We now know that the whale population is spread throughout all oceans and seas; with two main geographical sectors – the northern hemisphere whales travel between the equator and the Arctic, while the southern whales spend time around the Caribbean and South Africa, then moving past western Australia and down to Antarctica. If you are determined to see these majestic creatures at least once in your life, or it’s a regular thing and you are looking for options, here is our list of the best whale watching destinations.
- Sydney, Australia – One of the best stretches for whale watching in Sydney are the waters about 30km out from Sydney, where the whales like to surface and perform many strange behaviours. Prime times are between the months of May to August, and its mainly Humpbacks and Southern Right Whales that pass along here, with Minke Whales also evident. If you are in or near Sydney at those times, you really should take advantage of the opportunity and book yourself a spot on one of the whale watching vessels. Online solutions make booking simple – and booking in advance is strongly recommended, as many people wish to experience the closeness of such large animals.
- Sri Lanka – They say it’s extremely difficult to locate Blue Whales and one of the best places is off the coast of Sri Lanka, where the southern tip of the land joins with very deep water, where the Blue Whales like to surface.
- Dominican Republic – Around 10,000 Humpback Whales make the trip from Norwegian waters to the Dominican Republic and this occurs in mid-January. The whales stay until mid-March – giving you plenty of time to arrange a trip, and you could combine whale watching with your winter holiday, which many couples do.
- Pacific Coast, Mexico – The Humpbacks are not the only species you’ll see here; indeed, there are Blue, Gray and Bryde Whales in attendance. The season runs from November to March – the best times are February to April.
- Madeira, Portugal – This European venue allows you to observe Humpbacks, Sperm Whales, Pilot Whales and Orcas, and the whales can be seen all year round, due to the ever-warm waters that gather at this latitude. In the peak holiday season, there are several boats a day leaving the small port of Funchal. Where they even have a whale museum to complete the experience!
- Brisbane, Australia – The Humpbacks and Southern Right Whale spend a lot of time here, as they near the end of their journey from Antarctica, and the whale watching season is similar to that of Sydney, with June and July being the top months.
Wherever you happen to be in the world, you are never far from a known whale watching location, and by combining it with your next holiday, you and your family can experience the thrill of being close to a huge whale when it breaches.
Online solutions make booking a breeze, just make sure you don’t leave it until the last minute, as these trips are extremely popular with locals and tourists alike.
