Best of · FRENCH POLYNESIA WHALE WATCHING TOURS

Our 15 Best French Polynesia Whale Watching Trips

44 tours  ·  from $128 a head

Humpbacks calve in the lagoons from August to October, and this is one of the few places on earth licensed for a supervised swim. These 15 are priced, permit-capped and clear on what the rules allow.

Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour) - Getting into the water with the whales
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Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour)

1.Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 264 reviews · from $305Our pick

Spend four hours on the water with Moorea Expedition, searching for humpback whales from July through late November. Guides such as Johnny, Joe, and Laura give clear safety instructions, help strong swimmers enter the water, and may point out dolphins, rays, sharks, and turtles. The boat holds no more than six people for whale swimming.

“We had an amazing day out with the whales. Our guides and captain were so knowledgeable and made sure to keep everyone safe and having a good time. We were lucky enough to get in the water three times today. Saw dolphins and whales. What an amazing experience. Thanks Moorea Expeditions!”

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Whale Tour - Observe and swim with whales - The four-hour search from Moorea
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Whale Tour – Observe and swim with whales

2.Whale Tour – Observe and swim with whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 257 reviews · from $270Top rated

From Moorea, Enjoy Boat Tours takes you into open water to look for humpback whales, dolphins, and sharks. You may enter the water only when conditions and animal behavior allow. The crew may include guides such as Joaquin, Carlos, Tamuti, or Ike, with no more than seven people in the water at once.

“Swimming with the humpback whales was amazing. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Carlos and the Captain did a great job spotting the whales and taking us to the perfect spot. We were able to see a Mom and her baby. All undescribable and breathtaking. Carlos even starting playing with th baby and the baby humpback mimicked him. Then they took us to swim with the turtles and the sting rays and sharks. One of our best expereinces ever!!”

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Whale Watching Tours in Bora Bora - What the open-water swim really involves
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Whale Watching Tours in Bora Bora

3.Whale Watching Tours in Bora Bora

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 250 reviews · from $305

Spend about 3.5 hours offshore with Simon, Victor, or Maui of Tohora Bora Bora, searching for humpback whales from a boat of no more than six people. Listen through a directional hydrophone, watch from the deck, or, if conditions and whale behavior allow, swim more than 100 meters in open water. Swimming is never guaranteed.

“Simon was a fantastic guide and made sure we were able to get the most out of our time in the water. He makes sure everyone is safe and is great at finding the elusive whales. Be prepared to swim long distances as the whales move arouRead more”

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Swim with humpback whales - What happens from the 8:30 a.m. meeting point
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Swim with humpback whales

4.Swim with humpback whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 224 reviews · from $264

From Moorea, Corallina Tours takes you by boat to search for humpback whales between July and early November. Guides such as Francesca, Tamahere, and Maui explain how to approach the animals, then lead you to a lagoon with rays and black-tip sharks. Expect open-water swimming, snorkeling gear, bottled water, and a maximum of 12 people.

“I highly recommend this outfit. The people giving the tour make all the difference. They explained things well in both English and French so you always felt included. They were always very helpful and very fun to spend the day. It was an amRead more”

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Humpback whale watching and marine life in Moorea - The 5:00 AM departure is worth considering
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Humpback whale watching and marine life in Moorea

5.Humpback whale watching and marine life in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 199 reviews · from $327

Spend about three hours on Moorea’s Pacific waters with Pacifik Attitude, searching for humpback whales and other marine life. Guides such as Mata, Doris, O’Neil, and Andrew explain whale behavior, lead safe swims when conditions allow, and help you spot dolphins, turtles, rays, sharks, and colorful fish. Whale watching runs July 20 through November 20.

“It was wonderful trip on the boat with Doris and Captain Chewy! They did all their best to look for the whales :) We have heard the whale singing and a whale mum with a baby humpback!”

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Half day whale tour 4h00 - Finding whales in open Pacific water
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Half day whale tour 4h00

6.Half day whale tour 4h00

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 181 reviews · from $191

Spend four hours near Moorea searching for humpback whales, with a chance to enter the ocean under guide supervision between July and November. Kevin, Mahai, and other crew members may lead the outing. Masks, snorkels, fins, and drinks are included, and the tour may finish with lagoon snorkeling near rays, sharks, turtles, and fish.

“Great experience! Absolutely worth it! Nice people. Everything was very well organized. Will do it again! Thank you!”

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Private tour observing and swimming with humpback whales in Moorea - July to November is whale time
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Private tour observing and swimming with humpback whales in Moorea

7.Private tour observing and swimming with humpback whales in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 126 reviews · from $1,640

Join Mana Moorea Tours aboard the Mana’hau for a private four-hour trip around Moorea. Guides including Nicky and Fabien tailor the route to your group, with whale watching from July to November, plus snorkeling with rays, sharks, turtles, and other marine life. Equipment and safety gear are supplied, and pickup is available.

“What an incredible experience we had with Nicky and Fabien! Not only were they knowledgeable, you could tell how passionate they were about each whale/dolphin/fish we saw. They had our safety as their top priority and were very in tuned to each whale's movementRead more”

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Respectful whale excursion to Tahiti in 4h30 - What swimming near whales really involves
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Respectful whale excursion to Tahiti in 4h30

8.Respectful whale excursion to Tahiti in 4h30

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 123 reviews · from $222

Join Tahiti by Boat for a four-and-a-half-hour search for humpback whales from Papeete Marina. With guides such as Moana, Remy, Israel, and Bernardo, you may watch dolphins, enter the water near whales when conditions allow, and snorkel among tropical fish. The boat carries up to 12 people, with fruit, drinks, and gear provided.

