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Over the years the whale watching
industry has boomed - many countries now find it more profitable than
whaling. All over the world whale watching opportunities are popping
up, and it is now high on the list of holiday activities. Below is a breakdown
of 30 top whalewatching spots across the globe - including when and where
to go, who to contact for further information, what you may see and more!
Remember too that these details do not guarantee a sighting of any or
all of the species listed - most of whalewatching is down to luck!
Whale Watching - Antarctica
The window for sailing to Antarctica is only open for 3/4
months, so visit between late November - March for feeding Humpback,
Minke and Fin Whales, and for Orcas and Hourglass Dolphins. The weather
will be cold, so dress warmly and take winter gear even during the Antarctic
'summer'. Extended multi-day tours are available from Adventure Associates
or Aurora Expeditions (Australia); Ocean Advetures or Wild Oceans/WildWings
(Britain and Ireland); Marine Expeditions Inc (Canada); Hanseatic Tours
GMBH (Germany); Southern Heritage Expeditions (New Zealand); Abercrombie
& Kent, Mountain Travel-Sobek, Natural Habitat Adventures, Orient
Lines, Quark Expeditions, Society Expeditions, Special Expeditions, Travel
Dynamics or Zegrahm Expeditions (USA) - see your travel agent.
Whale Watching - The Arctic
Visit during June - August, with the latter best for polar
bears and Belugas in Churchill. The weather will be cold on the water
with the possibility of snow; in Churchill, though there will be warm
temperatures by day, by night these will drop to freezing. Tours ranging
from half-day, full-day, multi-day or by the hour are available from
Churchill (Canada), Uummannaq (Greenland) and Sveagruva on Svalbard (Norway).
For further details contact: Churchill Nature Tours, PO Box 429, Erickson,
Manitoba ROJ OPO, Canada; Marine Expeditions Inc., 30 Hazelton Avenue,
Toronto, Ontario M5R 2E2, Canada; Noble Caledonia Ltd, 11 Charles Street,
Mayfair, London, W1X 8LE, England; Greenland Tourism a/s, Postbox 1552,
DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland; Arcturus Expeditions Ltd, PO Box 850, Gartocharn,
Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, G83 8RL, Scotland.
Whale Watching - Argentina
Visit mid-July - November (best Sept/Oct) for Southern Right
Whales at Peninsula Valdez in Patagonia. Between December and March there
are Commerson's Dolphins and Peale's Dolphins around Puerto Deseado,
and Orcas can be seen year-round. Between mid-July and November the weather
is cold, and during the 'dolphin watch' season (December - March) it
is cool at sea. Some day tours are available locally, othersuse extended multi-day
expeditions are available from Buenos Aires; Puerto Piramide, Puerto
Madryn, Rawson or Trelew (all Chubut province); or Puerto San Julian
or Puerto Deseado (both Santa Cruz province). Further information is
available from Oficina Informatica Turistica (Tourist Information Office),
Avenida Santa Fe 883, 1059 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Whale Watching - Australia
- East Coast
Dolphins can be seen year round; for Humpback Whales visit Queensland
and Hervey Bay between August and November, New South Wales and Wollongong
between late May and mid-July or late September - November, or Eden between
June and July, or October - November. The weather in Queensland will
be warm to hot, whilst in New South Wales it will be cool to cold on
water. Land-based whale watching is good here, otherwise half-day, full-day
or some multi-day tours are available. In Queensland tours are available
from Airlie Beach, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay or Tangalooma; in New South Wales
tours are from Byron Bay, Coff's Harbour, Eden, Fairy Meadow or Wollongong.
For further information contact the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corp.,
Level 36, Riverside Centre, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000,
Australia; or Tourism New South Wales Travel Centre, 19 Castlereagh Street,
Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia.
Whale Watching -
Australia - Southern
Bottlenose Dolphins can be found year-round at the Head
of Bight, South Australia, and Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. Southern
Right Whales can be found in bays along the South Australia coast between
May and October, and also at the Head of Bight and Victor Harbour, South
Australia, or Logan's Beach, Victoria, from mid-June to October. From
sheltered lookouts weather can be warm but on the water it is cool to cold.
Watching is mainly land-based but some half-day and full-day boat tours
are also available. Try Ceduna or Victor Harbour in South Australia and
Moorabbin or Logan's Beach in Victoria. Further information is available
from South Australian Travel Centre, 1 King William Street, Adelaide,
South Australia 5000, Australia; or Tourism Victoria, 55 Swanston Street,
GPO Box 2219T, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia.
