Hawaii is a romantic place, even for Humpback Whales. Every winter, these amazing creatures migrate thousands of miles south from Alaska to warm island waters to breed and calve. Male Humpbacks pull out all the stops to woo their female counterparts - singing impressive, otherworldly songs beneath the waves. Their giant hearts, weighing in at over 400 pounds, might have something to do with it.
The Kona-Kohala coast on the Big Island of Hawaii is one of the Humpback Whales' favorite spots. What can we say, they have good taste! Whales can be seen in such high concentrations in these waters that they were designated as part of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
Image courtesy of NOAA.
If you happen to be visiting Kona during the winter whale season (roughly December to March) we highly recommend taking the opportunity to spot these incredible creatures. The months with the most whale activity tend to be January and February. The best way to see whales is to go on a whale watching boat tour or do a little DIY whale watching from shore. In this post, we’ll give you tips on how to do both.
Most Affordable Whale Watching Tours in Kona, Hawaii
Seeing whales on the water is definitely the most spectacular way to experience them. Here is a list of several tours under $100 that offer a great value and experience for the price:
Body Glove $98 | person
Departing from the Kailua Pier, the Body Glove is super convenient to the hostel and easiest to get to if you don’t have a rental car. They offer a whale sighting guarantee, so if you don’t spot whales on your cruise, you can return on another trip for free. The tour includes snacks and beverages. There is a naturalist on board and the boat is equipped with a hydrophone to listen to whale songs. Carbon offsets are available for purchase at booking.
Kona Style Boat Tours $90 | person
Hawaiian owned and operated, the Kona Style boat is a beautiful 50’ catamaran. This tour sails from Keauhou Bay, which is located a few miles south of My Hawaii Hostel, near Ali’i Drive. This boat is smaller and more intimate than the Body Glove. Another thing that we love about this company is that they are very active in giving back to the Big Island community. A percentage of all proceeds goes to support various Hawaiian cultural programs, including Na Pe'a and the Hokule’a.
Hawaii Nautical $89 | person
This company offers a variety of whale watches on Oahu and on Big Island. Make sure you book the correct tour on the right island! They depart from several different harbors and beaches along the Kona-Kohala coast. The closest to My Hawaii Hostel is the tour departing from Honokohau Harbor - located a few miles north of Kona town. The tour departing from Kawaihae Harbor is an hour drive north from Kona. The boat is a simple power boat with a covering for shade. They have a whale sighting guarantee, so if you don’t see whales they will let you go again for free. Juice, soda, and water are offered on the tour.
Note: whale watch tours do not include getting out of the boat and swimming with the whales. This is illegal. Boats are required by law to keep a distance of several hundred yards from the whales. However, whales don’t always follow this rule! Many times whales come up close to the boat before the captain is able to move out of the way. Other creatures you might spot on a whale watch cruise include dolphins, sea turtles, pilot whales, melon-headed whales, and sometimes even a whale shark.
Whale Watching From Shore on the Kohala Coast
If you don’t want to spend money on a whale watch tour, with a little luck, patience, and the right location, you can do your own whale watching from shore. A pair of binoculars help too! The best place to spot whales from shore is on the Kohala coast, about an hour drive north from Kona. Whales can be spotted offshore from Kona town beaches at times, however, more sightings are likely up north.
Head north on Hwy 19 until it T’s into Hwy 270 (Akoni Pule Hwy) and head left. Up here the stretch between the Kawaihae Harbor and Hawi is an excellent area to spot whales in the water from the cliffs above. There are turn out spots along the road and a few beach parks where you can pull off and stop. This drive makes a great start to our road trip to Pololū Valley, highlighted in a previous blog post.
A few good spots to stop or wander from when looking for whales:
Pu’ukohola Heiau - ancient Hawaiian temple set high on a hill
10 mile stretch north of Kawaihae Harbor on Hwy 270 - several unnamed turnouts
Tip: pull up this area on Google Maps satellite view and toggle up the coast. As you zoom in, you can see many small unmarked dirt roads, trails, and turn outs off Hwy 270 and along the coast if you feel like exploring.
Don’t forget to tag us in your whale watching adventures @myhawaiihostel for a chance to be featured on our feed! Where is your favorite place to spot whales in Kona or Kohala? We’d love to hear from you.