Humpback whales are the great acrobats and singers of the ocean, breaching, tail-slapping and migrating thousands of kilometers to breed. Hearing a male's haunting song underwater, or watching a mother and calf drift by, is one of the ocean's greatest gifts. A few countries even permit responsible in-water swims. Here is where and when to encounter them, including the very good news for Colombia.
Giants that sing and migrate
Humpbacks feed in cold, polar-rich waters and migrate to warm, sheltered tropics to mate and give birth, one of the longest migrations of any mammal. During the breeding season the males sing long, complex songs that carry for kilometers underwater and can last for hours.
They are enormous but gentle, famous for spectacular breaches and slow, deliberate movements around boats and swimmers. Encounters are always managed carefully to protect both the whales and the people in the water.
The best places to see and swim with them
- Tonga: one of the few places you can legally swim with humpbacks.
- French Polynesia (Moorea): warm-water in-water encounters.
- Silver Bank, Dominican Republic: a major Atlantic breeding ground.
- The Colombian Pacific (Bahía Málaga, Nuquí, Gorgona): superb boat-based watching.
- Hawaii and Australia: classic whale-watching seasons.
When to go
Tonga's swim season runs roughly July to October. Silver Bank in the Dominican Republic peaks January to March. The Colombian Pacific hosts humpbacks from about July to October, when hundreds arrive to breed and calve.
In-water swims are only allowed in a few places under strict rules; elsewhere, enjoy them from a boat and give the whales room.
Humpbacks pass Colombia every year
Here is the part many travelers miss: Colombia is one of the world's great humpback destinations. Every year from around July to October, thousands of humpback whales migrate up the Colombian Pacific coast to breed in warm bays like Bahía Málaga and Nuquí. It is a national natural spectacle.
That is on the Pacific side. Our reefs at Isla Fuerte sit on the Caribbean coast, where the star encounters are turtles, rays and sharks rather than whales.
Two coasts, one country, with Nautilus
Colombia gives you the best of both worlds: humpback whales along the Pacific in season, and warm, coral-rich diving on the Caribbean at Isla Fuerte year-round. Pair a Pacific whale trip with a Caribbean dive holiday and you have an unbeatable ocean itinerary.
Nautilus is your PADI base for the Caribbean half, with 29 dive sites and warm water every day. See our courses and dives or read more guides to plan.
