As Tonga & Niue are 2 of the only 3 locations (Tonga, Niue & Silver Bank) in the world where you can snorkel with the gentle humpback whales . . this is truly a unique opportunity!
The warm waters surrounding Vava'u make ideal calfing and mating grounds for the magnificent Humpback Whale.

The Southern Humpback Whale migrates to Tonga from Antartica, a journey of 6000 miles. From the month of July through to November the whales can been seen and heard frollocking.

Whale Watch Vava'u has capable vessels available for charter, so you can get up close and personal with them. Phoenix and Lulutahi were purpose built in New Zealand. Lulutahi has seating for 20 passengers, ladder for easy access to and from the water, life jackets and safety equipment, toilet and viewing platform. We have a hydrophone onboard so listening to the males song is possible. Some days the song will ring clearly through the hull of the boat. We also have a range of snorkelling gear available free of charge. Phoenix has seating for 8 passengers and all other equipment that is mentioned above for Lulutahi.

Jocara is a beautiful and seaworthy centre-cockpit cutter-rigged sloop. Owned by two Humpback whale and underwater acoustics University Professors with a strong commitment to ecology and environmental protection, Jocara is also equipped with advanced sonar and underwater listening equipment. A colour-coded forward-looking sonar can be steered to image submerged whales and the seabed, while state-of-the-art navigation electronics are able to superimpose digital charts, radar images and other information to give a clear picture of where she is and what’s going on both above and below the water. The custom built hydrophone system allows guests to listen to and record Humpback whale song, a fascinating and eerie display that is believed to be an important part of the breeding behaviour of Humpbacks in the Vava’u island group.
Recordings can be transfered to CD for guests to take home with them as a wonderful and unique souvenir.

Jocara’s length and heavy cruising construction make her a remarkably stable platform for photography and those sensitive to motion discomfort. Her spacious interior boasts a full 6’6” headroom in the main saloon. Jocara has two double cabins, one forward and one aft with an en-suite marine toilet and sink. In addition, there is a single private cabin to port and another in the passageway forward to starboard. A day-bed in the main saloon completes the list of bunks, permitting up to 6 guests. There is also a separate marine toilet, sink and shower forward.

We still offer private charters for whale watching and for sailing year round. Our whale watching charters will be greatly enhance by the specialized equipment that Jocara has.

 

Phoenix our other whale watching vessels is used exclusively for Mounu Island Resort guests, however when not in charter with guests she becomes available to the public.

Click here for Sailing Charters and Whale Wathcing