Whale Watching - Australia
- Western
Bottlenose Dolphins can be found year-round at the famous
Monkey Mia, whilst Southern Right Whales can be seen from May - October
(August - November for Albany). In Perth and the northern part of Western
Australia Humpback Whales can been seen from July - November. Whale watching
at Monkey Mia can be hot, and from land the weather can be warm; at
sea however it can be quite cool. Land-based whale watching and boat trips
of various durations are available; try Perth, South Perth, Hillary's
Harbour, Fremantle, Geraldton, Exmouth, Carnarvon, Albany and Denham.
In Monkey Mia there is land-based watching only. For further information
contact Western Australia Tourism Commission, Floors 5 & 6, 16 Saint
George's Terrace, Perth 6000, Western Australia; or Shark Bay Tourist Bureau,
71 Knight Terrace, Denham, Western Australia 6537, Australia.
Whale Watching
- Brazil and the Amazon River
It is best to visit the Amazon-Orinoco regions during
the low-water season as river dolphins are more confined and you avoid
the rainy season entirely; Tucuxis can be seen at Santa Catarina Island
and Spinner Dolphins at Fernando de Noronha archipelago (both Brazil)
all year round. Between June and September/October Southern Right Whales
can be seen around the southern part of Santa Catarina Island, and in
June - December Humpback Whales frequent the National Marine Park of
Abrolhos in Brazil. The Amazon-Orinoco regions can be quite hot and humid,
whereas southern Brazil can be cold, windy, and often rough on the water.
Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day tours are available, as well
as canoes and land-based watching; try Florianopolis, Caravelas or Manaus
in Brazil; Bogota, Leticia or Puerto Narino in the Colombian Amazon or
Iquitos in Peru. Further information is available from International Wildlife
Coalition/Brasil, C.P. 5087, 88040-970, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil.
Whale Watching - Britain
and Ireland
Dolphins can be seen year-round but it is best to visit
between May and October; Minke Whales are seen between April and October
around western and northern Scotland, and June - August is the 'prime'
whalewatching season. It can be cool to cold on the water with the possibility
of rain even in the summer, especially in western parts of Britain and
in Ireland. Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day tours are
available; try Cornwall (England); New Quay and Milford Haven (Wales); Dervaig
on the Isle of Mull, Mallaig, Oban, Gairloch, Cromarty or Inverness
(Scotland); Carrigaholt, Dingle, Schull, Castlehaven, Kilbrittain or
Cliffden (Republic of Ireland). Further information is available from
the British Tourist Authority, Thames Tower, Blacks Road, Hammersmith,
London, W6 9EL, England; or from Irish Tourist Board, Baggot Street Bridge,
Dublin 2, Ireland.
Whale
Watching - Canada - British Columbia and Puget Sound
Visit western Vancouver Island between March and September
for Gray Whales; northern Vancouver Island between May to September for
Orcas, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins and Dall's Porpoises; and southern
Vancouver Island between May to September for Harbour Porpoises. Between
March and June the weather is often rainy and cold on the water; from
June to August it is cool on the water but usually dry. Half-day, full-day
and some extended multi-day tours are available; try Alert Bay, Telegraph
Cove, Port McNeill, Sointula, Tofino, Ucluelet, Victoria or Nanaimo (British
Columbia); Anacortes, Bellingham, Friday Harbour or Seattle (Puget Sound
area). Further information is available from Tourism British Columbia,
Parliament Buildings, Victoria, BC V8W 2Z2, Canada.
Whale
Watching - Canada - Maritimes and Newfoundland
Visit between June and October for Fin, Humpback and Mike
Whales, plus dolphins and Harbour Porpoises. Bteween August and early
November Northern Right Whales can be seen off Nova Scotia and in the
Bay of Fundy. The weather between June and August is cold, with possible
fog, and it gets colder but clearer in September/October. Half-day, full-day
and some extended multi-day tours are available; try Grand Manan, Leonardville
or Fredericton (New Brunswick); Halifax, Tiverton, Cheticamp or Capstick
(Nova Scotia); Westport (Brier Island); St Johns's, Bay Bulls, Trinity
or Twillingate (Newfoundland). Further information is available from
Tourism New Brunswick, Box 6000, Fredericton, NB E3B 5HI; or Tourism Newfoundland,
Box 8700, St John's, NF A1B 4JC; or Tourism Nova Scotia, Box 519, Halifax,
NS B3J 2R7.
