A Whale watching experience by Hawaiian Adventures. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: See whales in Hawaiʻi even after humpback season ends! Head far offshore to find rare open-ocean whales and other species.
The Artemis is a state-of-the-art, 46 foot catamaran purpose built for year round whale watching. 
The Hawaiian population of false killer whales is the best-known population of the species on the planet. Short-finned pilot whales are the second largest delphinids found in Hawaiian waters Cuvier’s beaked whales have the widest distribution of any beaked whale species in the world, with evidence of multiple populations in Hawaiian waters The largest living fish species, whale sharks are filter feeders who capture prey by holding their mouth open and funneling prey towards their filter pads. Spotted dolphins commonly socializes with Hawaiian spinner dolphins whose similar appearance can make them tricky to tell apart Find comfortable padded seating, onboard restrooms, and research grade hydrophone equipment, on board. Humpbacks are perhaps the most acrobatic of the baleen whales, aided by their long pectoral flippers and powerful tails. The Hawaiian Islands population of Melon-Headed whales is estimated at over 8,000 whales and spends most of their time in waters 1,000+ meters deep.
2 Tour Highlights:
- Experienced Naturalist Captains and Crew
- Set out to see pilot whales, beaked whales, sperm whales, spotted dolphins, whale sharks, and more
Important: Minimum age is 10 y/o, and there is a strict weight limit of 275 lbs per passenger for safety. If anyone in the reservation is over the weight limit, please contact the office at (808) 339-3604.
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult |
|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $129 |
Tour Provider: Hawaiian Adventures
Activity: Whale watching
Tour start time: 08:30
Duration: 3 to 4 hours
Location: Kona Coast
Pick-up available? No
Included: There are complimentary cold beverages served on board
Cancellations: Reservations are cancelable up to 24 hours in advance for groups up to ten, and 48 hours in advance for groups of ten or more
Read more: about whale watching in our Big Island whale watching guide.
Read more about this tour
This is the tour for people wanting to see whales around Hawaii outside of humpback whale season.
From April through November, Hawaiian Adventures runs the only whale-watch tour on the Big Island designed specifically for the off-season. Instead of waiting near the coast, the boat heads far offshore into deep water—where open-ocean species live year-round.
Fewer boats run this far out, and the whales here live in deep water that coastal cruises don’t reach.
Deep-water species this tour looks for
The tour looks for pelagic (deep water) wildlife.
With US Coast Guard offshore certification, the vessel can safely reach the deep ocean beyond the near-shore shelf. These waters drop thousands of feet, and the species out here include:
- Pilot whales
- Beaked whales
- Sperm whales
- Melon-headed whales
- False killer whales
- Spotted dolphins
- Whale sharks (seasonally)
These animals roam widely, so the crew has to search for them on every trip. Some days you may cover large distances before the first sighting. Other days, the first sighting comes quickly. Either way, this is one of the few tours in Hawaiʻi that goes out to the open ocean.
A year-round chance to see whales
From December to March, whale-watch boats look for humpback whales close to shore. But once they migrate north, this pelagic tour becomes the only option for whale watching on the Big Island.
It is the whale-watch option for:
- Summer travelers
- Repeat visitors
- Wildlife lovers who want something beyond humpbacks
- Anyone visiting outside peak whale season
The captain changes the route each day based on conditions, recent sightings, and marine activity reports.
About the boat and her crew
Hawaiian Adventures operates fast, comfortable vessels designed for offshore conditions. The boats have onboard restrooms, shaded seating, and wide viewing decks.
Captains and naturalists are trained in marine wildlife identification and behavior. They use visual scanning and hydrophones to help locate animals, and along the way they explain what you are seeing and how these species fit into Hawaiʻi’s ocean ecosystem.
The tour runs on the Artemis, a 46-foot catamaran built for year-round whale watching.
What to expect
No two trips follow the same route.
- Some days have many sightings
- Other days have few sightings
- Wildlife sightings vary by season, ocean conditions, and luck
No-sighting policy: a discount code for a future tour
Hawaiian Adventures reports very high success rates, but no company can guarantee what wild animals will do. On the rare days when no whales or dolphins are seen, you will receive a return discount code for a future tour. It does not expire and can be used on any of their departures.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Booking through this page costs you nothing extra and is made directly with Hawaiian Adventures. We earn a commission from the operator, not from you, and it is what pays for the research that keeps lovebigisland.com free and free of paid placement. We only list operators we would send a friend to. Details on our affiliate links are here.