Humpback whale megaptera novaeangliae vavau, tonga tonga is one of the very few places you can actually snorkel within close proximity to whales. Kiwi magic is a licensed whale swim operator in vavau, kingdom of tonga, one of the only places in the world where you can swim with humpback whales. The islands whale swim whale watch tonga with vaka vave. If a vessel finds itself within a 300m radius of a whale, the vessel must slow to 4 knots until 300m away. Can anyone recommend a reliable outfit there that provides this service. Swim with the whales in tonga with dolphin pacific diving. Whale swim beluga have an experience you will never forget swimming with the worlds largest mammal.
Vavau is one of the most idyllic destinations in the south pacific for adventurers. Keith, skipper, of kiwi magic first became aware of the amazing humpback whales when taking his first sport fishing charters back in the early 90s. The vava u island group in the kingdom of tonga is a spectacular tropical island paradise in the pacific ocean. We went out with them for two consecutive days, and there were several things we reacted on. Whale watching and swimming with humpback whales the tongan beach resort is in the enviable position of being able to offer unique whale watching experiences to our guests. Kayakers can choose from 5, 9 or 11 day packages, as well as special whale watching expeditions. Watch for humpback whale spouts, spyhopping and breaching while enjoying an educational briefing from an informed local guide. The waters of the islands are known for their clarity, it being. The first humans in vavau islandhopped from nearby islands around 2,000 years ago. Holds current government survey certificate and all. Vavau is a group of more than 50 islands in tonga, about 250 km 150 miles north of tongatapu.
Spanish navigator don francisco antonio mourelle discovered the vavau islands in 1781, just a few years after cook landed on tongas main island, tongatapu. Our tours are carried out under strict guidelines with fully qualified and certified personnel to ensure minimal impact on these beautiful mammals. Humpback excursions in the haapai group are typically done by liveaboard. Lastly, if you went to vava u, did you use a direct flight from tongatapu or did you access vava u from fiji. The beautiful harbour opposite the main town of neiafu known as the port of refuge harbour is a common destination for yachties sailing the south pacific. Whales in the wild swimming with humpback whales in vavau. These gentle giants, grace the waters of vavau during the. Its the travel destination for those looking to get off the beaten trail. Every year from july to november the whales complete their migration from the cold feeding waters south of new zealand and australia, to the warmer tropical waters of tonga where they give birth to calves and perform courtship readying themselves for the next season. A vavau holiday home is your home away from home our holiday homes are all situated on the picturesque port of refuge harbour in beautiful vavau.
Whales, whales, whales whale swim vavaumv ashlee g and. Holds current government survey certificate and all necessary licences required to operate in tonga. Jul 18, 2017 quest tours is returning to tonga once again, our 17th season. Unlike toothed whales, such as dolphins and sperm whales, the baleen whales do not echolocate, instead they make vocal calls between each other including the mighty song of the humpback whale. The vavau islands lay north of the main island of tonga a 55 minute flight away. But make sure you book for your flight and accommodation as well as whale watchingswim.
The early days were a real learning curve as there was nowhere else in the world we could seek advice. Book here for your chance to swim with whales in the wild and maybe look a humpback in the eye. This is not your ordinary whale watching tour off your local coast, this is much more. Enjoy a boat ride through the pristine inland waterways of the vavau island group. Whales in the wild swimming with humpback whales in vava. Geologically they are similar to niue, with very little reef and very deep. Quest tours is returning to tonga once again, our 17th season. Vavau airport is international and therefore private aircraft and charter are welcome to avail themselves of the custom and immigration services. The waters in front of our resort are on the seasonal migration path of the humpback whales and these magnificent mammals can often be seen with their. Swim with whales in the wild and maybe look a humpback in the eye. After reading trip advisor we decided to go with whale watch vavau run by alan bowe, to swim with the whales. Vavau offers protected waters and the main breeding grounds for humpbacks in tonga. Vavau is the best place in tonga to go whale swimming with the gental giants of the pacific ocean.