Whale
Watching - Canada - St Lawrence River and the Gulf
Between June and November visit the St Lawrence at Saguenay
River for Fin Whales, Minke Whales, Belugas and Harbour Porpoises; and
try the north shore of the Gulf and the Mingan Islands between June to
November for the same species and also occasional Orcas and Atlantic
White-Sided Dolphins. Blue Whales may be seen from August - Novermber.
Between July and September it is cool to cold on the water, with fog common
and some heavy summer rains. By October/November snow is common. Half-day,
full-day and some extended multi-day tours are available; try Tadoussac,
Baie-Ste-Catherine, Grandes-Bergeronnes, Les Escoumins, Godbout, Baie-Comeau,
Baie-Trinite or Pointes-des-Monts (St Lawrence River); Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan
or Havre-Saint-Pierre (Gulf of St Lawrence); Gaspe or Riviere-du-Renard
(Gaspe Peninsula). For further details contact Tourisme Quebec, CP 979,
Montreal, Quebec H3C 2W3.
Whale Watching - Canaries
and Azores
Short-Finned Pilot Whales, Bottlenose and Common Dolphins
are common year-round in the Canaries, along with other small toothed
cetaceans. Between May and October is the best time to visit the Azores,
when Sperm Whales are in residence. In the Canaries the temperature is
subtropical year-round, and in the Azores the seas can be windy and cool
to cold. Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day tours are available;
try Los Cristianos and Puerto Colon, near Playa de las Americas (Tenerife,
Canary Islands); Gomera; Lanzarote; Gran Canaria; Horta (Faial, Azores);
Lajes (Pico, Azores). For further information contact Servicio de Turismo,
Plaza de Espana S/N, Bajos del Palacio Insular, 38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife,
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain; or Azores Tourism Office, Casa Do Elogio
Colonia Alema 9900, Hora-Acores (Azores), Portugal.
Whale Watching - The Caribbean
It is best to enquire locally for tour operating seasons
vary when wishing to see the year-round Sperm Whales or dolphins; but
visit between January and April for Humpback Whales. The weather is warm
to hot, and the seas are often rough with storms possible between August
and October. Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day tours are
available; try Samana, Puerto Plata, Santa Domingo (Dominican Republic);
Rincon (Puerto Rico); Long Bay, St Thomas (US Virgin Islands); Road Town,
Tortola (British Virgin Islands); Le Moule (Guadeloupe); carbet (Martinique);
Arnos Vale (St Vincent); St George's or Carriacou (Grenada). For further
details contact the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, 80 Broad Street,
32nd Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA.
Whale Watching -
Ecuador and Colombia
All year round Bottlenose, Pantropical Spotted and Spinner
Dolphins, along with Orcas, Sperm and Bryde's Whales can be seen. Between
June to September Humpback Whales can be seen off Ecuador, and off Colombia
between August and October. Ecuador and Colombia are hot and humid, whilst
the Galapagos are drier. Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day
tours are available; try Guayaquil, Quito, Machalilla National Park, Puerto
Lopez or Salango (Ecuador); Cali, Buenaventura, Bahia, Juanchaco, Ladrilleros,
Bahia Solano, El Valle or Choco (Colombia). For further information
contact FEMM, Velez 911 y 6 de Marzo, Ed Forum, 5to. piso, Of. 5-16,
Po Box 09 01 11905, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Whale Watching - Greenland
Visit between June and August (in September/October whales
can be common but the weather very poor). It can be cold on the sea,
with rain and snow a possibility. Half-day, full-day and some extended
multi-day tours are available; try Paamiut (Frederikshab), Aasiaat and
Ilulissat (Jakobshavn) in Disko Bay, or Ammassalik. Further information
is available from Greenland Tourism a/s, Postbox 1552, DK-3990 Nuuk, Greenland.
Whale Watching - Iceland
Visit between May and September for several different
species of cetacean; however the best period to go is June - August.
Humpback Whales can be seen in early summer, and Orcas in late summer.
It will be cold on the water with intermittent rain and rough seas;
in early and late season, snow is possible. Half-day, full-day and some
extended multi-day tours are available; try Husavik, Hofn, Dalvik, Hauganes,
Stykkisholmur, Keflavik, Grindavik, Arnarstapi or Olafsvik. Further
information is available from Icelandic Information Centre, Bankastraeti
2, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
Whale Watching
- Japan: Kochi Prefecture
Visit between May and September for Bryde's Whales off
Ogata, Saga and other communities in Kochi Prefacture; Short-Finned Pilot
Whales, Sperm Whales and dolphins can be seen year round but best between
March and December off Cape Muroto. The weather varies from cool to
warm at sea, dependant on local currents, but beware that typhoon season
is August to early October. Half-day and full-day tours are available;
try Ogata, Saga, Shimonokae, Tosa-shimizu, Kochi City or Cape Muroto.
