I hovered over the singing whale in the water, the vibrations filling my chest and overwhelming me with emotion. I’d never come so close to something so big with no fences or boats between us. I pinched myself to make sure it was all real. How would I ever come close to topping this?
Swimming with humpback whales will be one of the more life-changing experiences of your life should you choose to do it. It’s moving, humbling, and awe-inspiring. The following information pertains to swimming with whales in Tonga, one of the only countries that allows this magical experience:
Where and when to go
Humpback whales migrate up from Antarctica through to Tonga to mate and give birth. Without any major predators around, the calfs have a chance to grow before making the long swim back to Antarctica.
The whales usually start to show up in late July to early August and stay until mid-October. It’s hard to pick a sweet spot within that timeframe as any week has the potential to have tons of whale sightings, or not. Some days will be packed with whale swims while others might only have one or none. Humpback whales are wild animals and since the boats don’t feed or coax them into interactions, there are never any guarantees.
That said, most trips span a week with 7 hours of each day, with the exception of Sundays, out on the water.
One of the top spots is Vava’u in Tonga, though other islands nearby have whales as well, and fewer tourists.
Booking Whale Swims
How do you know which company is the best to go with? Thankfully the whale boats all communicate with each other and when there’s something exciting to see, there’s a chance that any boat could be there to witness it.
I base my decisions on the trip that aligns the most with my interests – a trip with like-minded people, other photographers, and respectful swimmers.
Spots are limited since only 3-4 tourists can be in the water at any given time with the whales. Most boats take a max of 7 guests for this reason. Permits are limited to only 21 boats per year, so it’s something to book well ahead of time and plan your year around.
What to pack
Most dive shops and whale tours will not provide personal equipment, which means you’ll need to bring your own wetsuit, flippers, mask and snorkel, and weight belt.
The water can be cold and at times it rains, so a wetsuit is essential and a rain jacket is a good idea, too. I wore a 2mm siren song suit and was a bit cold on some days and fine on others. Most importantly, it was super cute in photos!
Here’s my packing list:
- 3-5 shirts or tank tops
- 2-3 bottoms like shorts or skirts
- 1 rain jacket
- 1 pair of fins – long ones if you plan to freedive
- 1 pair neoprene socks
- 1 wetsuit – here’s the one I used, and a cheaper option too!
- 1 sun hat
- Lots of sunscreen
- Weight belt and weights as needed
- Mask and snorkel – try this on in person!
- 1-2 bathing suits
- Sunglasses
- 1 pair flip flops
- If you want to attend church, which can be a cool cultural experience, bring something conservative and dressier along with you!
Also keep in mind that the airlines have strict weight limits of 15kg for checked baggage and 5kg for carry on luggage. If you have heavy camera equipment, your best bet is to carry your camera around your neck and get your baggage under the weight limits.
How to prepare for swimming with whales
Swimming with the humpback whales can be tiring. It can also be terrifying if being in deep water and interactions with huge, very active animals scares you.
Whales are massive and in many cases, playful and can come very close during the swims. I think this is amazing, but I can appreciate that some would be scared in this situation. Ask yourself if this is something you would genuinely enjoy before diving in head first.
If you’re comfortable in the water, I highly recommend learning how to freedive before heading to Tonga. Snorkeling is still a great way to see and interact with the whales, and in some situations like with a mom and calf, freediving is not allowed.
However during heat runs, which is a steady train of multiple whales pursing a female, or with playful whales, you can freedive down which makes it a way more interactive and magical experience, IMHO.
In closing, swimming with whales is easily one of the coolest things I’ve ever done, and Tonga was a fantastic place to do it!
Want to do the same (but in French Polynesia)? Come with me next September.
Sam says
How much is the cost of this? Also I’m not great snorkelling or holding my breath for long but it’s something I would love to do. How confident in the water do you have to be and how far in advance to book for this?! ?
Kristin says
Some people book years in advance. I’m in the process of organizing a group tour there in either August or September. Usual cost from most tour operators is $4500.
Sam says
Thank you! And does that include all food, accommodation and the boat? Do you just need to pay for flights after that?
In terms of swimming do you have to be an expert? I’m about nervous in the water after getting swept out to sea by myself in Sri Lanka ? the free diving sounds good but very much a mental thing!
Kristin says
That includes everything, yes! Freediving is something to practice and get certified in before you go. However most of our group snorkeled instead of freediving. It’s an amazing experience either way, and you can’t freedive with every whale, like the moms and calfs, anyways.
Juan Ovalle says
The packing list is so useful! Thank you for that!
Rebecca says
Kristin this looks so magical!
Kristin says
It is!!!
Liz says
Hi Kristin, this looks amazing! My husband and I are considering Tonga next year- where did you end up staying, and would you recommend it? Did you find that Vava’u was too crowded?
Thanks!
Kristin says
Hi Liz, I stayed in a house that was part of the tour I joined. I didn’t think Vava’u was crowded at all – it’s tiny!
myriam says
Hi Kristin, I´m planning to go to Tonga for swimming with whales – end of Aug/beg SEpt, Do you think I still have a chance to book a trip? Any tip?
Kristin says
I’m still working on hopefully getting mine going. My friend Karim does wonderful ones as well: https://www.dancewithwhales.com/ tell him I sent you 🙂
Marlene says
Hi Kristin,
Thanks for the lovely pictures and the helpful packing list.
We are planning our trip for 2020 – would it be possible for you to let us know concrete names of operators that you can recommend?
Thanks a lot in advance, have a great trip
Marlene
Kristin says
Dance with Whales 🙂
Maja says
Hi,
Do you have any recommendations as for which island is the best to go swimming with whales, which operators (whale guides/boats) to go with and the most important thing – do you have to book swimming with whales in advance (how much time in advance)?
Is it possible, for example, to decide to go swimming with whales when you get there?
Do you have any other important information that you would like to share?
Thank you in advance.
Kristin says
Vava’u is where I went and it was fantastic there. There are a few others but I haven’t tried them. I did see whale swims advertised around town but I am not sure how available they are spur of the moment since I didn’t inquire. Trips tend to book out months or even years in advance since permits are so limited. I went with dance with whales, however that trip is only about whale swimming and we did it 6/7 of the days I was there, all day. https://www.dancewithwhales.com/
Shawn Hager says
My husband and I put this trip on our wish list long ago. Your blog was very helpful.
Can wet suits, weight belts, flippers etc be rented in Vava’u? Obviously luggage weight restrictions would prohibit flying with these items. We are in our 60’s but very adventurous. Did you see other seniors participating? We love new and overwhelming experiences and this fits the bill !
Kristin says
you actually do need to bring your own wetsuits, flippers, and even weight belts! Most dive shops only have enough for their scuba divers and won’t rent to people who are swimming with the whales – it’s a tiny island with just a few shops. Yes there was a woman in her 60s in my group 🙂