This past September I had the pleasure of joining nine other guests for a nine-day WhaleSwim adventure. Our cast of characters, a diverse age group ranging from 21 to 77, were an eclectic bunch -- single professionals, artists, seekers, scientific minds, adrenaline junkies. We all of course shared one unique thing in common – we had long dreamed of being in the water with these special creatures, and we had now convened in Moorea to turn those dreams of ours into reality.

Here are my observations and thoughts on that experience and the tour we had chosen to be part of, starting with what brought us whale enthusiasts together from all corners of the globe …

MOOREA’S WHALE SWIMS – Our group was thrilled to hear that the 2023 whale season was about as good as one could get, and there were certainly days that lived up to the hype. Given that you are committing to eight consecutive days on the water, I think you would have to be on the wrong side of karma not to experience a whale encounter at some point on this tour. With great weather and exceptional visibility at your back, you could even be so lucky as to have multiple encounters daily.

But you may also be dealt a string of days with limited to zero interaction, whether it be due to poor weather or scarcity of whales during your particular four-hour window on the water. This is exactly what our group faced during the first half of our tour, and the lengthy dry spell really began to test our patience. But sometimes them’s the breaks. If you find yourself in a similar scenario, it is important to keep in mind that such missed opportunities are outside anyone’s control.

Another factor to keep in mind on your swims is ocean visibility, which can play a sneaky part in your interaction with the whales. Society Island waters are a brilliant blue, but rain run-off from Moorea’s mountainous terrain, or even direct sunlight on a spectacular clear day, can both alter and often diminish the experience of an otherwise close encounter.

Even when weather and visibility conditions are ideal and the whales are abundant, the challenge may be that there are too many boats and competing swimmers already on the scene. Under current law, up to four licensed vessels are allowed to approach any given whale, and rarely will you have a whale to “yourself” so to speak. If and when you do, you will feel like the luckiest person on earth. But for all the times in between, it is best to keep expectations in check, as should really be the case with any wildlife spectacle.

WHALE PROXIMITY – You may already be hip to the fact that unlike Tonga’s humpbacks, which are found a good distance from shore, Moorea’s whales congregate rather close to the island. That my friends, is an understatement. Some of the whales we encountered were so close they swam just outside -- and in one instance inside -- the reef circling the island’s shores. This is great news for making the most of your daily four-hour window, and especially happy news for anyone prone to sea sickness.

On the downside, because Moorea’s whales are easier to find, once you do get called to swim you will likely be sharing the waters with other tour groups, and we found some of those competing tours to be a tad aggressive. What this tour gets right is its respect for the resident whales, and that respect is evident in how the captain makes his approach on the water and keeps swimmers at a safe distance once below. Our group never felt that we were running down or crowding Moorea’s whales, and rightly so.

YOUR BOAT, CATA MANU – Outside of booking a private tour, I can’t imagine a more comfortable ride. Being no stranger to sea sickness, I quickly became a fan of cruising Moorea’s waters on Maire’s sturdy catamaran, which glided across the chop on rough water days.

The boat’s sheer size was also a plus. There was ample room for our group of ten and all our accompanying gear. With such a spacious deck on offer, you are also able to freely move about. This is a huge advantage for any guest chasing a view, photo, a lively conversation, or just a bit of shade. By comparison, other tours packed their skiffs so full of guests I doubt there would be room enough to jockey for position even if you wanted to.

Manu’s size and build does come with one considerable tradeoff, however, and that is speed – or more precisely, the lack thereof. Equipped with two twin 60 HP motors, the Manu just can’t compete with the smaller skiffs on the water, some of which were sporting up to 480 HP. And while one might think that it should never be a race to be the first in the water, you are often competing with other tours for whale access, and it was frustrating at times to show up late to the party.

YOUR WHALESWIM CREW – Perhaps the word that best describes Maire and company would be “chill,” their vibe laidback enough to remind you that you are on vacation but also stern enough to get a message across when one was called for. Certain members of our group did have some difficulty with the trial-by-fire nature of our first swims, but as time went on – and the days became more agreeable – the swims became easier.

Though as many have mentioned in prior reviews, you really do need to be a decent swimmer to keep up with Maire during his pursuit of any given whale. I never witnessed any individual in our group being put in any danger by being left behind, but if do find yourself apart from others know that a lifebuoy and/or kickboard will always be brought along on swims as a precaution. And while none of us ever felt unsafe at any time, some of us -- myself included -- did feel like there could’ve been more explicit instructions given on how to conduct oneself in the water. The communication between the crew in the water and the crew on the boat during each swim could also be much improved.

In addition to the zen of Maire, the helping hand of his brother, Tere’i, and the thousand-watt smile of Maire’s son, Moanarua, you will also be in the company and care of your team leader, Sabri, an affable fellow who from minute one made every effort to make members of the group feel welcome and comfortable.