Further information is available from Fisheries and Commerce Section,
2019, Irino, Ogata-cho, Hata-gun, Kochi-ken, 789-19, Japan.
Whale Watching
- Japan: Ogasawara and Okinawa
Visit between February and April for Humpback Whales around
Ogasawara, the Kermana Islands and Okinawa; various dolphins can be seen
year-round. It can be warmt o hot during the season but is often cold
and windy at sea. Half-day tours are available; try Chichi-jima and
Haha-jima in the Ogasawara Islands; Zamami and Tokashiki in the Kerama
Islands or Naha or Okinawa. For further information contact Ogasawara Tourism
Association, Chichi-jima, Ogasaware-mura, Tokyo, 100-21 Japan.
Whale Watching - The
Mediterranean
Visit between June and September for most species of cetacean;
However May - October is best for dolphins around Gibraltar. September
can be hot and dry with sea breezes keeping the temperature comfortable,
whereas May - October can be cool with occasional rough seas. Half-day,
full-day and some extended multi-day tours are available; try Porto Sole,
San Remo or Imperia (Italy); Toulon (France); Gibraltar; Almeria or
Barcelona (Spain); Kalamos Island (Greece); Veli Losinj (Croatia). Further
information is available from Tethys Research Institute, Acquario Civico-viale
G.B Gadio 2, 1-20121 Milano, Italy.
Whale Watching - New Zealand
Sperm Whales, Hector's, Common, and Bottlenose Dolphins
can be seen year-round, and between October to May Dusky Dolphins are
close to shore, especially around Kaikoura. It is warm to cool or cold
on sea dependant on the season (winter or summer or winter) and the
area (North Island or South Island respectively). Half-day, full-day and
some extended multi-day tours are available, along with helicopter and
aircraft sightings; try Kaikoura, Akaroa, Picton and Te Anau (South Island);
or Paihia, Tauranga and Whakatane (North Island). For further details
contact Canterbury Visitor Information Centre, PO BOx 2600, Christchurch,
New Zealand.
Whale Watching - Norway
Visit late May - September for Sperm Whales and other cetaceans
in the Andenes area; October - mid-November for Orcas around Tysfjord.
It will be cold on the water between late May and September in Andenes
and October - November in Tysfjord, which has few daylight hours by mid-November.
Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day tours are available;
try Andenes, Nysund, Myre, Sto or Storjord. For further information contact
Andoy Reiseliv, Tourist Information, PO Box 58, N-8480 Andenes, Norway.
Whale Watching
- South Africa and Madagascar
Bottlenose, Heaviside's and Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins
can be seen all year, but visit South Africa between July and November
for Southern Right Whales and between July to September for Humpback
Whales in Madagascar. The weather is usually warm but mixed with rain
and strong winds. Tours are mainly land-based, but some boat-based are
available; try Hermanus, Plettenberg Bay and Lambert's Bay (South Africa);
or Andampagangot (Madagascar). For further details contact South African
Tourism Board (SATOUR), Private Bag X164, Pretoria 0001, Republic of South
Africa.
Whale Watching - South Asia
Dolphins and Sperm Whales are seen year-round (the latter
especially off Sri Lanka); and between February and April Blue Whales
are around Sri Lanka. April to June is best for the Philippines, and
weather is hot all year round but be wary in storm and monsoon seasons.
Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day tours are available; try
Hong Kong; India; Goa; Phuket (Thailand); Lovina Beach (Bali); Tagbilaran
(Bohol, Philippines). Further information is available from Hong Kong
Dolphinwatch, GPO Box 4102, Hong Kong, China; or Tourist Information Centre,
Jalan, Leguan, Kuta, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
Whale
Watching - Tonga and other Pacific Islands
Visit between July and November for Numpback Whales in
Tonga; tropical dolphins are seen year-round but the weather is best
between April and October (hot and dry). Half-day, full-day and some
extended multi-day tours are available; try Vava'u (Tonga); Nadi (Fiji);
Mooera (French Polynesia) or Noumea (Caledonia). Further details are
available from the Tourism Council for the Southh Pacific, 35 Loftus Street,
PO Box 13119, Suva, Fiji Islands.
