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Travel bucket list ideas:

Last updated: 13 November, 2023

Ranging from the mere 2.5m dwarf sperm whale to the whopping 30m blue whale, these ocean giants beguile and amaze us with their size, grace and dignity. The sight of a breaching right whale or the enormous tail of a humpback breaking the surface never fails to make us gasp.

Here’s our round-up some of the best places in the world to go whale-watching.

Table of Contents

Andenes

Norway

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Bucket List Experience

The deep waters and nutrient-rich food supply off the Andenes coast make the waters here an essential feeding ground for a variety of whales – and a global whale-watching hotspot. Sperm whales are present all year-round; humpback, fin and orca in winter months – a 1-hour boat ride from shore. Half-day tours, all year-round.

Best for ages: 4+ | £100 | 3-6 hours

humpback whale breaching on pacific ocean background with tourist boat behind
Experience

Baja California

La Paz, Baja California, Mexico

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Bucket List Experience

This stretch of coast is the world’s whale-watching hotspot from December to April, when whales in their thousands migrate here from the north to breed and feed. Humpbacks, blue, minke, orca, fin, Bryde’s, sperm, sei and grey whales are regularly seen. Grey whales calve in the lagoons of the Sea of Cortez from mid-January through mid-April.

Best for ages: 4+ | £150 | Full day

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Ballena Marine National Park

Ballena Marine National Park, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

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Bucket List Experience

This marine national park off Uvita, Costa Rica is one of the best places in the Americas to see humpback whales, with near year-round whale-watching (except June & July). You’ll also spot dolphins, Olive Ridley and Hawksbills turtles, boobies and pelicans.

Best for ages: 4+ | £50 | 3-4 hours

Humpback whale tail in Samana, Dominican republic and torist whale watching boat
Experience

Dominica

Dominica

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Bucket List Experience

From mid-January to end of March, the Samana Peninsula is the place to see humpback whales. Thousands migrate from Norway’s coast to breed and socialise in the warm waters and sheltered bays. Short-finned pilot, false killer, and melon head whales can also be seen. Sperm whales are present all year round.

Best for ages: 4+ | £100 | Half day

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Hermanus

Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience

Southern right whales congregate just offshore from the stylish holiday town of Hermanus, 2-hours’ drive from Cape Town, from July to October. You can see them breaching from the cliff-top boardwalks – or join a boat tour for a closer look. There’s a quaint, celebratory festival at the season’s end.

Best for ages: 4+ | Free | Any

Hudson Bay

Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

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Bucket List Experience

In July and August, more than 60,000 beluga whales inhabit the Hudson region – 3,000 of which can be found in the Churchill River estuary. It’s the best and most reliable place in the world to spot striking, white beluga whales. 2-hour tours on either inflatable zodiacs or sea kayaks get you right up close.

Best for ages: 4+ | £75 | 3-4 hours

Iceland

Iceland

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Bucket List Experience

Iceland’s pristine waters are the place to spot minke, humpback and blue whales as these gentle giants pass by on their annual migration. You’ll see the whales up close, plus dolphins, porpoises and puffins. Husavik is the main departure port, but you can also take tours from Reykjavik or see them on an Iceland cruise. May to September is best.

Best for ages: 4+ | £70 | 3-4 hours

Kaikoura

Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand

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Bucket List Experience

There are many remarkable things about whale-watching here, not least their 95% success rate at finding giant sperm whales – the world’s largest toothed predator – that are present here in New Zealand all year round. Owner-run by local Maori families, it combines state-of-the-art whale-finding technology and traditional Maori folklore. You can whale-watch on kayaks too.

Best for ages: 4+ | £92 | 3 hours

Mauritius

Grande Riviere Noire, Mauritius

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Bucket List Experience

A brilliant, but relatively unknown, whale-watching destination, with sperm whales spotted year-round, and pilot and Gray’s beaked in season. Full-day whale-watching tours include swimming with dolphins and a beach stop for a BBQ lunch and snorkelling on local reefs. Not a bad day’s work..!

Best for ages: 4+ | £40 | 3 hours

tourists in boats watch a blue whale breaching off southern Sir Lanka
Experience

Mirissa

Mirissa, Southern Province, Sri Lanka

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Bucket List Experience

The world’s largest mammal, the blue whale, is paradoxically difficult to see – except here, on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. It’s the best, most accessible and most reliable place in the world to see (and snorkel) with the big blues. Tours depart from Galle and Mirissa between February and mid-March, when the whales feed on giant shoals of krill.

