Whale Wisdom: Exploring 10 Facts About Maui’s Humpback Marvels

Dive into the enchanting realm of Maui's humpback whales with our curated list of 10 must-know facts. From their majestic migration to captivating underwater melodies, discover the wonders that await on your sunset whale watch adventure!

1. Majestic Visitors: Maui hosts an annual migration of humpback whales from Alaskan waters, offering a front-row seat to witness these majestic marine giants in their winter playground.

2. Winter Retreat: The humpback whales grace Maui's warm waters from November to May, creating a unique opportunity for visitors to witness their behaviors, including breaching, tail slapping, and fin waving.  The BEST months for whale watching on Maui are January through March.

Thousands of miles. Weeks at sea. A tropical paradise awaits off the shores of Maui.

Every winter, the awe-inspiring migration of humpback whales unfolds in the warm waters of Hawaii, and Maui stands at the heart of this spectacular event. These gentle giants embark on an extraordinary journey, travelling from the icy depths of Alaska to the lush, protected waters of Maui, transforming the island into a breeding ground and a sanctuary for their young.

Scott Hartley Whale (2)

3. Breeding Grounds : Maui's waters serve as a vital breeding and calving ground for humpback whales, providing a safe haven for newborn calves during the winter months.

4. Distinctive Songs: Male humpback whales are renowned for their complex and haunting songs that can travel for miles underwater. The waters around Maui become a natural amphitheater for these captivating melodies.  When the whales are directly under our boat, the sound travels through the hull and you can hear it in the air around you!  Most nights, we also drop a hydrophone into the water so we can listen to some whale tunes!

5. Size Matters: These gentle giants can reach lengths of up to 60 feet and weigh as much as 40 tons, making them one of the largest marine mammals on the planet.  A baby whale is born weighing as much as a Volkswagen.

6. Conservation Efforts: Humpback whales, including those around Maui, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. Responsible whale watching practices play a vital role in their conservation.

7. Eco-Tourism Impact: Maui's whale watching tours contribute to eco-tourism efforts, promoting awareness and appreciation for these incredible creatures while supporting their conservation.

whalewatchers

8. Parental Bonding: Mother humpback whales are dedicated parents, often forming strong bonds with their calves and demonstrating nurturing behaviors, such as teaching them how to breach and tail slap.  Calves stay with their mothers for up to a year before weaning. 

9. Alaskan Feeding Grounds: During the summer, these whales travel to nutrient-rich Alaskan waters to feed and build up energy reserves for the winter migration and breeding season in Hawaii.  In Alaska, they eat up to 1.5 tons of krill a day!

10. Sunset Spectacle: The enchanting spectacle of humpback whales during Maui's sunset is truly magical. Join us on a sunset whale watch for a chance to witness breathtaking moments and create memories that last a lifetime.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the beauty and significance of Maui's humpback whales, and consider embarking on an unforgettable sunset expedition to witness these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. Your journey into whale wisdom begins here, and the ocean awaits with tales of tails, breeches, and melodies that will stay with you forever.

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Chenyang Zhou
21:48 23 Jun 25
Absolutely amazing experience. The staff are knowledgeable and patient with passion and love for the ocean and their job! Dived with Joe, super cool guy. And we saw a whaleshark on the way back!
Nan Cayler
03:32 23 Jun 25
Great crew, good operation for a large boat! Equipment fit well, worked well. Thank you!
Larry Connor
22:17 22 Jun 25
The crew was experienced and very attentive. Our dive master did a great job of not only pointing out unique sea life, but telling us what it was on his pad. I enjoyed the crater, but the second dive (at Marty's reef) was even better.
Bradley de Geus
06:41 20 Jun 25
Fantastic Boat with an amazing crew who loves what they’re doing and knows all the popular dives sites as well as some hidden gems. We picked a wildcard day and it was amazing. Captain Ben was super friendly and very thorough with the safety briefing. The dive team was well staffed and very organized. We had divemaster Don who was super chill, laid back, always smiling and very thorough on the dive briefings and provided a very clear picture of each dive site and the different things we might encounter at each dive site. If you’re looking for a unbeatable diving experience this is it!!
Francesca Capizzi
17:52 17 Jun 25
Highly recommend! The crew is a 10 and the divings are amazing, equipment and boat in perfect conditions. Moreover if you have a good air consumption the instructors will extend your dive and you are not forced to come back with your buddy / group.
Thank you so much !
Kevin Greer
12:38 17 Jun 25
Maui Diamond Sea Sports was awesome to dive and snorkel with. We chose an outfit whom would allow me to dive and my wife to snorkel. They were 100% professional and took us to the best dive spots in Maui, especially when weather turned and got in the way (Pali coast sites). We saw so much with them (Turtles, eels, octopus, so many fish, starfish, etc.) It was an absolutely epic adventure and would not have been so without Captain Ben whom took us up and beyond and David wrote out fish names underwater on his white board to educate. Very cool experience and I so HIGHLY recommend - I'm going to dive with them again!!!
Jeremiah Farinella
20:51 14 Jun 25
Great dive experience with Michelle, Dave, and Crew from Maui Diamond. Equipment was in great shape and the boat had plenty of space for the group size. Used aluminum tanks to 3k psi, digital dive computer, normal BC and backup regs. We dove on the 13 June 2025 with the 1st dive down to around 80 to 90ft at Molokini Crater and the second dive at Pu'pu Olai cinder cone around 40-50ft. During the dive notable sealife included baby reef sharks, barcuda, eagle ray, lion fish, sponge crab, plenty of native Hawaiian fish and great coral. Thanks again for the great dive experience!
Kaitlyn Caudill
23:28 10 Jun 25
Took their Lanai Cathedral dive excursion and it was a wonderful experience and would absolutely go diving with them again!
Bernardo Freitas
16:46 10 Jun 25
Amazing experience!
Jason Harris
17:12 09 Jun 25
Fantastic dive guide team and boat ride. Friendly, personable, and professional. Great dive spots and safety briefings. I did two excursions (two different days). First was the Molokini Crater two tank dive. Second day was the Lani Cathedrals two tank dive. Molokini Crater visibility was great. Dive guide pointed out a frog fish and octopus, in addition to some small reef sharks swimming by. Cathedrals was a new experience for me, diving through the lava formations and seeing the rare black coral. Very cool! The second dive for both excursions was a drift dive along the shore rock walls, where we saw eels, turtles, and lots of variety of fish.