But the one thing I do wish he – perhaps in tandem with the crew – would have given us more of is a better profile of the whales themselves. I certainly wasn’t expecting this tour to conduct full-on lectures, but it would’ve been nice to have been provided a more extensive background on their behavior, impact on Moorea, connection to locals, etc. The answers were there when you asked for them, but I think the tour is missing an opportunity to better educate guests about Moorea’s resident whales and unique marine environment at large. I’ve been part of wildlife excursions elsewhere that packed more science in a half-day tour than what was on offer over the entirety of WhaleSwim’s nine days.

NOW FOR A BRIEF INTERRUPTION AND SHOUT OUT TO MOOREA’S “OTHER” MARINE LIFE – Though humpbacks are the stars of the show, the island of Moorea affords one the opportunity to experience other impressive aquatic encounters.

Outside the reef where your whale swims take place you may see pilot whales, sea turtles, dolphins, schools of flying fish, and jellyfish as well – though thankfully none was large enough to administer any nasty stings. Sail fish and whitetips reportedly also make appearances, but none were spotted on our tour.

This tour will also take you to several snorkeling hotspots relatively close to Moorea Sunset Beach. Inside the reef there are blacktips, rays, and of course a much wider variety of small, colorful fish to be had.

Corals right off Moorea Sunset Beach are not the healthiest, though Tiahuru’s Coral Garden located between the two nearby motus does offer more vibrant color. Your best bet for reef snorkeling in Moorea is still right at or near Moorea’s Sofitel – which is not a place you will visit with this tour. If you do get out that way independently, there’s a fella who offers a night snorkel adventure not to be missed.

ACCOMMODATIONS – After an unsuccessful attempt to secure a garden bungalow, my buddy and I opted to stay in one of Moorea Sunset Beach’s garden suites, and both of us found it to be quite comfortable despite its smaller size. The spacious back patio area, complete with an adjustable motorized awning, can also be a real asset just so long as you’re willing to deal with the occasional leaf blower in your ear. Our only real complaints square up with what so many other reviewers have already pointed out – no AC in the living area, a little skimpy on the TP, a LOT skimpy on cooking essentials with no salt, pepper, spices, or oil on site. You can indeed save a few bucks and bring your own Nespresso pods like the tour literature suggests, or better yet save yourself the hassle and just purchase them at any of the nearby markets who sell them for a better price than what is available at the front desk.

But no matter what type of room you choose, the real highlight of your time at Moorea Sunset Beach will likely be your location. The small adjoining beach where you will no doubt spent much of your time on island is first rate, with kayak rentals available courtesy of Tipnautic and the will-do-in-a-pinch lunch and dinner options at the neighboring Hotel Les Tipaniers.

COMPLIMENTARY MEALS – Emma’s prix fixe meals were all super tasty, with no shortage of alterative dishes for the vegetarians among us. The two nearby lunch spots – Snack Mahana and Coco Beach – were also both on point. Perhaps the biggest surprise may have actually been the simple but robust continental breakfast, which offered an assortment of breads, pastries, fruit, cereal, yogurt, ham & cheeses, etc – just the right stuff to get your day going. Boat snacks were advertised pre-tour but none were offered during our swims.

PRE-TOUR – While I very much enjoyed my time in Moorea, I very much did not enjoy the time I spent interacting with WhaleSwim leading up to the tour. I think most travelers would agree that a major upside to booking an inclusive tour is that you don’t have to sweat the small stuff, and I had the same expectation. But from iffy start to frustrating finish, the booking process for this tour was convoluted and comically difficult, to the point that my travel partner and I began questioning WhaleSwim’s legitimacy months before the tour began.

For the most part this sentiment was based on a series of communication challenges with Rae, who we rarely heard back from – except when our emails bounced back as undeliverable, when the room we were offered suddenly was no longer available, or when she repeatedly claimed that tour payments were outstanding despite us both having sent the required documentation for all installments well ahead of each deadline.

It was announced at our welcome dinner that Rae would not be joining us on our tour, so I can’t speak to her skills as an on-the-ground tour operator. She is surely to be commended for giving so many the opportunity to swim with whales in several places around the globe. But as founder, owner and sole customer-facing rep of this company in the lead up to the tour, I did expect her to handle the booking process with more diligence and care. I also found the tour literature to be a mess, and on several points, inaccurate. By the time I had the opportunity to speak with other guests on the tour, I wasn’t at all surprised to learn that ours wasn’t the only accommodation mishap that had occurred, or that the resident travel agent whose services were being offered “free for guests” were in fact not free at all.

Securing a place on a tour this reputable should only take a fraction of the energy that this one required, and it’s primarily for this reason that I won’t be recommending WhaleSwim to others. Few things will jeopardize your confidence in a tour quite like a disorganized run-up.

