Whale Swimming
Established 2008
Meet the incredible Tongan Humpbacks with us! Many say it's a life changing experience, come see for yourself!
In order to maintain the utmost respect for the whales we are so lucky to call our neighbors, regulations allow only 4 swimmers + 1 Whale Guide in the water with any whale. We at Blue Lagoon are the only operators to send only 4 guests on each of our whale swimming boats. With only 4 guests per boat, this means that you will get the chance to swim every time there is an opportunity! This makes for a much fuller and more intimate experience for everyone.
You will really appreciate the difference.
Why Tonga?
Famed for their curiosity and friendliness, Tongan humpbacks make swimming with the whales an experience like nowhere else in the world! The whales return to Vava'u each year because it is their ancestral nursery. So they come here from the Antarctic to mate and to deliver the previous seasons calves. Here they enjoy warmer, calmer, safer waters throughout the winter months. Typically starting to arrive in mid-late June, heading back to their Antarctic feeding grounds after October.
Who do we meet?
We are privileged to be able to spend time with these incredible giants in their day-to-day mating season lives. We often see Moms & babies, escorting whales, singing whales, heat runs, cheeky juveniles and whatever else they feel like getting up to!
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This year we were even so lucky as to get to meet the VERY FIRST albino humpback calf born in Tonga! First discovered right here in Vava'u.
Respecting our neighbors...
The secret to having the best experience possible, is to respect the whales and their space. These are free animals who choose to allow us to share space with them while they are here. We spend time observing their behavior and making our best educated guess about how a whale may prefer to be approached. In this way, the whales remain comfortable in the presence of our guests and we get to see all kinds of incredible natural behavior...on the whale's terms.
Experienced & Passionate
Being a family business, the kids have all grown up on the island! Skippers Uli & Henry have years of experience observing and interacting with the whales. And our whale guides will make sure that you have the best swims possible by respecting these beautiful animals. Everyone is passionate about the whales and the ocean environment here in Tonga. When you're on our whale swimming boats, you are in great hands to have an amazing whale swim experience!