Swimming with humpback whales in vavau, tonga kiwi magic chart. The weather is warm, but youll want to bring a wind jacket to keep you comfortable on the boat. Swimming with humpback whales, vavau tonga youtube. Whaleswim adventures has been operating since 1999 guiding groups to swim with the humpback whales in vavau, tonga and now in moorea, tahiti since 2016. We also offer amazing dive spots for those keen scuba divers when visiting vavau tonga. Offering pristine beaches, untouched islands and all year round activities like diving, sailing, fishing and whale swimming. The vavau group of islands lie some 160 miles north of the main island of tongatapu. Humpback whales migrate past tonga during the season from the last week of july thru to the end of october. The season is obviously right for meeting the whales up close, but since i have a bit of a time constraint id like to ask you people if there are any other decent possibilities of whale swimming departing fro tongatapu itself or some other islet nearby. Named a national geographic traveler tour of a lifetime in 2009. Vavau is where whale swimming all began and is still the destination of choice for the majority of travellers to tonga. This is one of the few places in the world where you can actually get in the water and swim with whales in the wild. We pride ourselves in providing top class accommodation and food, attention to details that makes our guests experience unforgettable and we provide the best experience possible each day in. Vava u is the best place in tonga to go whale swimming with the gental giants of the pacific ocean.
These whales come to the vavau island group each year from july to october. Here, is where you find vava u island which is a hot spot for humpback whale action. They are believed to have come from as far west as new guinea and indonesia. Vava u is situated in the northern group of islands in the kingdom of tonga. Whale watch vavau neiafu all you need to know before you. The south pacific whale research consortium estimates the humpback whale population to be about 2,300 spread throughout tongas various island groups, with the haapai group receiving the largest number and vavau the second largest. Being the longest running whale watching company in vava u you should think that they were also the best, but we were very disappointed. Vava u is the third most northern group of islands in the kingdom of tonga, and hosts 42 limestone islands filled with marine life, snorkel sites, white sandy beaches and is home to the south. Here, is where you find vavau island which is a hot spot for humpback whale action.
In a more outgoing moment, this whale swam by and read more. Being the longest running whale watching company in vavau you should think that they were also the best, but we were very disappointed. The waters in front of our resort are on the seasonal migration path of the humpback whales and these. Whale watch vavau neiafu all you need to know before. Let mv ashlee g and mv kalo take you on the experience of a lifetime, whale watchingswimming in the beautiful waters of the vava u islands, tonga. Divingswimming with great white sharks filmed for the first time carcharias the great white 2000 duration.
Vava u is where whale swimming all began and is still the destination of choice for the majority of travellers to tonga. The beautiful, sheltered, islands of vavau are the rendezvous point for the annual migration of humpback whales escaping the harsh antarctic winter. Vava u offers protected waters and the main breeding grounds for humpbacks in tonga. Over the past couple of seasons, weve used gps to mark our calf encounters, and have demonstrated that humpback whale mother calf pairs make use of all the waters around vavau, including the inner waterways. Tonga and the dominican republic, i was told, are two of the most well known. Each home has its own dock for swimming and pick up for diving, fishing, whale swimming or just taking time out to relax in comfort and peace. Tonga is one of the few places in the world where it is possible to have the unique experience of swimming with humpback whales. When keith, the ownerskipper, first noticed humpback whales breaching and lazing in vavau waters, he decided to add whale watching to his license. If you just wanted to take a day off from fishing, kiwi magic has been associated with the whale watch industry in vavau, kingdom of tonga since 1991. The maze of islands create the perfect environment for your whale swim. The islands attract not just sailors and kayakers to its shores in the winter sailing season between june and october, but also humpback whales come to the protected waters to give birth to their calves. Keith has twenty four years experience fishing the waters of vavau and can offer a professional and happy charter to both experienced and inexperienced anglers, whether they are ladies, men or juniors. Camping on uninhabited islands, snorkelling around coral reefs, visits to authentic tongan villages and bush walks are just a few of the many features of exploring the islands of vava u by sea kayak. The group is comprised of coral atolls, small sandy islets and larger uplifted limestone formations.
