in November 2026; prices and schedules change, so confirm when you book.
Where we say “we think” or “in our experience,” that is opinion.
How the site is funded
Some links to Teralani Sailing Adventures are affiliate links through the FareHarbor Distribution Network. If you book through one, Teralani pays us a small commission; the price you pay is the same. Links to Maui Whale Adventures go straight to the operator and earn us nothing; we list them because they run the best small-boat whale watch on the island. No operator pays to be on this site and no operator reviews what we write.
Photos
Whale photographs are from the NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries and NOAA Photo Library collections (public domain), the National Park Service (public domain), Wikimedia Commons contributors under Creative Commons licences, and Maui Whale Adventures. Every photo is credited where it appears, and the full list is on the photo credits page. The migration map uses Natural Earth coastlines; the shore map uses OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).
Contact
Send us a note with corrections, a lookout we missed, or a whale story.
