Humpbacks of Vava'u
Humpbacks of Vava'u - 8 and 10 day 2023 scheduled trips - A few spots open for 2023 season
Imagine coming face to face with a 5 meter (15 ft) long, curious, couple weeks old humpback whale calf. As you lock eyes the calf rolls and begins to play in the waves like a giant playful puppy finding a new friend. Picture jumping in the water and seeing 10 massive male humpbacks cruising on all sides of you as they compete in a heat run for a new mate. Watch as the giants launch themselves from the surface and crash back into the sea with a thunderous splash. This is Vava’u. This is the kingdom of giants.
The 170+ lush Polynesian islands of Tonga dotting the Pacific Ocean, lined by white sand beaches topped with tropical rainforests are what we envision when dreaming of an exotic paradise. But the island of Vava’u holds an even more incredible beauty beneath its warm, clear blue waters. It is without a doubt the best place on earth to experience swimming with these remarkable ocean titans.
The expedition will begin with a free pickup and transfer from Vava’u Airport to our private residence. We’ll get settled in and have our first presentation by Jay Clue, introducing the special humpback whale population that visit these beautiful waters (did you know that they are the most unique humpback population in the world?) as well as what we can expect for the upcoming days. The next day, we’ll wake up early for a hot breakfast. Our boat will pick us up at the dock across the street to head out searching for awesome encounters with the whales. We’ll be back on land in the mid afternoon, with enough time to relax on our private deck or go for a swim before heading out for dinner in town. This will be repeated for 8 days of the trip, with a total of 8 full days (about 6+ hours each day) on the water searching for whales and exploring Vava’u, so you can get the most opportunities for jaw dropping encounters with our new underwater friends.
When time permits on the ocean, we’ll stop by some of Vava’u’s natural beauties like swallows cave, uninhabited islands, beaches, snorkeling reefs, and more to take in the incredible landscapes of this gorgeous island nation. Throughout the week Dive Ninjas very own, Jay Clue, will be offering talks on whale biology, evolution, conservation, as well as how you can get involved with whale identification and protecting these remarkable creatures! He’ll also be on hand for photography tips and workshops all week. For this trip we will be collecting data for humpback whale identification with Happy Whale. This extremely important data is used to help better understand the migrations and population of these beautiful creatures and our guests are all welcome to help.
2023 Dates available for 8 day trips:
* more trips in 2023 through end of Oct, 2023 with discounts - Just ask
Flying Annie is a cute bed and breakfast, located near town. Within 5 minutes of walking, you will find yourself at restaurants and at the water’s edge. For our trips, we have a small house with two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. We also have a room inside the main building with a double bed and ensuite bathrooms. Air conditioning is available in all of these suites, however, it is winter in Tonga, and most people do not need air conditioning. Guests can choose from twin share or single occupancy (based on availability), with the price based on twin sharing. If you would like your own room there is a single supplement cost of $1300 USD, space permitting.
2023 Dates available for 10 night trips
* Last spots on 2023 available. Contact us for rates and bookings
Mystic Sands is one of the nicest resorts in Vava’u . The resort is on a private beach and has a pier for picking up guests for whale-watching trips. Surrounded by tropical gardens, Mystic Sands is a 10-minute drive from town, with a beachfront restaurant located next door.
Includes: The trip price includes 5/8 full days of in-water activities including searching for & swimming with humpback whales as well as exploring some other local sites, 7/10 nights accommodation at our private beachfront lodge or guest house, hot breakfast, free roundtrip airport transfers from VAV airport to the accommodation, as well as lunch, snacks, & soft drinks onboard the boat, whale talks & presentations during the week, humpback whale ID workshop, photography tips & workshop (on request), private boat for our group, accredited Tongan whale guide, commemorative Dive Ninja Tongan Expedition Team t-shirt, and all marine park fees.