“This was the highlight of my trip. It was the end of the season, so we didn't expect to see much. However, we got to swim with a mom and her calf. It was a truly magical experience.”

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Half Day Small Group Whale Watching - The first ride out: getting comfortable on the water
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Half Day Small Group Whale Watching

9.Half Day Small Group Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $267

Join Moorea Sea Experience for a four-hour whale-watching trip limited to six people. From August to November, guides such as Mana or Johnny search for humpback whales and may guide careful in-water viewing when conditions and animal behavior allow. Fruit, drinks, and snorkeling gear are included.

“Unique experience. Only 6 guests were allowed on board, which improves the experience. The small number of participants is very advantageous in the water. We saw two adult humpback whales underwater during the first snorkeliRead moreAuto-translated”

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Tahiti island: Whale watching Experience - What happens at the six hotel pickup points
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Tahiti island: Whale watching Experience

10.Tahiti island: Whale watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 79 reviews · 5 hours · from $227

Set out from selected Tahiti hotels for a five-hour whale-watching trip with up to 12 people. Guides such as Israel, Teva, and Moana combine local knowledge with careful safety advice. You may snorkel, see dolphins, and enter the water near humpback whales when conditions are right. Drinks, fruit, and equipment are included.

“Amazing experience. Israel really knew the area and where the whales were. He was able to speak in both French and English and when the time came to swim with the whales, he and his crew were extremely helpful getting us prepped and into the water as well as getting close to the whales. I highly recommend booking an experience with them!”

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Whale watching and snorkelling in Moorea - Why the six-person limit matters
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Whale watching and snorkelling in Moorea

11.Whale watching and snorkelling in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · from $230

Spend about four hours off Moorea with guides Ivy and Christoph, looking for humpback whales from a small boat. If the sea and whale behavior allow, strong swimmers aged 15 and older may enter the open ocean with fins and a mask. Gear, drinks, and a small group of up to six are included.

“I booked this excursion last minute because the first snorkeling with whales excursions I had booked ended up being a flop due to inclement weather and lack of whale sightings. Ivy and Christoph were truly amazing guides. Ivy’s energy was infectious and you couldn’t pick truly see her passion for the whales. She was informative and so driven to get us up close and personal with the whales. We had to work hard to see them but with the help of Christoph she made sure to make it happen. We were in and out of the water three times and had to swim quite a distance to track and find…”

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Whale watching in Moorea - Open-water swimming with humpback whales
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Whale watching in Moorea

12.Whale watching in Moorea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $194

Set out from Temae at 8:30 a.m. for three hours of humpback whale watching, with possible guided swims about 150 meters round trip. Finish in Moorea Lagoon, where turtles, rays, blacktip sharks, and dolphins may appear. The boat holds up to 12 people, with two guides in the water when conditions allow.

“To do absolutely!! Even if we didn’t get into the water to see the whales (lots of swell for us), we could see them jump! And the other stops on top, swim with turtles, sharks and rays. We were able to stroke the lines too. Thanks to fred and the whole team for making our dreams come true. You are on top of the top!!!Auto-translated”

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Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti - Watching whales before considering the water
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Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti

13.Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $238

Join Teiki and the Wild Explorer Tahiti crew for a four-and-a-half-hour whale search from Papeete Marina. Groups are limited to six, with wetsuits, masks, fins, snacks, and drinks included. If whale behavior and sea conditions allow, confident swimmers may enter the water. Otherwise, you’ll enjoy surface viewing and sheltered snorkeling with turtles, rays, fish, and coral gardens.

“This excursion must go to the top of your list. From the moment we stepped on the boat everything was first class! Our guide Teiki spent a lot of time giving the small group a great understanding of the animals. The safety training and care oRead more”

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Moorea 4H Shared Boat Tour Whale Swimming and Snorkeling - Swimming with humpbacks, with safety first
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Moorea 4H Shared Boat Tour Whale Swimming and Snorkeling

14.Moorea 4H Shared Boat Tour Whale Swimming and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 52 reviews · 4 hours · from $259

Join Ariki Tours for a four-hour shared boat trip with up to six people. In whale season, August through November, guides such as Yannick and Clovis look for humpbacks and may take you into the water with them. You may also snorkel with stingrays, blacktip reef sharks, turtles, and tropical fish, with fruit and drinks served aboard.

“The tour was excellent, the crew were excellent, everything exceeded our expectation. We would recommend this to everyone!”

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WHALE TOUR - Watching and Swimming with Whales - What happens when a whale is found
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WHALE TOUR – Watching and Swimming with Whales

15.WHALE TOUR – Watching and Swimming with Whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · from $327

Join Temoana Tours in Moorea for a four-hour whale-watching and swimming trip limited to six people. Guides Henua and Nicolas search for humpback whales, then place you in the water only when sea conditions and whale behavior allow. Pickup may be available, and the open boat can feel rough in wind or rain.

“Wow! This is truly an incredible experience. We saw a mother and baby; they got so close to us! You definitely need to be a decent swimmer. Our guide, Nicolas, and boat driver, Henua, were knowledgable, skilled, and accommodating. They Read more”

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New in French Polynesia Whale Watching Tours

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