Whale Geography: The Best Places to See Whales

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico

Off Cabo San Lucas, the Pacific Ocean meets the Gulf of California. Jacques-Yves Cousteau called these waters “the world’s aquarium”: the meeting of cold and warm currents creates an extraordinary diversity of marine life, with more than 30 species of whales and dolphins alone, helped by a varied seabed of sheltered lagoons and deep canyons. The best time for whale watching in Mexico is from late December to early April, when you can see these giants and a wide range of behaviours, including mothers interacting with their calves. You can also swim with sea lions and watch them on shore.

Ningaloo Reef, Australia

UNESCO-listed Ningaloo is one of the world’s longest fringing coral reefs and one of the few places where you can swim with the “Big Five” of the sea: humpback whales, whale sharks, manta rays, dugongs and green turtles. Humpbacks are present from July to October, whale shark season runs from March to August (sometimes into October), and mantas, dugongs and turtles are seen all year round. Stay at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, an eco-lodge of 16 tents in barefoot-luxury style (Australia).

Silver Bank, Dominican Republic

In the Silver Bank sanctuary north of the Dominican Republic you can watch adult humpback whales, their courtship and their calves. Between 5,000 and 7,000 whales arrive each year – few places in the world gather so many “acrobats of the sea”. Trips run from December to late April, offering not only boat-based viewing but also the chance to swim near the whales without disturbing them. Courtship and calves can also be seen in Samaná Bay, with tours from Punta Cana from mid-January to late March.

The Azores

This archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic (Portugal) is one of the world’s largest whale sanctuaries, home to 28 of more than 80 cetacean species. Sperm whales can be seen all year, sociable pilot whales from April to October, humpbacks in October, and in April and May fin whales, sei whales and the largest mammal on Earth, the blue whale, whose tongue alone weighs 2.7 tonnes. The chance of seeing whales on a trip reaches 98%, and they can also be watched from special lookout towers.

Dhofar, Oman

You may be surprised to learn that humpback whales live in the Arabian Sea off Oman. This population is special: unlike their relatives elsewhere, these whales do not migrate but live here all year. They can be seen off Dhofar in the south – another reason to visit green Salalah, the ancient port of Mirbat and the Hallaniyat Islands. The best period is October to May, when the sea is calm and rich in plankton and the air cooler. Sperm whales and orcas may also be seen, but swimming with whales is not permitted here – viewing is from the boat only.

And beyond

Whale geography spans many other destinations. Around Vava’u in Tonga you can swim with humpback mothers and calves at arm’s length. Mexico’s Socorro Island is another top spot, home to humpbacks, giant mantas, hammerheads, whale sharks, tiger sharks and much more. And in Norway you can combine whale tours with fjord cruises and the northern lights, and from June 2027 visit a new whale museum.

Would you like to see whales? Our travel consultants will choose the destination and season and plan an adventure trip with the best marine excursions.