Maui whale season: when to see humpback whales
Humpback whales are in Hawaiian waters from November through April, and Maui whale season peaks from January to March, says NOAA’s humpback whale sanctuary. Check your travel dates, and the weather they bring, below.
Is it whale season on your dates?
Example valuesTurn on JavaScript to check your dates. In short: November through April, peak January to March.
Plan the rest: the weather on Maui by month, sunrise at Haleakalā, and other seasons in the Nature Calendar.
When is whale season in Maui?
Every winter, thousands of humpback whales travel from their feeding grounds in the North Pacific to the warm, shallow waters around Hawaiʻi to mate, give birth and raise their calves. NOAA, which protects them in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, puts the season at November through April, with the peak from January through March. About half of the North Pacific’s humpbacks come to Hawaiʻi each winter and spring.
Whale season falls in Maui’s wetter months, but around Kahului, on the drier side of the island, they still average only 1.3 to 2.8 inches of rain.
Maui whale season month by month
| Month | Whales (NOAA) | High / low | Rain | Days with 0.1 in of rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | In season | 86 / 68 °F | 1.8 in | 3 |
| December | In season | 83 / 66 °F | 2.8 in | 4 |
| January | Peak season | 82 / 64 °F | 2.4 in | 4 |
| February | Peak season | 82 / 64 °F | 2.0 in | 4 |
| March | Peak season | 83 / 65 °F | 2.6 in | 4 |
| April | In season | 84 / 67 °F | 1.3 in | 2 |
| May | Not in season | 86 / 68 °F | 0.7 in | 2 |
| June | Not in season | 88 / 70 °F | 0.2 in | 0 |
| July | Not in season | 89 / 72 °F | 0.5 in | 2 |
| August | Not in season | 90 / 72 °F | 0.5 in | 1 |
| September | Not in season | 90 / 71 °F | 0.5 in | 1 |
| October | Not in season | 89 / 70 °F | 0.8 in | 2 |
Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for Kahului Airport, on Maui’s drier north-central coast. Upcountry and the windward east coast are cooler and wetter.
Where the whales are around Maui
Humpbacks favor relatively shallow water, less than about 600 feet deep, NOAA says. Around Maui that means the channels it shares with Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi and Kahoʻolawe, the area called Maui Nui, one of the sanctuary’s main parts. Much of it lies close to the coast, and NOAA says whales can be seen from shore as well as at sea.
Watching whales the right way
- Keep 100 yards away. NOAA calls it the safe and legal distance from humpback whales, on the water and in it.
- Learn the basics. The sanctuary offers a free online whale-watching course, Spout Spotter, on safe and respectful viewing for anyone going out on the water.
- Count with the locals. On the last Saturday of January, February and March, volunteers count whales from shore, from 8:00 am to 12:15 pm: NOAA’s Sanctuary Ocean Count on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi, and the Pacific Whale Foundation’s Great Whale Count on Maui.
Questions
When is whale season in Maui?
From November through April, when humpback whales can be seen around the Hawaiian Islands from shore and at sea. The peak is January to March, according to NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
What is the best month for whale watching in Maui?
January, February and March are the peak months, NOAA says; it doesn’t single out one month. November, December and April are in season too, with fewer whales than at the peak.
Can you see whales from shore in Maui?
Yes. NOAA says visitors can see whales from shore and at sea from November through April. On the last Saturday of January, February and March, volunteers count whales from Maui’s shores in the Pacific Whale Foundation’s Great Whale Count.
How close can you get to humpback whales in Hawaii?
Keep at least 100 yards away: NOAA calls it the safe and legal distance from humpback whales.