Best for ages: 4+ | £38 | 4 hours

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Passnegers on a packed boat watch a whale breaching at Cape Cod
Experience

Provincetown

Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States of America (USA)

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Bucket List Experience

The Stellwagen Bank Marine Life Sanctuary off Cape Cod is the main summer feeding grounds of the fin, humpback, and right whales, making this an excellent spot for whale-watching from mid-May to October. Depart from Barnstable or Provincetown, the closest towns.

Best for ages: 4+ | £45 | 3-4 hours

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Couple on a tourist boat star at a breaching tail
Experience

Quebec

Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

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Bucket List Experience

In summer months, May to October, the St Lawrence Estuary is rich in fish and plankton, attracting a pick ‘n’ mix of minke (May-Oct), fin (July-Oct), humpback (June-July), blue (Aug-Oct), and beluga whales (year-round). It all makes for excellent whale-watching; full-day tours depart from Quebec City, 3-hour tours from Tadoussac – or can you can watch them from shore.

Best for ages: 4+ | £13 | 3+ hours

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humpback whale breaching at sunset
Experience

Tahiti

Tahiti, French Polynesia

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Bucket List Experience

The dreamy environs of French Polynesia – best known for golden beaches, overwater bungalows and honeymooners – is one of the best places to see – and snorkel – with humpback whales. Moorea, a small island 15kms from Tahiti, is especially good, where the whales come to breed in its warm, sheltered bays from August to October. Full or half-day, private tours available from Moorea.

Best for ages: 4+ | £160 | Half day

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The Azores

Azores, Portugal

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Bucket List Experience

Europe’s best whale-watching destination – this archipelago sees blue, humpback and fin whales swim by on their migration from late March to early June; sperm whales are here all year round. Weather conditions are usually good, and water visibility is excellent.

Best for ages: 4+ | £60 | 3-4 hours

Humpback whale diving, tail out of the sea
Experience

The Maldives

Maldives

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Bucket List Experience

Everyone’s idyllic archipelago is also beloved, it seems, by whales. They’re here year-round, but different species appear at different times; blue whales (November to May) and humpbacks (June to October) are the headliners, but minke, fin, sperm, melon-head and Bryde’s and beaked whale can also be spotted. Organise tours through your hotel.

Best for ages: 4+ | £200 | Half day

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humpback whale breaching on pacific ocean background
Experience

Tonga

Tonga

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Bucket List Experience

Every year, from July to October, humpback whales migrate to the warm Tonga waters from Antarctica to breed, before heading back in November. Whale-watching tours (usually part of multi-day packages) depart from Vava’u, Ha’apai, ‘Eua, and Tongatapu islands, and it’s one of the few places in the world you can snorkel with them too.

Best for ages: 4+ | £250 | 2+ days

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Group of killer whales in the fjords north of Tromso, Norway
Experience

Tromso

Tromso, Western Norway, Norway

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Bucket List Experience

The remote fjords north of Tromso are the best, most reliable place to see orcas; each winter, 50-60 arrive to feed on the vast herring shoals. Multi-day live-a-board expedition cruises operate from the end of October to early February. If you can bear the cold (dry suits provided), you can swim with them too.

Best for ages: 4+ | £2,600 | 3-6 days

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Killer whales: three orcas in a row at Telegraph cove at Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Experience

Vancouver Island

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Bucket List Experience

One of North America’s best whale-watching spots, where a resident orca pod has lived – and been studied – for generations. It’s one of the best and most reliable places to see orca, from May to September. 20,000 grey whales also migrate past from March to April. Half-day tours run all year round.

Best for ages: 4+ | £105 | 3-5 hours

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Frequently asked questions

Species of whale

1. Blue Whale

The largest animal ever known, blue whales can reach lengths of 100 feet. They are found in all the world’s oceans, preferring deep, open waters. Despite their size, they feed primarily on tiny krill. Blue whales in the northeastern Pacific migrate from their summer feeding areas off the coast of California to their winter breeding grounds off the coast of Mexico and Central America. This annual migration typically begins in the fall and sees the whales returning north in the late spring.