VALUE – is so subjective, and swimming alongside a humpback whale such an incredible privilege, it is difficult to put a price on what is essentially a priceless experience. But there’s no way around it – this is one spendy outfit. The cost being what it is, I left the tour questioning what was offered above and beyond what you might be able to find elsewhere on island. While the excursions, accommodations, meals, and transport were all very satisfactory on a goods-and-services level, aside from the comfort of traveling Moorea’s waters on the Manu, and meeting a few exceptional individuals in the tour group, I didn’t find that there was much else about the tour that truly impressed. After weighing WhaleSwim’s high price tag post-tour, my buddy and I both concluded that the overall package fell short in offering us the outsized experience we expected.

Sadly I’m not able to recommend another area all-inclusive that could rise to such an occasion. But I do think that if you’re looking to stretch your dollar that you could potentially achieve a similar, maybe even better travel experience by going a la carte. WhaleSwim prides itself on offering swims for days on end to maximize your chance of meaningful whale encounters, but you can just as easily book an equal amount of consecutive daily tours with another responsible tour operator, or even entertain several different outfits across those days if you wanted to. Booking your accommodations separately isn’t an issue in Moorea – in fact there are Airbnb listings to be had adjacent to Moorea Sunset Beach. The restaurants do sometimes have tricky schedules, but you can find good meals out, and as an added bonus by not being locked into the tour’s set mealtimes and nightly mystery menus you can choose what time you want to eat, what to eat and how much. With any luck you may find you have money to spare which can be put towards other tours and activities to be experienced when you’re not in search of whales, maybe even rent a car. Or better yet rent a wetsuit or invest in a tour video, both of which in my opinion really should already be included at WhaleSwim’s lavish price point. And if you’re considering WhaleSwim specifically for the local and conscientious captain and his crew that anchor the entire operation, then it’s important to know that Maire offers tours outside of WhaleSwim. The outfit is called Moorea Eco Tour.

IN SUMMARY – Despite my misgivings towards the more frustrating aspects of this tour, I do have Whaleswim Adventures to thank for many powerful and often awe-inspiring moments in the company of Moorea’s whales. Past guests have certainly embraced the operation, and I do think still that if you manage to avoid any pre-tour headaches then it could be a winning option, especially if you’re keen on a mostly-all-inclusive affair offering no-fuss accommodations, easy beach access, and an extremely comfortable boat. And while the quality of your interactions with the crew may vary, and the vast knowledge they possess may not be worn on their sleeve, there is no question that you can count on Maire and team to be highly respectful of Moorea’s whales. That’s not to say there aren’t other area tour operators that also strive for a similar eco-friendly approach. Just know that not everyone on the water is following best protocol.

But if you are searching, as I was, for a world-class and worry-free adventure outfit to impress and inform, then you may want to keep looking. Given the communication breakdowns that both my travel partner and I encountered in the months leading up to the tour, and after hearing some of the other commentary from fellow guests who also ran into a range of other sticky logistical issues, I think there is a better than average chance that similar administrative hiccups could disrupt your travel experience at any time.

And if you’re struggling to commit to the considerable expense of this tour, you may also find that you can do the legwork yourself and design a similar-but-different kind of trip that meets or even exceeds all your needs for less. I likely won’t have the opportunity to return to Moorea, but if I did then this is certainly the way I would go. If you, dear reader, are aiming for a more affordable and better organized whale swim experience, I encourage you to explore doing the same.

I've recently returned from an incredible 7-day trip on the "Magical Humpbacks in Tahiti Tour" with whale swims, and I'm already planning my next visit! 🐋

Leading up to the tour, the Whale Swim team went above and beyond, keeping us well-informed by sending updates and addressing any questions we had. Their attention to detail made us feel prepared and supported.

Moorea welcomed us with its beautiful scenery – coconut trees, crystal-clear waters, and wildlife - a perfect location for a week-long stay.

The first night, we were warmly welcomed into the home of our guide, Sabri, alongside his wife Emma and their delightful daughter, Pacifique. Sabri took the time to get to know us, understand our experiences in the water and our swimming abilities , inform us about the upcoming week and answered all our questions.

During this time, Emma and the assistant chef, Raphael, prepared and served us a delicious and healthy three-course meal. The Thai prawn and coconut curry was an absolute standout, easily one of the best meals I've ever had! 🙌
Every meal was incredible and we were lucky enough to enjoy 4 more dinners during our stay.

The next day marked the beginning of our extraordinary tour, where we had the pleasure of meeting the other key members of the crew – the "Whale Whisperer" Maire, his son Moanarua, and his brother Tere'i. Their profound knowledge and experience with the ocean were evident, as they consistently located and identified the whales.
Throughout the tour, the entire team consistently demonstrated their respect for these magnificent creatures. Their commitment to responsible and ethical interactions with the whales was evident also as they avoided any behaviour that could potentially cause stress to the whales.

