Swim with Humpback Whales
FRENCH POLYNESIA, OUTER ISLANDS
2027 Trips Open for Booking!
Sept 20 - 26, 2027
5 days on water / 6 nights
Outer Islands, French Polynesia
Max. 8 guests
$750 Deposit / $5250 USD Total
OPEN SPOTS
Sept 27 - Oct 3, 2027
5 days on water / 6 nights
Outer Islands, French Polynesia
Max. 8 guests
$750 Deposit / $5250 USD Total
OPEN SPOTS
Oct 4 - 10, 2027
5 days on water / 6 nights
Outer Islands, French Polynesia
Max. 8 guests
$750 Deposit / $5250 USD Total
OPEN SPOTS
2028 Waitlist
French Polynesia vs. Tonga
What’s the difference between French Polynesia and Tonga?
Whales travel across the South Pacific and stop and various islands. We love running trips here and have had some of our best whale encounters here. There are days when we might spend hours in the water with whales, and others where we might not see them at all. This is true for both Tonga and French Polynesia. Wild animals exhibit various behaviors and moods and you don’t need many whales to have a life-changing experience.
Neither location is better than the other, which is why we run trips in both places. Both Tonga and French Polynesia have equal chances of time spent and encounters with whales and they are both absolutely fantastic. Swimming with whales is an incredible privilege. These are wild animals, and it is one of the only instances where you can get out of the safari vehicle (our boat) and have face-to-face interactions with giant animals ethically and consensually. No matter what location you choose, you will have a totally unique experience. During our years in the South Pacific, we have noticed some slight differences between our two locations, that hopefully will help you pick your destination.
French Polynesia
French Polynesia has fewer whales and very few boats. Whales in French Polynesia often come much closer to shore, and sometimes we see them over the shallow coral reef.
Since 2025, French Polynesia limits the water to a maximum of six guests plus one guide at a time, and boats must keep their distance from the whales. Because there are so few boats, there have also been times when we spend hours alone with the whales. When other boats are around, we coordinate with them, take turns, and time things so that numbers stay small.
In French Polynesia, we mostly encounter mothers and calves who stay close to shore. We often encounter the same mother and calf, which allows us to build a trusting bond, resulting in the mum letting her calf play around us.
Tonga
Tonga has more whales but also more boats.
In Tonga, we sometimes go many kilometers/miles out to sea to encounter the whales. Meaning we are always on the open ocean.
Tonga only allows 5 people in the water at a time (3 guests and our 2 guides). This means groups swap every other time but have very quiet encounters. On very slow days, there can be some waiting and taking turns between our boat and other boats.
Tonga has more variety of whale encounters (singers, heat runs, mothers and calves, juveniles, etc.) So, if you prefer lots of variety, Tonga will give that to you.
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