The 7 Best Full-Day Whale Watching Trips Worldwide

1.From Quebec City: Whale Watching Excursion Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 863 reviews · 11 hours · from $186Our pick

Travel from Fontaine de Tourny to Baie-Sainte-Catherine by air-conditioned bus, then choose a roomy whale-watching boat or fast Zodiac. Naturalist guides explain the St. Lawrence’s whales in English and French. Expect Saguenay Fjord views, cold weather, a long road day, and a strong chance of seeing several species.

“This is the first time we have joined the whale watching excursion in my life .That is a great challenge For us to stay in the ocean for 3 hours , which is thrilling and stimulating. We enjoyed it very much!”

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2.Fijian Islands and Snorkel Full-Day Whales Tale Cruise including Beach BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 408 reviews · from $117

Spend about seven hours aboard the 100-foot Whale’s Tale schooner and at a private island in Fiji’s Mamanuca group. You’ll pass Malamala, Vunavadra, Bounty, and Treasure islands, enjoy a champagne-style breakfast, snorkel with provided gear, and eat a fresh beach BBQ. Hotel pickup, drinks, and a friendly Fijian crew are included.

“Best day in Fiji- a lovely view of the islands, such a friendly crew, and a beautiful private island visit with stunning snorkeling. The food was great and cooked fresh. The crew sang and played music on the trip home.”

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3.Punta Arenas: Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 325 reviews · 14 hours · from $365

Set out before dawn from central Punta Arenas for a full-day cruise toward Cape Froward and Francisco Coloane Marine Park. You may see humpback whales, Magellanic penguins, sea lions, dolphins, seabirds, waterfalls, and glaciers. The bilingual crew provides transport, meals, hot drinks, and wildlife guidance aboard a modern vessel.

“We were able to see whales up close, and the guides were very prompt with spotting them and informing what we need to look forward. One improvement would be to have more hot chocolate on board.”

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4.Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 159 reviews · 7 hours · from $77

Set out from Moto Marina with guides such as Ileana, Rayner, and Salomón for whale watching in Samaná Marine Mammal Sanctuary. After about 2.5 hours on the water, continue to Cayo Levantado for a buffet lunch and beach time. Expect English or Spanish guiding, drinks, coconut snacks, and a weather-dependent sea ride.

“We loved our guide, she spoke English fluently and was overall lovely - we learnt about which whales we saw, how they live, eat, mate, sing, etc. We saw some whales surfacing to breathe, but unfortunately no tail breaches (much less full body jumps). It was still quite fun nonetheless, and the beach on Cayo Levantado was beautiful - no sargassum (Feb 10th, windy day), clear water and the sun was shining.”

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5.Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 155 reviews · from $51Best value

Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus in a small group of up to 18, with an English-speaking guide such as Louis or Brahm. Expect a scenic coastal drive, shore-based whale watching, optional boat cruise, Hemel-en-Aarde wine tasting, and a stop at Peregrine Farm Stall.

“The coastal drive alone made the trip worthwhile but seeing the whales up close is something I will never forget. Our tour guides, Louis, wealth of knowledge was unbelievable and made the tour that much more interesting.”

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6.Full Day Gray Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $191

Travel from La Paz to Puerto Chale for a respectful gray whale encounter in a small panga. The day includes hotel pickup, about 2.2 hours on the water, lunch at a local restaurant, and guides such as Pamela, Shiro, Susana, Diana, and Maria on different departures. Expect a long road ride, changing weather, and no guaranteed number of whales.

“The three stars are not for the experience itself which was great but for the tour/tour guide. Description said that a Marine Biologist will be part of the tour. Unless the tour guide who barely spoke was the Biologist this is not correct. Basically this was a round trip transportation. If you have your own rental car, just drive there yourself and save $$.”

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7.Anacortes: Full Day Whale/Wildlife Tour; Friday Harbor Stop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 6h 30m · from $279

Join Captain Tyler aboard a heated, semi-covered boat limited to six people. From Anacortes, search for orcas, humpback, gray, or minke whales, plus seals, sea lions, porpoises, and eagles. You will also have two hours to eat and explore Friday Harbor. The boat has an outdoor viewing deck and restroom.

“Incrível, vimos muitas baleias orcas, apesar do tempo chuvoso a navegação foi tranquila! Tyler foi impecável, até dicas de restaurantes em Friday Harbor!”

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