Whale Watching -
USA/Mexico - Baja California
Pacific White-Sided, Bottlenose, Common Dolphins and various
tropical dolphins can be seen year-round; between January and April Gray
Whales live in the lagoons off Baja California and Blue, Bryde's, Humpback,
Fin and Minke Whales move into the Gulf of California. The climate is
dry, clear and warm though winds can make it cool at sea. Extended multi-day
tours are available, along with some day trips; try La Paz, Ensenada,
Tijuana, Rosarito or San Diego. Contact Gobierno del Estado de Baja California
Sur, Coordinacion Estatal del Tourismo, Km. 5.5 Carret. al Norte, Edif.
Fedepaz, Apdo. Post. 419, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Whale
Watching - USA - California, Oregon and Washington
Visit north California to Washington between December
and May for migrating Gray Whales and June to September for summering
ones; between August and October Blue and Humpback Whales and small
cetaceans can be seen off central California. It can be cool on the
water even when warm on land, and there is also the possibility of rain.
Half-day, full-day and some extended multi-day tours are available; try
Avila Beach, Balboa, Dana Point, El Granada, Fort Bragg, Hollister, La
Mesa, Long Beach, Monterey, Morro Bay, Oceanside, Oxnard, Point Arena,
Redondo Beach, San Diego, San Pedro, Sanata Barbara, Santa Cruz, or Ventura
(California); Charleston, Depoe Bay, Garibaldi or Newport (Oregon); La
Push, Neah Bay or Westport (Washington west coast). Contact Department
of Trade & Economic Development, 1121 L Street, Suite 103, Sacramento,
CA 95814, USA; or Economic Development Department, 595 Cottage Street,
NE, Salem, OR 97310, USA.
Whale Watching
- USA - Florida and the Bahamas
Atlantic Spotted Dolphins and Bottlenose Dolphins can
be found all year round, though sightings are best between May and September
in the Bahamas - though remember to check the hurricane reports from
June - October. The weather is generally calm and warm to hot. 3
- 11 day tours are available from Florida ((book in advance); in the Bahamas
try West End, Port Lucaya or Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. In Florida
try Key West; or between the two try Jupiter, Dania, Fort Lauderdale,
Indialantic and Miami Beach. Further information is available from The
Bahamas Tourist Office, 255 Alhambra Circle, Suite 425, Coral Gables,
Florida 33134, USA; or Florida Division of Tourism, 126 Van Buren Street,
Tallahassee, Florida 32399, USA; or EarthWatch, 680 Mount Auburn Street,
Box 403, Watertown, MA 02272, USA.
Whale Watching - USA - Hawaii
Visit between late December and April for Humpback Whales;
Spinner, Bottlenose and Pantropical Spotted Dolphins, False Killer Whales,
Short-Finned Pilot Whales and other cetaceans are seen year-round. The
weather is warm to hot, sometimes with high seas and rain.Half-day, full-day
and some extended multi-day tours are available; try Lahaina, Kihei,
Maalaea (Maui); Keauhou, Kailua-Kona, Kohala Coast, Honokoha (Hawaii Big
Island); Honolulu, Kaneohe (Oahu); or Hanalei on Kauai. Further information
is available from the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, 2270 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite
801, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Whale Watching - USA
- New England
Visit between April and May for Humpback, Minke, Northern
Right and Fin Whales and small cetaceans; between June and October all
but Northern Right Whales are common, and these are seen between August
- October off northeast Maine. The weather is warm to hot but can be
cool at sea, and rain is most likely in April/early May. Half-day, full-day
and some extended multi-day tours are available; try Provincetown, Nantucket,
Branstable, Plymouth, Boston, Gloucester, Newburyport (Massachusetts);
Rye, Hampton Beach, Portsmouth (New Hampshire); Bar Harbour, Kennebunkport,
Lubec, Northeast Harbour, Opgunquit, Portland, Boothbay Harbour (Maine).
For details contact Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, 100 Cambridge
Street, 13th Floor, Boston, MA 02202, USA.
Whale Watching
- USA - Southeast Alaska
Visit between June-early September for Humpback and Minke
Whales, Orcas, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, Dall's and Harbour Porpoises.
June-early July is best for bubble-netting Humpbacks. June-September
is cool to cold on the water and subject to extreme changes, including
fog and rain. August is the prime month for weather, seas, and whales.
Multi-day cruises on small and large cruise ships; kayak expeditions; day
trips on fishing, sail, inflatable and whale-watching boats are available;
try Gustavus, Pt Adolphus, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Juneau, Petersburg,
Elfin Cove, Wrangell Island, Sitka. Also long-range cruise ships from
Seattle, Vancouver, Prince Rupert and San Francisco. Further Information:
Alaska State Division of Tourism, E-28, Jeneau, AK 99801.
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