World’s 8 Best Road Trip Destinations for Whale Watching
Watching whales in their natural environment is a fascinating experience. While we find these mysterious creatures in every ocean, unique locations offer the best chance of sightings. With whale-watching becoming a spectacular wildlife attraction, there are plenty of breathtaking destinations, offering a chance to watch them. You can also Book empty leg flights to Go Whale Watching all over the world.
Here are some of the best road trip destinations for whale watching.
- Iceland
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Iceland is underrated as a major whale-watching destination in Europe. There are over 20 whale and dolphin species in Iceland, including blue whales, orca, sperm whales, humpback, and minke. The best time to spot whales in Iceland is during summer. This is the peak season with a 90 percent success rate of spotting the majestic creatures.
Between May and September, you have a high chance of witnessing the humpback, blue, and sperm whales in the same sitting. In Reykjavik, Iceland, you will not miss out on seeing white-beaked dolphins, the humpback, or blue whales. It has become a favorite destination for any sea mammal enthusiast.
- Baja California, México
Every year, hundreds of humpbacks and gray whales migrate to the warm waters of the Gulf of California in Mexico’s Baja California. This is a popular destination where whales come to breed during the winter. Three major lagoons in Baja are the primary destination of the southbound gray whales. Hence, you may be lucky to spot the calves with their mothers.
Mammoth blue whales and sperm whales also make an appearance between January and April. December to March is a great time to spot grey, blue and humpback whales in the Mexican Pacific.
- Azores
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From short-nosed pilots to giant sperm whales, Azores is a great destination to spot whales, located 1360 km west of Portugal. These islands offer the best location to view the widest whales on the planet. They are home to different whales and dolphin species rarely seen in other parts of the world. You have a 98 percent chance of seeing at least one type of whale or dolphin in the area.
- Hermanus, South Africa
Hermanus has some of the best shore-based whale-watching locations in the world. Located near Cape Town, Hermanus features shallow waters that attract southern right whales to mate and breed. The humpbacks, minke, and finback whales come close to the shore each year to feed and mate.
The best time to visit Hermanus is between June and November to catch the migration of humpback whales. Visit the western cape of South Africa every September to celebrate the annual whale festival. You will see an incredible selection of whales, both from the land and the sea.
- Sri Lanka
The coast of Trincomalee in Eastern Sri Lanka has the best spots for watching blue and sperm whales. An abundant food supply means you will find whales all year round. The waters here are rich in plankton, offering plenty of opportunities to view the social animals. The Mirissa town on the south coast of Sri Lanka is famous for watching different whale species.
- New Zealand
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Kaikoura in New Zealand is one of the prime spots to watch sperm whales. The deep underwater canyon on the coast of Kaikoura creates an environment that attracts different sea life animals, including humpbacks, pilot whales, and blue whales. You can spot resident sperm whales all year round as the coastline in a marine environment rich in nutrients that attract the magnificent creatures.
Visit the area in June and July, and you will spot the acrobatic humpbacks in their might. New Zealand offers multiple opportunities to observe the curious whales as they summer in the waters. You will easily spot humpbacks as they leap into the air and crash back into the water during the summer.
- Canada
Several places in Canada offer the best whale sightings in the spring. Head to Vancouver islands in March and April to experience the gray whale migration. Each spring, the pods of orcas migrate north up the Pacific Ocean to feed on the salmon. You can frequently see them in the waters from late May through early October.
Orca island is the best location to view orcas in Canada, a few yards away from a kayak. September is the orca season since you will spot all the grey and humpback whales. You will spot the killer whales riding the waves to the beach and snatch sea lion pups. In Arctic Nunavut, you can spot narwhals in May and June from the shores and close to land.
- Hawaii
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You can’t complete a trip to Hawaii without a whale-watching experience. This is where many humpback whales come to mate, calve and rear their young ones in the winter. The North Pacific humpback often comes to Hawaii from Alaskan waters from January to March. Visit Hawaii in the colder months, which is the best time to spot the whales coming to mate, have their calves, and return north in the spring.
For example, Maui is the best island to watch these acrobatic and curious whales. The southern and western shores of Maui are some of the best locations to watch migrating humpback whales. Its clear water makes it easy to spot the majestic sea creatures all day.
The Bottom Line
There is nothing as memorable as watching the majestic whales up close in their natural habitats. If you have whale watching on your bucket list, discover these eight of the best whale-watching destinations in the world. You can visit the places any time of the year and quench your thirst.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
