Watching whales blow great spouts of water before slipping back under the surface is a memorable experience. The best places for a whale cruise let you see these animals in the wild, in some of the finest settings anywhere.
Whales are found in every ocean, from Africa to Antarctica, and the best way to watch them is on a small-ship cruise.
You can see whales off almost any coastline, but a few places offer the best whale-watching of all, where the animals come conveniently close to shore. And because whales migrate, there are spots where you can see them at any time of year.
These places are scenic too, with a good range of other marine life and birds, which makes the trip worthwhile. Here are six of the best places for a whale cruise.
1. Tromsø, Norway
Tromsø, in the Arctic, is a fine place to start. A popular destination, it offers some of the best ocean-wildlife watching anywhere.
Here you can see humpbacks and killer whales against a backdrop of frozen landscapes. In the colder months, orcas come to feed on the herring in the area.
When the weather allows, an underwater hydrophone and a drone are used to capture the sounds and images of the whales. It depends on where the whales are, and can take six or seven hours. Most Tromsø cruises are run as eco-friendly, ethical whale safaris. The best time to go is early November to early February.
2. Mirissa, Sri Lanka
The waters off Mirissa, in Sri Lanka, are rich in whales. On a cruise you can see blue whales, the largest animals in the world.
Humpbacks, Bryde’s whales, sperm whales and short-finned pilot whales are seen at times, and, with luck, killer whales and whale sharks. You may also spot dolphins, turtles and flying fish. A cruise usually takes three to four hours. The best time is November to April, when the sea is calm and the whales are easier to see.
3. Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is known for its scenery, and its capital, Reykjavik, runs whale-watching cruises. On the coast, it offers good chances of seeing these animals.
Off the coast you can see humpback, minke and killer whales, along with harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins, and other wildlife besides. You can go whale watching all year, with April to October the busiest, and June, July and August the peak, when sightings are most likely.
4. California, United States
Each year at least 20,000 grey whales make an epic journey of some 6,000 miles between Alaska and Mexico, from the feeding grounds of the Bering Sea to Baja California. It is one of the great migrations you can watch on a whale cruise.
Grey whales get most of the attention along the California coast, but humpbacks, orcas, dolphins, porpoises and blue whales are here too. Off San Francisco and Monterey Bay, blue whales appear year-round, while sperm, beaked and minke whales are seen seasonally. December to April is the grey whale migration; May to October is the time for blue whales.
5. Hokkaido, Japan
Whale-watching is fairly new in Japan, but whales are found along its coast. They can be seen year-round, and Hokkaido, the northernmost of the main islands, is one of the best places to go.
Off Hokkaido you can see beaked, sperm, killer and minke whales, along with a range of dolphins and seabirds in the waters off Rausu. The Shiretoko Peninsula is another leading spot, and beyond the whales, the landscapes of Hokkaido are worth taking in. Whales are visible year-round, but the best time is July to October.
6. Madagascar
Around 1,000 whales visit Madagascar each season. The channels around Île Sainte-Marie and the Baie d’Antongil are among the best places to watch them.
One of the most remarkable sights is near the south of the Baie d’Antongil, where hundreds of humpback whales pass on migration, swimming by Île Sainte-Marie, where they are often seen. Several hotels along this route run whale cruises.
The island of Nosy Be is known for rare whales, especially the Omura’s whale, along with other marine life. The best time to go in Madagascar is June to October, when humpbacks are plentiful.
A whale cruise is a rewarding experience and belongs on any traveller’s list. Just remember to watch whales ethically, by choosing the right operator.
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