2. Humpback Whale

Known for their spectacular breaching behaviour and complex songs, humpback whales are found in oceans worldwide, migrating up to 16,000 miles annually. They are baleen whales, feeding on krill and small fish. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, they have made a remarkable recovery. Humpback whales in the North Atlantic migrate from their summer feeding grounds in the cold waters of Iceland, Greenland, and the northeastern coast of the U.S. to their winter breeding grounds in the warm Caribbean Sea, particularly around the Dominican Republic. This migration occurs twice a year, heading south in the late autumn and returning north in the spring.

3. Sperm Whale

The largest toothed predator in the world, sperm whales are easily recognised by their massive heads and distinctive shape. They inhabit all deep oceans, diving as deep as 3,280 feet to hunt and feed on giant squid. Sperm whales, while not having a fixed migration route, exhibit a unique pattern. Males roam the higher latitudes of both hemispheres, while females and young remain in tropical and subtropical waters year-round. Males venture into colder waters during summer months for feeding, often travelling to the polar regions, and return to warmer waters in winter for breeding.

4. Orca (Killer Whale)

Orcas are actually the largest species of dolphin. They are highly social and found in all the world’s oceans, from the Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas. Known as apex predators, they feed on fish, seals, and sometimes other whales.

5. Gray Whale

Gray whales are known for their benthic feeding habits, sucking small creatures from the ocean floor. Once hunted to the brink of exinction, they are currently making a comeback. Gray whales undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal, travelling up to 12,000 miles round-trip. They migrate from their feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas of the Arctic, down the eastern North American coast to their breeding grounds in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. This journey occurs annually, starting in October/November (southward) and returning north between February and May.

6. Minke Whale

The smallest of the baleen whales, minke whales are found in all major oceans, often close to shore. They are relatively abundant and not endangered, feeding on small schooling fish and krill. Their small size made them less targeted by historical whaling.

7. Fin Whale

Fin whales, the second-largest whale species, inhabit all the world’s oceans, from polar to tropical waters. Known for their remarkable speed and distinctive ridge behind the dorsal fin, they primarily feed on small fish, squid, and krill. Their global population faces challenges from habitat changes, but they are a resilient and magnificent species.

8. Sei Whale

Sei whales are streamlined baleen whales found in most of the world’s oceans, excluding extreme polar and tropical waters. They are known for their impressive speed, reaching up to 34 miles per hour. Sei whales primarily feed on krill and small fish, playing a significant role in marine ecosystems.

9. Bowhead Whale

Bowhead whales, specialised Arctic dwellers, are notable for their massive heads and robust bodies, enabling them to break through sea ice. They have the longest baleen plates among whales, feeding mainly on zooplankton. Adapted to cold waters, bowheads are known for their longevity, with some living over 200 years.

10. Beluga Whale

Beluga whales, known for their distinctive white color and prominent foreheads, primarily inhabit Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. These sociable mammals are relatively common in their cold-water habitats. Characterised by their vocal communication and echolocation abilities, belugas feed on fish, crustaceans, and worms and can live up to 50 years.

11. Narwhal

Known for their iconic long tusks and speckled gray skin, these medium-sized whales predominantly reside in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia. They’re relatively common within their cold, ice-laden habitat, where they primarily feed on fish and cephalopods, and can live up to 50 years.

12. Right Whale

These slow-moving baleen whales are often found in coastal waters, feeding on plankton with their long baleen plates. Southern right whales migrate from their Antarctic feeding areas, where they consume large amounts of krill during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, to the warmer waters off the coast of Argentina and Brazil. These breeding and calving grounds, particularly around the Peninsula Valdés, are crucial for their survival. This migration typically occurs between June and December.

13. Bryde’s Whale

These relatively abundant and adaptable medium-sized baleen whales are found in warm temperate and tropical waters worldwide. They’re recognisable by their sleek bodies and the three prominent ridges on their heads. They feed mainly on fish and plankton and typically live for about 50-70 years.

14. Pilot Whale

Pilot whales, comprising two species (long-finned and short-finned), are found in oceans worldwide. They are found in oceans worldwide and are known for their strong social structures. They primarily feed on squid and live up to 45 years.

15. Sperm Whale Pygmy

This smaller cousin of the sperm whale is found in deep waters of the world’s temperate and tropical seas. They are elusive and not much is known about their population status. They feed on squid and deep-sea fish.