# West Maui Whale Watching

> West Maui's humpback whales, December to April: when they arrive, where to see them from shore, what their behaviors mean, and the best whale watching tours.

Independent guide to humpback whale watching in West Maui, Hawaii. Season: December–April, peak January–March. Recommended tours: Maui Whale Adventures (20-guest eye-level raft from Kaanapali Beach, from $79, Dec 1–Apr 30) and Teralani Premium Whale Watch (35-guest sailing catamaran with lunch and open bar, from $154.95, Nov–Apr 15).

## Pages
- [Best Whale Watching Tours in West Maui 2026–27 (Kaanapali)](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/best-whale-watching-tours/): The two best Kaanapali whale watching tours compared: Maui Whale Adventures' 20-guest eye-level raft vs Teralani's Premium catamaran with lunch and open bar.
- [Maui Whale Watching FAQ: Season, Best Month, Shore Spots](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/faq/): Answers to the most common Maui whale watching questions: when the season is, the best month, shore spots, raft vs catamaran, and the 100-yard rule.
- [Maui Whale Adventures Review: Small-Group Eye-Level Raft Tour](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/maui-whale-adventures/): Review of Maui Whale Adventures, the 20-guest adventure raft that loads off the sand at Kaanapali Beach: the trip, who it suits, and prices from $79.
- [Teralani Premium Whale Watch Review: Catamaran, Lunch & Bar](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/teralani-premium-whale-watch/): Review of Teralani's Premium Whale Watch from Kaanapali Beach: 2.5 hours on a sailing catamaran for 35 guests with lunch, open bar, naturalist and hydrophone.
- [Humpback Whale Behaviors: Breach, Pec Slap, Spy Hop & More](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/whale-behaviors/): The ten surface behaviors you will see on a Maui whale watch and what each means: blow, breach, pec slap, tail slap, peduncle throw, head lunge, spy hop, dives.
- [Whale Watching From Shore in Maui: 10 West Maui Lookouts](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/whale-watching-from-shore/): The best free places to see humpback whales from land in West Maui, mapped: Papawai Point, McGregor Point, Olowalu, Kaanapali Beach Walk, Kapalua and more.
- [Photo credits](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/photo-credits/): Sources and licences for the photographs on West Maui Whale Watching.
- [About this guide](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/about/): Who writes West Maui Whale Watching, where the facts come from, and how the site is funded.
- [Contact](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/contact/): Contact West Maui Whale Watching with corrections, questions or whale sightings.
- [Humpback Whale Facts: Size, Lifespan & Why They Come to Maui](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/humpback-whales/): How big humpback whales are, how long they live, what they eat and why more than 10,000 winter in Hawaiʻi. The biology of Maui's koholā, from NOAA data.
- [Koholā: Whales in Hawaiian Culture & Lahaina Whaling History](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/kohola-hawaiian-culture/): The humpback is koholā in Hawaiian. Whale petroglyphs at Olowalu, the lei niho palaoa worn by chiefs, and Lahaina's years as the whaling capital of the Pacific.
- [Humpback Migration Map: Alaska to Maui, 3,000 Miles](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/migration/): Where Maui's humpbacks spend the summer, how they swim 3,000 miles to Hawaiʻi without eating, how long it takes, and why they return to the same channel.
- [Humpback Calves & Competition Pods: Mating and Birth on Maui](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/mothers-and-calves/): How humpback calves are born and raised in the ʻAuʻau Channel, what an escort is, and what is happening in a competition pod of twenty males off Maui.
- [Privacy](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/privacy/): Privacy policy for westmauiwhalewatching.com.
- [Maui Whale Watching Rules: 100-Yard Law & Whale Protection](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/responsible-whale-watching/): The federal 100-yard rule for humpback whales in Hawaiʻi, the national marine sanctuary, the entanglement hotline, and how to join the volunteer whale counts.
- [Maui Whale Season 2026–27: Best Months to See Whales](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/whale-season/): Maui whale season runs December through April with a January–March peak. Month-by-month sightings, 2026–27 tour dates, best time of day and when to book.
- [Humpback Whale Song: Why Males Sing & How to Hear It on Maui](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/whale-song/): Only male humpbacks sing, every male in the North Pacific sings the same song, and it changes every year. How the song works and how to hear it on Maui.
- [Maui Whale Watching Tips: What to Bring, Seasickness & Kids](https://westmauiwhalewatching.com/whale-watching-tips/): Practical advice for a West Maui whale watch: what to bring, morning vs afternoon, avoiding seasickness, which boat suits kids, and how to photograph whales.