The vavau island group in the kingdom of tonga is a spectacular tropical island paradise in the pacific ocean. Tonga is one of the only places in the world where you can snorkel with whales up close. Apparently there are only a few places in the world where there are tourist services providing a swim with whales experience. Whales, whales, whales whale swim vavaumv ashlee g. The whales leave the open ocean to give birth to their calves in the warm and protected tranquil waters of vavau. They were the first to be issued a sport fishing and whale watching licence and as such have pioneered sport fishing in vavau. I might still go to vava u but would really prefer a daytrip for the whale encounters. All vessels both private and commercial, underpower or undersail, operating within the vavau group during whalewatching season must take care to remain outside a 300m radius of a sighted whale. Spend seven full days snorkeling with humpback whale mothercalf pairs on their calving grounds in the polynesian country of tonga, and explore coral gardens off the coast of vavau.
Neiafu is the capital of the vavau island group and is nestled next to the the natural deep water harbour the port of refuge. Pat and keith mckee, expat new zealanders, with their vessel kiwi magic have been operating in the waters of vavau since 1991. Swim with whales in tonga dolphin pacific diving and. The island resorts are situated in the outer islands away from the main islands of vavau. Water temperature is around 24c 75 f to 26c 79f later in the season. The protected waters close to the sea cliffs and islands provide an ideal environment for the birth of each years.
Vavau game fishing charters kiwi magic is a 34 foot sport fishing and whale watching vessel with all safety equipment, large cockpit with shade cover for protection from sun and rain, toilet. These gentle giants, grace the waters of vava u during the winter months of july to october. Vavau is a group of more than 50 islands in tonga, about 150 miles north of tongatapu. We had our first purpose designed boat, phoenix, built in new zealand and shipped to the kingdom early that year. A vava u holiday home is your home away from home our holiday homes are all situated on the picturesque port of refuge harbour in beautiful vava u. View mother whales basking with their newborn calves it is not guaranteed because we are subject to the pattern of migratory. Whaleswim adventures has been operating since 1999 guiding groups to swim with the humpback whales in vava u, tonga and now in moorea, tahiti since 2016. Scheduled international services to vavau from fiji happen every wednesday and saturday during the whale season with fiji airways.
Vavau offers a range of accommodation, but if you want to do it style and get the full experience. Vavau is the third most northern group of islands in the kingdom of tonga, and hosts 42 limestone islands filled with marine life, snorkel sites, white sandy beaches and is home to the south. My final summary post about encounters with humpback whales in vavau, tonga during the 20 season, with humpback whale calves, heat. Let mv ashlee g and mv kalo take you on the experience of a lifetime, whale watchingswimming in the beautiful waters of the vavau islands, tonga. It has a yearround climate suitable for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sailing. Home location diving trips whale swimming padi dive courses campingtrips gallery other links. Swimming with whales vavau islands tonga best time to. There were some real highlights in the trip such as hearing the whales sing, following a pod and snorkelling in the swallows cave but be prepared for rude comments over the two way with a female from base camp such as when we asked for wet suits our size this is all i could. We also offer amazing dive spots for those keen scuba divers when visiting vava u tonga. When keith, the ownerskipper, first noticed humpback whales breaching and lazing in vavau waters, he. We had just five days on the water and four of them were just too windy and the whales were very shy. A large population of humpback whales gathers around vava u islands in tonga between july and october. Whale watch vavau pioneered swimming with the humpback whales obtaining the first license from the tongan government in 1993. Some islands are ringed by white sand beaches while others have tropical forests, sealevel caves, and dramatic limestone cliffs with breathtaking vistas.
Whale watch vavau neiafu 2020 all you need to know. Some famous operators are already fully booked for the next year season. We got incredibly lucky and managed to swim with whales and dolphins on the first day, the first mother and calf of the season on the second. We are a san francisco based travel agency that works with local companies in vavau,tonga to provide the best experiences for our clients. Whale season in vava u is midjuly through to midoctober.
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