Whale Watch From Big Island Shorelines

Every year, the North Pacific Humpback Whales grace the shores of Hawaii. The Kohola (whales in the ancient Hawaiian language) can be seen during their annual Winter migration, roughly between the months of November and May. The  two best islands for whale watching from the shoreline are most definitely the Big Island and Maui.

If you’re not able to book a whale watching tour, or if you’re not so keen on floating on a vessel over the Pacific Ocean, you can do the next best thing, and watch them from many of the Big Island’s beaches and scenic spots.

The best places to watch whales from the land in Hawaii, is right along the North Kohala and Kohala Coastlines; specifically from Holoholokai Beach Park and Kaunaoa Beach.

A spectacular place to catch some whale sightings is from the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site. Located just North of Kohala Coast resort areas, here you can visit the largest heiau (temple) in Hawaii protected by the National Park System. Historically, the Puukohola Heiau was built during the reign of Kamehameha the Great in 1790. He was advised to construct it by his kahuna (priest); it was built in dedication to Kukailimoku, the War God, in hopes of guiding over the unification of the Hawaiian Islands.

When whale watching in Hawaii, you can expect to see these massive 40+ton magical mammals breach, lunge, tail-slap and blow upon the ocean’s surface. The main reasons that the Humpback Whales migrate to Hawaii during the Winter is to breed and birth. Towards the end of the season, you can also expect to see baby calves frolic and play, as they learn the skills that will take them into adulthood.