Overall, this has been the best holiday I've ever been on. The surreal moments of swimming alongside these gentle giants, listening to their songs in the open ocean, witnessing a baby whale breach right before our eyes, and respectfully immersing ourselves in their environment – all of this, combined with the outstanding location, warm hospitality, and expert knowledge of the crew, made for the perfect holiday. 🌟

If you have the opportunity to have your trip filmed, I highly recommend taking it. It was a fantastic way to fully immerse ourselves in the experience without the distraction of filming. After the tour, we all received an edited film, ready to watch and share, which perfectly captured the breath-taking moments of our adventure. It's a priceless memento!

Upon arrival, I couldn't help but notice that half of our Whale Swim team were returning customers, and now I completely understand why! 🤗

Hope to be back in 2025!

WhaleSwim Review

I’ve been trying to decide about a review. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but, as a traveller, I do read reviews. Now that I’ve been home for a bit, I just feel sad. It wasn’t the trip I expected nor wanted. Perhaps my trip was different because Rae wasn’t there and as well, during the first three days we didn’t find any whales and crew was possibly frustrated?

Firstly I should say that I have a scuba diving background. From the very first trip on the boat I was told I was too slow. Too slow getting off/on the boat as well as in the water. I had never snorkelled from a boat before and was a little nervous to begin with and the criticism just made it worse. I have a knee injury which makes me not as strong as others when using only my knees/kicking, etc. We were told to slip into the water and not be disruptive so I didn’t use my crawl stroke. (I grew up in Hawaii where I was a competitive swimmer.) Later on in the trip I just used my crawl to swim and that seemed to be fine. I also had trouble with my fins because I retained so much water travelling that the fins were too small. Word to the wise on long distance flights: Wear compression stockings.

I purposely didn’t bring a camera for underwater shots because we were told there would be someone making a video of our underwater encounters. I think someone else should have been hired to make the video after Sabri was hurt and unable to dive with us. As it is, I have no underwater photos of my own.

One day on the water, I ended up next to a whale. I had my arms across my chest and just floating, fins pointing down. The whale moved closer to me; I did not move closer to the whale. Neither was I close enough to touch it. I was entranced but was interrupted by Sabri yelling at me to move away from the whale. My moment was ruined.. I moved backwards, treading with my arms, and the whale moved away. With the very comprehensive and extensive liability waiver we had to sign before coming on the trip, the company would have had no blame if the whale had hurt me. (And, anyway I can think of worse ways to check out!) I was not moving towards the whale, stressing it in any way, so I don’t know what the problem was.

Another time I was in the water with the group and heard someone say “Go!” with a finger pointing in a direction. Because I wanted to keep up with the group I turned in that direction and began moving. Maeri came up behind me, yanked very hard on my left fin, and upon passing me in the water, yelled in a very nasty voice, “Where are you going?!”

I enjoyed the company of the other participants but I need to say that I am not an aggressive person and numerous times I was jostled about as the others would rush ahead for a picture of a whale. My snorkel was knocked out of my mouth and my mask moved sideways in peoples’ rush. Perhaps it’s the Canadian in me—it just isn’t in me to disturb others like that. I don’t think our group was given a very thorough talk about what to expect and how to behave in the water. Or, maybe the company doesn’t believe it’s an issue and this company is just not a good fit for me. Hopefully our trip was a one-off and no one again has issues like mine.

The Sunset resort was a perfect place to stay—clean, low key, close to the water, and quiet even with kids running around.
As happened with another WhaleSwimmer, Rae goofed up my extra days at the end of my trip and I had to move to a different hotel for 2 nights instead of staying at Sunset. The new hotel was right on the highway and very noisy.

The meals Emma cooked were very good and very healthy. I think we all had kitchenettes in our rooms so we either ate at restaurants or cooked for ourselves on the nights she didn’t cook for us. We also had 3 lunches as a group at different restaurants in town.

In Moorea, being with the whales offset all the difficulties I had on the trip as a whole. But now that I’m home I think I owe it to others to write of the difficulties I had so they can make a more informed decision as WhaleSwim is very expensive. And, as I mentioned earlier, perhaps my trip was a one off and others will not have the same issues.

I am a senior and I carry extra weight on my bones but I am also very strong; I work out. I don’t know if my appearance provoked my difficulties on this trip. The crew seemed to be surprised that I could swim so well. Maeri’s brother, Tere’i, seemed to be very impressed. He was very sweet about it. :-)

I have already decided to go back to Moorea next summer (2024) but I’ll be with a different company. I need new memories.

PS: One more thing: Be prepared to download all required paperwork—travel insurance, liability, etc.—into their system. I was confused.