Can You See Whales in Hilo Hawaii?
Today’s big question: can you see whales in Hilo, Hawaii? Yes, you can see whales in Hilo.
While humpback whales are seen more frequently from the Kona side, they don’t have road signs telling them where to hang out around the Big Island, so they can also often be seen from Hilo.
There is only one whale watching tour group that departs from Hilo: Hilo Ocean Adventures.
If you want to keep your feet on solid ground, you can still potentially see them from land from almost any beach on the Hilo side.
In this post you’ll find:
- What the Hilo Ocean Adventures whale watching tour is about
- Where to whale watch from land on the Hilo side
Hilo Ocean Adventures Whale Watching Tour
⏳ Tour Length: 1.5hrs | ⭐ Star Rating: 4.5/5 | 📍 Departure: Wailoa Boat Harbor
photo credit: Fareharbor
The Hilo Ocean Adventures crew are known for their enthusiasm, expertise, and knowledge of humpback whales, always making sure their passengers are comfortable and cared for.
You’ll search the Hilo coast for humpback whales, keeping your eyes peeled for incredible performances of breaching and tail slapping.
With only 6 guests on board, this is an intimate tour away from the crowds.
The boat is clean and well-maintained, and even has a bathroom. Water and Hawaiian snacks are included.
photo credit: Fareharbor
Unlike most other whale tours on the island, they do not guarantee whale sightings nor offer a free return tour if none are sighted. While sightings are frequent, these are wild animals, and there’s always a chance they might not appear on every tour.
They do offer a whale sound snorkel upgrade where they will let you out of the boat to snorkel in the open ocean and try to listen for whale songs reverberating in the water, but I don’t think it’s worth the extra money as it’s also not guaranteed.
Where to Find Whales From Land in Hilo
Whale season is from November to March, with the peak months being January through March.
This is when over 8,000 humpback whales migrate 3,500 miles from the cold waters of Alaska to the warm, shallow waters in Hawaii to breed and give birth.
During these winter months, always be keeping your eyes on the ocean for signs of whale spouts or breaching. They are often spotted surprisingly close to shore due to the steep drop-off of the ocean floor near land.
Popular beaches to see humpbacks around Hilo are:
- Keaukaha Beach Park
- Onekahakaha Beach Park
- Richardson Ocean Park
- Laupāhoehoe Beach Park
- Honoli’i Beach Park
Some of these beaches are more lava than sand and may require hiking over lava pads to get a clear view of the open ocean.
As long as there are ocean views however, there’s a chance to see them.
🐳 Whale watching tips:
- Bring binoculars – While whales are often seen near the shore, binoculars can help spot them when they’re farther out.
- Search in the mornings – Mornings are best for spotting whales as the ocean is usually calmer, but they can be seen anytime throughout the day.
- Don’t give up – You must be patient with whale watching as you may not see any at first, then BAM! There they are!
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Where Else to Find Whales on the Big Island
Humpback whales are known to be more active on the other side of the island from Hilo.
The best place for spotting whales is from Waikoloa and up the Kohala Coast. But they are also seen consistently around Kona as well.
If I had my druthers, I would take a whale watching tour out of Kona or Waikoloa rather than Hilo, merely for the fact that Hilo Ocean Adventures doesn’t guarantee sightings.
However, if you are staying in Hilo and a whale watching tour is on your must-do list and getting to the other side is not feasible, then yes. I would definitely take a tour with Hilo Ocean Adventures.
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