Watch & Swim with the Humpback Whales in Tonga
Tahi Tonga’s small group excursions are the perfect way to encounter Tonga’s majestic humpback whales during their breeding season.
Tahi Tonga’s Day Trips depart from Nuku’alofa in Tongatapu, from 1st July til late October.
Please read beyond the pricing for important information on this excursion.
Whale Trips & Pricing
Pricing is in Tongan Pa’anga (TOP). Pricing valid for 2026
Whale Watch & Swim
ULTIMATE DAY TRIP
$650pp
Tongan Pa’anga
- 7-hour full-day trip with lunch at or near a picturesque island (a trip highlight).
- Morning tea, lunch, jackets and snorkel equipment provided
- Maximum of two swim groups only = more opportunities to swim
- Experienced & knowledgeable Crew
Whale Watch & Swim – 3 Day Special
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC
$1,850pp
Tongan Pa’anga
- 3 individual day trips allowing for more opportunities to observe & to swim with the whales.
- Morning tea, lunch, jackets and snorkel equipment provided
- Maximum of two swim groups only = more opportunities to swim
- Experienced & knowledgeable Crew
- Visit to a picture perfect, uninhabited island as (at least) one of your lunch locations.
Whale Watch & Swim – 5 Day Special
MORE TIME OUT AT SEA
$3,000pp
Tongan Pa’anga
- 5 individual day trips allowing for more opportunities to observe & to swim with the whales.
- Morning tea, lunch, jackets and snorkel equipment provided
- Maximum of two swim groups only = more opportunities to swim
- Experienced & knowledgeable Crew
- Visit to a picture perfect, uninhabited island as (at least) one of your lunch locations.
Whale Watch & Swim Charter
Up to 8 swimmers
$4,800
Tongan Pa’anga
Still availability for 2026
- Book the entire boat to have more say over your time (up to 7 hours).
- Further discount for multi-day charters & group leaders
- Morning tea, lunch, jackets and snorkel gear supplied
- Option to add 2 watchers for an additional fee
- Exclusive, licenced boat with qualified and experienced Guide and Skipper
LIMITED FRINGE SEASON SPECIAL
Fringe Season Whale Watch & Swim 3 Day Special
TOP 1500
Per Person (approx. USD 630)
Book any 3 days between 1 – 19 July, 2026 and 12 – 31 October, 2026 for just $1,500 Tongan Pa’anga. Excludes Sundays. Contact Tahi Tonga to book one of the limited spots on this deal.
Important Information
- Swimming with the whales is done with flippers/fins and a mask & snorkel, in the open ocean.
- You will need to be comfortable swimming in the ocean using this equipment and able to climb a ladder to get back onto the boat.
- Ocean conditions can range from very calm waters to swells & wind chop.
- You can only swim with whales in Tonga with a fully licensed operator. Tahi Tonga is fully licensed, experienced and locally owned and operated
- Only 4 swimmers are permitted (under Tonga regulations) in the water at a time and must be accompanied by a qualified guide. Tahi Tonga takes a maximum of 2 swim groups per trip and uses the full 7-hours to improve your opportunities.
- Swimming with the whales in Tonga is regulated, and Tahi Tonga requires all guests to respect and abide by those regulations. This includes no duck diving, free diving or approaching within 5m of a whale.
- Watching and swimming with the whales is a wildlife encounter in the whales natural environment (a bit like a safari). There are no guarantee’s of what will happen and what you will get to see – every day is unique. We always recommend booking multiple days to give you a greater opportunity to truely experience the magic.
What to expect
Our Humpback whale watch & swim season starts on July 1, to coincide with the start of the whales arriving in the tropical waters of Tonga for their mating and breeding season.
The season winds down in October, as the last of the Humpback whales begin the return journey to their feeding grounds in Antartica.
Our whale swim trip is a full day excursion (7 hours) leaving Faua wharf in Nuku’alofa at around 8.30am and returning around 3.30pm.
We will spend the day looking for opportunities to observe and snorkel with the Humpback whales. Taking a break on a beautiful island for lunch, and possibly even enjoying a snorkel, all depending how the day goes and the weather conditions. After lunch, if time permits, we try for one final viewing before heading back to the wharf.
Each day out on the water is unique and our experience & understanding of mutual encounters, where the whales are respected and comfortable, often allows for longer more magical interactions, where there is a higher chance of guests having longer more engaging swims.
However, nothing can be guaranteed in the wild (the weather or the whales)! So, if you do have the chance to book more days, then we do highly recommend that, to give you a greater opportunity to truly experience the magic of the ocean and the humpback whales.
Inclusions:
- Water. Please bring your own bottle to refill from our refillable Tonga Water.
- Morning Tea. Locally baked cake and the offer of a hot drink.
- Lunch. This varies but normally includes a filled roll, local fruit and a coconut.
- Snorkelling gear. This includes a 2.5mm Springsuit, flippers, snorkel and mask. We do also have a small selection of long wetsuits available. We also supply jackets on the boat.
- A visit to a picturesque island, and a snorkel – if the day allows!
- Our commitment to reducing single use plastic, and sourcing locally grown produce.
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*All prices are quoted in Tongan Pa’anga and are subject to change without notice. Rates may be adjusted annually and may also be subject to fuel surcharges or adjustments in the event of significant increases in operating costs.
Why Choose Tahi Tonga
- Our experience & understanding of mutual interactions often leads to longer more magical encounters
- We only allow a maximum of 2 swim groups on board. This means you have a greater chance and more time to swim. You may even get multiple swims
- We make use of the full day (around 7 hours) – giving us more time to find & interact with those special whales.
- All going well we spend our lunch break on a picturesque small island. A trip highlight!
- We are committed to an environmentally friendly and ethical approach.
- Our trips are run out NZ built hard tops, offering you shelter from the elements when you need it.
- Our team! On and off the water our core team has a wealth of experience.With easy and open communication, our experienced team will take care of you from enquiry through to your special time out on the water.
