Where to Swim With Whales: the 5 Best Trips Worldwide

1.Whale Dream ltd – Whales watching and swim with dolphins

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 308 reviews Our pick

Meet at 6am in Rivière Noire for a private four-hour boat trip with Whale Dream. The crew uses a hydrophone to locate sperm whales, then looks for spinner and bottlenose dolphins. You may swim with dolphins and snorkel, but swimming with whales is prohibited in Mauritius. Snacks, soft drinks, and equipment are included.

“Had the most amazing once in a lifetime experience with Whale Dream. We were lucky to spot an entire family of whales. The best part was that the crew was very respectful of the whales and kept a distance from them. While there are other Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

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

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

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!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Whale Tour – Observe and swim with whales

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

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!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Swim with humpback whales

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

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.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”

Check availability →Read our full review